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A review by dreamofbookspines
Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier
4.0
Other than wanting to stab Gwyn (the main character Dimple's "best friend") every other page, this is a thoroughly charming portrait of a teenage Indian girl who is trying to assimilate into American society. It's touching and seems very genuine. Dimple is easy to relate to, and so is her growing attraction to Karsh.
Gwyn, however, is not a nice person. She is a culture-appropriating douchebag who doesn't give a crap that she's hurting her "best friend" (or somehow she just hasn't noticed, in which case she's plain stupid). I've had that pretty friend who keeps you (the less conventionally attractive one) before, and they are never a nice person. I keep shouting "Dimple, you can do so much better than this bitch!" She redeems herself a bit in the end, but I still find the character an overwhelmingly not-nice person.
This is a charming and somewhat unconventional coming of age story, but I really think it's worthwhile. It's also an excellent illustrative novel for globalization/cultural appropriation/assimilation, and I've used it as a novel for my students (college-age) to read and discuss. The ones who read it enjoyed it.
Gwyn, however, is not a nice person. She is a culture-appropriating douchebag who doesn't give a crap that she's hurting her "best friend" (or somehow she just hasn't noticed, in which case she's plain stupid). I've had that pretty friend who keeps you (the less conventionally attractive one) before, and they are never a nice person. I keep shouting "Dimple, you can do so much better than this bitch!" She redeems herself a bit in the end, but I still find the character an overwhelmingly not-nice person.
This is a charming and somewhat unconventional coming of age story, but I really think it's worthwhile. It's also an excellent illustrative novel for globalization/cultural appropriation/assimilation, and I've used it as a novel for my students (college-age) to read and discuss. The ones who read it enjoyed it.