The art in this book was beautiful, I just felt like there was no story. It was barely even a brief essay: Her grandfather used to cook a lot. She had an abusive relationship. She left India for NYC, where she learned to cook and lived in several different apartments.

This Beautiful, Ridiculous City is a gorgeously illustrated graphic memoir. The illustrations are stunning - bright and vibrant. Photographs and quotes from literature sometimes supplement the main illustrations. In the book, the author explores her move from India to New York City; the factors that led to her deciding to move as well as her process of building a life there. The book opens with Sohini sitting in a plane of the runway at JFK airport waiting for it to be given gate clearance and trying to make an inventory of all the things she'd left behind. It then goes back to explore her life in India and the factors that contributed to her decision to move to New York. We learn about her love of literature, the political and cultural background of India in the post colonial years, particularly during her childhood, and the impact of globalisation and the pervasiveness of Western culture. We also see how the sudden death of her beloved grandfather fractured her family and witness the impact of a toxic relationship, one which featured a lot of gaslighting and emotional abuse, infidelity as well as some physical violence. Finally, we see how she was able to recover and build life in NYC, how the city's sense of promise fuelled and nurtured her. The book is, in many ways, a love letter to New York City. Sohini is happily in its thrall despite recognising many of its problems, most notably gentrification. Sohini draws and writes about food incredibly well. Be forewarned parts of this book will have you drooling. Overall, I found this an interesting addition to the field of migration literature. It's focus on a single person rather than a family, the author's particular reasons for migrating, as well as her focus largely on the gains and not the losses, make this book stand out from the pack. So, too, does its eclectic combination of abstract, academic-like non-fiction elements with the personal, introspective beats of a memoir. This is a quick one-sitting read, made especially enjoyable by the lush, vivid illustrations. However, don't mistake quick and illustrated as synonymous with lack of substance. This slim little volume packs a lot in and much of it is emotionally hard-hitting and/or thought-provoking.

The title of this book won me over along with its vibrant cover, and I read it in one sitting. The graphics are lively and engaging, and Sohini's illustrations and food descriptions are mouthwatering, I loved the page describing her grandmother making a ritual out of peeling clementines, "because in Bengali, we do not say, 'I love you.'" She brings New York City to life as a place for self-realization and healing, and I loved that she began with a quote by James Baldwin: "You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive." Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC. Pub Date: Jan 28, 2025.

#ThisBeautifulRidiculousCity

Kay Sohini shares her life experiences growing up in Calcutta and moving to New York City in this excellent graphic memoir. She has used her fabulous skills drawing what she saw, sharing photographs and weaving quotes amidst her own eloquent words. Memoirs are one of my favorite genres and Kay Sohini demonstrates why the graphic memoir style is perfect for sharing life experiences.

I liked this graphic memoir, geared towards adults......great artwork, lots of literary references, informative about life in India & some history of the country too. I ended up liking the 1st 40% of the book better than the last part.....finding the latter part to be awfully 'information dense', lots of text in the little/big worded bubbles..... it contained appropriate info, but just no longer felt like the earlier part of the book. It is certainly an ode to NYC!
I received an early digital copy of the book for review, from publisher Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press/Ten Speed Graphic via NetGalley. This is my own fair/honest review.

I don't know how I went into this not realizing it was a memoir, but it definitely is. I was less enthralled with this one, but I think that had to do with it being a memoir when I thought it was going to be some form of contemporary fiction?

Thank you NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. 3 ⭐️ Absolutely gorgeous art and beautiful references to New York City. At times it felt like a love letter to New York which was so powerful and enjoyable. However, I often got the impression that as a collective whole this book felt choppy and disjointed. It jumped around too much for me and lacked a cohesive element tying it together.

I enjoyed this book. This is a really beautiful memoir on finding your place in the world and discovering news things. The illustrations were stunning and with vivid colors.

For being both the author AND graphic illustrator for her own memoir, I give many flowers to Sohini! This stunning piece of art is a tribute to her resilience and the places and people and things that made her who she is today. I learned things about Indian history and culture, was dazzled by the glorious cuisine, and maybe (just maybe) was persuaded to visit New York City one day! I also loved the literary and pop culture references and the author's depictions of New York and her apartment!

I think I fell in love. Not with New York since I'm much of a countryside person myself. But with the storytelling, the art style, the colors, the author, the design of each page. It's a memoir that wraps you up in a blanket, serves you hot chai and makes you cry and reflect on your life. Like what am I even doing with it, you know? It also touches up on some very serious topics of domestic abuse, suicidal thoughts (and attempts), family problems, communication issues, losing sense of self. And despite all of that, it's not hard to digest. The novel forces you to think, to dissect the story, the situations the author had to deal with. I'd say it's an amazing piece of media for someone who wants to challenge their world view, someone who wants to learn more, who wants to truly reflect on what it means to be human, to feel lost, to go through many hardships life (and people) throws your way.

Following the author through her infatuation with New York and literature, we get to experience someone new to a city and how overwhelming it can be. I liked the art style and thought the portrayal of a lot of the information and history was interesting. Overall, a good read.

This graphic novel is a mix of social commentary and autobiography. It opens with important contextual information about the culture and social climate in India during the author’s childhood and adolescence. The rest of the books describes how she built a life and a home for herself in New York, finding solace and comfort in a city that was once inhabited by her favorite authors.

I enjoyed the artwork and the insight into Kay Sohini’s story and values, and it was interesting to see how she went from feeling lost to finding freedom and a sense of belonging in the city. This book celebrates the many cultures and experiences that exist in NYC, despite the city’s imperfections. It made me want to revisit New York and soak in the sights and sounds of the city once again.

I thought this graphic memoir was beautiful illustrated and the writing was very compelling. I loved reading about the authors experience moving from India to New York. I also love how the authors love of food was incorporated through out the book. This definitely a fun and unique graphic novel for any fans of memoirs, non fiction, or graphic novels. I highly recommend picking this one up once it's released on January 28th!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed reading this. I think it captured the dream a lot of people have of moving to a new place they’ve imagined themselves living in for a while.

"This Beautiful, Ridiculous City" is a mesmerizing memoir of growing up, belonging, and finding your place in this vast world.

I found it surprising how much I resonated with Kay Sohini's story - surely a girl from the Balkan Peninsula had nothing to do with either New York or India. However, I soon realized the foolishness of my presumption. As the author wisely quotes James Baldwin at the beginning:

"You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive."

There is no better quote to describe my thoughts about this book.
It's a story about trauma, family, surviving, and finding yourself. Of building a home.
Of questioning who you are and who you would be if some peculiarities of your life were different.

I was encaptured by the stunning art in this book and I was in awe of all the little details that the author included in each page. I was enthralled in finding all the references and little hints on the pages of this book.

Some readers mentioned that they found the order of the text boxes confusing and hard to follow. I never had that problem.
On the other hand, my preferred books are Graphic Novels and Comics, so maybe I am just a "veteran".

This is the first book in a long time that left me sad about finishing it, and I wish I could have read so much more.
I would highly recommend it, and plan to buy it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kay Sohini, and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kay Sohini’s This Beautiful, Ridiculous City is a heartfelt graphic memoir that tells the story of her journey from Calcutta to New York City. The book explores big themes like trauma, belonging, and what it means to rebuild your life. The illustrations are beautiful and bring her story to life, making it easy to feel her love for the city and her struggles as an immigrant.

The book, however, felt a bit all over the place at times. It didn’t seem sure if it wanted to be a history book, a personal memoir, or a love letter to New York. But maybe that’s what makes it special—life itself is never just one thing. It’s made up of so many different experiences, and the book reflects that.

What I loved most were the small moments, like the references to DDLJ and the descriptions of food. They made me feel connected to the story and reminded me of how comforting familiar things can be, even in a new place.

The illustrations were stunning, but sometimes there was too much information on the page, and it wasn’t always clear how to read the text. It made some parts a little confusing, which was a shame because the art and story are so emotional and powerful.

Overall, This Beautiful, Ridiculous City is a touching and visually beautiful book. While it has its flaws, it’s a thoughtful story about finding yourself and your place in the world. It’s definitely worth a read for anyone who has ever felt lost but still hopeful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for the advanced copy!

In this graphic memoir Kay Sohini takes you on a journey through New York and her life.

She ponders about the question: is a city capable to comfort and heal a person?

It all starts with the Love of literature and identification with the written word. As a child and a young adult Kay hears all kind of wonderful promises about New York.

On the hand of what famous writers and films say about New York, you tumble deeper in the life of Kay. You discover about her youth in India, and why one day she decides to leave India to set foot in the city of dreams. But will this city provide her with the things she is looking for?

This story paints facts, photographs, sweet memories, traditions and complex mental health topics and trauma into a brilliant work of art.

When I turned over the last page, it left me with a feeling: I should buy a ticket and travel to experience New York. And next to it the question: is there anything else this author wrote? Because I want to read that now!

Ten Speed Press provided an early galley for review.

From the dedication, Kay reveals that she worked more than full time (twelve or more hours a day) for six months on the drawing for this book. And it truly shows in the end result. Each page is full of vibrant details and gorgeous perspective. The layouts are creative and encourage the reader to fully engage in the flow that only this kind of format can deliver. The colors give off an energy that hums, much like the city that is at the heart of the narrative. Her story is a moving one that touches upon so many themes (family connections, the power of food, surviving an abusive relationship). The choice of presenting all this through a visual medium works extremely well.

Like Kay, from a very young age I too was fascinated by the siren song of the city that does not sleep. Though, I never made it my home (yet), I enjoyed visiting a few times in my twenties and would always welcome any opportunities to do so again. Her memoir manages to capture all of the wonder of New York.

This book seems short but gives you so much to think about and to reflect and learn. I want to go to New York now, her colourful drawings made it so enjoying to follow her story, even though it's hard and it's not an easy read. I think you should look up content notes before reading this. I learned so much about Indiann culture but also about the everchanging city of New York and I'll hold my eyes open for more by this artist and author!

Beautifully illustrated! Though sometimes I got a bit overwhelmed with the amount of information, and the reading order of the text wasn't always very obvious. Still, this was a good read!