A review by millertimereads
Miss New India by Bharati Mukherjee

2.0

2.5 stars if Goodreads allowed halves. I was really intrigued to learn about a young Indian woman's journey from bucking the chauvinist old school society where her father was to choose her husband from newspaper ads to a new independent life in Bangalore where the "new India" is emerging and giving women a chance to choose their own destiny. But ultimately I really struggled to identify with Anjali. I think she was supposed to come across as a Bridget Jones type character, someone a bit silly but endearing. Instead she comes off as dim and worthless when it comes to actually pursuing a career. I guess I wanted a narrative involving a story of a woman with newfound freedoms realizing her potential, but that's just not this novel. I will say it was interesting, and sobering, to learn about the American imitation classes the call center agents take, and I liked that the book raised questions about the cost of the New India - i.e. being always beholden to the US. But overall, the book just didn't enchant me.