2020: I so thoroughly enjoyed this novel! I sped through it, barely taking notes, but the world in which I found myself immersed was detailed and complex. The characters were relatable and their relationships were messy but full of love.

I was invested right up until the end, when the narration shifted into Moushumi's point of view. We had spent so much time in Gogol's head, and so much time in Gogol's world, that to switch to his unfaithful wife's perspective during the final tenth of the book was a very odd move for me. I would have preferred learning about the affair from his point of view.

Definitely would recommend if you want a short, engaging escape into a pre-9/11 world that skirts over any serious political happenings in the lives of new American immigrants.