The Taste of Ginger

by Mansi Shah

In Mansi Shah’s stunning debut novel, a family tragedy beckons a first-generation immigrant to the city of her birth, where she grapples with her family’s past in search of where she truly belongs.

After her parents moved her and her brother to America, Preeti Desai never meant to tear her family apart. All she did was fall in love with a white Christian carnivore instead of a conventional Indian boy. Years later, with her parents not speaking to her and her controversial relationship in tatters, all Preeti has left is her career at a prestigious Los Angeles law firm.

But when Preeti receives word of a terrible accident in the city where she was born, she returns to India, where she’ll have to face her estranged parents…and the complicated past they left behind. Surrounded by the sights and sounds of her heritage, Preeti catches a startling glimpse of her family’s battles with class, tradition, and sacrifice. Torn between two beautifully flawed cultures, Preeti must now untangle what home truly means to her.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, India, Historical Fiction, Ebooks, Romance, Audiobook

317 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 7, 2021

About the author

Born in Toronto to Indian immigrants, Mansi Shah is the author of A Good Indian Girl, The Taste of Ginger, and The Direction of the Wind, which center on Gujarati characters and speak to generational differences across the Indian diaspora. Now based in Los Angeles, Mansi left her long-time career as an entertainment attorney in Hollywood to travel the world and write full time. She loves to cook, and food often plays a prominent role in her books. When she's not writing and traveling, you can find her swimming laps or playing tennis.

Reviews

[Susan Q · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read so many great books about Indian culture and have really loved them. This book started out so good and I really loved it! Then it took a turn and became more of a condescending lecture about cultural differences. I almost didn’t get through the last 25%.

[Lisa O · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a coming-of-age story about a woman torn between two cultures. (Side note: I’m not really sure what the age cut-off is for going through a “coming-of age” phase, but if a woman in her thirties no longer qualifies, we can call it a quarter-life crisis instead.) The main character, Preeti, is a first-generation immigrant living in Los Angeles. When a family tragedy occurs, she travels back to the city of her birth in India and begins an unexpected journey of reconciling her American upbringing with her Indian heritage. The book got me thinking about the concepts of cultural belonging, caste systems, and the experience of first-generation immigrants in a way I haven’t before. The author also did a nice job of exploring the dynamics of Preeti’s family, including their individual choices regarding their identities and the silent sacrifices each of them made to protect each other.

There were a couple things that made this a likeable, not loveable, read for me. To be completely honest, Preeti was kind of exhausting. Her behavior often came off as childish and slightly oblivious while she was working through her self-discovery process. For example, she thought her parents were too reliant on what she perceived as outdated and rigid traditions, and she reacted to most situations in a whiny ‘my parents just don’t understand me’ kind of way. And she was adamant about clinging to her American upbringing and defying the cultural norms while in India – valiant in some situations, but it felt like she was often toeing the line to disrespectful and/or reckless behavior.

The writing style didn’t pull me in the way I wanted it to. The character dialogue usually felt very transactional, and it seemed like there was an over-reliance on certain thinking verbs like “mulled over” and “pondered” (out of curiosity, I counted, and they were used 3 and 9 times, respectively – doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s only a 300-page book and these words were always used in the exact same context). In addition, some of the characters were written as overly simplistic stereotypes (the white male law firm partner who yells a lot, has no concept of personal boundaries, and only talks in sports metaphors), which was a little disappointing. Also, given the themes and the location of the story, I went in (maybe unfairly) expecting some striking descriptions of the cultural settings. Unfortunately, the book spent exponentially more time on Preeti’s self-reflections rather than trying to draw the reader into the experience of her native country. So if you’re attracted to this book primarily because it’s set in India, you should adjust your expectations appropriately.

Despite my initial lack of love for the main character, Preeti really came through in the end and she did eventually evolve. She had a lot of redeeming moments and breakthroughs (but it took awhile to get there!), and the ending of the book was really lovely and satisfying. Although this book won’t rank among my favorites, I generally found the story enjoyable, and I thought the author tackled some important themes in an interesting way. It is a solid debut novel, and it’s worth a read if you enjoy stories about family, sacrifice, and forgiveness.


Amazon First Reads - December 2021

[Miss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started well then drifted

I enjoyed the start of the novel bit then it trails off into repetitive self reflections. I realised I didn't like the main character Preeti, she is self absorbed and disrespectful of others culture and culture beliefs. Preeti's main problem is her mindset. The novel tries to fit in too many themes without developing any depth. The novel would have been better if it focused on the family, developed the main characters and gave multiple characters points of view. The ending was underwhelming. Perhaps the novel will resonate more with American readers.

[Valleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Taste of Ginger contains themes that include family, racism, caste, first-generation immigration, and many more. I have to admit to having been clueless about the caste system and it left me feeling stunned and saddened. Anyway...

Preeti receives word of a terrible accident in the city where she was born and chooses to return to India. She hasn't been back since she was 7 years old, and she struggles between the old ways and the new ways she knows after being raised in America. For example, should marriage be about biodata, as it is in India? Or love, as it is in the United States? Torn between the two, Preeti must now untangle what home truly means to her.

[Shivani · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars

TW: casteism, racism

A brilliant new up-and-coming South Asian adult fiction novel that captures themes including family, racism, caste, first-generation immigration and so much more.

I found that Shah was able to capture the essence of India, its people, and its surroundings seamlessly. I truly felt transported back to all my own visits to my extended family there. Preeti was a flawed MC, but the amount of personal and relational growth that we went through throughout the book was amazing as a reader to watch unfold. I found many parts of myself within Preeti, as she is a young brown woman exploring her passions, trying to find her path in life. I especially loved how Shah created a strong sibling relationship between Preeti and her brother while working on the development of the one Preeti had with her parents, specifically her mother. The understanding between South Asian families that span generations is not always easy, but what makes those bonds strong is the continuous work that comes from both sides trying to bridge the generational gap which most of the time includes having conversations and being open to what each side has to say.

I don’t want to spoil anything because I myself went into this book blind and was pleasantly surprised by how much this book moved me. This was the exact type of South Asian adult fiction book I had been eagerly waiting for and I’m very thankful to have gotten my hands on an early copy.

I’ve actually since then convinced my mom to pick up this book and she’s really enjoying it as well (which is very exciting because my mom doesn’t read).

Characters: 8/10
Atmosphere: 19/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Plot: 9/10
Intrigue: 9/10
Logic: 9/10
Enjoyment: 9/10

Rating: 8.7 or rounding to 4.5 stars

[Mary Fabrizio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Immersive, yes, but highly repetitive. Too much inner musings for my taste.

[Aarati · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this copy as a Amazon First Reads for the month of Dec 2021.

The theme of the book is great. Being an immigrant kid myself , I can relate to the feelings of belonging and being adrift all too clearly.

Pros:
1. The delicate relationship of the old and young generation of immigrants is a battlefield in itself , with the older gen trying to preserve the cultures and traditions and the young gen trying to make sense of the culture they belong to and the ones they are born/brought into. I like the portrayal of that said delicate relationship between Preeti and Varshaben.
2. The terrible incident that makes Preeti take that trip to India has been handled beautifully. There is a particular sequence that almost choked me up.


Cons:
1. I think a lot of characters could have gotten a better character development like Biren , Carrie , Alex and Neel-Dipti's relationship. I feel that these are characters that for most parts help push the story forward but are used as mere props.
2. There are too many pages spent on Preeti reflecting and arguing with herself. It got boring after a point.
2. There were quite a few errors and grammatical mistakes which made the reading a bumpy ride :(

All in all , since I could relate to a lot of situations mentioned in the book , it was a beautiful read for me. A lot of delicate topics have been touched on. I like the ending of the novel too. There is no right or wrong ending to it. It is an open ending , much like how Preeti's life has suddenly been opened after years of trying to find herself.
This book certainly makes you think about so many things!

[Cynthia · Rating 1 out of 5]

According to Preeti, India is a country of backward traditions, conservative beliefs and repulsive smells where marriages are treated as mergers and people have no sense of personal space. A homophobic caste based society where women don't wear jeans and are seen wearing "panjabis" (whatever that is), where cars don't have trunks or seatbelts and hospitals lack "modern science" (you'd think someone from wealth would have access to the best hospitals)

It seems like Preeti has all the insights in the world about why India sucks and can empathize with everyone except her own mother. She manages to whine about everything around her. This book is set in Ahmedabad which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and all Preeti can see is the cattle on the road and the "smell of poverty." Like the book says "Bandar Kya jaane adrak ka swaad." Preeti appears to be the Bandar here.

This year I thought I'd read books by Indian authors. When I came across this one on Amazon I gladly picked it up but it was exceptionally difficult to read because of its one sided view and skewed representation of India. I can say this because I'm born and raised in the city this book is based in.
I read about 80% and the only thing close to good in this book the bond Preeti and her brother Neal share.

I recommend you save yourself the torture of reading this, especially if you're Indian.

[Mandy]

DNF at 50%. I really didn't want to DNF this, especially as I felt weirdly obligated to review it because I got it free as an Amazon First Reads.

Nevertheless, I couldn't see the point in going on much longer as I really wasn't enjoying it. I read it because it was set in India but much of the book takes place inside a hospital and then inside houses, with no exploration of the sights, sounds, aromas and experience of India. It's the experience I have when I return to South Africa - if I wanted to spent three weeks inside a house, I'd rather stay at home / not read this book.

I'd also rather not read a story about poor upper caste people and how difficult it is to be privileged. This part is on me though as I'm going through an 'eat the rich' phase.

I wasn't a fan of the writing, especially that there was a lot of info dumping and exposition, with short choppy sentences where the author tells us what's happening.

One final thought. The author seems to not understand that the character is a fully formed adult - 30 years old! - and didn't come to exist in chapter one. Working to become a lawyer is hard work - I don't relate to the idea that you'd leave your entire profession on a whim. Likewise, many people have hobbies and side hustles. You don't need to burn the whole world down just to leave one bad boss. Get another job? At least look for another one at a progressive company before exiting, stage left.

[Savitri (IG: abookishcookie) · Rating 2 out of 5]

RTC
I’m an own voice reviewer…born and raised in India for 26 years.
I need to organize my thoughts to write a review of this book. On the whole, however, I was terribly disappointed at how India was inaccurately represented in this book.

[Wendy Hart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel explores a woman's struggle to reconcile the values of her Indian immigrant parents with her place in contemporary American society. Overall, it is a decent yarn. However, it is repetitive, and the pacing is a bit slow. The outcome is predictable.

[Lyn Liao · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an immersive book! I have never been so drawn into the Indian culture, tradition, and food like I did with The Taste of Ginger. I not only learned so much, I got such a great glimpse into Preeti's world that it was as if I was experiencing everything she was as she travelled back to Ahmedabad to be there for her family during a time of crisis. At once bittersweet and heartwarming, this was a wonderful book.

[Dun's · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Taste of Ginger captures the life of an immigrant family originally from India, told from the daughter/second child's perspective, Preeti Desai. The story takes the readers from the US to India as Preeti navigates her demanding career as a lawyer, parents' expectations, a family tragedy, and the never ending internal struggles to fit in between the eastern and western cultures and traditions.

I found the first half of the book flow well and promising, and learned quite a bit about the caste system and family dynamics in India. During the second half, however, I struggled to keep my attention because nothing is really happening. There are a lot of LONG, self-reflective paragraphs that I found tedious to read. I rarely get put off by badly behaved characters, yet my annoyance of Preeti grew as the story progresses. For a supposedly independent and successful 30-year old lawyer, she is whiny, immature, and self-absorbed.

Overall, it's an okay read that touches on interesting issues and cultural values. My rating is 2.5 rounded up to 3.

[Sandra Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mansi Shah’s impressive debut novel, which releases on January 1, immerses us in the culture of India. For those who’ve never visited, we’re treated to a vivid view through Preeti, who returns after many years to deal with a family tragedy. She was only 7 when her parents relocated to America and has spent the intervening time over-achieving to tackle the challenges of assimilating. When she’s reluctantly drawn back to her native country, she’s dismayed to face similar issues as a nonconformist NRI (Non Resident Indian). Preeti chafes under the strict Caste system, wherein the clothes she wears, who she spends time with, and how she interacts with her elders are under close scrutiny. As she struggles to reconcile the demands of the two cultures, she realizes to truly find her place and move forward she must forge a new relationship with her estranged, traditional mother and learn her long-ago secrets.

In reading The Taste of Ginger, I was fascinated by the revelations into Indian culture. Following Preeti’s journey is like being there yourself, with casual introductions to the food, style of dress, interplay of relationships, and the daily routines and living conditions for the different caste levels. For those of us used to casual, independent lifestyles, we can definitely empathize with her difficulty in reining back to try to fit in and not shame her family.

The novel also provides an eye-opening depiction of the difficulties immigrants can face fitting into American culture. For Preeti’s family, her parents leave good jobs and a higher-caste existence in India and her dad ends up in a menial occupation. Thus, much of their life is driven by the pursuit of monetary stability, and they also see that as an ultimate goal for their children. Along with them marrying appropriate Indian matches - without factoring “Western love” into the equation.

Applause to Mansi Shah for providing a heart-felt exploration of the bonds of family and culture, enriching the reader for the experience. I learned so much in reading this well-written novel, which embraces believable characters and colorful descriptions. Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing the ARC of this novel.

[Nikita Saxena · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am still reading this book and with every approaching page, I am finding it more and more disappointing. Very flawed understanding of Indian casteism, which by the way is not as visually apparent these days as the author thinks. Using colorism and public schools instead of private to judge a person's caste etc. Also, in the whole narrative there is a feeling of superiority complex of the narrator over others whether it is other family members or town-mates or Indians in general. Better research and open mindedness is definitely needed.

[Dive Into A Good Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Taste of Ginger takes you on a trip to India, one that is full of description of the ever-flowing energy of India. You can taste the food, the smells, the insane traffic, the pulse of the city, and the need to always stick to the rules. It is an eye-opening read that will make you take down your own barriers and really think about race, what it means and how it feels to be a minority, the caste system, homosexuality, family dynamics, religion, and friendship. I was thrown back in time when I lived in the Caribbean as a minority. How I craved to fit in and be accepted for me. No matter where I came from, or what I looked like. To just be judged by who I am and how I treated people. It took time, but the barrier people put up were smashed down and I was accepted for who I was, with the people who counted the most.

Preeti's situation is more extreme. Born in Indian and immigrated to America when she was just 7. She had to relearn all the rules and to let go of pieces of her heritage and culture in order to fit in and be accepted. She has fought to fit in and succeed in America, and she has. Preeti is working her way up in her law office, hoping to make partner and impress the higher ups. Her relationship with her mother is strained and she skips a trip to India for a cousins wedding to avoid conflict and to keep working. A call lands her on an airplane flying halfway around the world, to be by her brother's side after an accident. She is brought back to her childhood and what started as an emotional time leads to a trip of self-discovery. Not only about herself, but about her family.

I loved Mansi Shah's vivid descriptions, her ability to fully immerse you into Indian culture. I need to try all the food that was described in this book. It is vibrant, emotional, and heartwarming to watch Preeti bloom during her time in Indian. To come to terms with her life and it is okay to live in two different worlds, and not fully belong to either. You take from both and build yourself up from there. Thank you to Mansi Shah, Lake Union Publishing, and TLC Book Tours for sending me this thought provoking read.

[Rebekah Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't believe that I have ever read a book like The Taste of Ginger before--there is just something so refreshing and real about this story, which I very much appreciated.

The Taste of Ginger by Mansi Shah is a coming-of-age story about a woman named Preeti Desai, whose identity is torn between two cultures. When Preeti was seven, she and her family moved from India to the United States, where she spent years assimilating to the American culture, effectively pushing her Indian heritage, family, and traditions aside. However, when she hears about a terrible accident that has happened to a family member in India, she returns to her native country, where she must face her family and her heritage, and discover just what it is that they mean to her.

I will admittedly say that my knowledge of Indian culture is very limited. However, my limited knowledge did not hinder my understanding of the book or my enjoyment of the story whatsoever, and I found that I actually learned quite a bit while reading. I enjoyed learning about Indian culture and traditions, particularly those related to the caste system, which I was very unfamiliar with. I also love how Shah was able to inform the reader by addressing several larger themes—immigration, racism, familial expectations, self-discovery—while also keeping the book very engaging.

This book pulled at my heart-strings and I loved getting to know exactly who Preeti was, even if, at times, her actions and decisions were questionable or seemed immature and childish. I loved her journey of self discovery and of trying to make sense of who it is, exactly, that she is.

I definitely recommend this one! It was a short and quick read, and one that you’ll learn something from, too!

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital review copy

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shah captured the quintessential Indian family from the very first paragraph, with the large extended family, and the noise when everyone gathers, complete with gossips and judgements that only the beloved aunties can dish out.

I found the writing immersive and moving about first generation immigrants torn between two worlds of the East and West. Through Preeti Desai’s character (first generation immigrant working in a law firm in Los Angeles living with a white boyfriend), Shah intricately wrote what it’s like to be torn between two cultures - the duality immigrants are forced to adapt, in order to survive the new world they are suddenly in the midst of for fear of bullying, while also preserving the culture to prevent being shunned and shamed by family.

The Taste of Ginger is a compelling read that deftly tackles themes of identity, family, caste, expectations familial and societal, in a thoughtful and eye opening exploration of the American Indian experience.

I highly recommend!

[Krupa Tarpara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Being a first generation immigrant myself, particularly of Indian descent, perhaps I am more critical of this book than others might be. I found the main character to be whiny and childish, especially at the age of 30. The book worked too hard to compare the nuances of growing up in America vs. India and it felt more like an essay comparing and contrasting the 2 cultures. It also kind of eluded to having to pick one culture over the other instead of finding the best of both worlds. It all felt a little superficial and stereotypical. The writing was okay, using the same descriptive language repetitively.

[Suzanne Redfearn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Taste of Ginger is a captivating novel about a young woman caught between cultures—that of her birthland, India, and America, the place she immigrated to as a child. This beautifully crafted story takes the reader on a journey into another world through the eyes of someone who both belongs and doesn’t. Heartrending and complex, it is an honest look into what it feels like to be different, to search for identity and a sense of belonging while struggling between assimilation and tradition—the plight of any immigrant. The Taste of Ginger is a book everyone should read.

[Harisa- EsquiredToRead · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is just not my personal taste. I encourage you to try it out if you want.

I had a hard time connecting with the main character, even as an immigrant myself. A lot of what she was going through I also went through, but I was way younger. I think it took her way too long to humanize her mother and parents and give her mother in particular some grace. Like, way too long. Plus, like others have said some of the subplots seemed to just tack on too much and even seem unnecessary to her central development.

[Cookie M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A review of the audio book. I am not usually a fan of women's contemporary fiction, but this was a free selection from Kindle and Audible this past month, so I dove right in.
It is the story of a young Indian American woman who is navigating her search for her own identity and place in both cultures as she figures out her place in her family and tries to decide what she is looking for in romance and what she wants in a life long partner.
The story takes several twists and turns and foes not end up where it might have gone in the hands of a less skillful storyteller than Mansi Shah. A surprisingly good read that caused me to think about my own place in American culture.

[Priscilla Carina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly don't know what to write about this novel, which I consumed in form of an audiobook. It's not bad but it's not that good either. I didn't find myself being pulled into the story and neither did I find myself being invested in the characters. This story seems like many other coming-of-age novels that don't have that "special something". Soneela Nakani does an amazing job but the story was too predictable for me, even though I enjoy reading novels culturally set in India. That doesn't mean it can't be a great book for you. It just wasn't for me.

[Haunna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a lot of mixed thoughts about this book and don’t feel qualified to comment on the cultural aspect although some elements felt very racist/elitist apologizing but I do want to make some notes with regards to other parts of the book.

From a plot standpoint nothing happened in this book. In the beginning there was the initial loss of a pregnancy of a side character but after that it was so stagnant.

I really struggled to connect or like any of the characters. They were all pretty one dimensional.

I did not appreciate the random gay trauma that felt really awkward and did not have a sensible place to be in this book. It was so out of nowhere and then completely swept under the rug when that character ended up just marrying a woman anyways. A straight person outing another person without second thought and then borrowing that conflict as though it was their own problem did not sit well with me.

[Jamie Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book tried to pack in too many themes and became a bit repetitive. The main character also seemed overwhelmingly naive for her age and career path.

[Janet | purrfectpages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preeti Desai is an American woman with an Indian heritage she doesn’t feel particularly attached to. At 30 years old, the unwed Preeti has become every traditional Indian family’s nightmare, even more so after shacking up when her non Indian, very American boyfriend.

Then Preeti and her boyfriend break up, adding even more fueling to her family’s matchmaking fire. It doesn’t matter that she’s made a name for herself as a successful lawyer. According to her family, true success includes being a wife and a mother.

So when the family reunites for Preeti’s brother’s impending nuptials, Preeti feels properly out of place. When the family leaves for India, she breathes a sigh of relief, content to return to the shallow existence her family mostly shuns.

Then Preeti gets word that a tragedy has struck her family while in India. Suddenly, Preeti finds herself running to all the things she ran from for so long. Happy to be there for her family, being back in India leaves Preeti feeling conflicted in more ways than she expected. What unfolds next is a journey of compassion, character, and culture.

The Taste of Ginger is an impressive debut from @mansishahwrites that straddles the worlds of two cultures, much like our leading character does. It was interesting to learn about the Indian culture along with Preeti and to follow Preeti’s journey in finding more out about herself.

After getting a taste of this author’s writing with The Taste of Ginger, I’m definitely hungry for more.

[Teri Clifford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book and the style of character development that was demonstrated. The themes of growing up as a hyphenated East Indian - American are so powerfully portrayed and I was deeply moved. To search for oneself, one’s true self not your family self or your societal conditioned self is difficult for most every self reflective human. This author was able to describe how it feels to be a first generation immigrant woman emotionally psychologically professionally and all as felt with the complexity of the conditioning of two cultures and throughout generations. I applaud the wisdom and empathy shown for each of the characters in this story. Such is the bravery of each of our ancestors at one time or another as they travelled to gain loose and recreate themselves and their children to have a better life. How well this author takes us along on this journey is profound.

[Goth Gone Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll admit, based on how the story began unfolding, I thought it was going in a Hallmark movie direction. High stress job leading lady goes home for an emergency, rethinks her life, finds romance and her HEA. It's so much more than that.

Set briefly in America and primarily in India, it's an exploration of the caste system in both worlds. Family and relationships play a huge part, and discovering oneself as well as others. An example of the writing:

"My thoughts swirled. I couldn’t tell them that, as the only Indian associate at the firm, I didn’t have the liberty of speaking up. They wanted to believe that America had accepted their children, and if we didn’t let them have that lie, then they’d be left wondering if their sacrifices had been worth it. They’d be left wondering if they had made the wrong decision. It was a question that was cruel to ask because it could never be answered."

It's an interesting read for the look into a world and culture different from what I'm used to, while still a fairly gentle fictional tale. I would read more from this author.

[Reads by W · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although I think the author is a good writer, I feel she was out of her depth with India. She may be of Indian heritage, but perhaps it is because she grew up, studied, works and lives in the West that the book contains a series of outdated ideas about Eastern culture in general and Indian culture specifically.

The beginning was promising, but it quickly veered off track when Preeti landed in Ahmedabad and the stereotypes started. Everything was oversimplified and reduced, making it believable or interesting only to someone who has never stepped foot in India and/or who has no knowledge of or exposure to that part of the world. For those of us who are familiar with it, this book was very rudimentary and many of the author's core assumptions are flat out wrong. For instance, caste and color are not always correlated even though she tried to make it seem like they were. Not all Indian marriages are "arranged" and not all American marriages are "love" marriages. The list goes on.

Sadly, I didn't enjoy this at all. I do hope the author writes something else in the future that leans less heavily on the differences between India and America. She has talent but the plot and dialogue in this one was not my cup of chai.

[Judi Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chose the wrong book

An Amazon first reads selection, it looked like the best option. I found the main character not likable; meddling in others' lives, too critical, self-absorbed and navel-gazing. As a learn-about-other-cultures read, there was nothing new to me. Your own mileage may vary.