Books by Dorothea: REVIEW - A Great Country ebook

A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda (ebook)

OVERVIEW

Wow, this book was very thought-provoking. The premise could happen any day in any city in the United States. To me, that is the problem! A 12-year-old boy is violently arrested and injured, held without his parents or representation, and in an adult county jail because he is "tall and looks 18". Seriously, that is what we are coming to as a country?

The novel follows the story of the Shah family after the arrest of their son or brother. It includes the healing of the family after the trauma of the arrest. Additionally, this incident brings the family closer to each other as a family and to the friends that are family.

This story is really about the police playing hardball with everyone, but most especially with people who are different. We need more mental health workers riding with the police to help determine a person's mental status and defuse the situation. Adding more police is not the answer - the answer is better-trained police.

OVERALL REVIEW: 4.0 stars

Writing: 4.0 stars

Shilpi writes this novel in a way that allows you to read quickly because the story keeps you engaged and at the edge of your seat. There aren't a lot of extraneous descriptions which I would have loved since the Shah family is East Indian. The culture is beautiful and all about the family. Food and family - my kind of community!

Character development: 4.0 stars

There are five main characters - Ashok, Priya (immigrant parents from India), and their American-born children Deepa, Maya, and Ajay. The story deals with the secrets of everyone in the family. Some secrets impact only the individual and then there are the secrets that affect the entire family. The family heals from the purging of these secrets and becomes stronger and closer than they were before the arrest.

The secondary characters are the friends and family of the Shah family members. They include personal family friends, school friends, work friends, and neighbors.

The tertiary characters are the general characters that are needed to make the story work. But there are a reasonable number of supporting characters!

Storyline: 4.0 stars

The storyline is about a 12-year-old boy who is doing something he shouldn't where he shouldn't be doing like most 12-year-old boys! The story begins with his arrest and ends about a month later - it moves really fast with short tight chapters that keep the reader on edge.

My only criticism is I would like to know what happened to the two police officers involved in the arrest. Would it be satisfying? Probably not.

The main locations are Orange County, California, and some flashbacks to India.

Memorable/Informative: 4.5 stars

This is a very thought-provoking book. It is about the arrest of a 12-year-old boy who was thought to be one type of person due to mistaken appearances and prejudices. This could happen to kids that I know and love which is so very wrong.

I will be thinking about this book for a very long time.

Book cover: 4.0 stars

Very pretty.

Book title: 4.5 stars

So appropriate!

DEFINITE recommend

EBOOK DETAILS

NetGalley ARC (ebook) via Book Club Girl

A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

256 pages

Mariner Books

Release date of 03/26/2024