3.75
I saw this on Overdrive for audiobook and the cover intrigued me. When I read the synopsis, I was further intrigued. This is a multi-generational family saga about immigration and culture and the decision to retain or eschew said culture.

I liked this book. I liked this a lot. The first half was especially compelling. I liked the characters and the family dynamics, along with the discussion of what life would've been like for an immigrant family from India in the 70s and 80s in New York City.

Unfortunately, I felt like the characters in the first half were much stronger than Shanti and Anna. Their stories were more interesting, and I felt like they were thoroughly developed. It felt like the author really wanted this to be multi-generational, so she added in a couple scenes from Ranee's perspective and then a short section from Shanti and Anna, without really taking the time to develop their characters. The worst part is, after the time jump we completely lose Sonia's and Tara's POVs, which were the ones that I was the most interested in. I also felt like all of the POVs, while in first person, felt very distant and disconnected to me, which is ironic considering the title of the book. I wanted to connect more to them than I did, but the book was all telling, no showing. It literally felt like someone was telling me a story of something that happened to them rather than a novel about a family. Like when Sonia and Tara's

father dies, we are told about it after the fact, in a way that feels very clinical.

I just wanted more. And yet, I'm rounding my rating up to four stars because there was so much that I did enjoy.