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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
fast-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
https://www.howdidthatbookend.com/kirthana-ramisetti-dava-shastris-last-day/
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review and to Hachette Audio for the advanced listener’s copy. Dava Shastri’s Last Day publishes today!
What an awesome premise! Dava has decided not to let her cancer illness take her away from her impressive life, and instead wants to die on her own terms. She invites her entire family to her secluded home for her last day, with a doctor on call to euthanize her when she is ready. She has a few requests for her family before she passes.
Dava’s life story is complex and compelling. As word gets out that she has passed away (before she has actually died), rumors begin to circle about the daughter she gave up for adoption and her past flings. I loved hearing the gossip and then listening to Dava’s reflections on what really happened.
I felt sad for the Shastri-Perssons family, as they didn’t really seem like much of a family to me. They certainly weren’t close, and they didn’t seem to react to the news of Dava’s terminal illness the way a normal family would. It was hard to connect with any of Dava’s children, despite their story playing a large part in the book.
I loved this author’s writing style. Her prose certainly drew me into the story of Dava’s life and how she chose to end it. The fact that the main character was 70 years old was a huge draw for me, as most books I read center around characters in their late 20s or early 30s. I enjoyed the cultural exploration of Dava and Arvind’s ethnic backgrounds and how that played a role in their lives.
Despite the subject matter, Dava Shastri’s Last Day was oddly humorous at times. It also made me cry at certain passages–I love when a book can span all my emotions. This is a solid family drama that you should certainly add to your TBR if you’re a fan of character-driven novels.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review and to Hachette Audio for the advanced listener’s copy. Dava Shastri’s Last Day publishes today!
What an awesome premise! Dava has decided not to let her cancer illness take her away from her impressive life, and instead wants to die on her own terms. She invites her entire family to her secluded home for her last day, with a doctor on call to euthanize her when she is ready. She has a few requests for her family before she passes.
Dava’s life story is complex and compelling. As word gets out that she has passed away (before she has actually died), rumors begin to circle about the daughter she gave up for adoption and her past flings. I loved hearing the gossip and then listening to Dava’s reflections on what really happened.
I felt sad for the Shastri-Perssons family, as they didn’t really seem like much of a family to me. They certainly weren’t close, and they didn’t seem to react to the news of Dava’s terminal illness the way a normal family would. It was hard to connect with any of Dava’s children, despite their story playing a large part in the book.
I loved this author’s writing style. Her prose certainly drew me into the story of Dava’s life and how she chose to end it. The fact that the main character was 70 years old was a huge draw for me, as most books I read center around characters in their late 20s or early 30s. I enjoyed the cultural exploration of Dava and Arvind’s ethnic backgrounds and how that played a role in their lives.
Despite the subject matter, Dava Shastri’s Last Day was oddly humorous at times. It also made me cry at certain passages–I love when a book can span all my emotions. This is a solid family drama that you should certainly add to your TBR if you’re a fan of character-driven novels.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
reflective
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
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
Beautifully written, character-driven, and reads like a memoir. This one is emotional and moving and a tender portrayal of families and their complicated dynamics, anticipation, and grief.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book and inhaled it over a weekend.
It’s so different and engaging from what’s out there and fits my current niche, Desi Sci Fi although the book is not Sci Fi and doesn’t have any fantastical elements.
It takes place on a remote island as the matriarch and billionaire, Dava Shastry decides to release news of her death early so she can read her obituaries before she actually dies.
The whole plan backfires and painful secrets that she tried to keep hidden from her family are revealed and we see. A complex woman who defied expectations and was obsessed with creating a legacy for herself but at what cost?
This book also highlights all the good Dava did with her grants via her foundation and how it affected one person the most.
It’s a good book to help you question what legacy you want to leave behind and is it the one you would imagine?
Dava and the other characters are not entirely likeable and you question their motives a lot of the time but I think it’s an important book to see that even the wealthiest have hang ups.
It definitely made me think about what I can do with my time and how I can help those who need it the most.
Overall, a really enjoyable book!
It’s so different and engaging from what’s out there and fits my current niche, Desi Sci Fi although the book is not Sci Fi and doesn’t have any fantastical elements.
It takes place on a remote island as the matriarch and billionaire, Dava Shastry decides to release news of her death early so she can read her obituaries before she actually dies.
The whole plan backfires and painful secrets that she tried to keep hidden from her family are revealed and we see. A complex woman who defied expectations and was obsessed with creating a legacy for herself but at what cost?
This book also highlights all the good Dava did with her grants via her foundation and how it affected one person the most.
It’s a good book to help you question what legacy you want to leave behind and is it the one you would imagine?
Dava and the other characters are not entirely likeable and you question their motives a lot of the time but I think it’s an important book to see that even the wealthiest have hang ups.
It definitely made me think about what I can do with my time and how I can help those who need it the most.
Overall, a really enjoyable book!
sad
tense
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