daisey's review against another edition
2.0
This is an interesting coming of age story from a different perspective and with different influences than I've read before. I liked seeing how Dimple slowly learned to be herself and accept herself for who she was as she learned more about the people around her and accepted them as they were. The main plot line was fairly predictable, but I enjoyed how she used her photography to connect, learn, grow, and share throughout the story. In addition, although some of the scenes were wonderfully described in rich detail, other parts just seemed to drag on. I sometimes found myself skimming rapidly ahead.
Due to the length, writing style, and some more mature content, I would consider recommending this book to high school students, but not most middle school students.
* I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
Due to the length, writing style, and some more mature content, I would consider recommending this book to high school students, but not most middle school students.
* I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
rants_n_reads's review against another edition
5.0
I actually bought this book years ago, and only recently got around to reading it. I think I pushed it off, thinking it was just another YA romance. However, while there was romance, this book is one of the most beautiful coming-of-age stories I’ve ever read. The stories, the characters, and the way they are slowed down at just the right moments- it’s absolutely fantastic.
quiettalker's review
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book was amazing and I wish I had read it 20 years ago. The writing of Dimple and Gwyn's friendship was so spot-on in terms of both the representation of the difficulty of changing friendships AND as an allegory for the way brown women and white women are pitted against each other in society (and though Hidier is more than generous to Gwyn as a character, let's just say Hidier makes it clear that the deck is stacked in Gwyn's favor).
I was a little disappointed that it ultimately swung back towards the F/M romance. Also, the way transwomen were represented felt shocking to me but I'm still trying to figure out whether that's because the language we use to talk about gender has changed so much in the last twenty years or because the author wasn't being attentive.
I was a little disappointed that it ultimately swung back towards the F/M romance. Also, the way transwomen were represented felt shocking to me but I'm still trying to figure out whether that's because the language we use to talk about gender has changed so much in the last twenty years or because the author wasn't being attentive.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia
hmonkeyreads's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book because it came in my "read out of your comfort zone" box from Quarterly.com.
The writing got muddled for me a few times in this one but I think that's ok because it tended to mirror the main character's confusion about her place in life.
I thought it painted a full picture of the complexities of teenaged friendships, experimentation with alcohol, sex, drugs and the strangeness of realizing that your parents are fully realized people on top of being your parents.
I liked the glimpse into South Asian culture and the whole ABCD storyline.
My biggest complaint is that I think the characters are a bit too young. This takes place the summer between junior and senior year of high school and I think it all would have made more sense if it was between high school and college.
The writing got muddled for me a few times in this one but I think that's ok because it tended to mirror the main character's confusion about her place in life.
I thought it painted a full picture of the complexities of teenaged friendships, experimentation with alcohol, sex, drugs and the strangeness of realizing that your parents are fully realized people on top of being your parents.
I liked the glimpse into South Asian culture and the whole ABCD storyline.
My biggest complaint is that I think the characters are a bit too young. This takes place the summer between junior and senior year of high school and I think it all would have made more sense if it was between high school and college.
karibaumann's review against another edition
3.0
Aargh. I am so conflicted about this book. It’s about a girl named Dimple whose family is from India, but she is American. Of course she feels pulled between her family and her culture, not fitting in fully in either place, which is why she feels like she was “born confused”. On one hand, I loved the main character and her almost Elizabeth-and-Darcy meeting with a friend of her parents. I loved this particular expression of what a lot of teenagers feel, whether their families are immigrants or not. And I loved how she began to find a place for herself with others who feel the same way. But. I didn’t like her best friend at all and I thought in many places it was hard to read and understand. I think it would make a good audiobook because you would be able to hear the inflections that were intended that were not always clear to me as I was reading. In the end, I will remember it as a sweet book about a character I really liked but that was frustrating to actually read.
rogoreads's review against another edition
4.0
I remembered reading this book when I was in high school, and I was thinking about it again and decided to give it another go. I got so much more out of it this time around. I have been reading tons of blogs, about cultural appropriation and privilege, and picked up a lot that I didn't when I read it 10 years ago--I hardly even understood how awful Gwyn was back then, for example. It was also funny to see the things going on that Dimple was not yet aware of, but were crystal clear just from the little details and dialogue. Kavita and Sabina, for example. Kavita's coming out scene almost moved me to tears, actually, because her nervousness and then relief and giddiness at having done it and been accepted were so palpable.
The imagery was very imaginative and rich (if a tad heavy at times), and I really felt like I was inside Dimple's head. The scene where she smokes pot had this crazy surreal quality that made me feel like I was right there with her. And her family is so wonderful that I wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall in their house--her parents are heartbreakingly sweet, and Kavita so loving but also the perfect cool older cousin. I loved how Dimple grew to see them all as human beings with flaws and stories of their own, which is a big part of growing up.
The huge glaring flaw in all of this was definitely Gwyn. Even putting aside her absolute cluelessness, the exotification of her best friend's culture (and family!) and all the cultural appropriation and insensitive comments, she is the worst, most horrible friend. I could not understand why Dimple thought she was so amazing. Everything she did was incredibly selfish and self-centered. Yeah, her backstory is tragic and she's jealous of Dimple's loving family. But all she did was interrupt Dimple, encroach on all her boundaries, condescend, and undermine her at every opportunity to try to make herself look better by comparison. Eating all her best fries, showing up in the exact same outfit (in a smaller size) on purpose, not telling Dimple about Karsh's birthday, completely ignoring her best friend any time there was a boy around. I was really glad when Dimple finally confronted her and they had their big fight, but then felt like it was undermined in their big reconciliation scene, when Dimple decided she had also been a bad friend and apologized first. The only redeeming thing Gwyn did was have the magazine use Dimple's photos (thereby letting Dimple gain recognition for her photos). "Letting" her have Karsh didn't even seem that generous to me, since she could tell the whole time that Karsh was into Dimple and only gave up when she had exhausted everything and still couldn't win him over. I think the book would have been much stronger if their friendship had been allowed to come to an end, since all of Gwyn's cultural insensitivity and undermining of Dimple was very glossed over so that they could reconcile.
Anyway, aside from that I really enjoyed the book and will probably read the sequel when it comes out. I want to hang out with Dimple and her family a little bit more.
The imagery was very imaginative and rich (if a tad heavy at times), and I really felt like I was inside Dimple's head. The scene where she smokes pot had this crazy surreal quality that made me feel like I was right there with her. And her family is so wonderful that I wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall in their house--her parents are heartbreakingly sweet, and Kavita so loving but also the perfect cool older cousin. I loved how Dimple grew to see them all as human beings with flaws and stories of their own, which is a big part of growing up.
The huge glaring flaw in all of this was definitely Gwyn. Even putting aside her absolute cluelessness, the exotification of her best friend's culture (and family!) and all the cultural appropriation and insensitive comments, she is the worst, most horrible friend. I could not understand why Dimple thought she was so amazing. Everything she did was incredibly selfish and self-centered. Yeah, her backstory is tragic and she's jealous of Dimple's loving family. But all she did was interrupt Dimple, encroach on all her boundaries, condescend, and undermine her at every opportunity to try to make herself look better by comparison. Eating all her best fries, showing up in the exact same outfit (in a smaller size) on purpose, not telling Dimple about Karsh's birthday, completely ignoring her best friend any time there was a boy around. I was really glad when Dimple finally confronted her and they had their big fight, but then felt like it was undermined in their big reconciliation scene, when Dimple decided she had also been a bad friend and apologized first. The only redeeming thing Gwyn did was have the magazine use Dimple's photos (thereby letting Dimple gain recognition for her photos). "Letting" her have Karsh didn't even seem that generous to me, since she could tell the whole time that Karsh was into Dimple and only gave up when she had exhausted everything and still couldn't win him over. I think the book would have been much stronger if their friendship had been allowed to come to an end, since all of Gwyn's cultural insensitivity and undermining of Dimple was very glossed over so that they could reconcile.
Anyway, aside from that I really enjoyed the book and will probably read the sequel when it comes out. I want to hang out with Dimple and her family a little bit more.
dreamofbookspines's review against another edition
4.0
Other than wanting to stab Gwyn (the main character Dimple's "best friend") every other page, this is a thoroughly charming portrait of a teenage Indian girl who is trying to assimilate into American society. It's touching and seems very genuine. Dimple is easy to relate to, and so is her growing attraction to Karsh.
Gwyn, however, is not a nice person. She is a culture-appropriating douchebag who doesn't give a crap that she's hurting her "best friend" (or somehow she just hasn't noticed, in which case she's plain stupid). I've had that pretty friend who keeps you (the less conventionally attractive one) before, and they are never a nice person. I keep shouting "Dimple, you can do so much better than this bitch!" She redeems herself a bit in the end, but I still find the character an overwhelmingly not-nice person.
This is a charming and somewhat unconventional coming of age story, but I really think it's worthwhile. It's also an excellent illustrative novel for globalization/cultural appropriation/assimilation, and I've used it as a novel for my students (college-age) to read and discuss. The ones who read it enjoyed it.
Gwyn, however, is not a nice person. She is a culture-appropriating douchebag who doesn't give a crap that she's hurting her "best friend" (or somehow she just hasn't noticed, in which case she's plain stupid). I've had that pretty friend who keeps you (the less conventionally attractive one) before, and they are never a nice person. I keep shouting "Dimple, you can do so much better than this bitch!" She redeems herself a bit in the end, but I still find the character an overwhelmingly not-nice person.
This is a charming and somewhat unconventional coming of age story, but I really think it's worthwhile. It's also an excellent illustrative novel for globalization/cultural appropriation/assimilation, and I've used it as a novel for my students (college-age) to read and discuss. The ones who read it enjoyed it.
emmag42's review against another edition
2.0
I thought the beginning of the book was great, but after a while I just lost interest. The plotline, though lushly filled with references to Indian culture, was fairly cliche. The last hundred pages were honestly filler to me, and it took the last few chapters to spark my interest again. I was disappointed, really. I expected something fresh and interesting, but all I got was a lukewarm rendition of the same old story.