Review: The Windfall

The Windfall

Diksha Basu

Thanks to his business acumen, Mr. Anil Jha is finally moving his family to a newer and perhaps more importantly, wealthier neighborhood in Delhi, India. But, moving means acquiring new friends, new experiences and coping with new expectations. And Mr. Jha is spending a lot of time anticipating these changes, just as his new neighbors are anticipating his arrival. Mrs. Jha on the other hand, is not sure the move is really right for her but, she is willing to accommodate her husbands desire to move up the social ladder.

Will the Jha family fit into their new neighborhood and will life be better in this new area than it was in the middle class neighborhood they have occupied for the last thirty years? What about their son Rupak who is, at the time of the move, in the US trying to get an MBA. Is his place in the US or India and what will really decide his future, his own desires or those of his parents? Read along and find out in this hilarious, Indian comedy of manners.

What is success and what does family really mean? Those are the big questions at the heart of this book. The author does a great job examining contemporary India. I loved the attention to detail she shows throughout the story. The characters are lovable and entertaining. In fact, I laughed most of the way through this book. I couldn't help but think what a great film could be made from this story. Diksha Basu is definitely an author I would want to read again.

Thanks to Blogging for Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.