A review by agarje1
Small Days and Nights by Tishani Doshi

4.0

I really clicked with this book in ways that I didn't really expect. Although this book doesn't really have a plot, I was so intrigued by Grace's story that I couldn't stop listening. The author made me lose myself in Grace's story, and the way the author described the setting and the characters really made me feel like I was there. Grace is such a complex character and there is so much to her story, and I think this book would not have worked with a weaker characterization. Grace isn't necessarily a likeable character and she makes so many questionable decisions over the course of this novel, but while reading the novel I got stuck in her head and I really came to feel for her and the decisions she had to make. This book is almost like a coming of age story except the main protagonist is in her thirties, but the way she doesn't know who she is reminded me a lot of stories with younger protagonists. It was nice to see that this sense of identity crisis isn't just limited to adolescents and people in their twenties.

It was also cool to see glimpses of life in Tamil Nadu, from the contrast between the city and more rural areas to the role of women in society. The contrasts Grace found between her life in the US and her life in India were also very fascinating, and it doesn't seem like she quite found herself in either place.

All in all this was a really immersive and thoughtful reading experience that I think will stick with me for a while.