Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The plot of this book had a lot of potential. Rich, self-made woman who wants to die on her own terms but needs to reconcile her past with her present. However, the execution is middling at best and clumsy at worst. Ramisetti's prose is not bad, especially for a debut, but her characters feel like caricatures and not a single one had any depth, including the matriarch main character. They all felt like they'd been assigned tropes to fulfil - the gay son, the wayward youngest child, the daughter who is supposed to take over from Dava, and Dava herself is pigeonholed into the stoic-but-loving-but-also-has-skeletons character. The attempts to shoehorn the characters' 'Indianness' and 'Americanness' were shallow and contrived, and it felt like the book would've been better off sticking to a single setting culturally instead of not doing justice to either context. Throughout the book, every time the Shastri family interacted, I kept thing - "Do real people really talk this way?" The book also fails at keeping the reader engaged in the tension and suspense of Dava's life - we really have no stakes to look forward to and frankly, care about her life or her family. Its not all bad, and it reminded me of 90s Bollywood family dramas minus the misogyny and dancing. But the book never lives up to its potential, and I finished it feeling empty.
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really great premise, but I feel that it lacked a punch. I loved that it was set in the near future, which challenged my view on “adults” as in this timeline I would be older than her children. Sandi was not enough of an antagonist to be and interesting POV opposite Dava. I liked how fucked up the kids are, relatable to anyone whose parents had a lot of wishes for them and the ways you may or may not achieve their wishes. I wanted more about the second secret that’s revealed. I loved the way the author wrote about race, it felt matched to the character’s lives. But, I feel that it too closely toed the line of mocking a billionaire and her choices and being inspired by her choices, so I was left with wondering what the author wanted us to think or what question was she trying to answer. I chose to laugh at Dava’s blatant narcissism and the cringey Gen X rich woman culture choices and interests—identifying with Hamilton (the musical) and Rockefeller AND obsession with being a philanthropist—but if that was intended, it’s murky. Traumatizing her grandkids? Not realizing secrets could be revealed? Generally not expecting anything besides what she wanted to happen happening? Very fun to watch her struggle with the decision to leak her death. Definitely recommend as an audiobook!
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Settle in for a poignant ride with this one. Reading it felt akin to being in a boat rocked back and forth as each family member tells their tale. I story of family and love and secrets crafted in the most relatable way.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No