Allison T. (yellowapple) reviewed on + 17 more book reviews
I absolutely loved this book. I was hooked from the first page. I figured this would be something I would leisurely read over the course of a couple weeks, but this smacked me upside the head and kept my nose buried in it. I finished it in a day and a half, totally ignoring responsibilities and conversations. And sleep.
This book is beautifully written--she weaves an entire novel out of a long-delayed visit back to India and the making of mango pickles over the course of a few days. It is written beautifully, and there is honest-to-goodness suspense. I found myself gripping the edges of the book as I read. Part of me wanted to blast my way through this to see what happened, but I forced myself to slow down and enjoy the beautiful flow of the writing. The characters are strong and vivid, and the main character Priya is compelling and likable without being anywhere near a stereotype (at least in my opinion). My mind kept skirting ahead, trying to figure out what she would do or say next, and I wasn't able to predict what would happen. And the book is written with humor and fun, which helps temper the serious issues of loyalty to one's family vs. loyalty to your heart.
I read A Breath Of Fresh Air ages ago, and it haunts me even to this day, but it never occurred to me to pick up more from the author (I chose this without realizing she wrote both novels) because (if I remember correctly) the tone of that novel was much more severe, which was part of its impact. But this book strikes a wonderful balance between wit and sincerity. This is one of my very favorite books, and I'm scrambling to get my hands on her other book.
This book is beautifully written--she weaves an entire novel out of a long-delayed visit back to India and the making of mango pickles over the course of a few days. It is written beautifully, and there is honest-to-goodness suspense. I found myself gripping the edges of the book as I read. Part of me wanted to blast my way through this to see what happened, but I forced myself to slow down and enjoy the beautiful flow of the writing. The characters are strong and vivid, and the main character Priya is compelling and likable without being anywhere near a stereotype (at least in my opinion). My mind kept skirting ahead, trying to figure out what she would do or say next, and I wasn't able to predict what would happen. And the book is written with humor and fun, which helps temper the serious issues of loyalty to one's family vs. loyalty to your heart.
I read A Breath Of Fresh Air ages ago, and it haunts me even to this day, but it never occurred to me to pick up more from the author (I chose this without realizing she wrote both novels) because (if I remember correctly) the tone of that novel was much more severe, which was part of its impact. But this book strikes a wonderful balance between wit and sincerity. This is one of my very favorite books, and I'm scrambling to get my hands on her other book.
