Well-Behaved Indian Women

Being a 49 year old Indian American, this book really tugged at my heart. Saumya Dave did a wonderful job of creating characters which any woman could relate to. I think we, as women, tend to be people pleasers primarily because we want to be loved. At the end of the day, isn't that what it's all about? I could relate to bits and pieces which belonged to Simran (taking me back to my college years), Nandini (since I'm a mother of 3 children of which 2 are in college), and Nani (my mom, my grandmother, and one day me). I was so sad the closer I got to the end knowing that my journey with these three characters would subside soon. Hoping for a sequel which unites Neil Desai with Simran.

Really informative regarding many generations of families from India adjusting to another culture. Will consider this author in the future

We're still in a stage where the fact that a story like this is being told feels unreal. But with every show or book about Indian families, a fuller picture of a community that has so many stories to share comes to light. Just in accomplishing that, Saumya Dave has done a fantastic and commendable job. But this is more than just a story about an Indian family. The characters are so real, dynamic, and multi-dimensional, you want to meet them and know every detail about their stories, even the parts not mentioned in the book. I find myself telling all my friends to read this book so we can discuss which characters we most connected to and which ones we've met in real life. I can see this book translating to a successful movie just because of the richness of the characters, the twists and turns, and the realness of it all. And this was a debut novel?? Just incredible!

*Thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the complimentary copy for my honest review* It was really interesting getting to read about different cultures and how these three generations of women were so profiled. This wasn't a super engaging book for me even though it had all the premise to be a great read. It had excellent themes around family and the characters were well-developed. This book just honestly wasn't for me but I would recommend it to others.

Good reading

Slightly predictable but very well written multigenerational story about the women of this family, love and heartbreak. It’s an easy and entertaining read. I highly recommend.

As an Indian-American, I felt so seen. The author is spot on with how I can relate to Simran. This book is captivating and such an easy read. It was so hard putting this book down. The author captured Indian culture perfectly, especially for women in America. Seeing my own family struggle with adapting and communicating and seeing how the characters in the book felt. It was very true to how many of us feel. I was so happy there was a book I can relate to so strongly.

Not sure if it was fate or coincidence, but I couldn’t have found this novel at a better time. This story is SO relatable to my struggles navigating life as a 26-year old American Indian woman. I couldn’t put it down and ended up finishing the book in one night! From relationship troubles to family expectations, Dave captures it all from an authentic lens. I am so excited to see more South Asian authors entering the world of literature and can’t wait to continue reading these titles!

Engaging and wished the story could continue like movies and have logical ending 😊 The story liberated women in a way..

It’s a fabulous read about 3 generations of women telling about the immigrant experience. It’s a richly woven text. My only thing was I didn’t get a sense of closure at the end of the story it felt like the ending needed some work. Otherwise it’s a great read.

Honestly I liked the book. I liked the concepts that were brought to light but still cannot get over the terrible ending. Nothing gets wrapped up. It seems like it was left in the middle of the story. I’m sitting here curious as to what even happens to the characters… I’m hoping there’s some sort of sequel to finish the book off, otherwise it was not worth the read for the terrible ending. I’m not asking for a Hollywood ending here, just one that gives the reader a sense of accomplishment.