A review by cassielaj
Dava Shastri's Last Day by Kirthana Ramisetti

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I think this book is magnificent. The concept, of a woman so obsessed with legacy that she publicizes her death early to read the coverage and brings her family together on a private island for her final moments, is bizarre at first. 
But this story is raw and messy and stunning in so many ways. The extended Shastri-Persson family is made up of characters so complex and flawed that you have to remind yourself it's fiction. As the book progresses, it manages to address some of life's most existential questions about love, family, death, and legacy, but Ramisetti weaves them so expertly into the type of gossipy, can't-look-away, rich people family drama story that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time. 
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