I try to read a handful of graphic novels every year, so when I saw this on NetGalley I immediately knew I needed to read it. I’d recommend this to anyone who loves memoirs because that’s essentially what it is — but accompanied by truly beautiful artwork that makes you feel something. I really admire the author for 1) making such a huge leap of immigrating to the United States in the first place and 2) for putting her story down on paper for the rest of us to consume. If you love graphic novels, if you love New York, if you support immigrants — I suggest giving this a read.

Terrific, beautifully drawn graphic novel. Worth checking out. This book is a masterpiece! I loved how Sohini depicts the beauty and excitement of New York, but also takes us back to the suburbs of Calcutta. She's unapologetically intellectual, covering everything from the economy to various authors that have influenced her.

I wanted a bit more New York, New York. And a bit more art. And maybe a bit more memoir and less info dump.

I liked the contrast between the hometown and the city where the author feels "at home". I empathized a lot with this feeling, but as I was saying, I wanted less info-dump and more of anything else. I wanted to get to know the story and the author and the cities, but instead I got nothing. The book is unsure how much to open up or what to focus on, and it feels.

I will soon forget about this graphic novel (calling it graphic novel is a bit of a stretch anyway).

The artwork was really beautiful but the novel wasn’t exactly what I expected. This is because I was expecting characters who spoke to each other while this was a reflective memoir. It was ok but just not for me.

I rather enjoyed this book in one sitting. The author captured the essence of the character's experience being dropped so to speak in a new world that she must learn to cozy up to. In the midst of her experiences, she begins to really enjoy her new busy, crowded, towering home and settles in to capture the peace in her life she once knew, but now with a different backdrop. The emotional piece was dead on in this book as the reader could feel the characters unease with being in this noisy new environment but also begin to breathe again as she learned to like what was around her... I love an adult graphic novel addressing themes that hit at the heart of our experiences when we can be most vulnerable.

A beautifully told story that lingers in your thoughts long after the last page — moving, immersive, and quietly unforgettable.

This gorgeously illustrated book is a love story to New York City, an affair Sohini started as a child in Calcutta reading and watching the stories told through the streets and lives of people there. Suffering from an abusive relationship and a desperate need for more life in her life, Sohini gets a one way ticket to NYC and doesn't really look back. Delving into her obsession with the city and why so many others also suffer from this obsession, she takes us through her twenties and thirties slowly unwrapping the gift she believes is NYC. This city would terrify me if I were ever to visit, but her love letter to NYC allows me a glimpse that truly human element it embodies. Worth the read just to view the illustrations.

Loved the essence of the book. Definitely buying a paperback copy as I couldn’t enjoy the illustrations very well on the e reader. Great work !

A few days before going to New York City for the first time, this book gave me an interesting view on what makes NYC as it is, from the point of view of an indian expat. I really loved how we got to discover the city through her eyes, what was important for her and what was queer. I also loved all the part about food because food has a great importance in how I discover new places and their culture.

A graphic memoir about an Indian woman who always dreamed of moving to New York and after a dark time in her life, she finally did. Parts of this I quite liked and identified with as well. I grew up in the Midwest and moved to New York as an adult as well. I quickly identified with all her feelings of moving to this magical place where all these literary masters made their home. But the books shifts a lot of gears, focusing on a lot of different subjects. That's where it lost me some because of how disjointed it felt as a whole. Sohini's artwork is REALLY good. I hope she continues to make graphic novels and I look forward to reading her next one.

What a love story of NY. An immigrant from India come to escape emotional baggage without a plan and manages to fall in love with NY.
Give a copy by Netgalley opinions my own.

This was fantastic. I really loved the layout and design of this. It made it easy to read, which I always appreciate. I enjoyed reading about the author's journey and her love of New York. I honestly wanted this to be longer. It was such a visually interesting book to read and I loved all of the colors and how the author used them throughout. I will definitely be checking out more from this author.

*This Beautiful, Ridiculous City* is Kay Sohini’s love letter to New York, the city that saved her. Through meandering walks and everyday rituals—riding the Roosevelt Island tram to Trader Joe’s, spotting Bengali translations on F-train notices, browsing the endless shelves at Strand—she uncovers the city’s quirks and comforts. Her mixed-media illustrations, layering maps, Polaroids, and textbook diagrams, capture the rhythm of city life with a comic-style energy. While her dense, text-heavy sections on India and NYC housing struggles slow the flow, her vibrant "postcards" of Jackson Heights, Midtown’s sky bridge, and autumn in Central Park pull you right back in. This book belongs in the classroom, inspiring students to sketch, map, and tell the stories of places that make them feel at home—or make them dream of somewhere new.

Thank you NetGalley and Clarkson/Ten Speed Press for this ARC.

Wow, there was a lot packed into this graphic novel; belonging, loving two cities around the world from each other (Calcutta and New York), relationship abuse, misogyny, generational expectations, author influences, food, you name it. It would have been very easy for all of this to exist in one book and be a hot jumbled mess, but she's clear in linking one subject to the next. It just works. Loved it.

Thank you to the author, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay in posting, I had several familial health challenges to contend with in the past months.

This graphic memoir is a love letter to New York City, with lots of heartbreak, yearning and questioning included. I loved the illustrations, and the way the author explored central themes of identity and belonging - and what happens when you have gaps in memory. She looks back at her life in India, with lots of fascinating socio-economic and political information woven in - and then looks at where she has landed and found a home. I also enjoyed the way the author incorporated the love of food that symbolizes family and her love for them. If you do not have a secret fascination with New York City, as I do, you may find parts of this uninteresting though.

This was an introspective mediation on family and place. After leaving an abusive relationship, Kay gets a scholarship to study in New York. Through literature about New York City and her lived experience, she also reflects on the modern Indian diaspora. The only downside is that the art is static, but the intense color adds depth to the emotion and narrative.

This was well-written and quite interesting. It had an interesting picture of the city of New York, which is such an iconic landmark in so many books, movies, and shows. I found it to be a unique perspective on what it might be like to move there. It was also an interesting study of human nature. Absolutely a worthwhile read.

Read in October, but as requested by the publisher, review posted the week of release.

3.5
This is a beautiful graphic novel. It is a memoir that takes us from India to New York. It's written and illustrated with so much love. You can tell the fondness by the author when she talks about her childhood, the movies, the food, her family. It's a vibrant narrative, one that goes to dark places too.

Since Kay Sohini was a child, she dreamt of New York. She fell in love with the city through stories, books and movies. She felt the calling to move countries and continents and as an adult, Kay loves her life in the Big Apple. Through struggles and breakdowns, the feeling for this city is what keeps her moving. So, what starts as a charming recollection, and her life in India (there's a lot of info about socioeconomics, politics, and culture), this graphic novel becomes a love letter to New York.
And though, like I said, it's beautifully illustrated, lost me a little as someone who doesn't feel that romantic notion of either New York nor America in general. Which is a shame, cause I feel like I couldn't enjoy this memoir. I feel like I was not the target audience, the idealised notion of this city I could not care less about is the central theme of this memoir. So maybe, if you feel like Kay, if you ever felt the same calling, if you ever lived there, you can fall in love all over again with New York through this pages. As for me? Reading lists of the very specific places she cares about, it was boring. It was underwhelming, not even the art style could save it.

I liked the beginning a lot. I liked learning about India, I loved the art. The love for the food that translates to the love for her family. The beauty of the city landscapes. However, I struggled with the writing, the disjointed nature of the memoir, and the pacing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for this eARC to review.

I love a good memoir, especially in graphic novel form, and this immigrant story really touched my heart. @Kaysohini shares her experience of moving from India to New York City, reflecting on her memories of home while adapting to her new life. I appreciated the touch of history, from the impact of Western civilization and rapid industrialization in India to the mention of Bollywood, which added richness to the narrative. Certain scenes even made me hungry, especially those featuring traditional Bengali dishes like koraishutir kochuri.

The memoir touches on deep themes, including grief, cultural differences, and domestic violence, offering insight into both Indian culture and the immigrant experience. Rather than a linear story, it felt more like a stream of consciousness—recollections of significant moments in her life. But I think that was intentional, capturing how she gradually came to embrace New York City.

The illustrations were a highlight for me, with stunning full-page spreads bursting with color and panels artfully placed throughout. I loved the integration of real photographs, which made the story feel even more personal and real.

Thank you @netgalley and @tenspeedpress for this ARC.

In this memoir, Kay Sohini shares her immigration story in what can best be described as a love letter to New York City. Not only does she discuss moving to a new country and her dream city, but also the turbulent years of her early 20s.

Early on, we see the contrast between a rapidly changing India and America, driven by the author's desire to escape to the place she's read countless times in books. The book then shifts to the story of an abusive relationship and overcoming all of the trials that came from it. Interlaced is a love of food and, of course, New York City.

The illustrations in this book are easily the most colorful and unique I have ever seen in a graphic novel. I want some of the skyline photos as posters! The book was also quite informative, giving some background on Indian history in the 90s/00s era as well as traditions and lineage. My only nitpick is that the narrative jumped around topics without much of a transition which I found jarred me out of the more serious moments too abruptly.

Overall, an absolutely stunning presentation and such an inspiring story.

Thanks to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book.