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realmsoffreedom 's review for:
Tell Me How to Be
by Neel Patel
emotional
informative
inspiring
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
really did not expect my first read of 2022 to be so heavy, wow.
i really, really loved this. i loved the messiness and the complexity of it. i feel like, for people who haven't lived something similar, it could be frustrating to read about, but to me, it felt normal. it felt like the lived reality of so many first-gen indian kids, dealing with these complicated relationships with family, culture, and the tension between who they want to be and what expectations have been laid out for them.
i liked renu's sections a lot. they gave me a newfound appreciation for my parents' perspectives - there were so many times i didn't agree with what she was saying or wanted to argue, but there was also a humanity to everything, a quiet devastation, that made it much more difficult to see her as an antagonist.
our parents aren't easy. our culture isn't easy, either. there are terrible parts and difficult parts, as there are in any other culture, and what i loved most about this book is how honest it was about those things. not shying away from reality, despite how poorly it could reflect on the characters. i liked these characters getting the opportunity to be flawed and hurt each other and it not all be neatly wrapped up by the end. it felt authentic, and it felt real, and i really appreciated that.
i really, really loved this. i loved the messiness and the complexity of it. i feel like, for people who haven't lived something similar, it could be frustrating to read about, but to me, it felt normal. it felt like the lived reality of so many first-gen indian kids, dealing with these complicated relationships with family, culture, and the tension between who they want to be and what expectations have been laid out for them.
i liked renu's sections a lot. they gave me a newfound appreciation for my parents' perspectives - there were so many times i didn't agree with what she was saying or wanted to argue, but there was also a humanity to everything, a quiet devastation, that made it much more difficult to see her as an antagonist.
our parents aren't easy. our culture isn't easy, either. there are terrible parts and difficult parts, as there are in any other culture, and what i loved most about this book is how honest it was about those things. not shying away from reality, despite how poorly it could reflect on the characters. i liked these characters getting the opportunity to be flawed and hurt each other and it not all be neatly wrapped up by the end. it felt authentic, and it felt real, and i really appreciated that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism