The Shahs moved from India to Irvine in search of a better life. They built their own company, formed a family and moved up in society. Because they are the model “self-made” immigrant family they believe that “other” minorities are the ones that suffer with racism, not them. Until one day their autistic son is arrested for being at the wrong place in the wrong time and then they have to revisit all their previous beliefs about American society.

I love a good immigrant story that talks about family conflict, and how first generation kids deal with being the in-between in a new country, in this case, the kids don’t identify as Indians, but they also don’t identify as Americans.

In docking one star because the book builds up to a resolution that is not satisfying. The end felt a bit rushed. The more I read, the more I saw the pages dwindling, and I knew there were not enough pages to give me a good ending, which was true.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy is exchange for my honest review.

This book about community and belonging is very good, but it's definitely a tough read. Ashok and Priya emigrated from India to the U.S. to pursue education and the American dream. Aggressively upwardly mobile with their three children, the family has just moved in to a "better" neighborhood when everything comes apart at the seams one night. Their youngest child, 12-year-old Ajay, has been arrested for flying a drone at the airport, while their daughters have begun engaging in some unexpected behaviors. The Shah family has to reckon with their perception of themselves and their adopted country, and the novel is well-plotted with a sharp focus on the current political climate and the topic of immigration. I expect this to be a great pick for book clubs, with lots of food for thought and discussion. Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for a digital review copy.

When Priya and Ashok Shah move their family to the affluent Pacific Hills, California, neighborhood, they feel like they have finally made it. After immigrating to the United States from India twenty years ago with only four suitcases and a dreary graduate student apartment waiting for them, the decades of hard work and homesickness seem worth it. One Saturday night, all security and safety the Shah’s thought they had shattered after their twelve-year-old son, Ajay, is arrested, launching the family into a reckoning with what they thought they knew about their family, community, and country.
Split into three parts, the first part of this book chronicles the aftermath of Ajay’s arrest and his family’s initial descent into fear and chaos. Priya and Ashok are thrown into the complicated and convoluted American justice system in what can only be described as a parent’s worst nightmare, as they are unsure of their son’s future. Meanwhile, the eldest Shah child, Deepa, finds trouble at the American-Mexican border protesting with her best friend Paco. Maya, the middle child of the Shah family is—like any high school freshman—trying her best to fit in and make a name for herself at her new Pacific Hills high school. Ajay, the youngest Shah child, an introverted, gangly middle schooler with a passion for robotics appears to be the last person to commit a crime, but the local police force is not so sure. While still adjusting to their new community, where they already feel out of place as one of the only families of color, the Shah’s must now grapple with the effects of Ajay’s arrest. With the support of their new community and old friends, the Shah’s confront injustice and seek the truth.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing is quick paced and heart-felt, making this story captivating and characters easy to connect to. Throughout the whole book I genuinely cared about the well-being of this family, which made me eager to turn each page. The book is nuanced and thoughtful as it considers socio-economic and political conditions, while examining the humanity of each character. The anxiety and worries of Priya and Ashok are palpable. Gowda’s observations are incredibly sharp and intimate, making it easy to understand each character’s motivations and values. A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda ties together the complexities of family, communities, and society in a moving and powerful novel. This novel will be published by Mariner Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, on March 26, 2024 and I recommend that you pick up a copy.

When describing A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda, words like powerful, timely, eye-opening, and educational immediately come to mind. The novel follows an Indian-American family living quite comfortably in California until a police encounter with one of their family members goes horribly wrong. It sheds some light on the current political and social issues present in America today by exploring themes like immigration, race, class, privilege, community, and culture. It also explains the caste system in India, which is essentially a social hierarchy passed down through families and generations. I was not aware of such system, so I appreciated the eye-opening insight. This novel is perfect for fans of Little Fires Everywhere, A Place for Us, and Our Best Intentions. Book clubs will really love this one as well. 4/5 stars for this very important read! It’s out on March 26th!

A Great Country was an interesting novel focusing on a Southeast Indian-American family living in Los Angeles at a tumultuous time in their lives. The youngest child, who likely has undiagnosed Asperger's, is arrested and beaten by the police for a minor infraction, and we see how all his family members and their local friends and community either support (or don't) them through this process.
I appreciated all the social issues brought up in "A Great Country." They were all timely and approached from a unique perspective. But, wow, Gowda tried to tackle a lot of issues in just one novel: the different types of immigrant experiences, police brutality and racial profiling, the similarities between racism in America and the caste system in India, etc. It might have been a stronger message if she'd just focused on one or two instead of a whole swath of issues.

This book is only 256 pages long and it took me 4 days to finish it. Previous to this book I read a book 1462 pages long in the same amount of time. I think that in and of itself speaks for my level of engagement in this particular novel. But let's get into why it didn't engage me.
A Great Country is a family drama, primarily about the arrest of 12-year-old Ajay, the youngest of 3 children in the Shah family living in affluent Pacific Hills. Each chapter is told from a different character's perspective, with the main timeline being from the time of Ajay's arrest to subsequent arraignment 2 weeks later.
I felt like this book was trying to cram too much current events and topics into one book. Each character has a unique point of view and personality, but there was just too much going on and it felt cliched and was just overall not well developed because there was so much going on in such a short novel. The writing felt stilted and somewhat formulaic as well. This is why I ended up rating it 3 stars, I finished it but it just did not hold my interest and by the end I didn't really care all that much what happened. Oddly, even with the short length, I felt the ending went on past the point it should, in order to cram even more that didn't really feel like it fit.
Thank you to Book Club Girl, Mariner Books and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

In A Great Country, we follow Priya and Ashok and how they navigate the arrest of their 12 year old son Ajay and the effect it has on their entire family. While I appreciated the story itself, the characters fell flat for me. I didn't enjoy how we are told the entire time how each character is thinking and feeling. I prefer a story where I'm shown rather than told.

I did not like where the story went and found the ending rushed. We spent a majority of the book following the legal process of Ajay's arrest for it to only be resolved in a page or two. It felt anticlimactic at best.

I didn't appreciate the author's note at all.

Thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Ashok and Priya emigrated from India to the United States to build a better life. They worked hard, and Priya gave birth to three children. Their dreams are coming true as they have just moved to the exclusive Palisades Hills area. But when their twelve year old neurodivergent son is arrested, a nightmare begins for the family and the parents learn a lot about their other two children, some cultural realities about America and the American dream.

I loved this book and recommended it to my husband who also really liked it. Well written and plotted, with fully developed characterizations, the author has her pulse on our present day social and political climate. It is an engrossing, fast read that I didn’t want to put down.

The immigrant experience felt by so many is captured and brought to life on the pages of this book. People work hard, pay taxes, support the economy, provide essential services and yet are vilified. There is prejudice, often inhumane treatment, and ever present feelings of vulnerability, especially if their skin is dark and the ever present conflict between trying to assimilate yet holding on to one’s heritage.

I think this would make an excellent selection for a book club…so much “grist” for discussion…not only topics mentioned above but also policing, white privilege, systemic racism, stereotyping, generational differences, the price of upward mobility. As an aside, it was interesting learning about the present day caste system in India.

4.0 stars
DEFINITE recommendation

I received a complimentary Kindle e-book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Shilpi Somay Gowda, Mariner Books, Book Club Girl, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is a very thought-provoking book. It is about the arrest of a 12-year-old boy and mistaken appearances and prejudices. It is all about the effect of the arrest on the Shah family - Ashok, Priya (immigrant parents from India), and their American-born children Deepa, Maya, and Ajay. The entire family rethinks what is important to them including family and friends who are family.

This situation could happen anywhere in the United States and that is the problem. We need to do better as parents, communities, and police departments.

I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

I’ve loved all the books I’ve read by Shilpi Gowda and this one did not disappoint!

A Great Country explores the life of an immigrant family and what it means to succeed and assimilate to life in the US. It also raises questions: What does success mean? Who are our real friends? What makes a great community? How do we parent our children?

There was a lot happening in this novel, so it would be wonderful for a book club. The characters are realistic and their situation is frightening. Gowda shows the reader how life can change in an instant. The traumatic experiences in life, no matter what the nature, will affect the lens with which we view everything. This is a satisfying and enjoyable read.

The Shah family has recently moved to an exclusive California neighborhood, a long way from their humble roots in India. Through sacrifice and determination the parents are proud of the opportunities they have carved out for their children. When their 12-year old son has a violent altercation with law enforcement, they find that their privilege and status as the “model minority” cannot protect them from the consequences of racism and escalating community tensions. A GREAT COUNTRY is a page-turning portrayal of the complexities of assimilation, the nuances of generational conflicts and the shifting identity of what it means to be an American.


READ THIS IF YOU:
-Are drawn to books with hot button issues
-Seek out neurodivergence representation
-Question the reality of the “American Dream”

✨ What is the price of the American dream? This book is an honest look at such a complicated and nuanced question. It’s a moving and heartfelt story that causes the reader to examine personal perspectives.

✨The characters are masterfully written with exceptional humanity and insight, and the themes of social class, privilege, immigration and generational trauma are expertly crafted here.

✨The pacing is just right with short chapters that really move the story along. I was glued to the pages from beginning to end. Every page evokes such empathy and conviction, and I just could not look away. At one point, I burst into tears and cried for a full ten minutes. Truly a thought-provoking and important read.

✨This will one park discussion for sure and would make an excellent book club pick.

I absolutely recommend this one! Don’t miss it!

My thanks to @marinerbooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

Ashok and Priya Shah immigrated to the U.S. shortly after their marriage twenty years ago, and hardwork and three kids later, they are ready to move into a highly coveted neighborhood of Pacific Hills. But just as they are working to get settled into their new place, disaster strikes and 12 year old Ajay is arrested. What unfolds next is intense, heartbreaking, and unfortunately, all too common in the U.S.

This book was absolutely incredible. It tackles so many critical issues from immigration, class, race, community, privilege, generational conflict, etc. It's so heavy hitting, yet it was a breeze to get through. The prose just flows so well and you're immediately sucked into the dynamics of this family and can appreciate just how difficult a situation like this would be - the stress of looking after your children, managing media attention, and trying to set the story straight. It's unfathomable to have this be one's reality, but we know many stories like this in America. It's an absolute must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A domestic thriller with bite, A Great Country brings that contemporary thrill to a story of an Indian family that is steadily moving up in stature and community.

Set in California: we meet the Shahs - a first generation Indian family who has worked and sacrificed in order to provide excellent opportunities for their three children. All. three are acclimating to their new home in the Beverly Hills style school district, leaving their familiar friends and lifestyle behind. When the youngest is arrested and jailed at age 12, a small snowball of a situation becomes a boulder, than an avalanche.

I loved reading and experiencing the different opinions of the many characters involved in this story. The characters and actions rang true! Somaya Gowda provides plenty of backstory in short chapters that move the story along quickly. It was fascinating, entertaining and satisfying!

From the publisher: A Great Country explores themes of immigration, generational conflict, social class and privilege as it reconsiders the myth of the model minority and questions the price of the American dream.

#mariner #shilpisomayagowda #agreatcountry

I didn't connect to this story early on with the writing and the plot. It is nothing against the book or author, but I realized I didn't care all that much about the story. I was hoping I would enjoy this, but it was not working for me.

The sun is shining, the sky a brilliant blue. Just another beautiful day in Southern California. The Shah family has been working their fingers to the bone to build a business, buy a home and provide the very best American life for their three children. Finally “making it” all the way to Pacific Hills, an upscale gated community near the ocean. One Saturday evening while attending a lovely dinner, the Shahs receive a confusing call that their youngest son Ajay (12 years old) is being held at the Orange County jail. Terrified, they race there as quickly as possible to find he is not the victim but is under arrest. Tall for his age, with no I.D. (why would a 12 year old have ID?) and on the spectrum, Ajay struggled to explain to the police why he was near the airport with a backpack of electronics. Roughing him up because he “resisted” arrest the frantic parents find Ajay bruised and battered, frightened and mute. In order to defend their actions the officers push forward with charges and the Shah family is set on an unimaginable rollercoaster that tips the scales of everything they ever believed about the American dream. Supported by a few good friends the Shah’s navigate the complicated procedures their child faces and deep racism they had long held themselves apart from. Friends, family, traditions and trust. This book dives deep beneath the surface forcing the reader to empathize with issues our country battles with every day. Since reading The Namesake (twenty years ago!) I have been enthralled by immigrant family themes, especially from India. The challenges of holding on to treasured cultural values while trying to assimilate and succeed in their new home is an emotional journey. Absolutely must put this one on your reading list in March 2024!

This is a well-written and powerful book exploring race, privilege, immigration, and generational conflict through the experiences and interactions of an Indian-American family in Irvine. Referred to as members of a "model minority" the Shah family has continuously improved their lot until they are now living in a privileged, gated community -- but things are severely tested when their (very tall) and quite probably on the autistic spectrum son is arrested for flying his drone near an airport in violation of a law of which he was (obviously) completely unaware.

What I love about this book is the way the author bluntly depicts the POVs of the many different character representatives of multiple social narratives fairly and explicitly, with all the casualness, anger, biases, and real experiences to support them. Very clear, very insightful, and full of character depth.

What I couldn't stand about this book, and what ultimately stopped me from finishing it, is that I felt like I was reading a Kafka novel -- it turns into an absolute nightmare in the bureaucratic judicial system and I just couldn't separate myself enough to not be feeling the stress anxiety at every step. I don't even know what happens at the end.

I give it five stars for the writing and the tackling of extremely difficult social issues, but I would not recommend for people who can't keep their empathetic anxiety under control.

OOOOH I loved this book. It's nuanced and thought-provoking AND ALSO vivid and blistering - in other words, it's massively memorable, and endlessly discussable, and frankly unputdownable. I blazed through it in an evening; it's been a while since I cancelled my plans for a book, but I was so absorbed I couldn't not.

Why'd I love it? The writing was strong - no complaints - but the storytelling was spectacular. I needed to know, at first, what had happened and would happen to Ajay, the 12-year-old son, but soon I felt the same investment and care for every member of the Shah family. This author is brilliant at capturing what it means to be human, and to try your best, and how you deal with things you can't control. Normally I struggle with multiple protagonists/POVs, but she brought each one to life vibrantly and unmistakably. (I will say I didn't 100% love the ending - but the overall reading experience was a solid five stars regardless. )

This novel raises discomfiting and powerful questions about race and class and policing. I'm really eager to hear how other folks receive and react to it.

Thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

"A Great Country" by Shilpi Somaya Gowda is a novel that explores the ties and fractures of a close-knit Indian-American family in the aftermath of a violent encounter with the police. Set in Pacific Hills, California, the Shah family's move to a gated community represents the culmination of years of hard work and dreaming for the parents, who arrived in America two decades earlier with little more than an education and their new marriage.

The story revolves around the Shah family members, who, despite their differences, experience a major upheaval when their twelve-year-old son is arrested one Saturday night. The aftermath of this event forces each family member to reevaluate their perception of themselves as individuals, community members, and Americans. The novel prompts reflection on questions such as how to define success, the cost of ambition, and the role and responsibility each person holds in the cultural mosaic of modern America.

With themes of immigration, generational conflict, social class, and privilege, "A Great Country" is recommended for readers who enjoyed works like "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng, "The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett, and "Such a Fun Age" by Kiley Reid. The novel aims to reconsider the myth of the model minority and question the price of the American dream.

As always this author does not disappoint. I loved this book! She has crafted a story from headlines which shift a “that could never happen to me” to how it can without lecturing. She also shows the areas her characters need to grow without turning them into villainous cartoons. There is a “Pacific Hills” in every region which is often a mirage that reveals the grass is not greener. I now want to reread Shilpi’s other titles as when you come to the end, you still want to keep reading.