Such a fun, heartwarming book!! The first book for me to read by this author but I cannot wait to read more! Highly recommend this one!

Beautifully written book that explores several types of relationships. It also explores cultures and sexual orientation.

This is a sad story. As a Bengalese family struggles to right a wrong of their own making in the life of their daughter Keya, each family member seems to fall apart in his or her own way, leading to the collapse of their family as a whole. Keya is gay and in a relationship with Pamela and when she’s brave enough to disclose this to her family, they fail miserably in their response and acceptance of her. Partly due to their shock and surprise, partly due to their Bengali culture, and partly due to their pride at what the community will think of them, they do not receive this news well. Tragedy strikes and each family member, in their own way, united and divided, tries to undo the damage they have caused. This book is a highly cultured book and uses many words and phrases and customs of the Bengali people throughout. At times this makes things a little bit difficult for me to understand, as I keep stopping and trying to look up the words they’re using to see what they mean. I appreciate learning about other cultures and expanding my horizons, but I felt all the words in another language to be somewhat of a distraction. I enjoyed the book, the writing, and the story otherwise and would read another book by the same author without hesitation. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read copy.

This book was enjoyable - both the story itself and the bits of culture woven into the story. It was emotional and had me rooting for the characters. I do wish I'd gotten a bit more about each of the major characters - for some, you really feel like you understand why they are how they are, but there are others who, even with the background you DO get, you're left wanting more. The main reason, however, that I gave this 4 stars rather than 5, is because the ending left me wanting more. What were people's reactions to the situation at the end? What happened even later that same day? I recognize that it's meant to leave the reader to make up their own mind about what happens with it all, but I was slightly disappointed to not know for certain. All that being said, it was definitely a good book which I'm glad I read.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

This is the story of a Bengali American family and their attempt to reconcile with their youngest daughter's memory after her death. When Keya came out as gay to her parents and older sister, they were unaccepting of her sexuality, and when she later died in a car accident, her estranged family splintered further. Her parents, Shantanu and Chaitali, divorced, and her sister Mitali barely spoke to either of them anymore. All three Dases are living with deep regret and grief over Keya's death and their treatment of her. When Shantanu finds a box in the attic filled with love notes between Keya and her girlfriend Pamela, as well as an unfinished play the two of them were writing, he is determined to produce the play as a way to honor Keya's memory. I really loved this novel and its unique premise, but I felt like the plot got muddy with the addition of Mitali's new boyfriend Neesh and his messy, dysfunctional backstory. I think the book would have been stronger overall without his part of the story. That said, this is a really lovely book and I loved the Bengali American cultural setting. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a digital review copy.

Keys Das' s Second Act is an astounding novel with a list of Bengali characters that overcome many personal and cultural feats as a family to survive in our present society. The c conflicts they encounter are the same in many cultures today as are the resolutions. Teens as well as parents alike can benefit from this book.

Any book with a plot that I have never read before gets extra credit from me. So creative and fun to read. The interweaving of different times and characters telling the story worked very well for me. I found the second half of the book even stronger than the first half.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s the story of a family torn apart after the death of one of their daughters. It focuses on a play that she wrote before her death. The characters are so well-developed and endearing. I really enjoyed this!

The underlying plot here reminds me a bit of S.A. Cosby's Razorblade Tears and I enjoy the redemptive story and also the need for active participation in culture shift toward more inclusivity and acceptance. I also appreciate the author and characters' background and how this shift specifically applied/worked for them. There was some lightness and humor, but overall, this deals with heavier themes than the cover implies.

I was really excited to read this as the author is a Bengali American.

The premise this quite familiar to me being raised in a conservative household who also thinks they are progressive. There are a lot of taboos in every culture so I cant single out Bengalis in general. But I do love the redemption journey of this book.

It is written well and was an easy read with an ending that lets your imagination create possibilities. The only caveat that I can think of is that there are a few dialogues that have Bengali without any Appendix for translation. I enjoyed them a lot and feel that is what made it endearing for me. But I am not sure how non Bengali readers will feel about them.

Thank you #NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for giving me the opportunity to read this.

We all make mistakes in life. Some decisions and have more devastating consequences than others. Some things we say and do can never be undone. Or unsaid. This is a story where family members let each other down. And it is how they come back and find each other again. Beautifully written and realistic. This deals with a very timely subject I highly recommend it for its unique plot, character development, and superior writing. We all go on, But we will never be the same.

This was a heartwarming, touching read! It was funny and sad and realistic, and much more pointed than I was expecting! Definitely is a book that I’ll be thinking about for awhile.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book! I was really excited to pick this one up, having read Missed Translations and being a huge fan of South Asian and South Asian-American literature. Keya Das’s Second Act is a heartfelt story about tragedy, family, and art, but mostly it is about living with, learning from, and forgiving ourselves and others for mistakes. I loved the premise and I felt some hints of Dear Evan Hansen in the pages. I wish I could have gotten to know some of the characters more deeply which is why I took off a star. For example, Pamela was introduced too late in the book as a main character and we only heard of her in passing until far into the book. I feel that the story could have gained a lot from having more of Pamela’s perspective. Generally, I feel that a few of the characters didn’t get the time they deserved to delve into their stories. Maybe the author is leaving room for a sequel? I sure hope so.

I adored this book. Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC. I loved the first part the book, I did not want to leave the characters. I felt like the 2nd part of the book started to drag a little but the ending was worth it.

I loved each of the characters and they are the highlight of the novel. Each character has this level of realness and vulnerability, I felt like I knew these characters and their flaws. The book does not beat around the bush, it's a conversation starter. Each character has own up to their choices so its a really interesting character study of each of the family members. Keya was the star of the novel and I wanted more from her and Pamela and her life but I think that's the whole point of the novel. I think this will make for a great book club pick because there are so many things to discuss from family, to identity, race, grief, divorce, finding meaning in life after tragedy, to who and what we leave behind after we die.

None of these characters are perfect and their flaws are on full display for the reader to experience each of their journeys.

The book is more of a slow burn but seeing the journey this family went on was such a joy to read. It's emotional, thought provoking, and reflective. I found myself putting the book down several times to process what was happening and reflect on my own experience with losing a loved one.

When the book ended I immediately needed more so I hope there are future novels with these characters and their futures.

I love this book. I absolutely adore it. The theatre aspect of this book was the most fun and the way that they family dynamic was portrayed was heartwarming. The multiple characters were handled with a clear dynamic and their voices were so unique that it made it a pleasure to read. I HIGHLY recommend this book. It's wonderful.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this book! It was warm, funny, sad. It dealt with forgiveness, guilt, and redemption. I laughed and I cried!

The author takes us on a journey with the family of Keya and as we meet and get to know each of the family -you feel their pain, guilt and sadness. It was a real book - families who love each other - still hurt each other and sometimes we don't get a chance to say we are sorry.

I wanted to actually know and understand some of the characters more - for example, Pamela. I think the book could have been longer or maybe a sequel?

Thank you Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for the chance to read!

In this novel, an Indian-American father is struggling with guilty after not accepting his now-deceased daughter after she came out. He is divorced from his wife, and is estranged from his elder daughter. He finds a manuscript his deceased daughter was writing with her girlfriend, and they decide to stage a production of the play in homage to the deceased daughter. Well-written with real characters and a heartwarming theme.

I got really lucky with my current batch of ARCs, including this one. This is very good, partly because it often seemed quite real. Deb is also a talented story teller. Recommended.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!

Thank you, Simon & Schuster, for allowing me to read Keya Das's Second Act early!

I requested this title on a whim because it's a debut novel with queer themes and I'm always on the lookout for new voices in the genre. I was happily surprised by Sopan Deb's prose, although I was initially put off by the adjacency to the "bury your gays trope" the premise gave out. I eventually ended up liking this novel a ton, It was very emotional and raw.