#BookReview: When Dimple Met Rishi
5 stars
Genre: YA contemporary
romance
Pros:
Diverse main
charactersInteresting cultural
referencesCute flip of a theme
Cons:
Predictable love story
I loved When Dimple Met Rishi! It features a cute romance. Not only do the two main characters fall in love, but you also start to adore them as a reader. I particularly liked how Menon flipped the theme of arranged marriages into something culturally positive.
All the tidbits of the characters’ beliefs about culture and thinking made for a great book in terms of how to create identity and what things are taken from one generation to the next. I’m also glad that she set this story at a summer conference for web developers.
I did hit a slight snag in the beginning when Dimple is first introduced. It seemed like she took on the rebellious archetype and acted a tad too disrespectful to her elders for my taste. Thankfully, that feeling was short-lived during the first chapter, and I was able to understand Dimple’s perspective soon enough.
The only other minor issue I have is that it’s a very predictable love story. Sure, there are obstacles along the way, but it’s definitely a general rush to happily ever. I do applaud Menon, though, for making Dimple a thinking woman who stands up for herself and makes sure she doesn’t just get reduced to a role or caricature.
Overall, an adorable love story.
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