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An Imagined Life
Eleven-year-old Akash Patil lives happily with his mother and extended family in a small, secluded community on the American East Coast—a haven for South Asian immigrants. However, an unforeseen tragedy in his town sets off a harrowing sequence of events, disrupting the peace within his family and close-knit neighborhood.
As Akash struggles to cope with change, he discovers an alluring imaginative ability that allows him to escape his present affliction and relive his most cherished childhood memories. But once he recognizes that this power may be tainting his recollections more than preserving them, Akash is forced to decide whether or not the temporary comfort it provides is worth risking his understanding of himself and his past.
Here begins an epic, poignant, and deeply emotional tale that weaves between the real and the surreal, travels from Manhattan to the San Francisco Bay Area, and follows Akash over several defining adolescent years. Tracing themes of nostalgia, loneliness, aging, culture, and community, An Imagined Life is an ambitious work of modern literature that skillfully exhibits the internal evolution of a young adult while presenting a sweeping tapestry of complex diasporic relationships.
As Akash struggles to cope with change, he discovers an alluring imaginative ability that allows him to escape his present affliction and relive his most cherished childhood memories. But once he recognizes that this power may be tainting his recollections more than preserving them, Akash is forced to decide whether or not the temporary comfort it provides is worth risking his understanding of himself and his past.
Here begins an epic, poignant, and deeply emotional tale that weaves between the real and the surreal, travels from Manhattan to the San Francisco Bay Area, and follows Akash over several defining adolescent years. Tracing themes of nostalgia, loneliness, aging, culture, and community, An Imagined Life is an ambitious work of modern literature that skillfully exhibits the internal evolution of a young adult while presenting a sweeping tapestry of complex diasporic relationships.
- GenresComing Of Age
524 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2024
9 people are currently reading
291 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 29, 2025
3.75/5 - this book completely lacks nuance, and definitely “tells” more than it “shows.” There are way better other books out there if you want to read about the Indian American immigrant experience.
An Imagined Life follows the story of a young Indian boy before and after a tragedy that divides their family, focusing especially on his childhood, his sixth grade years, and his late high school years.
I struggled to enjoy this book because it was written extremely simply and lacked emotional depth despite the heavy topics addressed. For example, his sixth grade years, he is having philosophical conversations and musings which just felt completely unrealistic for his age. Towards the end of the book, he and other characters would have major realizations about their life seemingly in an instant and change everything (for example, a character could be steadfast in their views for many years, but one statement from a side character will have them declare how they realized they were completely wrong all this time and actually want to change everything instantly). This also felt unrealistic, as it failed to capture the human emotions that usually exist in the transitions as our attitudes and mindsets change.
Personally, I think there are other books that capture the Indian-American immigrant experience much better than this one, especially They Called Us Exceptional by Prachi Gupta and The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri (among others, of course).
An Imagined Life follows the story of a young Indian boy before and after a tragedy that divides their family, focusing especially on his childhood, his sixth grade years, and his late high school years.
I struggled to enjoy this book because it was written extremely simply and lacked emotional depth despite the heavy topics addressed. For example, his sixth grade years, he is having philosophical conversations and musings which just felt completely unrealistic for his age. Towards the end of the book, he and other characters would have major realizations about their life seemingly in an instant and change everything (for example, a character could be steadfast in their views for many years, but one statement from a side character will have them declare how they realized they were completely wrong all this time and actually want to change everything instantly). This also felt unrealistic, as it failed to capture the human emotions that usually exist in the transitions as our attitudes and mindsets change.
Personally, I think there are other books that capture the Indian-American immigrant experience much better than this one, especially They Called Us Exceptional by Prachi Gupta and The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri (among others, of course).
January 13, 2025
It’s been a bit over a week since I finished An Imagined Life and I find it popping into my mind on different occasions. It’s moments as small as my family sharing a funny story about relatives with me to me on my own having an existential crisis about home and transition and life. This book thrives in it’s specificities, especially when it comes to exploring complex family dynamics, and it’s those specificities which make me relate to the characters (all with their distinguishable quirks and flaws - they are fabulous) and associate parts of their personalities with people I know in my life. It’s one of the things which kept me so immersed, it’s why I find myself coming back to different parts even after finishing.
Akash is the perfect protagonist to follow for this story. He is endlessly empathetic, curious, someone with brilliant abilities but the end of the day a kid who is experiencing so much at once, something the book never loses sight of.
It is paced perfectly. I was so impressed with how much this book captures without meandering into plot which felt unnecessary, how it kept it kept me on my toes all the way through with so many fun surprises and how much in depth world building is done.
There are certain books which stay with you long after finishing them and An Imagined Life is definitely going to be one of those for me - I’m not mad about it at all, this is exactly what a good book should do. Thank you to the author for creating art so vulnerable and beautiful and sharing it with the world. Thank you for telling such a uniquely South Asian story that I believe all audiences will resonate with. Please continue doing so, we definitely need more like this.
Akash is the perfect protagonist to follow for this story. He is endlessly empathetic, curious, someone with brilliant abilities but the end of the day a kid who is experiencing so much at once, something the book never loses sight of.
It is paced perfectly. I was so impressed with how much this book captures without meandering into plot which felt unnecessary, how it kept it kept me on my toes all the way through with so many fun surprises and how much in depth world building is done.
There are certain books which stay with you long after finishing them and An Imagined Life is definitely going to be one of those for me - I’m not mad about it at all, this is exactly what a good book should do. Thank you to the author for creating art so vulnerable and beautiful and sharing it with the world. Thank you for telling such a uniquely South Asian story that I believe all audiences will resonate with. Please continue doing so, we definitely need more like this.
December 18, 2024
Reading about the Indian immigrant experience is always something that hits home for me and this book falls neatly into that category - you could feel this particularly deeply in the characters and how real and human they felt. I loved seeing the various locations that this book was set it, both fiction and real, because they really came to life before me. In terms of the plot, I think sometimes longer books struggle with pacing and the timeline they’re trying to get through but this book always kept me on my toes and I had a really hard time putting it down after the first couple of chapters - the plot moved very fast but not in a way that did injustice to its depth, particularly with the timeline it explored.
What particularly stood out to me was the theme of inter generational destiny/ trauma, particularly as it relates to the characters’ Indian heritage, because that’s often what my lived experience feels like — carrying something within you which is the collective experience of the generations before you. It made the characters across generations and their motivations feel so real because you had the added context of their families to tie them back to and there isn’t anything more Indian than that!
Highly recommend this one, and glad to got to experience Akash on his journey!
What particularly stood out to me was the theme of inter generational destiny/ trauma, particularly as it relates to the characters’ Indian heritage, because that’s often what my lived experience feels like — carrying something within you which is the collective experience of the generations before you. It made the characters across generations and their motivations feel so real because you had the added context of their families to tie them back to and there isn’t anything more Indian than that!
Highly recommend this one, and glad to got to experience Akash on his journey!
December 28, 2025
"Change within us is not only inevitable, it is necessary. This volatile world is unforgiving to those who are not able to transform alongside it.”
“What you felt in those moments you recall, that is what you, as a human, can uniquely claim as evidence that you have lived. Our emotions are only up to us to interpret. Use them to guide your decisions in the present when the rest is lost or forgotten.”
“Because when someone you love passes away, the bad moments don’t matter anymore.”
“What you felt in those moments you recall, that is what you, as a human, can uniquely claim as evidence that you have lived. Our emotions are only up to us to interpret. Use them to guide your decisions in the present when the rest is lost or forgotten.”
“Because when someone you love passes away, the bad moments don’t matter anymore.”
January 1, 2026
got this book at printers row book fair, finally got around to reading it
very very good world building + everything, very easy to read and care about the characters (even if sometimes the book starts hitting you on the head with life lessons, but they all make sense in context)
I think almost every single character was well-written and fleshed out, maybe Eva I wish there was a bit more about/interaction with but that's it
did not feel long at all, read in one sitting
shoutout to a random Natasha being mentioned near the end
very very good world building + everything, very easy to read and care about the characters (even if sometimes the book starts hitting you on the head with life lessons, but they all make sense in context)
I think almost every single character was well-written and fleshed out, maybe Eva I wish there was a bit more about/interaction with but that's it
did not feel long at all, read in one sitting
shoutout to a random Natasha being mentioned near the end
March 10, 2025
Some books entertain, some make you think, and a rare few settle into your bones, lingering long after the final page. An Imagined Life by Rohan Srinivasan is one such novel—a breathtaking tapestry of memory, identity, and the spaces between past and present.
At its heart is Akash Patil, an eleven-year-old boy whose world is upended by an unforeseen tragedy in his close-knit South Asian immigrant community. As he grapples with loss and the shifting dynamics of his family, he discovers an extraordinary gift—an ability to relive his most cherished childhood moments. But memory is an unreliable narrator, and as Akash slips further into his imagined past, he begins to wonder: Is nostalgia a refuge, or a deception?
Srinivasan masterfully blurs the line between magical realism and raw, emotional truth. The novel takes readers from the quiet enclaves of the American East Coast to the pulsing energy of Manhattan and the sunlit haze of the San Francisco Bay Area, each setting rendered with an intimacy that makes it feel lived-in rather than merely described.
But what truly elevates this book is its emotional depth. Srinivasan does not simply tell a story—he crafts an experience. The characters, from Akash’s fiercely loving mother to the elders whose wisdom is woven into everyday conversations, feel like people we know.
Their struggles are deeply human, touching on themes of generational trauma, cultural displacement, and the quiet ache of growing up. The novel asks a profound question: How much of our identity is inherited, and how much do we create for ourselves?
Akash is a protagonist you can’t help but root for—curious, empathetic, and utterly real. He reminds us of the bewilderment of adolescence, of being caught between childhood and adulthood, between the comfort of the known and the fear of change.
Srinivasan’s prose is elegant yet effortless, with sentences that shimmer like poetry. His observations on life, grief, and self-discovery are meditative and beautifully rendered. Sharing some lines below:
“Change within us is not only inevitable, it is necessary. This volatile world is unforgiving to those who are not able to transform alongside it.”
“What you felt in those moments you recall, that is what you, as a human, can uniquely claim as evidence that you have lived. Our emotions are only up to us to interpret. Use them to guide your decisions in the present when the rest is lost or forgotten.”
For readers of Jhumpa Lahiri and Khaled Hosseini, An Imagined Life is a must-read. It is a love letter to memory, to the immigrant experience, and to the people and places that shape us. This is not just a book—it is a journey, one that will stay with you long after you close its pages.
At its heart is Akash Patil, an eleven-year-old boy whose world is upended by an unforeseen tragedy in his close-knit South Asian immigrant community. As he grapples with loss and the shifting dynamics of his family, he discovers an extraordinary gift—an ability to relive his most cherished childhood moments. But memory is an unreliable narrator, and as Akash slips further into his imagined past, he begins to wonder: Is nostalgia a refuge, or a deception?
Srinivasan masterfully blurs the line between magical realism and raw, emotional truth. The novel takes readers from the quiet enclaves of the American East Coast to the pulsing energy of Manhattan and the sunlit haze of the San Francisco Bay Area, each setting rendered with an intimacy that makes it feel lived-in rather than merely described.
But what truly elevates this book is its emotional depth. Srinivasan does not simply tell a story—he crafts an experience. The characters, from Akash’s fiercely loving mother to the elders whose wisdom is woven into everyday conversations, feel like people we know.
Their struggles are deeply human, touching on themes of generational trauma, cultural displacement, and the quiet ache of growing up. The novel asks a profound question: How much of our identity is inherited, and how much do we create for ourselves?
Akash is a protagonist you can’t help but root for—curious, empathetic, and utterly real. He reminds us of the bewilderment of adolescence, of being caught between childhood and adulthood, between the comfort of the known and the fear of change.
Srinivasan’s prose is elegant yet effortless, with sentences that shimmer like poetry. His observations on life, grief, and self-discovery are meditative and beautifully rendered. Sharing some lines below:
“Change within us is not only inevitable, it is necessary. This volatile world is unforgiving to those who are not able to transform alongside it.”
“What you felt in those moments you recall, that is what you, as a human, can uniquely claim as evidence that you have lived. Our emotions are only up to us to interpret. Use them to guide your decisions in the present when the rest is lost or forgotten.”
For readers of Jhumpa Lahiri and Khaled Hosseini, An Imagined Life is a must-read. It is a love letter to memory, to the immigrant experience, and to the people and places that shape us. This is not just a book—it is a journey, one that will stay with you long after you close its pages.
June 2, 2025
Has anyone ever asked you what your fondest childhood memory is—or what is the earliest and most vivid memory you can recall? Whenever this question comes up, I can barely remember the details, but I am most certain about how I felt during that fond moment in my life. And true to this realization, this book reaffirmed how memories live through us as we grow older—through the emotions they invoked in us.
An Imagined Life is a coming-of-age and family saga that follows the story of Indian migrant families in America, and how this history shapes the life of our narrator, Akash. Personally, the close family knit resonates deeply with me because we share the same culture in the Philippines. It's pretty common to meet friends who live together with three generations under one roof—and this is how we preserve values, culture, and tradition: from homecooked meals to beliefs and festivities.
What struck me the most—and what I truly appreciated or loved in this novel (mind you, it’s a thicc book)—was that while it’s long, it’s not unnecessarily wordy. My honest feeling while reading was that the author poured into it the emotional depth of Akash as he navigated a wide spectrum of feelings: from extreme admiration towards a parent to deep hatred that he was capable of his age, from the bliss of a childhood surrounded by four parental figures, to desolation and isolation brought by massive guilt.
The book also bravely touches on complex social issue like migration, assimilation, queer identity, generational trauma, grief, and the struggle of belonging in a world where you're constantly balancing two cultures. These layers made the story feel even more grounded and real.
A lot happens in the book—and it all shapes him. The story traces his life from early childhood up to when he’s about to enter university. It’s a journey of redirection, and how he’s guided back on track to keep moving forward.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you’re like me—someone who loves exploring different cultures through reading, or if you find yourself lost in grief, drowning in self-pity, and you just want to learn how to forgive, most especially, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.
An Imagined Life is a coming-of-age and family saga that follows the story of Indian migrant families in America, and how this history shapes the life of our narrator, Akash. Personally, the close family knit resonates deeply with me because we share the same culture in the Philippines. It's pretty common to meet friends who live together with three generations under one roof—and this is how we preserve values, culture, and tradition: from homecooked meals to beliefs and festivities.
What struck me the most—and what I truly appreciated or loved in this novel (mind you, it’s a thicc book)—was that while it’s long, it’s not unnecessarily wordy. My honest feeling while reading was that the author poured into it the emotional depth of Akash as he navigated a wide spectrum of feelings: from extreme admiration towards a parent to deep hatred that he was capable of his age, from the bliss of a childhood surrounded by four parental figures, to desolation and isolation brought by massive guilt.
The book also bravely touches on complex social issue like migration, assimilation, queer identity, generational trauma, grief, and the struggle of belonging in a world where you're constantly balancing two cultures. These layers made the story feel even more grounded and real.
A lot happens in the book—and it all shapes him. The story traces his life from early childhood up to when he’s about to enter university. It’s a journey of redirection, and how he’s guided back on track to keep moving forward.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you’re like me—someone who loves exploring different cultures through reading, or if you find yourself lost in grief, drowning in self-pity, and you just want to learn how to forgive, most especially, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.
August 18, 2025
An Imagined Life made me think a lot about who we are when everything else falls away.
When there is no wealth, no relationships, no possessions, nothing outside to define us.
What’s left is the purest version of ourselves and that feels both terrifying and freeing.
Rohan Srinivasan writes with clarity.
He shows that change is not just inevitable, it’s necessary and that this unstable world doesn’t forgive those who can’t transform with it.
The real question is: what do we do with the time we have? How do we find value while we’re still here?
It’s an honest, human read that reminds us life is never static: happiness shifts, memory breaks apart and in the end it’s our emotions in the present that guide us. 🤎
“Change within us is not only inevitable, it is necessary. This volatile world is unforgiving to those who are not able to transform alongside it.”
“When we — meaning all humans — are stripped of our wealth, our possessions, our relationships, everything in life that tethers us to this world, including our bodies, we will be left with the purest version of ourselves.”
“Happiness is not constant. We evolve over time, so our understanding of happiness has to as well… What made you happy when you were young will not bring you the same joy now… that did not mean that I could not adapt, that life could not be better than it once was, albeit different.”
“What you felt in those moments you recall, that is what you, as a human, can uniquely claim as evidence that you have lived.”
“Because when someone you love passes away, the bad moments don’t matter anymore.”
“Her love had seeped into seemingly insignificant instances, taking shape quietly so that I only saw the true extent of it once it was missing from my life…”
When there is no wealth, no relationships, no possessions, nothing outside to define us.
What’s left is the purest version of ourselves and that feels both terrifying and freeing.
Rohan Srinivasan writes with clarity.
He shows that change is not just inevitable, it’s necessary and that this unstable world doesn’t forgive those who can’t transform with it.
The real question is: what do we do with the time we have? How do we find value while we’re still here?
It’s an honest, human read that reminds us life is never static: happiness shifts, memory breaks apart and in the end it’s our emotions in the present that guide us. 🤎
“Change within us is not only inevitable, it is necessary. This volatile world is unforgiving to those who are not able to transform alongside it.”
“When we — meaning all humans — are stripped of our wealth, our possessions, our relationships, everything in life that tethers us to this world, including our bodies, we will be left with the purest version of ourselves.”
“Happiness is not constant. We evolve over time, so our understanding of happiness has to as well… What made you happy when you were young will not bring you the same joy now… that did not mean that I could not adapt, that life could not be better than it once was, albeit different.”
“What you felt in those moments you recall, that is what you, as a human, can uniquely claim as evidence that you have lived.”
“Because when someone you love passes away, the bad moments don’t matter anymore.”
“Her love had seeped into seemingly insignificant instances, taking shape quietly so that I only saw the true extent of it once it was missing from my life…”
January 31, 2025
In his debut novel An Imagined Life, Srinivasan crafts a breathtaking narrative, seamlessly intertwining magical realism with the bittersweet truths of a South Asian childhood. Through vivid storytelling and deeply relatable experiences, Srinivasan paints a world both fantastical and achingly familiar, where the boundaries between imagination and reality blur to reveal the raw beauty of human resilience. What sets this novel apart is its emotional depth. Srinivasan tenderly unpacks themes of unconditional love and the quiet strength we draw from those around us. He reminds us that, even in the face of adversity, our lives remain in our hands—a realization as liberating as it is daunting.
The heart of An Imagined Life lies in its ability to speak to anyone who has struggled to balance the weight of cultural expectations with the pursuit of self-fulfillment. Srinivasan's characters are vibrant and flawed, their struggles universal yet deeply rooted in a South Asian context. This book doesn’t just tell a story; it invites you to reflect on your own, leaving you with the profound truth that love and connection are the threads that hold us together, even in the most challenging moments.
The heart of An Imagined Life lies in its ability to speak to anyone who has struggled to balance the weight of cultural expectations with the pursuit of self-fulfillment. Srinivasan's characters are vibrant and flawed, their struggles universal yet deeply rooted in a South Asian context. This book doesn’t just tell a story; it invites you to reflect on your own, leaving you with the profound truth that love and connection are the threads that hold us together, even in the most challenging moments.
December 3, 2024
This debut novel completely blew me away. Pure magic, a powerful story painted for readers with vivid characters that feel like one’s own family and layered motivations, themes, and meanings. There is something in this story for everyone, but I especially recommend it to South Asian readers and children of immigrants. Traces of Jhumpa Lahiri and Khaled Hosseini are found woven within the author’s voice. This book is more than a story, it’s an entire world crafted with painstaking detail for readers to not just observe Akash’s story but experience it right there with him as he navigates twists and turns, highs and heartbreaks.
Generational trauma spares no one, and Akash is brave enough to face it in a way that breaks your heart, makes you proud, frustrates you, and forces you to reflect. This book is impossible to put down, even with the heavy content. So much thought and care went into every detail of this book — from the individual cultures highlighted to the way difficult relationships with people we love can play out.
Highly recommend this book for a thought-provoking read that somehow also feels like home.
Very excited to continue following this author!
Generational trauma spares no one, and Akash is brave enough to face it in a way that breaks your heart, makes you proud, frustrates you, and forces you to reflect. This book is impossible to put down, even with the heavy content. So much thought and care went into every detail of this book — from the individual cultures highlighted to the way difficult relationships with people we love can play out.
Highly recommend this book for a thought-provoking read that somehow also feels like home.
Very excited to continue following this author!
January 9, 2025
An Imagined Life is an emotionally captivating and beautifully written story that I couldn’t put down. Written by my childhood best friend—someone I grew up playing outside with—it’s incredible to see how their talent has flourished into this stunning piece of literature.
What struck me most about Rohan's book were his vivid, sensory-rich descriptions. Everything—from the people and places to the emotions and environments—was so well-crafted that I felt completely immersed in the world of the story. By the end of the book, Akash’s family felt like my own. The characters, their relationships, and their struggles were so real and relatable, and I couldn’t help but feel emotionally invested in their lives.
The novel explores a range of human emotions with such raw honesty and elegance—grief, love, nostalgia, and the bittersweetness of growing up. It’s a beautifully complex narrative that delves into how we cope with loss, change, and our evolving sense of self. The balance between the real and the surreal is masterfully done, and I found myself reflecting on how memory shapes who we are.
I also greatly appreciated the book’s deep connection to South Asian culture and the immigrant experience—themes that are often underrepresented in literature. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of diversity in storytelling, and how much richer our world becomes when we get to see it through different lenses. Rohan’s exploration of community, identity, and belonging added so much depth to the story, and I’m so grateful to have experienced it.
An Imagined Life is a beautiful, poignant coming-of-age novel that offers a window into a unique cultural perspective while also touching on universal themes of family, memory, and growth. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys emotionally resonant, character-driven stories with rich, vibrant storytelling.
What struck me most about Rohan's book were his vivid, sensory-rich descriptions. Everything—from the people and places to the emotions and environments—was so well-crafted that I felt completely immersed in the world of the story. By the end of the book, Akash’s family felt like my own. The characters, their relationships, and their struggles were so real and relatable, and I couldn’t help but feel emotionally invested in their lives.
The novel explores a range of human emotions with such raw honesty and elegance—grief, love, nostalgia, and the bittersweetness of growing up. It’s a beautifully complex narrative that delves into how we cope with loss, change, and our evolving sense of self. The balance between the real and the surreal is masterfully done, and I found myself reflecting on how memory shapes who we are.
I also greatly appreciated the book’s deep connection to South Asian culture and the immigrant experience—themes that are often underrepresented in literature. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of diversity in storytelling, and how much richer our world becomes when we get to see it through different lenses. Rohan’s exploration of community, identity, and belonging added so much depth to the story, and I’m so grateful to have experienced it.
An Imagined Life is a beautiful, poignant coming-of-age novel that offers a window into a unique cultural perspective while also touching on universal themes of family, memory, and growth. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys emotionally resonant, character-driven stories with rich, vibrant storytelling.
February 2, 2025
There are so many reasons you should read An Imagined Life. The landscapes that it conjures, of the Northeast and the San Francisco Bay Area, lush and evocative. The characters that populate this landscape are incredibly life-like, with their own hopes, fears, and dreams that we come to learn over the course of the novel. The language that Rohan Srinivasan uses is elegant, but effortless; it feels simultaneously like piece of literature but also a family story that could be told over chai. But the main reason you should read this novel is the love that's evident in every chapter, scene, and word. This is not a novel that was written over the course of a month, or even a year. Every sentence feels like a stone that the author slowly carved away to reveal the diamond he knew was in there, all along. And it's such a privilege to see it glow.
January 17, 2025
Worth the journey!
A young boy’s life becoming a young man, a journey full of twists and turns that leaves you hooked until the very end. Navigating life’s many hurdles, contemplating existentialism and spiritualism against a backdrop of family, community, dramas, friendships, and heartbreaks. This book has all and will keep you at the edge of your seat.
A young boy’s life becoming a young man, a journey full of twists and turns that leaves you hooked until the very end. Navigating life’s many hurdles, contemplating existentialism and spiritualism against a backdrop of family, community, dramas, friendships, and heartbreaks. This book has all and will keep you at the edge of your seat.
January 27, 2025
such an amazing story!!! i was captivated from the start. it was such a beautiful experience watching akash navigate the darkest parts of his adolescence. the portrayals of complex emotions and the effects of generational trauma was incredibly well done and the familiarity of the high school setting really hit home for me. cannot wait to see what the author does next!
December 23, 2024
An Imagined Life was a book I simply could not put down. The author has painstakingly created a world that I was immediately immersed into. As the book wove through the different phases of the protagonist’s life I was simultaneously excited to see what was in store for him and sad for the loss of the child that he was. The book transported me back to my own childhood memories and all the things I hold so dear. As an immigrant myself I was able to relate so well with the lives of the people he has written so masterfully about.
May 18, 2025
A lovely coming-of-age story about immigrant families. I grew up in Edison and have Indian family, so a lot of the characters and descriptions really hit home.
February 10, 2025
3rd generation South Asian coming of age story. A story about a horrific tragedy, unfathomable pain, family, tradition, identity and the ties that bind and break. How forgiveness and facing your roots ultimately is the way forward. Really enjoyed the author’s style of writing. 4.5/5
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“Change within us is not only inevitable, it is necessary. This volatile world is unforgiving to those who are not able to transform alongside it.”
“When we — meaning all humans — are stripped of our wealth, our possessions, our relationships, everything in life that tethers us to this world, including our bodies, we will be left with the purest version of ourselves.”
“Pondering a higher purpose was pointless. I would never be able to figure out why life progresses the way it does, why we get attached to people and places and things only for time to take them away, or why we have to undergo pain and struggle through it. I had to surrender my desire for answers, as well as my frustration at not being able to get them. It was a simple change. Instead of asking myself, ‘Why am I alive?’, I had to accept that life was given to me for whatever reason it was. If I was meant to be dead, I wouldn’t have been born in the first place, nor would I continue to survive.
The question that I then needed to ask myself was ‘How can I find value again while I’m still here?’ My father’s advice instilled in me an optimism that if I did find happiness again, I wouldn’t care that it was fleeting, or that life was fleeting, or that all of this would be forgotten once I eventually passed away. The strength of the emotion would be enough to assure me that persisting was worthwhile.”
“I stopped chasing fairness a long time ago. If the world was fair, Sagar would still be here.”
“What you felt in those moments you recall, that is what you, as a human, can uniquely claim as evidence that you have lived. Our emotions are only up to us to interpret. Use them to guide your decisions in the present when the rest is lost or forgotten.”
“Happiness is not constant. We evolve over time, so our understanding of happiness has to as well. What made you happy when you were young will not bring you the same joy now…that did not mean that I could not adapt, that life could not be better than it once was, albeit different.”
“This vital, albeit scattered, passing down of cultural values, stories, and traditions would weave generations together and ensure that memory of the mother countries would never be erased.”
—————————————————————————————
“Change within us is not only inevitable, it is necessary. This volatile world is unforgiving to those who are not able to transform alongside it.”
“When we — meaning all humans — are stripped of our wealth, our possessions, our relationships, everything in life that tethers us to this world, including our bodies, we will be left with the purest version of ourselves.”
“Pondering a higher purpose was pointless. I would never be able to figure out why life progresses the way it does, why we get attached to people and places and things only for time to take them away, or why we have to undergo pain and struggle through it. I had to surrender my desire for answers, as well as my frustration at not being able to get them. It was a simple change. Instead of asking myself, ‘Why am I alive?’, I had to accept that life was given to me for whatever reason it was. If I was meant to be dead, I wouldn’t have been born in the first place, nor would I continue to survive.
The question that I then needed to ask myself was ‘How can I find value again while I’m still here?’ My father’s advice instilled in me an optimism that if I did find happiness again, I wouldn’t care that it was fleeting, or that life was fleeting, or that all of this would be forgotten once I eventually passed away. The strength of the emotion would be enough to assure me that persisting was worthwhile.”
“I stopped chasing fairness a long time ago. If the world was fair, Sagar would still be here.”
“What you felt in those moments you recall, that is what you, as a human, can uniquely claim as evidence that you have lived. Our emotions are only up to us to interpret. Use them to guide your decisions in the present when the rest is lost or forgotten.”
“Happiness is not constant. We evolve over time, so our understanding of happiness has to as well. What made you happy when you were young will not bring you the same joy now…that did not mean that I could not adapt, that life could not be better than it once was, albeit different.”
“This vital, albeit scattered, passing down of cultural values, stories, and traditions would weave generations together and ensure that memory of the mother countries would never be erased.”
March 6, 2025
I’ve been thinking about this book constantly since reading it and won’t give up an opportunity to talk about it. An Imagined Life has everything - immersive world-building, complex family dynamics, magical realism, south asian diaspora experiences, coping with change and loss, and at the center of it all, a coming of age story. I found myself relating and nodding along to so many elements of this book; there is truly something for everyone. Some notable moments for me - the intricate depiction of the east coast vs. west coast immigrant experience, young queer friendship dynamics, internalizing joint family dynamics, the seamless integration of key tenants of Indian/Hindu culture, and dealing with loss in SO many contexts. At the center of this novel is nostalgia, growth, and community. An Imagined Life is well-paced and engaging; it ties in elements of surrealism in a way that does not deviate from the plot. You will experience every possible emotion while reading this book (I won’t lie, I cried). It is truly a breathtaking experience to follow along on Akash’s journey. Would highly recommend.
May 10, 2025
This was a very heartfelt book. The writing was superb and the character development throughout the book brings out such a diverse sense of emotions to the reader. As you engaged with each of the characters, their journey has surprising twists. It was refreshing and enjoyed the creativity of the story that elegantly infused cultural tones. I highly recommend this book.
March 6, 2025
An Imagined Life is absolutely incredible and will literally have you hooked within the first few pages. I read the entire book in one sitting and couldn’t stop thinking about it for days after. Highly recommend!!
June 14, 2025
“Could I tell you about my book?”
I am so very glad I stopped in a local bookstore and was lucky enough thet Rohan Srinivasan introduced me to this novel.
The book is so well written and completely engrossing. Will read again and absolutely recommend.
I am so very glad I stopped in a local bookstore and was lucky enough thet Rohan Srinivasan introduced me to this novel.
The book is so well written and completely engrossing. Will read again and absolutely recommend.
September 26, 2025
An Imagined Life is an amazing debut novel. It's heartbreaking, inspiring, and full of imagination. Rohan's writing is both beautiful and effortless. Highly recommend and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
May 11, 2025
Beautiful story, loved reading this!!
July 15, 2025
However, without the reliability of her memory, she had no other option now, but to be an observer of the present moment. 515
November 27, 2024
A wonderfully well written book that navigates various sociocultural themes through a riveting and suspenseful plot with captivating narration. The book presents an authentic exploration of the relationship between the bonds immigrants in the United States form with their communities, and their personal trials and tribulations. The unique idiosyncrasies of growing up in such a community are conveyed beautifully by the author. The attention to detail in constructing 'the Town' - the stage for the protagonist Akash's early life - is especially noteworthy, to the extent that the reader feels completely immersed in Akash's world and his experiences growing up. The characters are very thoroughly developed and given palpably unique personalities that makes for some very enjoyable reading.
One of the best things about this book is how it remains delightfully unpredictable until the very end of the story. The reader is allowed to just about get accustomed to the warmth and comfort of the Town before they are launched into a tumultuous and emotionally charged series of events that change Akash's life forever, quickly taking him away from the nurturing familiarity of his childhood. The supernatural element of the story - 'the Imagined' - is a wonderful addition to the many complications of Akash's life. The author does a great job of using this fascinating mystical element to explore Akash's struggles with himself and the events of his childhood. The fantastical parts of the story never feel tangential, but are instead well woven into defining events of Akash's and other main characters' lives.
I would highly recommend giving this book a read - it is a charming, personal story that is both thought-provoking and gripping.
One of the best things about this book is how it remains delightfully unpredictable until the very end of the story. The reader is allowed to just about get accustomed to the warmth and comfort of the Town before they are launched into a tumultuous and emotionally charged series of events that change Akash's life forever, quickly taking him away from the nurturing familiarity of his childhood. The supernatural element of the story - 'the Imagined' - is a wonderful addition to the many complications of Akash's life. The author does a great job of using this fascinating mystical element to explore Akash's struggles with himself and the events of his childhood. The fantastical parts of the story never feel tangential, but are instead well woven into defining events of Akash's and other main characters' lives.
I would highly recommend giving this book a read - it is a charming, personal story that is both thought-provoking and gripping.
December 19, 2024
I can't imagine I'm exactly the target audience for this exploration of Indian American identity, but I think anyone who comes from an immigrant family and/or background can find something to relate to in Akash's journey. I read this during a huge reading slump and it totally gripped me - something that I think is rare and very special in books that are so character focused rather than plot driven. And OMG, the characters really came alive on the page. I felt so much for everyone, and where the author really shone for me is through the people: their flaws and their edges. Nobody in this book was perfect, and I cared about all of them anyway.
This isn't to say the plot is boring at all. There are so many good twists and turns, and there were parts that genuinely took me by surprise (in a good way, of course). The interweaving of magical realism elements was such an interesting lens and set this story apart from similar coming-of-age, outsider journeys (I thought a lot of Jhumpa Lahiri while reading this). I also thought it added a unique visual elements, to the point where in some chapters I literally felt like I was inside the book. The highest compliment I have to give is that I learned so much about an experience I knew very little about, but I didn't even realize it until I had finished. That's how intriguing this story and these characters are. I really cannot recommend this enough!
This isn't to say the plot is boring at all. There are so many good twists and turns, and there were parts that genuinely took me by surprise (in a good way, of course). The interweaving of magical realism elements was such an interesting lens and set this story apart from similar coming-of-age, outsider journeys (I thought a lot of Jhumpa Lahiri while reading this). I also thought it added a unique visual elements, to the point where in some chapters I literally felt like I was inside the book. The highest compliment I have to give is that I learned so much about an experience I knew very little about, but I didn't even realize it until I had finished. That's how intriguing this story and these characters are. I really cannot recommend this enough!
May 12, 2025
An Imagined Life is the story of a young boy named Akash, part of an immigrant family living in a quiet, secluded South Asian community on the American East Coast. This peaceful life suddenly shatters when an unforeseen tragedy hits the town, forcing Akash and his mother to leave overnight and move to San Francisco to live with his estranged father.
This sudden shift turns Akash’s world upside down. He deeply misses the warmth of his old life - the closeness of his community, his relatives, and most of all, his sweet younger cousin. In his grief, he remembers a mysterious person he met once at his mama’s wedding, someone who taught him a special meditation technique - one that lets you relive a cherished memory.
Akash begins to escape into one cherished moment from his past, reliving it repeatedly, trying to reclaim a sense of comfort and connection. But in doing so, he starts drifting away from his present life - especially from his mother, with whom his relationship slowly weakens and grows distant.
Eventually, Akash realizes that this isn’t how life is meant to be lived. He must return - to the town, to his people, to the present - and find a way to make peace with what is!
But this is just the surface. It explores the struggles of an immigrant family, the pain of losing loved ones, and the quiet strength it takes to accept and move forward.
An Imagined Life deserves a wide readership!
This sudden shift turns Akash’s world upside down. He deeply misses the warmth of his old life - the closeness of his community, his relatives, and most of all, his sweet younger cousin. In his grief, he remembers a mysterious person he met once at his mama’s wedding, someone who taught him a special meditation technique - one that lets you relive a cherished memory.
Akash begins to escape into one cherished moment from his past, reliving it repeatedly, trying to reclaim a sense of comfort and connection. But in doing so, he starts drifting away from his present life - especially from his mother, with whom his relationship slowly weakens and grows distant.
Eventually, Akash realizes that this isn’t how life is meant to be lived. He must return - to the town, to his people, to the present - and find a way to make peace with what is!
But this is just the surface. It explores the struggles of an immigrant family, the pain of losing loved ones, and the quiet strength it takes to accept and move forward.
An Imagined Life deserves a wide readership!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2025
This is the PERFECT book for someone who wants to pick back up their reading habit. I’m not an avid reader but I found myself flying through this book because it’s so emotionally gripping. This book is filled with twists and turns that keep you on your toes and keep you wanting to read just one more chapter before putting it down.
I've never read or watched anything that captures the nuances of what it means to be Indian-American, so it was validating to read this story and follow Akash's journey in exploring his identity. The main characters are thoughtfully developed - I found myself relating to almost every character in the book and finding similarities with other people in my life. Not only that, but the story is so colorful and the world-building makes you feel like you're a character in the story too.
I recommended this book to my parents who also finished it, which led to a great discussion about how their immigrant experiences affected their Indian identity and what aspects I learned from my surrounding Indian community in the US. It's crazy how a fiction book can help you relate to your family and help you learn more about yourself. I've never been drawn to a story in such a way and this book has made such an impact on how I view my community.
I've never read or watched anything that captures the nuances of what it means to be Indian-American, so it was validating to read this story and follow Akash's journey in exploring his identity. The main characters are thoughtfully developed - I found myself relating to almost every character in the book and finding similarities with other people in my life. Not only that, but the story is so colorful and the world-building makes you feel like you're a character in the story too.
I recommended this book to my parents who also finished it, which led to a great discussion about how their immigrant experiences affected their Indian identity and what aspects I learned from my surrounding Indian community in the US. It's crazy how a fiction book can help you relate to your family and help you learn more about yourself. I've never been drawn to a story in such a way and this book has made such an impact on how I view my community.
April 8, 2025
'The Imagined Life' is exceptional in its sensitivity. I found the characters and the situations they faced universally human and, therefore, relatable. On the surface it might seem that the story seeks to appeal to a restricted audience of Indian immigrants and their America-born children. But I would recommend this book to anyone looking to understand conflicts within themselves and create a cohesive life that honours both both sides of an inner conflict so that life may move forward with little baggage. I recommend this book no only to somebody who wants deeper self-awareness but also particularly to parents who want to support their children successfully transition from one phase of life to another - parents who do not want their children to have to carry generational baggage, so that their sons and daughters can live their own destinies, be grounded in their own reality, context, culture and country, different from their parents'. As a parent myself, it was very hard to come to terms with but most rewarding in the end when done right. 'An Imagined Life' helps navigate such situations to arrive at a sensible middle-ground.
November 25, 2024
this book was captivating, start to finish.
i was lucky enough to grow up with a strong indian community in the us, and this book may be one of the only books i've read that has captured the essence of what that feels like. the cast of characters akash encountered felt rooted in reality, this book captures the complexity and emotion that comes with internal narratives rewritten as we grow up, and the push and pull between loving someone and not being able to fix them.
there were so many twists and turns, yet all of them were believable and foreshadowed well. the Imagined was so visceral, more than anything, i got sucked into this book, and finished it in one sitting, which is highest praise i can afford any piece of literature.
the one thing i have to say is that i should have read this with someone else at home, because i sure need a hug right now.
i was lucky enough to grow up with a strong indian community in the us, and this book may be one of the only books i've read that has captured the essence of what that feels like. the cast of characters akash encountered felt rooted in reality, this book captures the complexity and emotion that comes with internal narratives rewritten as we grow up, and the push and pull between loving someone and not being able to fix them.
there were so many twists and turns, yet all of them were believable and foreshadowed well. the Imagined was so visceral, more than anything, i got sucked into this book, and finished it in one sitting, which is highest praise i can afford any piece of literature.
the one thing i have to say is that i should have read this with someone else at home, because i sure need a hug right now.
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