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rmarcin's review against another edition
3.0
A light read about keeping up with the Joneses. This story is set primarily in India, and sometimes in NY, and is about a family with newly acquired wealth from the sale of a business. Mr. Jha is consumed with impressions of wealth, moving to a wealthier neighborhood, purchasing a Mercedes, purchasing a sofa with Swarovski crystals, etc. in an effort to impress his new neighbors. His wife is not nearly as excited about making the move. Their son is struggling to finish his MBA in NY and trying to keep his American girlfriend a secret.
This story is all about what other people think instead of finding what matters most to you and pursuing it.
It was cute and funny at times, but I was hoping for more from this novel. To me, it just went on too long. Be true to yourself - and don't care what others think! You will be much happier if you follow this in your life.
This story is all about what other people think instead of finding what matters most to you and pursuing it.
It was cute and funny at times, but I was hoping for more from this novel. To me, it just went on too long. Be true to yourself - and don't care what others think! You will be much happier if you follow this in your life.
christinetibs's review against another edition
I enjoyed the Windfall, it balanced heart and humor so well, with wonderful characters and imagery.
However, I really wanted to linger longer on some of the characters in the novel, particularly Johnny. Who, had the potential to be more than 1 dimensional but with so many stories going on he was lost. I wish the book had been longer or the climax had played out earlier so we could see these characters in the days after - not just weeks. I would have loved to see their true selves in that different way.
I loved the Chopra’s surprising compassion and the ease in which Reema found happiness. It also made me genuinely laugh out loud multiple times - the quips kept coming!
However, I really wanted to linger longer on some of the characters in the novel, particularly Johnny. Who, had the potential to be more than 1 dimensional but with so many stories going on he was lost. I wish the book had been longer or the climax had played out earlier so we could see these characters in the days after - not just weeks. I would have loved to see their true selves in that different way.
I loved the Chopra’s surprising compassion and the ease in which Reema found happiness. It also made me genuinely laugh out loud multiple times - the quips kept coming!
katzreads's review against another edition
2.0
I read it on the airplane on my way to Spain, and it was a great way to pass the time, but not as good as I had hoped it would be. The blurbs said it was "hilarious," but I didn't find it to be all that funny. In fact, parts of it were actually quite sad.
christenebs's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
A lighthearted and humorous rags to riches but also money can’t buy happiness story.
owlyreadsalot's review against another edition
3.0
MY REVIEW
There was so much that caught my attention when first picking up this novel and a lot of it had to do with the changes in surroundings, the way someone's life can be turned upside down even when everything seems like it's going towards a much better outcome. It is a story that leads us through all of that from many different point of views, which is always nice to get to see.
"He was fifty-two years old, his wife was forty-nine, and their twenty-three-year-old son was in business school in America. The move was going to be seen as an unnecessary display of his newly acquired wealth. And since the money had come from the onetime sale of a website, everyone in Mayur Palli treated it with suspicion. Nobody believed it was hard-earned money. 'A lucky windfall,' he had heard Mr. Gupta call it."
I really enjoyed this novel and everything it represented. All the characters fit perfectly into this read and I was able to move along it pretty quickly. It brings those questions up to light as to how it would affect ones life if they were placed in that situation, having to leave a place you've known for so long, people that have been around you through it all. Not only that, but what kind of a person one would become in a situation like that.
There was so much that went on in this novel, from Mr. Jha trying to fit in to a new lifestyle at all costs, while his wife tries in her own way to adjust to the idea of a life in wealth. Even though there were some things that set me off from these character's, it was all part of what made them who they were and why their internal struggle with their new surroundings affected them so much more. This included their son Rupak, with all he had going on also and his adjustment into a completely different home from the one he knew or would be coming back to.
"It was all his own fault, Rupak knew. He got to America soon after his parents became wealthy, and he immediately fell in love--not with Elizabeth, but with the whole country, and with the bank account that his father kept replenishing. He found himself falling into a version of what he thought life in America was meant to be."
Much of what went on, their lives in India, the different things they had to go through like Mrs. Ray who was a widow and trying to live her life without being looked down upon, kept me reading. Rupak also began to mature as he kept going through all of those different things in life. What seemed to get to me a lot though is how I didn't feel like Mr. Jha was trying to learn from his mistakes or finding a medium with his new life and his old one.
Even so, I read through this novel with ease. There were so many feels that I had, but the last part of this read had me wishing for a better ending. I know that much of it had to do with entering a new chapter in their life, that sadly would include having to compete with a "I have more than you" mentality. I understood though, why it had to be done that way and the sad truth that is part of the real world we live in. Still, I was hoping for a different outcome.
***I received this copy from Crown Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
There was so much that caught my attention when first picking up this novel and a lot of it had to do with the changes in surroundings, the way someone's life can be turned upside down even when everything seems like it's going towards a much better outcome. It is a story that leads us through all of that from many different point of views, which is always nice to get to see.
"He was fifty-two years old, his wife was forty-nine, and their twenty-three-year-old son was in business school in America. The move was going to be seen as an unnecessary display of his newly acquired wealth. And since the money had come from the onetime sale of a website, everyone in Mayur Palli treated it with suspicion. Nobody believed it was hard-earned money. 'A lucky windfall,' he had heard Mr. Gupta call it."
I really enjoyed this novel and everything it represented. All the characters fit perfectly into this read and I was able to move along it pretty quickly. It brings those questions up to light as to how it would affect ones life if they were placed in that situation, having to leave a place you've known for so long, people that have been around you through it all. Not only that, but what kind of a person one would become in a situation like that.
There was so much that went on in this novel, from Mr. Jha trying to fit in to a new lifestyle at all costs, while his wife tries in her own way to adjust to the idea of a life in wealth. Even though there were some things that set me off from these character's, it was all part of what made them who they were and why their internal struggle with their new surroundings affected them so much more. This included their son Rupak, with all he had going on also and his adjustment into a completely different home from the one he knew or would be coming back to.
"It was all his own fault, Rupak knew. He got to America soon after his parents became wealthy, and he immediately fell in love--not with Elizabeth, but with the whole country, and with the bank account that his father kept replenishing. He found himself falling into a version of what he thought life in America was meant to be."
Much of what went on, their lives in India, the different things they had to go through like Mrs. Ray who was a widow and trying to live her life without being looked down upon, kept me reading. Rupak also began to mature as he kept going through all of those different things in life. What seemed to get to me a lot though is how I didn't feel like Mr. Jha was trying to learn from his mistakes or finding a medium with his new life and his old one.
Even so, I read through this novel with ease. There were so many feels that I had, but the last part of this read had me wishing for a better ending. I know that much of it had to do with entering a new chapter in their life, that sadly would include having to compete with a "I have more than you" mentality. I understood though, why it had to be done that way and the sad truth that is part of the real world we live in. Still, I was hoping for a different outcome.
***I received this copy from Crown Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
littletaiko's review against another edition
3.0
This was a funny if slightly uneven story of how one family in India coped with becoming very wealthy unexpectedly. The reader gets to see events from multiple perspectives, Mr. and Mrs. Jha, their son, a friend, and new neighbor. The story works best when told from the female perspective as the men come across as weak and quite frankly ridiculous, especially as they compare their symbols of wealth and try to outdo the other. The first part was really hard to get into, but the second half was pretty fun.
chughes120's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really fun read. It's no Franzen-level dysfunctional family epic, but it holds it's own. I was a little concerned that the fact that I really don't know very much about India or Indian culture would put me at a disadvantage, but the author does a great job of making everything relateable enough that I definitely felt the many cringe-inducing moments. I look forward to discussing more about how the story comments on wealth and influence in relation to American culture and Eastern vs Western ideals in book club.
karenleagermain's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to Crown Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of Diksha Basu's novel, The Windfall, in exchange for an honest review.
PLOT - Anil Jha worked hard for many years and has sold his technology invention for a very large sum of money, allowing him to purchase a mansion in a wealthy suburb in India. As they prepare to leave their modest middle-class neighborhood, a neighborhood where they raised their son and where they have formed strong friendships, the Jha's struggle to reveal their recent windfall to their neighbors. Will they find a home in their new neighborhood or will their windfall adversely affect their lives?
LIKE- Basu's characters and tone remind me of books from one of my favorite authors: Alexander McCall Smith. Like Smith, Basu is a keen observer of human nature. She uses this skill to pin-point her character's flaws and fears, often using these weakness in humorous scenarios.
For example, there is a continuous battle between Anil and his wealthy neighbor, Mr. Chopra. The battle is subtle and internal, with each man fearing what the other might be thinking about the other's wealth and status. It becomes increasingly absurd, even to the point of their bragging that they are so rich that their adult sons do not need to work. These are men that have built their fortune through hard work, and yet, they see it as a source of pride that they can afford for their children to be lazy. Anil is even okay with the idea that his son, Rupak, has been expelled from a college that he was attending in America. Anil twists the story of Rupak's expulsion to fit the new narrative of their lives. Rupak is ashamed to have been expelled and is baffled by his father's easy going attitude.
I liked the glimpse of different social tiers in India. It seems like a lot of the stories set in India, both novels and films, that make it to the US market, show the poverty and struggle. It was a nice change to show middle-class and wealthy characters. I liked the sense of community that the Jha family experienced in their middle-class neighborhood. It reminded me of the townhouse complex where I grew up, which connected me to the story.
DISLIKE- The Windfall is social satire and although it makes a poignant statement and is often very humorous, the nature of the story plays close to the surface. Although it is clear that what the characters say or do, is often the opposite of how they truly feel ( for example Anil's struggle to prove his new wealth), I wish the story had dove a little deeper.
RECOMMEND- Yes. The Windfall is very humorous and filled with delightful characters. I look forward to reading future novels by Diksha Basu.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
PLOT - Anil Jha worked hard for many years and has sold his technology invention for a very large sum of money, allowing him to purchase a mansion in a wealthy suburb in India. As they prepare to leave their modest middle-class neighborhood, a neighborhood where they raised their son and where they have formed strong friendships, the Jha's struggle to reveal their recent windfall to their neighbors. Will they find a home in their new neighborhood or will their windfall adversely affect their lives?
LIKE- Basu's characters and tone remind me of books from one of my favorite authors: Alexander McCall Smith. Like Smith, Basu is a keen observer of human nature. She uses this skill to pin-point her character's flaws and fears, often using these weakness in humorous scenarios.
For example, there is a continuous battle between Anil and his wealthy neighbor, Mr. Chopra. The battle is subtle and internal, with each man fearing what the other might be thinking about the other's wealth and status. It becomes increasingly absurd, even to the point of their bragging that they are so rich that their adult sons do not need to work. These are men that have built their fortune through hard work, and yet, they see it as a source of pride that they can afford for their children to be lazy. Anil is even okay with the idea that his son, Rupak, has been expelled from a college that he was attending in America. Anil twists the story of Rupak's expulsion to fit the new narrative of their lives. Rupak is ashamed to have been expelled and is baffled by his father's easy going attitude.
I liked the glimpse of different social tiers in India. It seems like a lot of the stories set in India, both novels and films, that make it to the US market, show the poverty and struggle. It was a nice change to show middle-class and wealthy characters. I liked the sense of community that the Jha family experienced in their middle-class neighborhood. It reminded me of the townhouse complex where I grew up, which connected me to the story.
DISLIKE- The Windfall is social satire and although it makes a poignant statement and is often very humorous, the nature of the story plays close to the surface. Although it is clear that what the characters say or do, is often the opposite of how they truly feel ( for example Anil's struggle to prove his new wealth), I wish the story had dove a little deeper.
RECOMMEND- Yes. The Windfall is very humorous and filled with delightful characters. I look forward to reading future novels by Diksha Basu.
Like my review? Check out my blog!