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No One Can Pronounce My Name: A Novel
A humorous and tender multigenerational novel about immigrants and outsiders - those trying to find their place in American society and within their own families.
In a suburb outside Cleveland, a community of Indian Americans has settled into lives that straddle the divide between Eastern and Western cultures. For some, America is a bewildering and alienating place where coworkers can't pronounce your name but will eagerly repeat the Sanskrit phrases from their yoga class. Harit, a lonely Indian immigrant in his mid-40s, lives with his mother, who can no longer function after the death of Harit's sister, Swati.
In a misguided attempt to keep both himself and his mother sane, Harit has taken to dressing up in a sari every night to pass himself off as his sister. Meanwhile, Ranjana, also an Indian immigrant in her mid-40s, has just seen her only child, Prashant, off to college. Worried that her husband has begun an affair, she seeks solace by writing paranormal romances in secret. When Harit and Ranjana's paths cross, they begin a strange yet necessary friendship that brings to light their own passions and fears.
Rakesh Satyal's No One Can Pronounce My Name is a distinctive, funny, and insightful look into the lives of people who must reconcile the strictures of their culture and traditions with their own dreams and desires.
In a suburb outside Cleveland, a community of Indian Americans has settled into lives that straddle the divide between Eastern and Western cultures. For some, America is a bewildering and alienating place where coworkers can't pronounce your name but will eagerly repeat the Sanskrit phrases from their yoga class. Harit, a lonely Indian immigrant in his mid-40s, lives with his mother, who can no longer function after the death of Harit's sister, Swati.
In a misguided attempt to keep both himself and his mother sane, Harit has taken to dressing up in a sari every night to pass himself off as his sister. Meanwhile, Ranjana, also an Indian immigrant in her mid-40s, has just seen her only child, Prashant, off to college. Worried that her husband has begun an affair, she seeks solace by writing paranormal romances in secret. When Harit and Ranjana's paths cross, they begin a strange yet necessary friendship that brings to light their own passions and fears.
Rakesh Satyal's No One Can Pronounce My Name is a distinctive, funny, and insightful look into the lives of people who must reconcile the strictures of their culture and traditions with their own dreams and desires.
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First published May 2, 2017
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About the author
Rakesh Satyal
5 books162 followersRAKESH SATYAL is the author of the novel Blue Boy, which won a 2010 Lambda Literary Award and the 2010 Prose/Poetry Award from the Association of Asian American Studies and which was a finalist for the Publishing Triangle's Edmund White Debut Fiction Award. Satyal was a recipient of a 2010 Fellowship in Fiction from the New York Foundation for the Arts and two fellowships from the Norman Mailer Writers' Colony. His writing has appeared in New York magazine, Vulture, Out magazine, and The Awl. A graduate of Princeton University, he has taught in the publishing program at New York University and has been on the advisory committee for the annual PEN World Voices Festival. He lives in Brooklyn.
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February 9, 2017
Rakesh Satyal's second novel,
No One Can Pronounce My Name
, is a patchwork quilt of a book, where different but related threads come together into a gorgeous masterpiece. I read the entire book on a flight to the West Coast, and was dazzled not only by Satyal's beautiful prose, but the amazing amount of heart and joy he brought to his book.
Ranjana has just sent her only child off to college, and she wonders what she has to look forward to now. She's starting to suspect that her husband is having an affair, and she finds herself seeking solace in food. The only thing that truly gives her pleasure is the time she spends each night writing paranormal romance stories, but as much joy as they bring her, she's even too embarrassed to share the stories with the members of her writers' group!
Harit decided a long time ago he'd never be the type of man to marry and have the life everyone expects men to, and perhaps he was destined to be alone. After the sudden death of his beloved sister Swati, he and his elderly mother are consumed by grief. He begins dressing up in Swati's sari each night and pretending he is his sister, in an effort to help his nearly-blind mother find some comfort. The only time he leaves the house is to go to his job at a department store every day, and it is only through the efforts of his flamboyant coworker and friend, Teddy, that he even finds the strength to go out for a drink every now and again. (He doesn't actually find the strength at first; Teddy browbeats him into it.)
A series of events leads to Ranjana and Harit meeting in an unlikely place, and the two quickly strike up a friendship that surprises them both. Not only does Ranjana feel appreciated, needed, cared about, but she feels as if she is helping Harit in some way. And Harit feels that their friendship has finally allowed him to come to terms with so many things he has kept bottled up for so long, and perhaps realize that he is a special person and is worthy of being loved for who he is.
Friendship can be one of the most incredible gifts people give one another, not only for the companionship and confidences shared, but friendship often empowers people to feel they should pursue their dreams, and know that they have supporters behind them. To watch Ranjana and Harit both blossom under the light of their friendship, and realize the value of those around them where they had almost taken them for granted before is a beautiful thing, and one of the pieces I loved about this book.
While I've presented this as a fairly simple story, in Satyal's hands it has such depth, humor, emotion, and complexity that readers should discover for themselves. There is such nuance in his storytelling, and you can feel the love he has for his characters, even when they're acting in less-appealing ways.
I love books that surprise you, not necessarily with plot twists, but the way the author lets the book unfold, and pulls you in until you want nothing more than to spend more time with the characters, in the midst of the story they have created. That was the way I felt while reading No One Can Pronounce My Name . I felt as if I were a witness to all that occurred as a result of Ranjana and Harit's friendship, but more importantly, I felt lucky that Satyal took me on this journey. I felt his heart in this book alongside those of his characters.
The author and Picador Publishing provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
Ranjana has just sent her only child off to college, and she wonders what she has to look forward to now. She's starting to suspect that her husband is having an affair, and she finds herself seeking solace in food. The only thing that truly gives her pleasure is the time she spends each night writing paranormal romance stories, but as much joy as they bring her, she's even too embarrassed to share the stories with the members of her writers' group!
Harit decided a long time ago he'd never be the type of man to marry and have the life everyone expects men to, and perhaps he was destined to be alone. After the sudden death of his beloved sister Swati, he and his elderly mother are consumed by grief. He begins dressing up in Swati's sari each night and pretending he is his sister, in an effort to help his nearly-blind mother find some comfort. The only time he leaves the house is to go to his job at a department store every day, and it is only through the efforts of his flamboyant coworker and friend, Teddy, that he even finds the strength to go out for a drink every now and again. (He doesn't actually find the strength at first; Teddy browbeats him into it.)
A series of events leads to Ranjana and Harit meeting in an unlikely place, and the two quickly strike up a friendship that surprises them both. Not only does Ranjana feel appreciated, needed, cared about, but she feels as if she is helping Harit in some way. And Harit feels that their friendship has finally allowed him to come to terms with so many things he has kept bottled up for so long, and perhaps realize that he is a special person and is worthy of being loved for who he is.
Friendship can be one of the most incredible gifts people give one another, not only for the companionship and confidences shared, but friendship often empowers people to feel they should pursue their dreams, and know that they have supporters behind them. To watch Ranjana and Harit both blossom under the light of their friendship, and realize the value of those around them where they had almost taken them for granted before is a beautiful thing, and one of the pieces I loved about this book.
While I've presented this as a fairly simple story, in Satyal's hands it has such depth, humor, emotion, and complexity that readers should discover for themselves. There is such nuance in his storytelling, and you can feel the love he has for his characters, even when they're acting in less-appealing ways.
I love books that surprise you, not necessarily with plot twists, but the way the author lets the book unfold, and pulls you in until you want nothing more than to spend more time with the characters, in the midst of the story they have created. That was the way I felt while reading No One Can Pronounce My Name . I felt as if I were a witness to all that occurred as a result of Ranjana and Harit's friendship, but more importantly, I felt lucky that Satyal took me on this journey. I felt his heart in this book alongside those of his characters.
The author and Picador Publishing provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
May 17, 2017
The descriptions of this book made it sound rather jaunty, and I can see how that is the case. But I personally had a very specific experience with this book and the connection was so deep that I stayed in this strong emotional state the whole time I read it. So jaunty? Sure, perhaps, but my experience was something else.
This book is so tender, so generous towards its characters, that I was filled with empathy for them. Especially Harit, a man living with his mother, who is similar to that middle-aged sad sack type despite his immigrant status. I have read books with characters like Harit. Sometimes they are there for laughs or pity, but Satyal simply wants to present Harit to us as a full person. The way Harit and other characters who would normally be played for laughs or to fill a stereotype are able to flourish in these pages speaks to just how good Satyal is.
The novel is concerned with the Indian immigrant experience, but it does have a nimble way of bringing you into each character's story that keeps it from feeling bogged down. The central characters of this book--the aforementioned Harit, and Ranjana, another immigrant whose only son has just gone off to college--are going through times of transition. Though they are adults who have lived in America for many years, they don't find connection through their communities, mostly made of Indian immigrants like themselves. Their search for connection and purpose goes in unexpected directions. But, as I've mentioned, this is more of a jaunty book of discovery than a meditative consideration of the meaning of life. There is much humor here and I was hooked from the first few pages.
As a side note, Ranjana's son, Prashant, who has just gone to Princeton is another large character in the book and I couldn't help but compare this book to MRS. FLETCHER, Tom Perrotta's book out this summer also about a mother and son dealing with the son going off to college. There are definite similarities, but both Ranjana and Prashant were written more respectfully and more deeply. It turns out I found this book far more compelling in its portrait even though both mothers and both sons have similar limitations of perspective and insight sometimes. I really do think it comes down to the way Satyal cares about his characters. This doesn't feel like an anthropological study or a snide examination, it feels honest
There are several queer characters in this book presented both in and out of stereotypes, some of them taking you by surprise, and I enjoyed how Satyal let us slowly explore their sexuality and identity.
This book is so tender, so generous towards its characters, that I was filled with empathy for them. Especially Harit, a man living with his mother, who is similar to that middle-aged sad sack type despite his immigrant status. I have read books with characters like Harit. Sometimes they are there for laughs or pity, but Satyal simply wants to present Harit to us as a full person. The way Harit and other characters who would normally be played for laughs or to fill a stereotype are able to flourish in these pages speaks to just how good Satyal is.
The novel is concerned with the Indian immigrant experience, but it does have a nimble way of bringing you into each character's story that keeps it from feeling bogged down. The central characters of this book--the aforementioned Harit, and Ranjana, another immigrant whose only son has just gone off to college--are going through times of transition. Though they are adults who have lived in America for many years, they don't find connection through their communities, mostly made of Indian immigrants like themselves. Their search for connection and purpose goes in unexpected directions. But, as I've mentioned, this is more of a jaunty book of discovery than a meditative consideration of the meaning of life. There is much humor here and I was hooked from the first few pages.
As a side note, Ranjana's son, Prashant, who has just gone to Princeton is another large character in the book and I couldn't help but compare this book to MRS. FLETCHER, Tom Perrotta's book out this summer also about a mother and son dealing with the son going off to college. There are definite similarities, but both Ranjana and Prashant were written more respectfully and more deeply. It turns out I found this book far more compelling in its portrait even though both mothers and both sons have similar limitations of perspective and insight sometimes. I really do think it comes down to the way Satyal cares about his characters. This doesn't feel like an anthropological study or a snide examination, it feels honest
There are several queer characters in this book presented both in and out of stereotypes, some of them taking you by surprise, and I enjoyed how Satyal let us slowly explore their sexuality and identity.
June 3, 2017
This story is about cultural clashes and how it can be difficult to fit into a new world and feel at ease there. Alone all the nuances of the new language can confuse you and make you feel somewhat ignorant and stupid.
Ranjana, Harit and Prashant are some of the Indians in this story who have all moved to America several years ago, but who are all still trying to fit in completely with this new society. What this book does really well is to give you a rare insight into what it's like to be an immigrant and learn a new language. At one point, one character asks "Fancy a drink?", and Harit is left bewildered because according to his limited knowledge, 'fancy' means to really like someone.
I found aspects of this novel really interesting, but simultaneously I found myself spending a lot of time getting through it. Not because it was difficult to read, but because I was more interested in other books and didn't always have the motivation to pick up this one. That being said, this is a good and enlightening story that definitely caught my attention all in all, and I find it important because of its rare and unique insight into the theme of cultural clashes.
Ranjana, Harit and Prashant are some of the Indians in this story who have all moved to America several years ago, but who are all still trying to fit in completely with this new society. What this book does really well is to give you a rare insight into what it's like to be an immigrant and learn a new language. At one point, one character asks "Fancy a drink?", and Harit is left bewildered because according to his limited knowledge, 'fancy' means to really like someone.
I found aspects of this novel really interesting, but simultaneously I found myself spending a lot of time getting through it. Not because it was difficult to read, but because I was more interested in other books and didn't always have the motivation to pick up this one. That being said, this is a good and enlightening story that definitely caught my attention all in all, and I find it important because of its rare and unique insight into the theme of cultural clashes.
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October 3, 2017Books about immigrant communities can be so dour and serious, and it’s not that nothing sad or hard happens in this book. But I would dare to use the word “jaunty” to describe it (there is even a roadtrip with a very unlikely band of misfit types). I mostly loved how gentle and compassionate it was towards its characters, how wise and kind a reading experience it was. If it were a tv show it would be a binge-able one-hour dramedy with wickedly smart writing where you and your friends all love and hate the same characters.
–Jessica Woodbury
from The Best Books We Read In May 2017: https://bookriot.com/2017/06/02/riot-...
–Jessica Woodbury
from The Best Books We Read In May 2017: https://bookriot.com/2017/06/02/riot-...
September 21, 2017
“No One Can Pronounce My Name” is a wonderful story of different characters finding their identity, in other words, finding themselves. Because it begins with Indian American characters, the reader could falsely assume this is another immigrant story of finding one’s way in a new land. It’s a bit of that, but much more.
Author Rakesh Satyal tells a story of two Indian American characters that found difficulty in assimilating in American Culture. One character moved to America as a young boy when his father died and his mother took her children as far away as possible to start over. In doing that, she traded one trouble for another; little did she realize the difficulty she and her children would find in becoming comfortable in such a different culture. The other Indian American character moved as a pregnant wife of a college professor. She too found difficulty becoming involved in the social groups of American women.
As Satyal weaves the story of these two characters, side characters appear. All the characters are lonely in their own way, trying to find friendships and connections. Satyal’s wit is understated, with chuckle worthy scenes that are relatable to all humans. Although Satyal writes all his characters sympathetically, he allows some amusing situations that are both painful and humorous. If we can’t laugh at some of our tragedies, what’s the point? Each character experiences sadness and misfortune. In one paragraph the reader’s heart aches for him/her. In a few paragraphs away, there’s a silly situation that is relevant and uplifts the sadness.
This was a book club book, and everyone loved it, which is rare. It’s a compassionate, warm-hearted, tender and funny novel about humans and our quest for belonging and dealing with loneliness. It’s a wonderful read.
Author Rakesh Satyal tells a story of two Indian American characters that found difficulty in assimilating in American Culture. One character moved to America as a young boy when his father died and his mother took her children as far away as possible to start over. In doing that, she traded one trouble for another; little did she realize the difficulty she and her children would find in becoming comfortable in such a different culture. The other Indian American character moved as a pregnant wife of a college professor. She too found difficulty becoming involved in the social groups of American women.
As Satyal weaves the story of these two characters, side characters appear. All the characters are lonely in their own way, trying to find friendships and connections. Satyal’s wit is understated, with chuckle worthy scenes that are relatable to all humans. Although Satyal writes all his characters sympathetically, he allows some amusing situations that are both painful and humorous. If we can’t laugh at some of our tragedies, what’s the point? Each character experiences sadness and misfortune. In one paragraph the reader’s heart aches for him/her. In a few paragraphs away, there’s a silly situation that is relevant and uplifts the sadness.
This was a book club book, and everyone loved it, which is rare. It’s a compassionate, warm-hearted, tender and funny novel about humans and our quest for belonging and dealing with loneliness. It’s a wonderful read.
May 4, 2017
No One Can Pronounce My Name is the story of a group of Indian immigrants living in Cleveland, Ohio. Forty-something Harit is lonely and depressed after the death of his beloved older sister. He's doing his best to adequately care for his old and grief-stricken mother, but he's struggling. To get out of the house, Harit begins working in the men's department of a local clothing store, and, luckily, he finally finds a friend in Teddy, his odd but affable gay coworker.
Not too far away, in another struggling household, Ranjana has just sent her only child, Prashant, off to college. Prashant is a mostly devoted son and top of his class in chemistry, but love (or is it lust?) has him rethinking his life goals and direction. Not that Ranjana is noticing. She's too concerned with her own general boredom in life and, especially, in her marriage. (Finding out that her husband is probably cheating on her certainly doesn't help things.) Ranjana's dissatisfaction eventually motivates her to find a job working as a receptionist at a medical office. It's through this job, and a series of crazy, seemingly unrelated events, that she finally meets Harit.
If you think you know where this book is going, I can assure you that you don't. This storyline is unique, fresh, and unpredictable. I may have seen certain plot points coming, but only after having been surprised a few times first. The characters are intriguing, too. Both Harit and Ranjana are easy to empathize with, but they are also quirky and imperfect. I felt invested in their journeys from the (almost) start.
So why only three stars? Well, this book is tough to get into and tough to complete. At almost 400 pages, it's about twice as long as it should be. Yes, the premise is great, the characters great. But dear God, it goes on forever. (Ranjana and Harit don't even MEET each other until the last third of the book. That is A LOT of build up, my friends.) I'm a fast reader, especially when it comes to fiction, but reading this one, especially in the beginning, was damn near torturous.
Honestly, I wish I could give this book more stars! It has so much good stuff going for it, but it really needed to be cut down by at least a third. I wish the story had been tighter and more concise without all the thought-by-thought commentary from so many different characters.
Thanks to Net Galley and Picador for the ARC.
See more of my book reviews at www.BugBugBooks.com!
Not too far away, in another struggling household, Ranjana has just sent her only child, Prashant, off to college. Prashant is a mostly devoted son and top of his class in chemistry, but love (or is it lust?) has him rethinking his life goals and direction. Not that Ranjana is noticing. She's too concerned with her own general boredom in life and, especially, in her marriage. (Finding out that her husband is probably cheating on her certainly doesn't help things.) Ranjana's dissatisfaction eventually motivates her to find a job working as a receptionist at a medical office. It's through this job, and a series of crazy, seemingly unrelated events, that she finally meets Harit.
If you think you know where this book is going, I can assure you that you don't. This storyline is unique, fresh, and unpredictable. I may have seen certain plot points coming, but only after having been surprised a few times first. The characters are intriguing, too. Both Harit and Ranjana are easy to empathize with, but they are also quirky and imperfect. I felt invested in their journeys from the (almost) start.
So why only three stars? Well, this book is tough to get into and tough to complete. At almost 400 pages, it's about twice as long as it should be. Yes, the premise is great, the characters great. But dear God, it goes on forever. (Ranjana and Harit don't even MEET each other until the last third of the book. That is A LOT of build up, my friends.) I'm a fast reader, especially when it comes to fiction, but reading this one, especially in the beginning, was damn near torturous.
Honestly, I wish I could give this book more stars! It has so much good stuff going for it, but it really needed to be cut down by at least a third. I wish the story had been tighter and more concise without all the thought-by-thought commentary from so many different characters.
Thanks to Net Galley and Picador for the ARC.
See more of my book reviews at www.BugBugBooks.com!
December 18, 2017
Sweet and tender, sad and delicate. Intricate and simple. A story of immigrants always interests me. Delightful
Want to read
June 16, 2022this title speaks to me.
(irl)
(irl)
October 9, 2017
Opening up to possibilities, not letting yourself, your ideas, your judgements ossify and become unmoveable. This is what this book is about. As human beings we get set in our ideas, what we think about others be they family or friends or enemies. I think as this book shows these ideas, thoughts need to be reviewed and revamped if need be, for the sake of our happiness, for the sake of fairness and for a touch of spice.
Beautifully told by Mr Satyal. I want to read more from him as this book has left me with a big big smile today when I read the last bits.
Beautifully told by Mr Satyal. I want to read more from him as this book has left me with a big big smile today when I read the last bits.
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August 19, 2022My expectations were exceptionally high for this book, which I've been impatiently waiting for since January. Satyal is a gifted writer and this book is great. I reviewed it for CHIRB and you can read the full review here: https://chireviewofbooks.com/2017/05/...
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November 21, 2017Rakesh Satyal’s NO ONE CAN PRONOUNCE MY NAME is a warm, life-affirming story of reckoning with past secrets, forging unexpected bonds, and finding the strength to be yourself. This big-hearted, utterly charming novel explores immigrant experience and family life with humor and compassion.
July 5, 2017
This is another book I heard about on NPR, and I am really enjoying NPR's recommendations. My family came here from Eastern Europe just before the turn of the last century, and I could imagine them trying to navigate America in much the same way that Satyal's Indian characters do. But this is more than a immigrant story. It's also a coming of age story, and a coming out story, and a coming into one's own story, all rolled into one.
This isn't a quick , action-packed novel. It's a study of people, people that Satyal wants the average American to get to know, so it's more of a slow burn. Yet it's fascinating, and Satyal's characters tend to be very well drawn and fleshed out, so the reader feels that she really gets to know them. I really enjoyed how Satyal was able to incorporate some LGBTQ characters without making a huge deal of it. It reminds us all that LGBTQ people are just like everyone else.
As a glimpse into what immigrant families deal with as they try to both integrate into American society as well as hold onto their traditions from their home countries, this is an excellent story. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I hope to be able to read Satyal's other works soon.
This isn't a quick , action-packed novel. It's a study of people, people that Satyal wants the average American to get to know, so it's more of a slow burn. Yet it's fascinating, and Satyal's characters tend to be very well drawn and fleshed out, so the reader feels that she really gets to know them. I really enjoyed how Satyal was able to incorporate some LGBTQ characters without making a huge deal of it. It reminds us all that LGBTQ people are just like everyone else.
As a glimpse into what immigrant families deal with as they try to both integrate into American society as well as hold onto their traditions from their home countries, this is an excellent story. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I hope to be able to read Satyal's other works soon.
May 25, 2017
This was a book written so beautifully, so lyrically that it was as if the words had been painted on canvas instead of merely typed onto paper.
Why only two stars then? And why did I not finish this book even though I had read 75% of it?
Because even with all of its beauty the story was slow, the commentary about American's was horrid, the character's thought they were above it all and I wasn't interested in the sex lives of these people.
In fact I never once felt connected enough with any of these characters/caricature's.
I could say much about what this story was *supposed* to be all about (friendship, relationships, questioning ones sexuality), but quite frankly I was only able to decipher the surface story and that was enough for me.
Perhaps If I were a better educated person I could have gotten more out of this book.
Why only two stars then? And why did I not finish this book even though I had read 75% of it?
Because even with all of its beauty the story was slow, the commentary about American's was horrid, the character's thought they were above it all and I wasn't interested in the sex lives of these people.
In fact I never once felt connected enough with any of these characters/caricature's.
I could say much about what this story was *supposed* to be all about (friendship, relationships, questioning ones sexuality), but quite frankly I was only able to decipher the surface story and that was enough for me.
Perhaps If I were a better educated person I could have gotten more out of this book.
December 31, 2017
Wonderful! This book deserves more readership.
No one can pronounce my (sur)name either...
No one can pronounce my (sur)name either...
June 24, 2017
From cover to cover, I really enjoyed this surprising and warm-hearted novel about people from very different worlds who find each other and become friends.
May 26, 2020
3.5 - No One Can Pronounce My Name follows Harit, Ranjana, and Prashant in their lives in suburban Ohio. Harit and Ranjana emigrated to the US from India whereas Prashant, Ranjana’s son, was born in the US. Through their eyes the story touches on grief, marriage, being gay, being an immigrant, confusion in a new country, and not being respected by people outside their culture.
My one big issue with this book was Prashant’s character. I think he served a purpose because through him you see a younger generation that grew up in the US and doesn’t have the same experience as their immigrant parents. However, sometimes he just disappears for large portions of the book. It made it seem like his character wasn’t as important to the plot. In the beginning the POV switched every chapter between Harit, Ranjana, and Prashant. Then without warning his POV disappeared for almost 100 pages. It made the book feel very lopsided.
This book brings up a lot of important topics and parts of the plot evolve in really interesting ways.
My one big issue with this book was Prashant’s character. I think he served a purpose because through him you see a younger generation that grew up in the US and doesn’t have the same experience as their immigrant parents. However, sometimes he just disappears for large portions of the book. It made it seem like his character wasn’t as important to the plot. In the beginning the POV switched every chapter between Harit, Ranjana, and Prashant. Then without warning his POV disappeared for almost 100 pages. It made the book feel very lopsided.
This book brings up a lot of important topics and parts of the plot evolve in really interesting ways.
June 29, 2017
Please read more of my reviews at: http://cavebookreviews.blogspot.com
Rakesh Satyal pulled me in to his new novel, No One Can Pronounce My Name, even though I didn't like any of his characters at first reading. Harit and Ranjana hold the novel together. Their families and friends circle them in the dance of life as immigrants who are looking for meaning and happiness but have no confidence that those gifts will ever find them in Cleveland, Ohio. Harit is a single forty something man who works in a department store. He lives with his mother and they are both grieving the loss of his sister, Swarti. Ranjana is also a forty something immigrant who is married to a chemistry professor with a son at Princeton. She has served her husband, Mohan, as a dutiful wife and given her life to raising her son, Prashant. The family doesn't seem to really connect and when Prashant goes away to Princeton, Ranjana turns to a job in a doctor's office for a way to fill up her time. Ranjana is a writer, in secret, of "romance" novels and she dutifully attends her writers' group though it seems that it is mostly a waste of time.
There is much heartbreak in this story. The loneliness of life as an immigrant is striking, even when a family such as Ranjana and Mohan have a circle of Indian friends and attend all the social functions required to maintain membership in that group. Harit is totally alone except for a work colleague, Teddy, who drags him to a local TGIF Friday's for drinks. He goes home to his mourning mother who sits alone. Harit has many secrets that weigh him down and even Teddy's boisterous and seemingly well meaning camaraderie cannot help Harit lift himself from a state of hopelessness.
The immigrant experience has been well documented in the news and in the arts. This novel adds to that body of work that helps us who are generations removed from our immigrant ancestors catch a glimpse into what huge sacrifices immigrants, especially those from the culture of India, live with from day to day and on into their lives in the new country they have chosen. Often those choices are made for the children...let the children have a better life. It is for the children that the adults move to the other side of the planet and strive to create a new life, living quietly with the disappointments they feel cannot be overcome. Thanks to RS's incredible writing skills, we get a glimmer of hope for those who dare to chance a connection with someone. Not all life has to be lived in quiet misery. The brave ones who can reach out to just one person may find a new life unfolding in soul saving events.
ARC received courtesy of NetGalley and Picador (May 2nd 2017).
Rakesh Satyal pulled me in to his new novel, No One Can Pronounce My Name, even though I didn't like any of his characters at first reading. Harit and Ranjana hold the novel together. Their families and friends circle them in the dance of life as immigrants who are looking for meaning and happiness but have no confidence that those gifts will ever find them in Cleveland, Ohio. Harit is a single forty something man who works in a department store. He lives with his mother and they are both grieving the loss of his sister, Swarti. Ranjana is also a forty something immigrant who is married to a chemistry professor with a son at Princeton. She has served her husband, Mohan, as a dutiful wife and given her life to raising her son, Prashant. The family doesn't seem to really connect and when Prashant goes away to Princeton, Ranjana turns to a job in a doctor's office for a way to fill up her time. Ranjana is a writer, in secret, of "romance" novels and she dutifully attends her writers' group though it seems that it is mostly a waste of time.
There is much heartbreak in this story. The loneliness of life as an immigrant is striking, even when a family such as Ranjana and Mohan have a circle of Indian friends and attend all the social functions required to maintain membership in that group. Harit is totally alone except for a work colleague, Teddy, who drags him to a local TGIF Friday's for drinks. He goes home to his mourning mother who sits alone. Harit has many secrets that weigh him down and even Teddy's boisterous and seemingly well meaning camaraderie cannot help Harit lift himself from a state of hopelessness.
The immigrant experience has been well documented in the news and in the arts. This novel adds to that body of work that helps us who are generations removed from our immigrant ancestors catch a glimpse into what huge sacrifices immigrants, especially those from the culture of India, live with from day to day and on into their lives in the new country they have chosen. Often those choices are made for the children...let the children have a better life. It is for the children that the adults move to the other side of the planet and strive to create a new life, living quietly with the disappointments they feel cannot be overcome. Thanks to RS's incredible writing skills, we get a glimmer of hope for those who dare to chance a connection with someone. Not all life has to be lived in quiet misery. The brave ones who can reach out to just one person may find a new life unfolding in soul saving events.
ARC received courtesy of NetGalley and Picador (May 2nd 2017).
June 14, 2017
This just wasn't my cup of tea....
September 30, 2017
A novel about Indian immigrants living in Cleveland and the struggles they face not only to feel at home in their adopted country, but to recognize and accept who they are as people.
I really loved this book. The characters felt very real to me, and I hoped desperately for happy endings for them even as everything that happened to them the entire book led me to think it wasn’t likely.
The loneliness that all the characters feel, though it manifests in different ways, seemed to me like it came from the same place: wanting to be loved and understood, but too afraid to take the risk of asking for it. I was going to specifically point out Harit and Ranjana’s loneliness, since they are the main characters, but once I thought about it, just about everybody in the book had some level of loneliness going on.
Adam makes fun of me for liking books that I call “ultimately redemptive.” He claims it is just code for “sad.” I will admit this book is sad—. But to me, watching their journeys towards hopefulness makes it all worth it. I don’t necessarily mind a sad book if the characters are on their way to something better.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
I really loved this book. The characters felt very real to me, and I hoped desperately for happy endings for them even as everything that happened to them the entire book led me to think it wasn’t likely.
The loneliness that all the characters feel, though it manifests in different ways, seemed to me like it came from the same place: wanting to be loved and understood, but too afraid to take the risk of asking for it. I was going to specifically point out Harit and Ranjana’s loneliness, since they are the main characters, but once I thought about it, just about everybody in the book had some level of loneliness going on.
Adam makes fun of me for liking books that I call “ultimately redemptive.” He claims it is just code for “sad.” I will admit this book is sad—. But to me, watching their journeys towards hopefulness makes it all worth it. I don’t necessarily mind a sad book if the characters are on their way to something better.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
October 31, 2022
No One Can Pronounce My Name is ultimately about people on the fringes of society finding friends and their places in said society. I like how Satyal dips into the storylines of people who at first seemed like minor characters, slowly increasing their importance in the story. And there are moments where the writing really dives into the tension and loneliness that accompany leading a double life—hiding fundamental parts of yourself to hopefully blend in with everyone else.
Overall though, the storylines feel a little too cliché, the abundant metaphors and similes a little too hastily thrown in. I got the sense that Satyal tried his best to think of "edgy" topics—homosexuality, cross-dressing, and Indian people writing books, oh my!—and hoped that those would carry the novel without needing any fresh insight. And the way things were wrapped up so nicely in the end was almost laughable. The characters themselves were interesting, but the book would have been better with fewer actual events and more explorations of the characters' feelings and motivations.
Overall though, the storylines feel a little too cliché, the abundant metaphors and similes a little too hastily thrown in. I got the sense that Satyal tried his best to think of "edgy" topics—homosexuality, cross-dressing, and Indian people writing books, oh my!—and hoped that those would carry the novel without needing any fresh insight. And the way things were wrapped up so nicely in the end was almost laughable. The characters themselves were interesting, but the book would have been better with fewer actual events and more explorations of the characters' feelings and motivations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2018
Charming, life-affirming and big hearted.
May 26, 2017
When I first saw the title of this novel I laughed, cause no one can pronounce my name either. I jokingly referred to it as my memoirs. I was nervous about reading this book since I had loved the author's first book "Blue Boy" and was worried this one would be a letdown with all the high expectations I had. However, this followup did not disappoint at all.
This novel is divided into three parts; it wasn't until the end of Part 1 that I had any idea where this novel was going; and even then, it twisted and turned and went all over the place before arriving at a (mostly) satisfying ending.
Without giving too much away, this is the story about multiple different Indian immigrants to Cleveland, Ohio; one a mother who finds herself with more free time after her only son has left the house to attend Princeton University; and also a man, living with his mother, both of whom are grieving the loss of his sister.
This is one of those books told from multiple points of views. While there are two main characters who are telling us the story from their points of views, we also get to hear the thoughts of multiple tertiary characters, which added to the depth of the story being told and made the novel all the more richer. I laughed, I cried, and I screamed with delight.
I highly recommend this one to anyone who wants to stay up all night glued to an original compelling novel.
May 26, 2017
Terribly disappointing. I really liked Satyal's first (more autobiographical) novel, and while this still has remnants of his earlier prose stylings, the plot (such as it is) meanders badly, the characters are not terribly interesting, and it is filled with improbable and sometimes ludicrous happenings. Even the long section detailing the characters' exploits at a writer's conference (with a very thinly disguised Jhumpa Laheri as keynote speaker) failed to enliven things much. I almost bailed on it several times, and almost wished I had, as there was nothing much to recommend the overly cheery ending.
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July 6, 2017If this book were a person, I would want to give it SO many hugs. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized most of the characters were middle aged people still trying to figure out life and their place in the world; that they were all charming in their own way was just icing on the cake!
Another plus: beautiful writing and a very heartwarming story focused on the immigrant experience (particularly of the Indian community in America, but if you're an immigrant or first generation, then there are LOTS of relatable moments), human sexuality, and even coming-of-age struggles. The ending was a little bit too "happily ever after" for me, but overall, this book gets two thumbs up from me!
Another plus: beautiful writing and a very heartwarming story focused on the immigrant experience (particularly of the Indian community in America, but if you're an immigrant or first generation, then there are LOTS of relatable moments), human sexuality, and even coming-of-age struggles. The ending was a little bit too "happily ever after" for me, but overall, this book gets two thumbs up from me!
May 4, 2017
Another book that sounded like it couldn't miss. Set in Cleveland's Indian community it was supposed to be a funny, but serious and touching look at assimilating into American culture. Sadly, I only made it to about 60% before setting this one aside. It felt like riding in a manual transmission car with a student driver, jerking between comedy and pathos before stalling, then switching back again. The pacing was completely off. Satyal never got it into a high enough gear for a smooth ride I wanted to stick with.
April 5, 2017
Beautifully written, intimate novel that likes its characters and treats them all with a tender kindness. the result is feel good but it's more than that, it's like you made some brand-new friends.
October 9, 2018
In a suburb outside Cleveland, a community of Indian Americans has settled into lives that straddle the divide between Eastern and Western cultures. For some, America is a bewildering and alienating place where coworkers can’t pronounce your name but will eagerly repeat the Sanskrit phrases from their yoga class. Harit, a lonely Indian immigrant in his midforties, lives with his mother who can no longer function after the death of Harit’s sister, Swati. In a misguided attempt to keep both himself and his mother sane, Harit has taken to dressing up in a sari every night to pass himself off as his sister. Meanwhile, Ranjana, also an Indian immigrant in her midforties, has just seen her only child, Prashant, off to college. Worried that her husband has begun an affair, she seeks solace by writing paranormal romances in secret. When Harit and Ranjana’s paths cross, they begin a strange yet necessary friendship that brings to light their own passions and fears.
January 9, 2018
Rakesh Satyal's slyly comic and tender novel about identity and relationships is worth a read. There were definitely some bits that felt a little dragged on where I was like, "Rakesh Satyal... where is this going..." but the ending was so lovely it felt worth it. Satyal writes with compassion and piercing insight about the ways in which we understand ourselves, other people, and our roles in each other's lives - and how these judgments can all shift and change with time. And, of course, the least transactional and therefore most useless yet transformative of relationships: friendship.
February 28, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! A unique immigrant story about the difficulties of assimilating into contemporary American culture. Satyal created wonderful, quirky characters whose lives intersect in believable ways. I felt the ending and resolution of some of the issues were rushed which is why I did not give this book a five-star rating. However, these minor problems did not lessen my enjoyment of the novel. Highly recommended.
May 26, 2017
Thanks Rakesh for your brilliant writing. Being an immigrant , so many times I could put myself in Ranjana's shoes.
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