The Taste of Ginger: one's journey to find home

The Taste of Ginger by Mansi Shah is a story of one woman’s journey to find where she is truly home. Preeti Desai, a first-generation immigrant, hasn’t lived the life her parents mapped out for her. She seemingly bucked every tradition her parents hold dear. She was barely on speaking terms with her parents when she moved in with her white Christian American boyfriend. Even after the relationship ends, the only thing she has going for her is her prestigious career at a Los Angeles law firm. When a family tragedy brings her back to the city of her birth, she learns more about the complicated past that her parents left behind and their reasons for moving to America. As she realizes the family’s battles with class, tradition and sacrifice, will she discover what home truly means? 

It’s not good when my first thought after finishing a book is “I really wanted to like this story.” It came so highly recommended that I was looking forward to it. However, Preeti is such an unlikable character with no redeeming qualities or even growth. She whines about everything! She is selfish, immature and self-absorbed. There are pages and pages where Preeti is essentially arguing with herself. The internal monologues were way too often. It was hard to believe she was supposed to be a professional woman of 30 and not a teenager. The story overexplains just about everything that it felt like a condescending lecture, especially about the cultural differences between America and India. The author wasn’t nice about either culture. It’s hard to say but I do not recommend The Taste of Ginger. 

The Taste of Ginger is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook