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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
I love a good comedy of manners. A little social satire mixed with a light romantic comedy is the perfect pick-me-up between more weighty tomes. And I loved Diksha Basu's first novel The Windfall. It was a delightful read that had me laughing out loud, calling out, "listen to this one!"
Mr. Jha has sold his website for an $20 million and after two years has decided it was time to be "movin' on up" to a modern home in a posh upscale neighborhood.
For twenty-five years The Jha family has lived in an apartment building with the same neighbors with whom they have their little tiffs and warm friendships. But why wash in a bucket with a cup when they can have walk-in showers? It is time to buy toilet paper and install squirting water guns near the toilet. Mr. Jha has caught the conspicuous wealth bug, buying a Mercedes and ordering a Swarovski-studded couch. He wants to live according to their income.
Mrs. Jha is content with their old life. She enjoyed her job seeking our craftpersons and promoting their traditional hand crafted items. She sees no need to put aside her bucket and cup or to wear flashy diamonds. She is glad their son Rupak in America is studying for an MBA; she wants him to be a self-made man like his father. His family does not know that Rupak is failing his classes and is conflicted over having an American girlfriend, believing his parents would disapprove.
When Mr. Jha meets their new neighbor Mr. Chopka it sets off a war of who has the best toys. Mr. Jha is driven to assume the lifestyle of the wealthy, and Mr. Chopka needs to keep proving he is on the top rung of the ladder.
At first Mr. Chopka assumes Mrs. Jha is the maid, and later when the Jhas are at the Chopka home the maid appears dressed similar to Mrs. Jha! Mrs. Chopka is addicted to her iPad and Angry Birds, and thinks nothing of loosing a diamond earring.
I loved the characters. And I especially loved Mr. Jha's inner dialogs. He ponders the summer Delhi heat and wonders, "what was the point of all this new money if he couldn't escape the blistering midday temperatures? It should be possible, Mr. Jha thought, to have a small portable air conditioned Plexiglas cubical built to walk around in." He imagines a portable cooled environment, "perhaps with wheels. But then that would be a car."
The Jha's old neighbor Mrs. Ray meets Mr. Chopka's brother. The Jha's old neighbors the Guptas are pushing their niece, also studying in America, to meet up with Rupak. Mrs. Ray and Rupak struggle with convention, expectation, and love as they weigh their choices.
Through the Jha family I learned about modern India, the old and the new, the class struggle, and the battle between the West and traditional for the souls of its youth. It is a very funny novel about issues that are universal, while also allowing Westerners to appreciate and better understand Modern India.
I received a free book through Blogging for Books in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Mr. Jha has sold his website for an $20 million and after two years has decided it was time to be "movin' on up" to a modern home in a posh upscale neighborhood.
For twenty-five years The Jha family has lived in an apartment building with the same neighbors with whom they have their little tiffs and warm friendships. But why wash in a bucket with a cup when they can have walk-in showers? It is time to buy toilet paper and install squirting water guns near the toilet. Mr. Jha has caught the conspicuous wealth bug, buying a Mercedes and ordering a Swarovski-studded couch. He wants to live according to their income.
Mrs. Jha is content with their old life. She enjoyed her job seeking our craftpersons and promoting their traditional hand crafted items. She sees no need to put aside her bucket and cup or to wear flashy diamonds. She is glad their son Rupak in America is studying for an MBA; she wants him to be a self-made man like his father. His family does not know that Rupak is failing his classes and is conflicted over having an American girlfriend, believing his parents would disapprove.
When Mr. Jha meets their new neighbor Mr. Chopka it sets off a war of who has the best toys. Mr. Jha is driven to assume the lifestyle of the wealthy, and Mr. Chopka needs to keep proving he is on the top rung of the ladder.
At first Mr. Chopka assumes Mrs. Jha is the maid, and later when the Jhas are at the Chopka home the maid appears dressed similar to Mrs. Jha! Mrs. Chopka is addicted to her iPad and Angry Birds, and thinks nothing of loosing a diamond earring.
I loved the characters. And I especially loved Mr. Jha's inner dialogs. He ponders the summer Delhi heat and wonders, "what was the point of all this new money if he couldn't escape the blistering midday temperatures? It should be possible, Mr. Jha thought, to have a small portable air conditioned Plexiglas cubical built to walk around in." He imagines a portable cooled environment, "perhaps with wheels. But then that would be a car."
The Jha's old neighbor Mrs. Ray meets Mr. Chopka's brother. The Jha's old neighbors the Guptas are pushing their niece, also studying in America, to meet up with Rupak. Mrs. Ray and Rupak struggle with convention, expectation, and love as they weigh their choices.
Through the Jha family I learned about modern India, the old and the new, the class struggle, and the battle between the West and traditional for the souls of its youth. It is a very funny novel about issues that are universal, while also allowing Westerners to appreciate and better understand Modern India.
I received a free book through Blogging for Books in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Fun story about generational growth and wealth in a changing world
20/8/2017: i wrote an article/different review about this book, and if you guys are interested, you can read it here!
3.5 stars.
Wealth. Humour. Culture. Love. Family. A weird and a wild mix, but a good one indeed.
Thank you Crown Publishing for sending me a free, finished copy of this book in an exchange for an honest review!
The Windfall revolves around a number of different families and individuals whom their lives changed when Mr. Jha gained millions of dollars by selling his website and decided to move his family into a much bigger house in a fancier neighbourhood.
The story follows the Jha family on their transit from a local complex in East Delhi to a House in Gurgaon: a neighbourhood with high-class houses and families with personal guards, shiny cars, and thousand dollars-worthy jewellery.
The book is dipped in humour and social satire, which are illustrated in poor Mr. Jha's constant pretentious efforts towards his new (and just as wealthy) neighbours: from showing off his family's expensive trip to NY, to constantly mentioning his one and only son—Rupak—who's doing his MBA abroad.
Despite how i was constantly annoyed by most of the character's behaviours, how pretentious they were, and how all of Mr. Jha's actions were driven by his obsession of impressing and wow-ing their new, wealthy neighbours, the things that made me continue reading were much more dominant. First, Mrs. Jha's kindness and her wit: she was the best out of all The Windfall's characters, one that i couldn't help but enjoy reading about. Then there's how this book exposed me to the Indian culture and some Indian traditions—which i absolutely loved learning and reading about—without having to leave my place. And lastly, the humour that lays within this book's pages.
The Jha's story highlights how one single event or action can lead to changes—both small and huge—and how our destinies affect those around us both: close and far.
3.5 stars.
Wealth. Humour. Culture. Love. Family. A weird and a wild mix, but a good one indeed.
Thank you Crown Publishing for sending me a free, finished copy of this book in an exchange for an honest review!
The Windfall revolves around a number of different families and individuals whom their lives changed when Mr. Jha gained millions of dollars by selling his website and decided to move his family into a much bigger house in a fancier neighbourhood.
The story follows the Jha family on their transit from a local complex in East Delhi to a House in Gurgaon: a neighbourhood with high-class houses and families with personal guards, shiny cars, and thousand dollars-worthy jewellery.
The book is dipped in humour and social satire, which are illustrated in poor Mr. Jha's constant pretentious efforts towards his new (and just as wealthy) neighbours: from showing off his family's expensive trip to NY, to constantly mentioning his one and only son—Rupak—who's doing his MBA abroad.
Despite how i was constantly annoyed by most of the character's behaviours, how pretentious they were, and how all of Mr. Jha's actions were driven by his obsession of impressing and wow-ing their new, wealthy neighbours, the things that made me continue reading were much more dominant. First, Mrs. Jha's kindness and her wit: she was the best out of all The Windfall's characters, one that i couldn't help but enjoy reading about. Then there's how this book exposed me to the Indian culture and some Indian traditions—which i absolutely loved learning and reading about—without having to leave my place. And lastly, the humour that lays within this book's pages.
The Jha's story highlights how one single event or action can lead to changes—both small and huge—and how our destinies affect those around us both: close and far.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Was not a fan of how women were talked about. The gatekeeper guy planning ways to assault women was the last straw.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fun story of a New Delhi family who earned a windfall of money by the sale of a computer app. Suddenly the petty competitions of middle class apartment life are upgraded to keeping up with the new higher income neighbors in their new neighborhood.
