“Charming . . . What Kevin Kwan did for rich-people problems, Diksha Basu does for trying-to-be-rich-people problems.”—PeopleNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY ESQUIRE • A PEOPLE PICK • A TIME PICK The Jhas are moving up. For the past thirty years, their lives have been defined by cramped spaces and gossipy neighbors. But when Mr. Jha comes into an enormous sum of money—the result of an … neighbors. But when Mr. Jha comes into an enormous sum of money—the result of an unexpectedly successful internet venture—he moves his reluctant wife from their housing complex in East Delhi to the super-rich side of town, ultimately forcing them, and their son, to reckon with who they are and what really matters to them. Hilarious and wise, The Windfall illuminates with warmth and heart the precariousness of social status, the fragility of pride, and, above all, the human drive to build and share a home. Even the rich, it turns out, need to belong somewhere.
Praise for The Windfall
“A delightful comedy of errors.”—NPR, Weekend Edition
“Ultra-charming.”—Vogue
“I almost fell out of bed laughing.”—Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians
“A fun and heartfelt comedy of manners.”—Rolling Stone
“Though money doesn’t necessarily buy the Jhas happiness, it delivers readers plenty of laughs and more.”—Esquire
“Endearing, astute.”—Christian Science Monitor
more
I loved this book for the characters. Here are people who suddenly have rich people problems and try to cope with their new-found wealth and their desire to belong. I really enjoyed it. Great writing.
This novel builds a little slowly but then pulls the reader into the characters’ lives and their often funny situations. It portrays, maybe with some exaggeration, maybe not, the humorous (to the reader) dilemmas of the rising middle class in India and each family’s need to show that they are not only keeping up with but surpassing their neighbors in their successes. Tucked in is a lovely little love story.
One of the most entertaining books I’ve read in a long time. The characters were very relatable and the author captured the real human emotions of the characters with all their flaws. A very readable and enjoyable book! I give it a two thumbs up and if I had more thumbs I’d give it more!
Wonderful look at life from the haves and the have nots, from a retired Indian couple who experiences both. The stories of friendship, family, the pressures placed on kids and keeping up with the Joneses are all covered in an enjoyable, relatable and bittersweet way. I was sorry to see this book end but delighted with the ending.
Very entertaining with interesting and likable characters.
A story about what expectations are after acquiring wealth, and how perceptions change after altering lifestyles. Although this story is set in India, it could apply to most of the world and is a study in human response to varying situations.
I had many expectations of the wonderfulness of this book. I am a fan of fiction set in India and the description of this book fanned my expectations. However, I found myself getting bogged down in the petty concerns of not very interesting people maneuvering their way through a changing world that had little to do with India and more to do with themodern concerns of social climbers anywhere.
Surely this does not negate the talent of the writer to describe this modern phenomenon; he does a good job depicting his characters, especially the women for whom he seems to have a special understanding.
Perhaps this was simply the wrong book at the wrong time for me. I have not deleted it from my Kindle library, and I suspect that at another time, with different expectations, I will truly enjoy it.
If you enjoy quotidian tales of modern angst, you will enjoy this (somewhat) Indian take.
Loved it! Believable characters, some quirky, some flawed, some endearing, hilarious dialogue!
Fun to read of a modern culture so different than ours, though I suspect the social climbing may be closer to
ours than I would know.
Interesting family and family dynamic.
boring, cliche filled
A pleasant gentle read.
Very fun to see the inner workings of this fun and funny Indian family. I loved it!
I enjoyed getting to know the Jha family, as well as their friends and neighbors, and following their awkward adjustments as their financial and social status changed.
interesting little peek into the Indian culture in Delhi
A wonderful approach to looking at ourselves. The characters are hysterical as they are swayed back and forth in their lives philosophies. Everyone should read with an open mind.
This book is a hilarious view of modern Indian culture. A couple comes into a boatload of money, and the husband has a very difficult time transitioning into the good life. It’s funny, clever and the characters are engaging and realistic. Loved it!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It took me quite a few chapters to get into the story and adapt to the writing style which included an ever changing POV, but once I did, I found the characters and the story thoroughly entertaining. I absolutely loved the Jha family and their friends, each character was interesting and unique and added something to the story. What really made me love the book though was that the sudden life change brought on by the Jha’s coming into so much money wasn’t just a plot device. The real heart of the story came from the way all the characters reacted to the windfall, whether it was good or bad or even petty. The Windfall was an interesting peek at a family and a nice reminder that money doesn’t always fix everything.
A copy of this book was generously provided by First to Read in exchange for an honest review.