Book Review: The Windfall

Title: The Windfall

Author: Diksha Basu

Page Count: 295 Pages

Where I received: Crown Publishing

Actual Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

This is a pretty enjoyable read. Although it is quite depressing. I am unsure of what I expected going into this book but I don't think it lived up to my expectations. I really was drawn to the cover of this book. It is simplistic but yet powerful. The typography is quite beautiful. 

Windfall is centered around a newly-rich Indian family. Which is very unheard of in India and causes the characters to suddenly have a new identity and some life adjustments. Ultimately, they end up experience a lot of confusion about who they are now. A quote that displays this perfectly is, 

"His India was neither rich nor poor. There were no huge homes and elaborate weddings, nor were there slums and water shortages and child laborers. The middle ground was too confusing to explain to an outsider. It was neither exotic enough nor familiar enough" 

The main issue of the book was the depressing vibe that it gave off. I really disliked the main character Jha's son Rupak. He was arrogant, irresponsible, and completely lacked any accountability. He got away with everything. He has bad grades and really doesn't try in school. Does he acknowledge his actions in these facts? No, of course not. Instead he blames his parents new wealth for his actions. He says he has no reason to study, that it interferes with his life and hobbies. He doesn't want to be independent or ever stop living off of his parents. This just rubbed me the wrong way. 

This book is a classic look on how money changes people. Either better or worse, no one is the same after money. Often it takes hitting rock bottom for us to see what is really important in life. What makes sense and who we are. The classic story of finding who you are. 

Disclaimer: Thank you Crown Publishing  and Blogging For Books for sending me a free, finished copy of this book in an exchange for an honest review!

Links to purchase: Amazon // Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Description:

For the past thirty years, Mr. and Mrs. Jha’s lives have been defined by cramped spaces, cut corners, gossipy neighbors, and the small dramas of stolen yoga pants and stale marriages. 

They thought they’d settled comfortably into their golden years, pleased with their son’s acceptance into an American business school. But then Mr. Jha comes into an enormous and unexpected sum of money, and moves his wife from their housing complex in East Delhi to the super-rich side of town, where he becomes eager to fit in as a man of status: skinny ties, hired guards, shoe-polishing machines, and all.

The move sets off a chain of events that rock their neighbors, their marriage, and their son, who is struggling to keep a lid on his romantic dilemmas and slipping grades, and brings unintended consequences, ultimately forcing the Jha family to reckon with what really matters..