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cathd80's review against another edition
4.0
It is every entrepreneur’s dream to have their creation sell for a boatload of money. For Mr. Jha the dream comes true when his website is bought for $20 million—the kind of money that changes lives. For Jha and his wife it means finally moving from the cramped apartment in Delhi they’ve lived in for twenty-five years to a beautiful new home in an upscale neighborhood. Their son Rupak is already attending a college in the U.S. to get his MBA so it feels as if all their hard work is paying off. Of course, nothing is that simple and in The Windfall, Diksha Basu plays a diverse cast of characters against the traditional norms of Indian society for a novel that transcends culture and resonates with humor and warmth.
Mr. and Mrs. Jha aren’t the only two people impacted by the change in their fortunes. Rupak is having too much fun with his unlimited checking account and blonde American girlfriend to focus on getting his degree and even after he flunks out, his father doesn’t seem to care. Closer to home the Jhas are dealing with two sets of neighbors—those they’re leaving behind and those who will be next door. Mr. Jha is anxious to jettison his old neighbors and get started on outdoing the new neighbors, the Chopras. To this end, he shops compulsively, buying a Swarovski studded couch and contemplating putting in a pool, even though he doesn’t swim. Finally, there is Reema, Mrs. Jha’s best friend. A woman whose husband died while she was young, but who is still relegated to the rigid role of widow, meaning love and companionship are not considered appropriate.
The rest of this review is available at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://wp.me/p2B7gG-2j9
Mr. and Mrs. Jha aren’t the only two people impacted by the change in their fortunes. Rupak is having too much fun with his unlimited checking account and blonde American girlfriend to focus on getting his degree and even after he flunks out, his father doesn’t seem to care. Closer to home the Jhas are dealing with two sets of neighbors—those they’re leaving behind and those who will be next door. Mr. Jha is anxious to jettison his old neighbors and get started on outdoing the new neighbors, the Chopras. To this end, he shops compulsively, buying a Swarovski studded couch and contemplating putting in a pool, even though he doesn’t swim. Finally, there is Reema, Mrs. Jha’s best friend. A woman whose husband died while she was young, but who is still relegated to the rigid role of widow, meaning love and companionship are not considered appropriate.
The rest of this review is available at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://wp.me/p2B7gG-2j9
miszjeanie's review against another edition
4.0
Diksha Basu’s The Windfall is a delightful story about the Jha family who suddenly come into money and have to adjust in middle age to a new life of luxury. Mr Jha is carried away, eager to please and fit in with his new neighbors and social standing. His wife, however, is nervous and even sad about the change and their new lifestyle. Their son Rupak while flailing in Business school is secretly dating an American girl and surreptitiously nursing filmmaking dreams. Life’s changes prove to be both overwhelming and unifying for the Jhas.
The Windfall is an easy read which will transport you to India, complete with sights, smells and sounds. The writing in this book is simple but insightful, descriptive and often laugh-out-loud-funny! I enjoyed the multiple subplots which kept the story interesting and the pages flipping. Diksha Basu manages to craft a multilayered novel dissecting life in India, the transactional nature of religion and the struggle to find oneself. The Windfall in the end is simply delightful, immersive and refreshingly authentic.
full review at http://www.afomaumesi.com/2018/02/23/life-in-india-diksha-basus-the-windfall/
The Windfall is an easy read which will transport you to India, complete with sights, smells and sounds. The writing in this book is simple but insightful, descriptive and often laugh-out-loud-funny! I enjoyed the multiple subplots which kept the story interesting and the pages flipping. Diksha Basu manages to craft a multilayered novel dissecting life in India, the transactional nature of religion and the struggle to find oneself. The Windfall in the end is simply delightful, immersive and refreshingly authentic.
full review at http://www.afomaumesi.com/2018/02/23/life-in-india-diksha-basus-the-windfall/
rebeccalm's review against another edition
3.0
Cute, funny, and mildly infuriating - this book was a fun, lighthearted read. It's about a family that suddenly comes into some money, following them as they upend the only life they've ever known to move to a wealthier neighborhood and come to terms with what money means to them, all while trying not to lose sight of who they really are along the way.
teaandtropes's review against another edition
4.0
I will say that this took me way longer to listen to via audiobook than usual, but on the same note I checked it out from my digital library again after the two weeks was up so I could finish the second half because I was compelled to know the ending. The ending was a little anticlimactic but ended very reassuring and almost sweet. It was a little bit of an open-ended response which I liked in this setting. The whole book is about Mr. Jha coming into wealth all of a sudden and how it changes his family and alters their motives and morals. He especially spends so much time caring about what others will think of him and his family and how he can impress their new neighbors and forgets what life was like when they were on the poorer side of town in an apartment that didn't ever work right with the same people he loved. It was a nice perspective to see someone get so caught up in the midst of it all and to be able to project yourself in that situation as well. It's a good reflective read and I might even read again someday which is saying something for myself.
egrant8's review against another edition
5.0
Such a funny sweet book! I loved or felt for all the characters and it was such a nice light read. Reminded me of crazy rich asians with the flashiness and fun!
hmonkeyreads's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
This is a nice little book about an Indian family new to wealth and trying to navigate their new circumstance. We get to know their neighbors, old and new, and their children and along the way we learn that everybody creates imaginary drama in their own head that complicates their lives unnecessarily.
Light, sweet, funny.
This is a nice little book about an Indian family new to wealth and trying to navigate their new circumstance. We get to know their neighbors, old and new, and their children and along the way we learn that everybody creates imaginary drama in their own head that complicates their lives unnecessarily.
Light, sweet, funny.
cgwinters1981's review against another edition
3.0
There is a growing market in India for stories of “new wealth” in the modern age and this story really fits into that specific world of fiction. The story, as discussed above, centers on Mr. and Mrs. Jha and also their son. Rupak. Much of the book centers on them leaving a neighborhood that they have lived in for most of their lives. This part of the book dragged on for me. I wanted to meet the new neighbors that they were going to be interacting with a bit earlier than what was done here, but while it dragged I felt that this did not make the book undesirable to read. Some books are just harder to get through, but still enjoyable to read through dry or dragging parts. This is one of those books for me.
read more of my review of "The Windfall" on cassiewinters.com
read more of my review of "The Windfall" on cassiewinters.com
fi91's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
karenavila85's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It kept me entertained and made smile here and there. It's a comical tale about the Jhas, whom after coming into some money, move from East Delhi to a richer suburb in India, Gurgaon. Mrs. Jha is more apprehensive than her husband because the change seems to abrupt. After settling in their new neighborhood, Mr. & Mrs. Jha meet their neighbors the Chopras but in striking a friendship, hilarity ensues when Mr. Jha and Mr. Chopra try to out due each other in having the best furniture, technology, and transportation possible. But when the Jha's son, Rupak, comes unexpectedly home, the Jhas begin to question the importance of family and money. It's not just a story about family but also one about culture customs and mannerisms in India and how much "America" influences the views of other countries.
mindfullibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
A thoroughly satisfying social and class satire set in Delhi, "The Windfall" tells the story of a family grappling with newfound wealth and attempting to find their place in their new suburban life. Marriage and parenting adult children are portrayed in such an honest way, and the descriptions of ostentatious expenditures are described with just the right balance of vulnerability and humor.
I loved the dialogue between the Chopra and Jha couples and cheered for Rupak as he attempted to figure out his true identity and path in life. My favorite character in the whole book, though, was Mrs. Ray - her quest for happiness as a young widow is so touching and authentic.
I highly recommend this 6/27 title from Diksha Basu to anyone looking for a witty and smart commentary on class and culture in India and the US.
Thanks to Net Galley for the digital review copy - all opinions are my own.
I loved the dialogue between the Chopra and Jha couples and cheered for Rupak as he attempted to figure out his true identity and path in life. My favorite character in the whole book, though, was Mrs. Ray - her quest for happiness as a young widow is so touching and authentic.
I highly recommend this 6/27 title from Diksha Basu to anyone looking for a witty and smart commentary on class and culture in India and the US.
Thanks to Net Galley for the digital review copy - all opinions are my own.