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Destination Wedding
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY MARIE CLAIRE AND THE NEW YORK POST
'Extremely obsessed with this book' CHRISSY TEIGEN
'A riveting summer read' Entertainment Weekly
'Perfect ... Witty and romantic' TERRY McMILLAN
Tina wants to feel Indian. Really Indian. Not Indian in the sense of going to yoga in Brooklyn. She wants to know the real India - only whenever she visits, people take her to bars and restaurants and boutiques that could be anywhere in the world.
So she jumps at the change to get to know the country when she heads to Delhi for her glamorous cousin Shefali's week-long wedding, with her best friend, her parents and her mother's all-American boyfriend in tow. Navigating a world of Delhi playboys, models, dating agencies for widows, and wedding guests with personal bodyguards, Tina is determined to have an authentic Indian experience. Now if only someone would tell her what that was...
'Extremely obsessed with this book' CHRISSY TEIGEN
'A riveting summer read' Entertainment Weekly
'Perfect ... Witty and romantic' TERRY McMILLAN
Tina wants to feel Indian. Really Indian. Not Indian in the sense of going to yoga in Brooklyn. She wants to know the real India - only whenever she visits, people take her to bars and restaurants and boutiques that could be anywhere in the world.
So she jumps at the change to get to know the country when she heads to Delhi for her glamorous cousin Shefali's week-long wedding, with her best friend, her parents and her mother's all-American boyfriend in tow. Navigating a world of Delhi playboys, models, dating agencies for widows, and wedding guests with personal bodyguards, Tina is determined to have an authentic Indian experience. Now if only someone would tell her what that was...
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2020
384 people are currently reading
10621 people want to read
About the author
Diksha Basu
6 books224 followersDiksha Basu is a writer and occasional actor.
Originally from New Delhi, India, she holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University and now divides her time between New York City and Mumbai.
Originally from New Delhi, India, she holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University and now divides her time between New York City and Mumbai.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 521 reviews
September 16, 2020
This was fast, engaging, intriguing, entertaining reading. I have to admit I have finished it at three sits (quick breaks for ordering takeout, opening the door for grabbing my takeout and listening my husband’s bickering who says “are we eating takeout again!”) and mostly I enjoyed the smart mind of the author building a story in one place and keeps our attention intact without repeating or meandering.
The story takes place at the wedding ceremony centered around a few characters from their ages, back stories. We’re introduced Neel and Radha, happily divorced, still friendly (so civilized and modern), their daughter Tina I’ve dreamt of punching several times because she was the least likeable character of the book. And Tina’s bestie Marianne.
The story’s progression was interesting, filling us with family gossips, lies, secret scandals and entertaining us with people’s different functioning minds and humorous comments. You never get bored or you never scream “WTH I’m reading now”! I like the fast-pacing story-telling style and author’s approach to the family drama.
I liked some of the characters including David and Radha’s growing relationship and I adored grandma Nona reminded me of Indian version of Betty White.
But as you may imagine I truly hated Tina and Marianne. They acted like knowing-all, having big dreams but they mostly acted like immature spoiled brats have no idea about the real struggles of the life. I wanted to pull their hairs and scream their faces to shut their mouths at some parts of the book.
Overall: Even though there were annoying characters, it was fast, dynamic, smart, enjoyable reading. But 3.5 but this time I’m not rounding them up to 4 because it was a little light, soft, chic lit journey for my taste. It is still great read but maybe I was expecting something more emotional, deeper and more heartwarming, effective. But I’m impressed with the writing style and I’m so sure I’m gonna happily give a try to the other books of the author.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House /Ballantine Books for sharing this ARC in exchange my honest review.
The story takes place at the wedding ceremony centered around a few characters from their ages, back stories. We’re introduced Neel and Radha, happily divorced, still friendly (so civilized and modern), their daughter Tina I’ve dreamt of punching several times because she was the least likeable character of the book. And Tina’s bestie Marianne.
The story’s progression was interesting, filling us with family gossips, lies, secret scandals and entertaining us with people’s different functioning minds and humorous comments. You never get bored or you never scream “WTH I’m reading now”! I like the fast-pacing story-telling style and author’s approach to the family drama.
I liked some of the characters including David and Radha’s growing relationship and I adored grandma Nona reminded me of Indian version of Betty White.
But as you may imagine I truly hated Tina and Marianne. They acted like knowing-all, having big dreams but they mostly acted like immature spoiled brats have no idea about the real struggles of the life. I wanted to pull their hairs and scream their faces to shut their mouths at some parts of the book.
Overall: Even though there were annoying characters, it was fast, dynamic, smart, enjoyable reading. But 3.5 but this time I’m not rounding them up to 4 because it was a little light, soft, chic lit journey for my taste. It is still great read but maybe I was expecting something more emotional, deeper and more heartwarming, effective. But I’m impressed with the writing style and I’m so sure I’m gonna happily give a try to the other books of the author.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House /Ballantine Books for sharing this ARC in exchange my honest review.
September 16, 2020
Lesson learned: don't read a book just because Chrissy Teigan recommended it on her Instagram.
February 25, 2020
Definitely more of a 3.5 than a 4 but I have to roundup here.
Literary fiction is not my genre at all and I usually run away from such books, but it’s hard to resist when it’s by an Indian author, set in India but also being published internationally. And I thought the author’s previous book The Windfall was a fascinating enough read, so I wanted to read this as well. And this was fascinating too but I’m still processing my thoughts on it.
One thing I can say about the writing style is that it’s very very engaging and hooks us right from the beginning, and I never wanted to put it down. I literally read it cover to cover in just a couple of hours at a time when I thought I was going into a reading slump, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better. But the main theme of the book is about each of the main characters trying to find themselves and their own happiness, so the plot actually meanders without any general direction, except that it takes place at a desi destination wedding at a posh country club. That doesn’t mean it gets boring, because the author keeps us entertained with all the gossip and drama during a desi wedding and it’s all very relatable because our weddings are mayhem. I also don’t get to read a lot of books set in India, so that was a nice change, and I could actually empathize with some of the characters’ reactions to how India has changed.
However, it’s the characters about whom I’m not sure how to feel. The story mainly centers around the Das family, Neel, Radha and their daughter Tina alongwith Tina’s best friend Marianne. I really liked following the stories of both Neel and Radha, divorced but still friends and even partners in some ways. There’s a great understanding between them and I liked that they were able to make peace with each other, and also encourage each other to find future happiness. Radha’s relationship with David is sweet and I admired how self aware she was about what she wanted in life; Neel on the other hand is pretty skeptical about how to start dating again but it was a delight watching him try to navigate the idea of new love with Jyoti. Jyoti was another character who I thought was wonderful, sure of what she wants and what works for her and never letting anyone else dictate her choices. There is quite an ensemble cast too that left an impression on me, especially the wedding planner Bubbles and the groom’s grandma Nona who were both just hoots.
But it was the two young women Tina and Marianne who infuriated me. Tina is about my age, single and totally unmotivated in her work. I could really understand her desire to find both happiness in her personal life as well the drive to do more meaningful work; but when she started her rants about racism, privilege, poverty etc etc, it all felt very performative bullshit because she herself is extremely privileged coming from a rich family, an Ivy League education and having a job that affords her the luxury to live alone in a two bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. I also felt like she was fetishizing India’s poverty in the way she interacted with some of the characters and patted herself on the back when she thought she had helped someone. And while she does realize what she wants to do with her life, she is still the same person and I didn’t see much deeper changes in her.
Marianne on the other hand thinks her wonderful, sweet boyfriend at home in America is boring and wants excitement in life. As she recollects all her past relationships, it’s painfully obvious that she has a thing for exotic men and just wants a rich POC arm candy who will take her on wild trips all across the globe. I didn’t really understand if she realized how immature she was being or just gave up because she couldn’t find a hot rich desi guy interested in her during the wedding, so I can’t even say if there was any character development for her. With both Tina and Marianne, I don’t want to be too judgmental but they really are messy characters and I probably would have liked their depiction more if the author had treated it like a satire but it didn’t feel so. And if it isn’t a satirical take on privilege and the colonial gaze, then the utter lack of character development is pretty dissatisfying.
To conclude, I really enjoyed reading this book even if half the main cast pissed me off, because the other half did make up for it. And one can always rely on some desi drama for making any book entertaining. If you like books about an ensemble of characters and their varied messy relationships, then this book is perfect for you - it’s equal parts funny, dramatic and eye opening. But if you are someone who wants a coherent plot, then this is not for you. The author has a very unique take on the rich community in India and I’m looking forward to more of her works.
Literary fiction is not my genre at all and I usually run away from such books, but it’s hard to resist when it’s by an Indian author, set in India but also being published internationally. And I thought the author’s previous book The Windfall was a fascinating enough read, so I wanted to read this as well. And this was fascinating too but I’m still processing my thoughts on it.
One thing I can say about the writing style is that it’s very very engaging and hooks us right from the beginning, and I never wanted to put it down. I literally read it cover to cover in just a couple of hours at a time when I thought I was going into a reading slump, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better. But the main theme of the book is about each of the main characters trying to find themselves and their own happiness, so the plot actually meanders without any general direction, except that it takes place at a desi destination wedding at a posh country club. That doesn’t mean it gets boring, because the author keeps us entertained with all the gossip and drama during a desi wedding and it’s all very relatable because our weddings are mayhem. I also don’t get to read a lot of books set in India, so that was a nice change, and I could actually empathize with some of the characters’ reactions to how India has changed.
However, it’s the characters about whom I’m not sure how to feel. The story mainly centers around the Das family, Neel, Radha and their daughter Tina alongwith Tina’s best friend Marianne. I really liked following the stories of both Neel and Radha, divorced but still friends and even partners in some ways. There’s a great understanding between them and I liked that they were able to make peace with each other, and also encourage each other to find future happiness. Radha’s relationship with David is sweet and I admired how self aware she was about what she wanted in life; Neel on the other hand is pretty skeptical about how to start dating again but it was a delight watching him try to navigate the idea of new love with Jyoti. Jyoti was another character who I thought was wonderful, sure of what she wants and what works for her and never letting anyone else dictate her choices. There is quite an ensemble cast too that left an impression on me, especially the wedding planner Bubbles and the groom’s grandma Nona who were both just hoots.
But it was the two young women Tina and Marianne who infuriated me. Tina is about my age, single and totally unmotivated in her work. I could really understand her desire to find both happiness in her personal life as well the drive to do more meaningful work; but when she started her rants about racism, privilege, poverty etc etc, it all felt very performative bullshit because she herself is extremely privileged coming from a rich family, an Ivy League education and having a job that affords her the luxury to live alone in a two bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. I also felt like she was fetishizing India’s poverty in the way she interacted with some of the characters and patted herself on the back when she thought she had helped someone. And while she does realize what she wants to do with her life, she is still the same person and I didn’t see much deeper changes in her.
Marianne on the other hand thinks her wonderful, sweet boyfriend at home in America is boring and wants excitement in life. As she recollects all her past relationships, it’s painfully obvious that she has a thing for exotic men and just wants a rich POC arm candy who will take her on wild trips all across the globe. I didn’t really understand if she realized how immature she was being or just gave up because she couldn’t find a hot rich desi guy interested in her during the wedding, so I can’t even say if there was any character development for her. With both Tina and Marianne, I don’t want to be too judgmental but they really are messy characters and I probably would have liked their depiction more if the author had treated it like a satire but it didn’t feel so. And if it isn’t a satirical take on privilege and the colonial gaze, then the utter lack of character development is pretty dissatisfying.
To conclude, I really enjoyed reading this book even if half the main cast pissed me off, because the other half did make up for it. And one can always rely on some desi drama for making any book entertaining. If you like books about an ensemble of characters and their varied messy relationships, then this book is perfect for you - it’s equal parts funny, dramatic and eye opening. But if you are someone who wants a coherent plot, then this is not for you. The author has a very unique take on the rich community in India and I’m looking forward to more of her works.
June 19, 2020
“David Smith. Very American. I imagine he loves grilled cheese sandwiches. I personally don’t understand how anybody over the age of eight can stand those.”
I was really excited to dive into a novel about an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) going to India for a wedding, something that most of us desis can relate to. The plot itself was relatively interesting, if extremely predictable. I also loved the little chapter headings, which were hilarious!
However, the language felt like it was for middle schoolers, which was a bummer since the main character is nearly forty (“It was hot in the lounge so her Guess fur vest was hanging off the chair behind her,”).
Also, can someone explain to me why this cover looks like it was designed in MS paint?
This book tried really hard to be a Crazy Rich Asians, but the main issue is that Tina is just so annoying. I suppose this could have felt fresh and exciting for someone who isn’t an Indian-American, but to me, it just felt awfully stale. Tina’s repeated insistence that she doesn’t fit in anywhere just sounds like adolescent whining. She’s constantly using her immigrant status to separate herself when the truth is that she just doesn’t want to fit in. Her insecurity and complaining got very old, very fast. This immigrant sob story is nothing new, and it’s so individual to every second generation immigrant that it’s impossible for this to feel authentic. For example, Tina’s insistence that she can move to India is … unrelatable. There are genuinely a lot of Indian people in America, Tina! They will be way more likely to understand you! There’s nothing wrong with moving to India, but her keeping it as a backup is wrong, because she knows nothing about the place and would definitely feel even more isolated there. Also, Tina, if you can’t even cross the street or stay away from street food, you are definitely not cut out for life in India.
This novel also ignored the sentiment of most NRIs: a love for the culture and people of India, but a deep distrust of the entrenched systems in India. This is unavoidable, and to skim over it is a blatant erasure of the immigrant life.
The story flows along as a sort of ensemble drama, where we hear about Tina, her parents, and her best friend’s struggles. But honestly, none of them were actually that interesting. None of the subplots were developed well enough and everything was either predictable or unbelievable. I wish we had gotten to hear more about Shefali (the bride); she’s snarky, rich, and lowkey panicking about her wedding. She seemed like the most interesting character and her few scenes made me laugh.
I was really hoping for a sweet light hearted story that explored the duality of being a second generation immigrant, but all I got was a hodge podge novel that stuck to the shallowest themes possible.
I was really excited to dive into a novel about an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) going to India for a wedding, something that most of us desis can relate to. The plot itself was relatively interesting, if extremely predictable. I also loved the little chapter headings, which were hilarious!
However, the language felt like it was for middle schoolers, which was a bummer since the main character is nearly forty (“It was hot in the lounge so her Guess fur vest was hanging off the chair behind her,”).
Also, can someone explain to me why this cover looks like it was designed in MS paint?
This book tried really hard to be a Crazy Rich Asians, but the main issue is that Tina is just so annoying. I suppose this could have felt fresh and exciting for someone who isn’t an Indian-American, but to me, it just felt awfully stale. Tina’s repeated insistence that she doesn’t fit in anywhere just sounds like adolescent whining. She’s constantly using her immigrant status to separate herself when the truth is that she just doesn’t want to fit in. Her insecurity and complaining got very old, very fast. This immigrant sob story is nothing new, and it’s so individual to every second generation immigrant that it’s impossible for this to feel authentic. For example, Tina’s insistence that she can move to India is … unrelatable. There are genuinely a lot of Indian people in America, Tina! They will be way more likely to understand you! There’s nothing wrong with moving to India, but her keeping it as a backup is wrong, because she knows nothing about the place and would definitely feel even more isolated there. Also, Tina, if you can’t even cross the street or stay away from street food, you are definitely not cut out for life in India.
This novel also ignored the sentiment of most NRIs: a love for the culture and people of India, but a deep distrust of the entrenched systems in India. This is unavoidable, and to skim over it is a blatant erasure of the immigrant life.
The story flows along as a sort of ensemble drama, where we hear about Tina, her parents, and her best friend’s struggles. But honestly, none of them were actually that interesting. None of the subplots were developed well enough and everything was either predictable or unbelievable. I wish we had gotten to hear more about Shefali (the bride); she’s snarky, rich, and lowkey panicking about her wedding. She seemed like the most interesting character and her few scenes made me laugh.
I was really hoping for a sweet light hearted story that explored the duality of being a second generation immigrant, but all I got was a hodge podge novel that stuck to the shallowest themes possible.
June 30, 2020
Tina is an American Indian struggling with her identity. Born and raised in America, as an Indian, she feels like an outsider, but when she travels to India for her friend's wedding, as an American, she feels like an outsider there too. On top of trying to find her place in the world, she's struggling with her work as a producer for a TV station. Every idea she has seems to crash and burn, leaving wounded prospective talent in its wake.
Marianne, Tina's friend and companion for the wedding, is grappling with her identity in a different way. White and from obvious privilege that extends beyond her skin, Marianne routinely shifts her self to fit in and connect with her current beau. She prefers exotic men who can open her world and change her perspective. Having been with Tom, a Black man from Newton, MA, for several years, Marianne is feeling restless and bored with Tom's stability and "normalness." Being at a lavish Indian wedding and meeting many handsome men from wealthy and diverse backgrounds, Marianne questions her fidelity and future with Tom.
Also attending the wedding are Tina's parents - divorced for over a decade and finding their own happiness in their new lives. Tina's mother, Rhada, has brought her very white, very American boyfriend, David Smith, and her father, Neel Das, meets a widowed woman through a matchmaker.
The storyline is very character-driven and we become intimately familiar with the Das family and Marianne as each individual confronts their anxieties and insecurities and makes new life choices. The narrative often switches from character to character, which overall I really enjoyed as it felt authentic and added a really great layer to the story, but it was occasionally a bit hard to follow. Hopefully the final version is a little more clearly delineated when a narrator switches. I also loved the culture but would've enjoyed a bit more about a traditional Indian wedding and the customs. I loved that the author took care in highlighting the disparities between the wealthy and the impoverished in India. It painted a really wonderful picture without defining the country by one or the other.
Overall this was an incredible read. I had a smile on my face for much of it as I really connected with the characters (love Mr. Das and Rajesh!!). I absolutely recommend this one!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Marianne, Tina's friend and companion for the wedding, is grappling with her identity in a different way. White and from obvious privilege that extends beyond her skin, Marianne routinely shifts her self to fit in and connect with her current beau. She prefers exotic men who can open her world and change her perspective. Having been with Tom, a Black man from Newton, MA, for several years, Marianne is feeling restless and bored with Tom's stability and "normalness." Being at a lavish Indian wedding and meeting many handsome men from wealthy and diverse backgrounds, Marianne questions her fidelity and future with Tom.
Also attending the wedding are Tina's parents - divorced for over a decade and finding their own happiness in their new lives. Tina's mother, Rhada, has brought her very white, very American boyfriend, David Smith, and her father, Neel Das, meets a widowed woman through a matchmaker.
The storyline is very character-driven and we become intimately familiar with the Das family and Marianne as each individual confronts their anxieties and insecurities and makes new life choices. The narrative often switches from character to character, which overall I really enjoyed as it felt authentic and added a really great layer to the story, but it was occasionally a bit hard to follow. Hopefully the final version is a little more clearly delineated when a narrator switches. I also loved the culture but would've enjoyed a bit more about a traditional Indian wedding and the customs. I loved that the author took care in highlighting the disparities between the wealthy and the impoverished in India. It painted a really wonderful picture without defining the country by one or the other.
Overall this was an incredible read. I had a smile on my face for much of it as I really connected with the characters (love Mr. Das and Rajesh!!). I absolutely recommend this one!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
June 16, 2020
3.5 stars rounded to 4
Charming, witty and full of heart, Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu is a kaleidoscope of colorful characters, desi drama and spot on dialogues, amidst a lavish Indian wedding.
The writing is simple and unique but I am afraid it might not appeal to those who aren't familiar with what I think of as "Indian style english". Anyhow, I personally found it delightful. The narrative is third person and the author seamlessly transitions between characters, incorporating their backstories along with the background commentary. The portrayal of contemporary India is pretty accurate and I found myself nodding in agreement and laughing out loud several times throughout the book. There is no plot, but that's hardly unexpected in literary fiction as it's usually more about character study than storyline.
With the wedding being the central theme, there's no shortage of drama, gossip and mayhem, all extremely entertaining, but, beneath all that humor we get an astute examination of class structure, culture, identity, race and belonging. Readers also gain an insight into second generation immigrant experience and interracial relationships.
I loved getting a glimpse into the lives of characters from The Windfall, and if you've read the author's debut you'll easily see the connection, but don't worry if you haven't, because you won't miss anything.
Overall, Destination Wedding is a light heated, enjoyable read that both entertains and educates. Recommended if you enjoy character driven, diverse literary fiction with a sprinkle of South Asian culture, custom and traditions.
**A free ARC was provided by Random House in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**
Charming, witty and full of heart, Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu is a kaleidoscope of colorful characters, desi drama and spot on dialogues, amidst a lavish Indian wedding.
The writing is simple and unique but I am afraid it might not appeal to those who aren't familiar with what I think of as "Indian style english". Anyhow, I personally found it delightful. The narrative is third person and the author seamlessly transitions between characters, incorporating their backstories along with the background commentary. The portrayal of contemporary India is pretty accurate and I found myself nodding in agreement and laughing out loud several times throughout the book. There is no plot, but that's hardly unexpected in literary fiction as it's usually more about character study than storyline.
With the wedding being the central theme, there's no shortage of drama, gossip and mayhem, all extremely entertaining, but, beneath all that humor we get an astute examination of class structure, culture, identity, race and belonging. Readers also gain an insight into second generation immigrant experience and interracial relationships.
I loved getting a glimpse into the lives of characters from The Windfall, and if you've read the author's debut you'll easily see the connection, but don't worry if you haven't, because you won't miss anything.
Overall, Destination Wedding is a light heated, enjoyable read that both entertains and educates. Recommended if you enjoy character driven, diverse literary fiction with a sprinkle of South Asian culture, custom and traditions.
**A free ARC was provided by Random House in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**
May 26, 2020
The premise is a good one. Tina Das, a 32-year-old Indian American, has never felt entirely Indian or American but more like “other”. She is also unfulfilled in her job as she struggles to implement reality-type tv shows set in India…while living in Brooklyn. Hmmm.
My problem with this book was two-fold, and I almost gave up on it. First, it needs a good editor. The writing was frankly a mess…run-ons, POV from characters who make one-second pit-stops in the narrative, very abrupt changes in location/POV, etc. Secondly, the potential for a narrative about finding oneself within different ethnic cultures through growth and experience was wasted. Instead, it seemed as if it was trying to be the screenplay for a New Delhi version of Crazy Rich Asians (no, I haven’t read that book but saw the movie).
Tina, her best friend Marianne, her dad, her mom and her mom’s boyfriend travel to New Delhi for a week to attend her cousin’s lavish, over-the-top wedding. While there, she pushes herself to find an Indian boyfriend (Sid is a struggling personal trainer/drummer that she met on a previous trip and auditioned for a now defunct show) to become more of her “authentic” self. The narrative (as highlighted by Sid) takes a detour to showcase the socio-economic discrepancies in Indian society. But there is no redeeming of these self-absorbed, two-dimensional characters.
In the end, while Tina did finally make a decision about her future, I felt no real growth or maturity on her part (or any of the characters for that matter). Honestly, I came away not invested in the story or the characters at all and feeling rather cheated, which was disappointing with such potential.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #BallantineBooks for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.
My problem with this book was two-fold, and I almost gave up on it. First, it needs a good editor. The writing was frankly a mess…run-ons, POV from characters who make one-second pit-stops in the narrative, very abrupt changes in location/POV, etc. Secondly, the potential for a narrative about finding oneself within different ethnic cultures through growth and experience was wasted. Instead, it seemed as if it was trying to be the screenplay for a New Delhi version of Crazy Rich Asians (no, I haven’t read that book but saw the movie).
Tina, her best friend Marianne, her dad, her mom and her mom’s boyfriend travel to New Delhi for a week to attend her cousin’s lavish, over-the-top wedding. While there, she pushes herself to find an Indian boyfriend (Sid is a struggling personal trainer/drummer that she met on a previous trip and auditioned for a now defunct show) to become more of her “authentic” self. The narrative (as highlighted by Sid) takes a detour to showcase the socio-economic discrepancies in Indian society. But there is no redeeming of these self-absorbed, two-dimensional characters.
In the end, while Tina did finally make a decision about her future, I felt no real growth or maturity on her part (or any of the characters for that matter). Honestly, I came away not invested in the story or the characters at all and feeling rather cheated, which was disappointing with such potential.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #BallantineBooks for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.
September 4, 2020
This book was like a roller coaster of characters, scenes, and emotions. It was very hard to follow and it went all over the place. If you're fan of quirky scenes, side characters, and what nots then you'll enjoy this one. I liked it because it took place in India and it gave me a sense of what would it feel like to visit.
Real rating: 2.5/5 stars
Real rating: 2.5/5 stars
Read
August 1, 2021DNF
100 pages in and I’m bored.
100 pages in and I’m bored.
August 29, 2020
Being a basic white girl who has never left the states, the glimpses of India and Indian culture from Tina, a second generation Indian American, were quite fun to experience and kept me going through this book. I also loved the positive representation of divorce; Tina's parents divorced several years prior and seem to get along beautifully. Seeing divorced couples not only treat each other civilly, but also with care and friendship is really heartwarming.
What I found odd was how little of the actual wedding and wedding activities we saw in a book with "wedding" in the title. Tina seemed to barely attend any of the wedding shenanigans and was always off doing her own thing.
Destination: Avoid the Wedding.
*cue rimshot*
I'm hilarious, I know.
So anyway, like I said, the culture and view of India kept me going through this, because TINA sure as heck did not. Tina confused the hell out of me. For a mid-late thirty-year-old woman, Tina and her best friend came across more like teenagers or early twenties. Neither seemed to have their shit together or a clue what they were doing and neither were particularly likable. I was also confused as hell because Tina, a longtime resident of Brooklyn , seemed to lose every drop of her city skills and street smarts once she was dropped down in India. She couldn't figure out how to cross a road, appeared to have never seen poverty or homeless people and thus had zero clue how to act around them, and got sucked in by some half-baked hustlers.
The most difficult aspect of this book was the POV. With no transition, we get throw into other people's heads. And not just in a cycle of main characters (we regularly get POVs from her Dad, Mom, or friend. We also get thrown into the heads of random people with no rhyme or reason; Tina's taxi driver, the hustler, some rando leaning against a car maybe? It was very, very confusing and took a lot of adjusting to.
This seemed less like a novel with plot and direction and more like a collection of snapshots of perspectives from Tina and the people surrounding her. Which was unique, but kind of strange.
What I found odd was how little of the actual wedding and wedding activities we saw in a book with "wedding" in the title. Tina seemed to barely attend any of the wedding shenanigans and was always off doing her own thing.
Destination: Avoid the Wedding.
*cue rimshot*
I'm hilarious, I know.
So anyway, like I said, the culture and view of India kept me going through this, because TINA sure as heck did not. Tina confused the hell out of me. For a mid-late thirty-year-old woman, Tina and her best friend came across more like teenagers or early twenties. Neither seemed to have their shit together or a clue what they were doing and neither were particularly likable. I was also confused as hell because Tina, a longtime resident of Brooklyn , seemed to lose every drop of her city skills and street smarts once she was dropped down in India. She couldn't figure out how to cross a road, appeared to have never seen poverty or homeless people and thus had zero clue how to act around them, and got sucked in by some half-baked hustlers.
The most difficult aspect of this book was the POV. With no transition, we get throw into other people's heads. And not just in a cycle of main characters (we regularly get POVs from her Dad, Mom, or friend. We also get thrown into the heads of random people with no rhyme or reason; Tina's taxi driver, the hustler, some rando leaning against a car maybe? It was very, very confusing and took a lot of adjusting to.
This seemed less like a novel with plot and direction and more like a collection of snapshots of perspectives from Tina and the people surrounding her. Which was unique, but kind of strange.
September 26, 2020
This was a multi-layered read. A fascinating look at modern India and the relationships among a varying group of people. I love books that feature over the top weddings (think Crazy Rich Asians Trilogy) with an intriguing cast of characters.
You do need to understand that this book features many different characters and you are going to get a variety of views. You are also going to be somewhat disappointed in the relationship between Tina and the hustler who really fascinated her.
I loved this book even though it did have a few flaws and I will be reading more by this author.
*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.
You do need to understand that this book features many different characters and you are going to get a variety of views. You are also going to be somewhat disappointed in the relationship between Tina and the hustler who really fascinated her.
I loved this book even though it did have a few flaws and I will be reading more by this author.
*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.
July 23, 2020
Let me start by saying, I am not the desired audience for this book. I do not enjoy reading about rich people complaining about everything in general, with a glass of expensive wine, designer clothes, and brain cells devoid of any real understanding of the world. That said, I am reviewing this book from a neutral perspective, just to tell you what to expect.
The story takes place amidst a destination wedding(duh!) and centres around the Das family. As they travel from JFK to Delhi, Tina-the daughter wants to see the real India and decide where she belongs. Her friend Marianne is tired of the monotony and her 'average' relationship with Tom. She seeks the thrill of the chase and what better place to find men than a wedding?
There are multiple angles to the story and the narration is almost always hilarious. Tina's need to stay relevant, her parents and their affairs and everything that goes in the wedding in a rollercoaster ride, one that will keep you on your toes, if that's the kind of story you like. Their quirks, ambitions, flaws and anxieties are all handled maturely throughout the book. What threw me off was the sheer number of characters the author introduced. I don't exactly do well with too many characters, so that's a bummer.
'Destination Wedding' is witty and adventurous, one that will keep you engaged throughout (it's like going to a wedding with all 5 of your kids and not finding any of them after exactly 5 minutes. You gotta keep track).
The story takes place amidst a destination wedding(duh!) and centres around the Das family. As they travel from JFK to Delhi, Tina-the daughter wants to see the real India and decide where she belongs. Her friend Marianne is tired of the monotony and her 'average' relationship with Tom. She seeks the thrill of the chase and what better place to find men than a wedding?
There are multiple angles to the story and the narration is almost always hilarious. Tina's need to stay relevant, her parents and their affairs and everything that goes in the wedding in a rollercoaster ride, one that will keep you on your toes, if that's the kind of story you like. Their quirks, ambitions, flaws and anxieties are all handled maturely throughout the book. What threw me off was the sheer number of characters the author introduced. I don't exactly do well with too many characters, so that's a bummer.
'Destination Wedding' is witty and adventurous, one that will keep you engaged throughout (it's like going to a wedding with all 5 of your kids and not finding any of them after exactly 5 minutes. You gotta keep track).
June 18, 2020
India is a place I've always wanted to visit and while it's still on my bucket list I'm trying to read as many books set there as possible. Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu definitely ticked a lot of boxes for me - it's a work of literary fiction set in India about a millennial woman attending a lavish wedding. Destination Wedding is a big vibrant book with lush settings, family drama, and an interesting story of a woman trying to figure out what she wants in life.
The prose in this book is insanely descriptive - whenever I read a scene, I could almost smell the flowers or see the over the top displays of wealth at the wedding. Not only that but the book also did a really good job of contrasting the wealth and opulence of the wedding with the true nature of Delhi just outside the gates. The book used shifting points of view - which was a powerful tool in achieving this contrast of settings of the version of Delhi the wedding was portraying, and the version of Delhi that most people actually live in. For example, when Tina was wandering the city with Sid, she would often not see past the poverty to the actual human beings in front of her. Then, the POV would switch, and as readers, we would get to see what the person Tina perceived as a beggar was thinking. This democratized the image the author painted of Delhi, and really helped to point out the flaws in Tina’s perception and character.
The one drawback of this book was the lack of a cohesive underlying storyline. This novel was basically a mishmash of exploring different characters’ backstories leading up to the wedding along with Tina working to find herself. A lot of the story just focused on how characters were processing events in their histories - there was no overarching plot outside of all of the characters attending the wedding. Having a bit more of a storyline is what would have elevated this book to a five-star read for me, but its ability to develop characters and beautiful settings definitely helped save this book.
There was a huge array of characters in Destination Wedding – everyone from Tina to her parents, to staff at the country club, to the wedding planner, to the grandmother of the groom was given a point of view at some point. Diksha Basu had a real knack for developing characters quickly – there were characters who only appeared for a page or two but had plenty of backstory and definition. I could instantly understand and relate to a character who only appeared for a paragraph or two – that takes some serious writing chops.
Tina was a complex, confused, and fascinating character. When Destination Wedding begins, Tina is at a crossroads: she has achieved a lot in her career, but she’s not satisfied with the work she does or her previous romantic entanglements. Additionally, she’s never gotten over her parents’ divorce (though they had a remarkably healthy relationship). All of this combined created a lot of potential for personal growth – and grow she did. She spent most of the book exploring Delhi and her own roots – finding herself and new passions along the way. Her story is ultimately one of self-reflection and her choosing what she wants in life.
Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu wasn’t a perfect book, but the authors talent for building a vibrant and well described setting, for crafting interesting characters, and for making you really think about how wrong your perceptions and assumptions of others can be really made it a good novel. The sole drawback of this book was the meandering plot – and the lack of a true storyline. If you’re looking for other great books, check out The Kiss Quotient, The Bride Test, or The Wedding Date. 4/5
The prose in this book is insanely descriptive - whenever I read a scene, I could almost smell the flowers or see the over the top displays of wealth at the wedding. Not only that but the book also did a really good job of contrasting the wealth and opulence of the wedding with the true nature of Delhi just outside the gates. The book used shifting points of view - which was a powerful tool in achieving this contrast of settings of the version of Delhi the wedding was portraying, and the version of Delhi that most people actually live in. For example, when Tina was wandering the city with Sid, she would often not see past the poverty to the actual human beings in front of her. Then, the POV would switch, and as readers, we would get to see what the person Tina perceived as a beggar was thinking. This democratized the image the author painted of Delhi, and really helped to point out the flaws in Tina’s perception and character.
The one drawback of this book was the lack of a cohesive underlying storyline. This novel was basically a mishmash of exploring different characters’ backstories leading up to the wedding along with Tina working to find herself. A lot of the story just focused on how characters were processing events in their histories - there was no overarching plot outside of all of the characters attending the wedding. Having a bit more of a storyline is what would have elevated this book to a five-star read for me, but its ability to develop characters and beautiful settings definitely helped save this book.
There was a huge array of characters in Destination Wedding – everyone from Tina to her parents, to staff at the country club, to the wedding planner, to the grandmother of the groom was given a point of view at some point. Diksha Basu had a real knack for developing characters quickly – there were characters who only appeared for a page or two but had plenty of backstory and definition. I could instantly understand and relate to a character who only appeared for a paragraph or two – that takes some serious writing chops.
Tina was a complex, confused, and fascinating character. When Destination Wedding begins, Tina is at a crossroads: she has achieved a lot in her career, but she’s not satisfied with the work she does or her previous romantic entanglements. Additionally, she’s never gotten over her parents’ divorce (though they had a remarkably healthy relationship). All of this combined created a lot of potential for personal growth – and grow she did. She spent most of the book exploring Delhi and her own roots – finding herself and new passions along the way. Her story is ultimately one of self-reflection and her choosing what she wants in life.
Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu wasn’t a perfect book, but the authors talent for building a vibrant and well described setting, for crafting interesting characters, and for making you really think about how wrong your perceptions and assumptions of others can be really made it a good novel. The sole drawback of this book was the meandering plot – and the lack of a true storyline. If you’re looking for other great books, check out The Kiss Quotient, The Bride Test, or The Wedding Date. 4/5
April 18, 2021
Dnf 34%
I really wanted to like this book but it ended up being a disaster. I hate writing harsh reviews but this book just didn’t work for me.
First of all, the book needs to be edited, preferably by a good editor because this edition is just a big mess. Secondly, they need to decide what the book is about. Even the summary seems to be confusing. It felt like a big americanised Indian drama which is going on without any aim.
Also, the way the chapters are named. What’s the deal with that??
The narration changed in between lines which were filled with unnecessary details which again, created a big mess.
The constant changing of POVs drove me mad because it got super confusing as to what was actually happening. There were a lot of unnecessary details which just didn’t make any sense between those POVs and they seemed pretty much pointless.
The mix of present and past narrative was happening out of the blues WHICH AGAIN MADE IT CONFUSING.
I feel like they were going for a narration and story line something similar to ‘Dil Dhadkne Do’ (movie) but it ended up being a cluster of what’s going on. I just couldn’t bring myself to continue it.
I really wanted to like this book but it ended up being a disaster. I hate writing harsh reviews but this book just didn’t work for me.
First of all, the book needs to be edited, preferably by a good editor because this edition is just a big mess. Secondly, they need to decide what the book is about. Even the summary seems to be confusing. It felt like a big americanised Indian drama which is going on without any aim.
Also, the way the chapters are named. What’s the deal with that??
The narration changed in between lines which were filled with unnecessary details which again, created a big mess.
The constant changing of POVs drove me mad because it got super confusing as to what was actually happening. There were a lot of unnecessary details which just didn’t make any sense between those POVs and they seemed pretty much pointless.
The mix of present and past narrative was happening out of the blues WHICH AGAIN MADE IT CONFUSING.
I feel like they were going for a narration and story line something similar to ‘Dil Dhadkne Do’ (movie) but it ended up being a cluster of what’s going on. I just couldn’t bring myself to continue it.
March 2, 2020
Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu is a wonderful blend of contemporary and traditional cultures wrapped together into a week-long wedding celebration attended by a vast arrange of family and friends in present day India.
The main character Tina ,a 30s-ish woman, who lives in NY and is at a stalemate in her career working in media. Who is she in regards to where she is now and where her family is from? What does she want to do with her life professionally and personally? Where does she go from here?
Taking a break from the halted gears here at home, she travels with her bff Marianne, her mom (divorced from her dad), and her mom’s American boyfriend to a family wedding extravaganza in India. She figures this is a great opportunity to seek out some of the answers to these questions all while having a great time.
What I loved most about the book:
1. Reading about the landscapes, culture, habits, daily lives, and class structures of India. So much detail that was engaged all of my senses. I could almost see and feel all of the vibrant colors and happenings. I love to learn more about different cultures and locations. This, I feel, was the best part of the book.
2. While I was not so much a fan of the younger generation of characters, I did enjoy the vast array of characters in general. I did particularly enjoy the subplot involving Mrs. Sethi and Mr. Das. I found myself continuously interested in their story.
I think that as the week goes on, that Tina at least begins to sort out her thoughts, hopes, and dreams, and is beginning to figure herself out. Maturing and transformation is a life-long task, and is an ongoing struggle for us all. I hope this is a point that Tina Das can use to help her find her place in life. It would be interesting if a subsequent book could be written taking us into the future to see how everything pans out for Tina, her family, and her friends.
A memorable and light read that I truly enjoyed.
4/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
The main character Tina ,a 30s-ish woman, who lives in NY and is at a stalemate in her career working in media. Who is she in regards to where she is now and where her family is from? What does she want to do with her life professionally and personally? Where does she go from here?
Taking a break from the halted gears here at home, she travels with her bff Marianne, her mom (divorced from her dad), and her mom’s American boyfriend to a family wedding extravaganza in India. She figures this is a great opportunity to seek out some of the answers to these questions all while having a great time.
What I loved most about the book:
1. Reading about the landscapes, culture, habits, daily lives, and class structures of India. So much detail that was engaged all of my senses. I could almost see and feel all of the vibrant colors and happenings. I love to learn more about different cultures and locations. This, I feel, was the best part of the book.
2. While I was not so much a fan of the younger generation of characters, I did enjoy the vast array of characters in general. I did particularly enjoy the subplot involving Mrs. Sethi and Mr. Das. I found myself continuously interested in their story.
I think that as the week goes on, that Tina at least begins to sort out her thoughts, hopes, and dreams, and is beginning to figure herself out. Maturing and transformation is a life-long task, and is an ongoing struggle for us all. I hope this is a point that Tina Das can use to help her find her place in life. It would be interesting if a subsequent book could be written taking us into the future to see how everything pans out for Tina, her family, and her friends.
A memorable and light read that I truly enjoyed.
4/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
September 15, 2020
Watch me talk about this book in my August wrap up: https://youtu.be/Scz9G-ptc8c
June 30, 2020
3 Indian Wedding Stars
This light-hearted tale takes us to India for a wedding and I found that setting intriguing. There’s an eclectic mix of characters, Tina – who is struggling to decide where she belongs -- in the U.S. or India? Her parents, now divorced, are along the for the trip and add to the character mix. Tina’s mother has brought along her American boyfriend and her father is starting to date again. Tina has brought her best friend as well and she’s looking for love too, although she has a great boyfriend at home.
Tina’s cousin is the one getting married and we get a bit of insight into all the work that goes into an Indian wedding. The wedding planner was a great comic character and I can picture her bustling about the scene! There are broad themes of belonging, identity, romantic happiness, and a bit on the divide of the wealthy and poor in India.
Overall, I enjoyed a bit of Indian culture and I was curious to find out how each character would ideally find some measure of happiness by the end of the book.
Thank you to Netgalley, Niksha Basu, and Random House/Ballantine for a complimentary copy of this one to read. Now available!!
This light-hearted tale takes us to India for a wedding and I found that setting intriguing. There’s an eclectic mix of characters, Tina – who is struggling to decide where she belongs -- in the U.S. or India? Her parents, now divorced, are along the for the trip and add to the character mix. Tina’s mother has brought along her American boyfriend and her father is starting to date again. Tina has brought her best friend as well and she’s looking for love too, although she has a great boyfriend at home.
Tina’s cousin is the one getting married and we get a bit of insight into all the work that goes into an Indian wedding. The wedding planner was a great comic character and I can picture her bustling about the scene! There are broad themes of belonging, identity, romantic happiness, and a bit on the divide of the wealthy and poor in India.
Overall, I enjoyed a bit of Indian culture and I was curious to find out how each character would ideally find some measure of happiness by the end of the book.
Thank you to Netgalley, Niksha Basu, and Random House/Ballantine for a complimentary copy of this one to read. Now available!!
June 16, 2020
Pros:
-Indian representation in a book
-talks about socioeconomic issues
And that's about it.
Otherwise, there were weird grammatical errors, trigger warnings for: fatphobia, micr0-aggressions, and classism
It keeps being compared to My Big Fat Greek Wedding & Crazy Rich Asians and honestly...I didn't see it. All I read was dialogue, description. Dialogue, description. Tina is extremely unlikable, and she's always complaining. In fact, everyone is always complaining. About someone else, their job, it's ridiculous. the story dragged so much, and I was expecting a little bit of humor or comedy, but it didn't land. Nothing truly exciting happens, except for one thing toward the end.
I wish the author luck in their endeavors, but this really was not my favorite.
-Indian representation in a book
-talks about socioeconomic issues
And that's about it.
Otherwise, there were weird grammatical errors, trigger warnings for: fatphobia, micr0-aggressions, and classism
It keeps being compared to My Big Fat Greek Wedding & Crazy Rich Asians and honestly...I didn't see it. All I read was dialogue, description. Dialogue, description. Tina is extremely unlikable, and she's always complaining. In fact, everyone is always complaining. About someone else, their job, it's ridiculous. the story dragged so much, and I was expecting a little bit of humor or comedy, but it didn't land. Nothing truly exciting happens, except for one thing toward the end.
I wish the author luck in their endeavors, but this really was not my favorite.
March 29, 2021
does it count if i stopped after 100 pages?
was so bored by this book could not finish. narrator changes every 2 seconds and drove me crazy
was so bored by this book could not finish. narrator changes every 2 seconds and drove me crazy
July 12, 2020
Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu filters extravagance through the itinerary of a weeklong Indian wedding, following a blended Indian immigrant family and their friends journeying from New York to Delhi to celebrate one couple’s vows, and finding their own unexpected happy-ever-afters. Basu introduces a whole host of characters, each interesting in their own right, and formats the novel like a reality show to treat the reader to one revealing clip after another, connecting them through similarities and differences for segue and contrast. The chapter headings are descriptive sentences that seem to be revelatory but are also titillating because they hint at but never really give away what is to come. Take for instance the first chapter entitled, “JFK Airport: Their flight is delayed due to technical reasons and everyone is secretly wishing airlines didn’t announce that and make passengers nervous” which focuses on what the travelers are using as a vehicle for their separate anxieties as they embark on their trip, concerns that come to a head at the departure terminal but that aren't limited to nervousness about travel. The novel opens with the adult daughter lamenting that her mother is bringing a boyfriend to the wedding but that she is arriving without a date, meanwhile her father is concerned that his white replacement will look better in Indian clothes than he does and is therefore traveling in a turtleneck which gives him a headache because Esquire magazine says the shirt will give a dignified appearance.
I found the writing to be humorous but endearing because while Basu invites you to mock the stereotypical characters, she also shows you their insecurities and solicits your understanding and empathy. So she offers the stories of the Indian who succeeded in assimilating in the US but has no identity to pass on to his child and that of the child who mourns the loss of family and looks for meaning in their professional lives. By presenting the haves and the have-nots, both of whom struggle with the same basic issues, Basu offers a look past the characters' superficial fixations and into deeper, universal concerns.
Through a series of flash backs that could be as sudden as a character’s sharing a memory or a conversation about a long ago experience, we get glimpses into the characters’ motivations, feminist reversals by showing us women in power in various situations, even if it’s just an elderly woman resisting her son or a woman refusing the advances of a man.
There is a lot to enjoy in this political but pleasurable prose. This ranked highly on my entertainment scale.
Note: I received a free Netgalley download courtesy of Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.
I found the writing to be humorous but endearing because while Basu invites you to mock the stereotypical characters, she also shows you their insecurities and solicits your understanding and empathy. So she offers the stories of the Indian who succeeded in assimilating in the US but has no identity to pass on to his child and that of the child who mourns the loss of family and looks for meaning in their professional lives. By presenting the haves and the have-nots, both of whom struggle with the same basic issues, Basu offers a look past the characters' superficial fixations and into deeper, universal concerns.
Through a series of flash backs that could be as sudden as a character’s sharing a memory or a conversation about a long ago experience, we get glimpses into the characters’ motivations, feminist reversals by showing us women in power in various situations, even if it’s just an elderly woman resisting her son or a woman refusing the advances of a man.
There is a lot to enjoy in this political but pleasurable prose. This ranked highly on my entertainment scale.
Note: I received a free Netgalley download courtesy of Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.
September 18, 2023
It's been a while since a book irritated me this much.
I picked up this book bc I wanted a fun light read - probabky a contemporary romance and with the cover and the title it looked like one. Well it isnt.
It is probably not the fault of the writer that the cover sends the wrong message... but I sadly cant excuse her from all the rest.
The protagonist Tina is just a whiny privileged b (even though she isnof Indian origin and that makes her life haaaaaaaaard in the USA) who went to Yale and now when she goes to India she is like (please imagine rich bitch voice)
"Ohhh my gloooob there are poor people here. What do I do with poor people? Oh it is sooo difficult for moi that I look Indian but I am not really one so that the driver has to drive me to the other side of the road because I cant cross like the locals! *swoons in misery* oh goshie gosh I lost one of my diamond earrings."
Oh this handsome guy I am seeing for random night dates pulled out his phone.... and it wasnt an iphone. Gasp! (Yes because she is from the slums, you goose. Also not everyine has an Iphone)
Her friend has a perfectly good bf at home but throws herself at "international playboys" (aka she only goes after "exotic" men. Problematic much?)
Also the writer feels the need to give a little fun fact/background info of every effing person we cross. I kid you not we learn about the thoughts and life problems of the random flight attendant or the woman the boyfriend of the protagonist's mother would have had a date. Like is it relevant? Do I care?
Oh also people casually take drugs left and right and call me old fashioned but to me it just make them seem like burnt out party girls.
It is called Destination Wedding but there is precious little about the wedding.
I am so pissed because I would have loved this book if it had been some lighthearted Bollywood romcom, I would have even liked a more literally musing about someone growing up as an immigrant in the US and the problems of fitting in. But it gave me neither.
At points I wished for a random zombie outbreak at the wedding that would have made things more interesting and would have made my misery shorter bc obnoxioua characters would have been eaten.
I picked up this book bc I wanted a fun light read - probabky a contemporary romance and with the cover and the title it looked like one. Well it isnt.
It is probably not the fault of the writer that the cover sends the wrong message... but I sadly cant excuse her from all the rest.
The protagonist Tina is just a whiny privileged b (even though she isnof Indian origin and that makes her life haaaaaaaaard in the USA) who went to Yale and now when she goes to India she is like (please imagine rich bitch voice)
"Ohhh my gloooob there are poor people here. What do I do with poor people? Oh it is sooo difficult for moi that I look Indian but I am not really one so that the driver has to drive me to the other side of the road because I cant cross like the locals! *swoons in misery* oh goshie gosh I lost one of my diamond earrings."
Oh this handsome guy I am seeing for random night dates pulled out his phone.... and it wasnt an iphone. Gasp! (Yes because she is from the slums, you goose. Also not everyine has an Iphone)
Her friend has a perfectly good bf at home but throws herself at "international playboys" (aka she only goes after "exotic" men. Problematic much?)
Also the writer feels the need to give a little fun fact/background info of every effing person we cross. I kid you not we learn about the thoughts and life problems of the random flight attendant or the woman the boyfriend of the protagonist's mother would have had a date. Like is it relevant? Do I care?
Oh also people casually take drugs left and right and call me old fashioned but to me it just make them seem like burnt out party girls.
It is called Destination Wedding but there is precious little about the wedding.
I am so pissed because I would have loved this book if it had been some lighthearted Bollywood romcom, I would have even liked a more literally musing about someone growing up as an immigrant in the US and the problems of fitting in. But it gave me neither.
At points I wished for a random zombie outbreak at the wedding that would have made things more interesting and would have made my misery shorter bc obnoxioua characters would have been eaten.
November 18, 2022
Wonderful
May 22, 2021
Meh. That’s literally the ONLY thing I have to say about this (audio)book.
June 20, 2020
Thanks Net Galley / Random House for a free review copy!
I was really excited to read Diksha's latest release, because The Windfall was hilarious and such a fun read. The premise of Destination Wedding sounds great in theory - Tina and her family head to India for her cousin's wedding. There's a wide swath of characters and Diksha's trademark dry wit and humor. For a book with great writing and interesting plot points, I found the story incredibly dull. The main character isn't very interesting, and I didn't care for her journey. There wasn't much to grab onto in this story and I was glad when the book was over. If you haven't already, and want a fun summer read, The Windfall is much more entertaining.
I was really excited to read Diksha's latest release, because The Windfall was hilarious and such a fun read. The premise of Destination Wedding sounds great in theory - Tina and her family head to India for her cousin's wedding. There's a wide swath of characters and Diksha's trademark dry wit and humor. For a book with great writing and interesting plot points, I found the story incredibly dull. The main character isn't very interesting, and I didn't care for her journey. There wasn't much to grab onto in this story and I was glad when the book was over. If you haven't already, and want a fun summer read, The Windfall is much more entertaining.
May 15, 2022
I had always gone back and forth between reading this book, partially because the reviews for this book (both positive and negative) could never figure out what subgenre of fictional literature the book belonged to. To be fair, as an example of millennial diaspora literature, the novel does a good job (or perhaps, too good of a job) of displaying that ennui, and does rely on the fact that while the novel does follow one main character, it has a cast of supporting characters that also have POV chapters that enable for the plot and story to progress.
First, if you have as part of your story an event as part of the title, my expectation going into the story is that there will be some time reflected (either by the plot or the narrative) to the event. Here Basu failed to keep me enegaged with the wedding that was the point of the story and for the characters traveling to India in the first place. Even the bridge (and the groom) did not seem to be enjoying their own wedding, and at first I thought it was Basu making subtle commentaries on the convulted process and events that make up the expected traditional North India/Desi wedding - but it ended up being more because of her characters and their narratives being focused on their internal monologues and trying to rectify past events or mistakes that they made.
Second, Tina as a character was hard to appreciate. The support cast of characters around her felt more fascinating (her parents, her friend, and even the various LIs that she had) seemed not only more well rounded, but not rooted in a binary that Tina constantly wanted to put herself in. From agonizing about her parents and their divorice (a divorce that happened 10 years prior to the events in the book), he constand refrain that she does not fit in either worlds (US and India), and this idea that if she is not able to make her dreams, she will move to India to make it work. Tina, while presenting sympathetic reasons for her ennui, just seems a hashing of the stereotpical worries that many of the first generation children of the Desi diaspora seem to have in regards to balancing their American and Desi identity. However, Tina makes it seem like its *only* occurring to her, and that is where Tina loses me.
There are great side stories in the book for sure, and I did appreciate that Basu made this book to be understood for Desi Americans - it has a blend of American and Desi idiosyncrasies that would be easily identifiable and undstood for those in the community - however, the inability to understand if the book was supposed to be read as contemporary literature, or as a rom com that was gonna mix with Crazy Rich Asians (which it is not).
Not a bad read, but one that can be missed if need to be.
First, if you have as part of your story an event as part of the title, my expectation going into the story is that there will be some time reflected (either by the plot or the narrative) to the event. Here Basu failed to keep me enegaged with the wedding that was the point of the story and for the characters traveling to India in the first place. Even the bridge (and the groom) did not seem to be enjoying their own wedding, and at first I thought it was Basu making subtle commentaries on the convulted process and events that make up the expected traditional North India/Desi wedding - but it ended up being more because of her characters and their narratives being focused on their internal monologues and trying to rectify past events or mistakes that they made.
Second, Tina as a character was hard to appreciate. The support cast of characters around her felt more fascinating (her parents, her friend, and even the various LIs that she had) seemed not only more well rounded, but not rooted in a binary that Tina constantly wanted to put herself in. From agonizing about her parents and their divorice (a divorce that happened 10 years prior to the events in the book), he constand refrain that she does not fit in either worlds (US and India), and this idea that if she is not able to make her dreams, she will move to India to make it work. Tina, while presenting sympathetic reasons for her ennui, just seems a hashing of the stereotpical worries that many of the first generation children of the Desi diaspora seem to have in regards to balancing their American and Desi identity. However, Tina makes it seem like its *only* occurring to her, and that is where Tina loses me.
There are great side stories in the book for sure, and I did appreciate that Basu made this book to be understood for Desi Americans - it has a blend of American and Desi idiosyncrasies that would be easily identifiable and undstood for those in the community - however, the inability to understand if the book was supposed to be read as contemporary literature, or as a rom com that was gonna mix with Crazy Rich Asians (which it is not).
Not a bad read, but one that can be missed if need to be.
September 1, 2020
'Destination Wedding' is about an America-born Indian, Tina Das, traveling to India along with her American best friend, her divorced parents, and her mother's American boyfriend, to attend her cousin's wedding. And this wedding is huge because of how rich the bride and groom and their families are. There's a lot of rich-people wedding shenanigans going on in here, in the midst of which Tina has to come up with an idea for a TV show for the company she works for and figure out her romantic relationships.
I did enjoy reading this book, but only to the extent that I liked reading about India and weddings. Also because of how easy and fast-paced it was.
But, but, but... Issues I had with the book were that the narration is all over the place, cutting away from one character to the other, almost giving me whiplash with how abrupt these cuts were! And some of the characters here aren't even central to the plot of the story. Plus, this cutting away meant that every character in here had little respect for the other. If it was real life, I'd have been pissed that nobody was paying attention to what I was saying! :P
I could absolutely not get behind the fact that Tina was literally attracted to two men at once. I would probably have been okay if this had merely been a thought. But she was looking to act upon both threads of attraction and that rather soured my mood towards her.
Otherwise, it's a fun read to get you through a dreary day. Go in without rolling your eyes at the rich, and you'll be fine.
I did enjoy reading this book, but only to the extent that I liked reading about India and weddings. Also because of how easy and fast-paced it was.
But, but, but... Issues I had with the book were that the narration is all over the place, cutting away from one character to the other, almost giving me whiplash with how abrupt these cuts were! And some of the characters here aren't even central to the plot of the story. Plus, this cutting away meant that every character in here had little respect for the other. If it was real life, I'd have been pissed that nobody was paying attention to what I was saying! :P
I could absolutely not get behind the fact that Tina was literally attracted to two men at once. I would probably have been okay if this had merely been a thought. But she was looking to act upon both threads of attraction and that rather soured my mood towards her.
Otherwise, it's a fun read to get you through a dreary day. Go in without rolling your eyes at the rich, and you'll be fine.
November 2, 2021
How to look rich? Wear expensive workout clothes like Lululemons and always carry Starbucks. Not to mention, speak English fluently and throw your cultures and anyone closest to it and to you, under the bus. OR JUST BE A TINA 🤣
If you like Kevin Kwan, Diksha Basu is an Indian version of him. If you love Sex and Vanity, or Crazy Rich Asians, you might like Destination Wedding. Quoting Kevin Kwan's praise for The Windfall "I almost fell out of bed laughing as I read Diksha Basu's sharply observed satire. Such a delicious, addictive treat. As I flipped to the last page I found myself already wanting much, much more". You see, Windfall is an okay read for me. But not this one. I lost interest from the very beginning and found it so hard to like Tina. An unlikeable character is not a problem, but more to the story in general.
Here's my thoughts on this book. Its not something that I love to read and I have similar feelings reading this like I was with Sex and Vanity. Its just not my cup of tea. We all have different reading preferences, right? I would encourage you to read the synopsis, both high and low rated reviews to help you decide if you want to pick this up.
If you like Kevin Kwan, Diksha Basu is an Indian version of him. If you love Sex and Vanity, or Crazy Rich Asians, you might like Destination Wedding. Quoting Kevin Kwan's praise for The Windfall "I almost fell out of bed laughing as I read Diksha Basu's sharply observed satire. Such a delicious, addictive treat. As I flipped to the last page I found myself already wanting much, much more". You see, Windfall is an okay read for me. But not this one. I lost interest from the very beginning and found it so hard to like Tina. An unlikeable character is not a problem, but more to the story in general.
Here's my thoughts on this book. Its not something that I love to read and I have similar feelings reading this like I was with Sex and Vanity. Its just not my cup of tea. We all have different reading preferences, right? I would encourage you to read the synopsis, both high and low rated reviews to help you decide if you want to pick this up.
April 17, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the EARC. Destination Wedding centers around an Indian-American woman named Tina who travels to a wedding celebration in India with her family and friends. It explores how India has a blend of traditional and contemporary cultures. It has a vast array of characters. Descriptive, fascinating and light read that is filled with family tension. The main theme is each character finding their happiness and themselves. Though born in Ohio, Tina doesn't feel American, but she doesn't belong In India. Tina's best friend, Marianne shapes her personality based on the men she dates. Tina's father, Neel isn't sure about going back to dating after his divorce. and Tina's mom, Radha is grapping with becoming the woman she always wanted to be. This is my second book I have read by Diksha Basu. Basu is a great storyteller.
July 26, 2020
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The set-up here is pretty compelling--Tina, a non-resident Indian, travels to India with her family to attend an elaborate, multi-day wedding. Diksha Basu tries hard to create a "Crazy Rich Asians" plotline with similar vibes, but it fell flat for me because I found Tina to be dull and unlikable. I was much more invested in the other characters, particularly her parents (Radha and Neel), and found myself sighing when the book went back to focusing on Tina.
I also appreciated Diksha Basu's dry sense of humor--this especially comes through when she inserts little vignettes of the minor characters, which is one of my favorite plot devices.
The set-up here is pretty compelling--Tina, a non-resident Indian, travels to India with her family to attend an elaborate, multi-day wedding. Diksha Basu tries hard to create a "Crazy Rich Asians" plotline with similar vibes, but it fell flat for me because I found Tina to be dull and unlikable. I was much more invested in the other characters, particularly her parents (Radha and Neel), and found myself sighing when the book went back to focusing on Tina.
I also appreciated Diksha Basu's dry sense of humor--this especially comes through when she inserts little vignettes of the minor characters, which is one of my favorite plot devices.
July 5, 2020
I struggled to get into this one. It took some work to keep up with all the POVs. There were some nice moments that I enjoyed. I was also in a mood most of the time when reading this. It makes me super picky which I hate.
I voluntarily read an early copy.
I voluntarily read an early copy.
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