A review by banned_book
Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book serves as solid proof as to why passive voice kills all momentum. The content itself, while intriguing and mysterious, had no strength to propel the plot while lugging an apathetic POV along… which is a shame because any 2nd gen immigrant will tell you that Niel's plight is universally relatable. Sathian illustrates very well how unnatural it is to keep pace with foreign expectations in the US. Between long studying hours, parental pressure, moralizing trivial events, little to no autonomy, time-consuming commutes, inherent isolation that comes with living in suburbia, and existing as a minority in predominantly white spaces, many are doomed to flounder. Though, I think we could have stayed on this same wavelength from the 3rd person just fine. Niel's navel-gazy perspective does not open up adequate opportunities to speculate about what social cues or life lessons he misses due to gold-induced developmental impairments. It's tragically underwhelming.

There are also legitimate fears that come with first-time publishing. I imagine Sathian worried that she would never get another chance to expound on every subject she wanted to address in her writing, but there was too much stuffed into one book. Gold Diggers's structure would have greatly benefited from being broken up into a trilogy.