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A review by lk222
Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian
3.0
Sanjena Sathian's debut novel is a fully original story that harnesses the fever of the California Gold Rush, the intoxication of the American dream, and the pressure of the modern day immigrant parent all in one story. In Atlanta, Georgia we meet Neil / Neeraj, a second-generation teen struggling to live up to his Indian-born parents’ goals. He’s surrounded by Asian-American whiz kids whose academic and extracurricular activities leave him in the dust. He simply seems to be missing the drive. He’s also besotted with his neighbor, Anita, an exceptionally successful student as well as a leading contestant for Miss Teen India Georgia. It’s like she’s in overdrive, imbued with some extra special quality that Neil can only fantasize of obtaining. But then Neil discovers Anita’s secret to success. I won’t give it all away, but Anita’s power lies in gold and alchemy. In exchange for his silence, Neil obtains access to Anita’s secret weapon and suddenly he’s able to compete with his peers, he’s able to meet his parents’ weighty expectations. But this success comes with a price, as well as a level of addiction, and one fateful event shatters everything. Ten years and a number of partially-managed addictions later, the cycle begins again. . .
I love discovering new and distinct voices in literature and Sathian’s voice is fully her own. She’s already an award-winning author of short fiction as well as a winner of the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. Her first book is undoubtedly a success. Sathian starts a necessary conversation about the pressures that immigrant parents so often place on their children, centered around a protagonist that breaks the stereotype of the Asian-American overachiever. I loved her use of gold as a central player in the story and as a metaphor for both the intoxication of the American promise and the addiction of its pursuit. Sathian’s play of alchemy, culture, history, and lore in a modern drama is enchantingly delivered. I would absolutely love to hear what second-generation readers think of this story.
I love discovering new and distinct voices in literature and Sathian’s voice is fully her own. She’s already an award-winning author of short fiction as well as a winner of the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. Her first book is undoubtedly a success. Sathian starts a necessary conversation about the pressures that immigrant parents so often place on their children, centered around a protagonist that breaks the stereotype of the Asian-American overachiever. I loved her use of gold as a central player in the story and as a metaphor for both the intoxication of the American promise and the addiction of its pursuit. Sathian’s play of alchemy, culture, history, and lore in a modern drama is enchantingly delivered. I would absolutely love to hear what second-generation readers think of this story.