"Survival required blending in."

The Taste of Ginger by Mansi Shah has been pulling on my heart strings from the opening scene. This is a beautiful story about family, identity assimilation, culture clash, Indian caste system, grief and the sacrifices of immigrant families. The writing is chock full of emotion and Indian culture. The story is so compelling and well written I can hardly believe this a debut novel. There is just so much depth in the storytelling and the characters are so layered. I literally traveled to India with this family and am wrapped up in their every thought and emotion. 

If you're looking for a captivating tale about family and survival look no further. The themes in this one will leave you longing to start a conversation and reconnect with family. This wonderful tale highlighted:

🇮🇳 Indian representation and culture 
🇮🇳 First generation immigration
🇮🇳 Indian caste system & Hinduism
🇮🇳 Assimilation, identity & racism
🇮🇳 Arranged marraiges vs. Love
🇮🇳 Sacrifices & shame of immigrants
🇮🇳 Clash of culture, old vs. new
🇮🇳 Complicated mother-daughter relationships 
🇮🇳 American dream vs. Reality
🇮🇳 Parental expectations of success of immigrant parents
🇮🇳 Grief and loss of a child
🇮🇳 Disparities between men & women 
🇮🇳 Family values & responsibilities
🇮🇳 Homophobia

I highly recommend this one because it is such a powerful depiction about the bonds of family. Shah has an exciting and unique voice and I am curious to read what she has in store for us next. Thanks to @tlcbooktours @lakeunionpublishing @tlcdiversity for the gifted copy.