The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing - 4.5 stars up to 5

[Susan]

This debut novel is the story of an immigrant family from India, living in Albuquerque, where the head of household is a neurosurgeon named Thomas. His wife, Kamala, is the somewhat overbearing, prone-to-hysteria mother of son, Akhil and daughter, Amina. Their relationship with Thomas’s family back in Tamil Nadu is fraught. Kamala was never good enough or pale enough to suit her mother-in-law. Akhil is frankly resentful of his misfit status in the US and Amina has moved to Seattle to stay clear of her mother and pursue her photography career. Early on in the book, Kamala calls Amina to report that the eccentric Thomas is acting stranger than usual, alarming Amina into making a trip home. The timeline shifts back and forth between present day (Amina’s life in Seattle life and her visit home), and the high school years of Akhil and Amina. I thought the character development was excellent. The family dynamics, where much is repressed, even within an obviously loving relationship between Amina and Thomas, are well demonstrated. Amina’s ambivalence about her family was balanced just right. It’s a long book and the author could probably have cut some of it, but mostly she uses the pages to fill in rich details of the family. I felt satisfied with the way she ended it –and I felt like I’d heard a really good story. I hope Mira Jacob will write more. She’s very good.

[Holly R W]

Susan, I remember really enjoying the book when it first came out- So glad that you enjoyed it too! I like the author's writing chops.

Jacob did write and illustrate a memoir in graphic form, which I read. It is Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations.

Here is my review. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Booknblues]

Thanks for your review, Susan. This sounds up my alley.