I liked the way the novel was “structured,” though one cannot say that there was a plot per se, more like the travails of a young Bengali who realizes that he has to consciously make efforts to find his way by reconciliation and acceptance of his inherited legacy as well as his American-ness. As the protagonist goes through his teenage years and adulthood self-consciously about his name and identity, he comes to realize facets about his growth as an individual, and his liaisons with women make him realize the differences between his family and the milieu that he is into. In that way, the pacing of the story was according to my liking as I came to understand the complexities of the immigrant experience. But, I would have liked the plot to contain more vivid descriptions of the landscape and imaginative use of the scenery and suburban life that the Ganguli’s were leading.
I especially liked the way the protagonist weaves through the plot looking to escape his emptiness and find fulfillment through a series of relationships before finally realizing that his “freedom” lies in seeking out his identity for himself instead of hand-me-downs. The use of the scenes of cooking and eating also makes for good reading as a metaphor for cultural differences as well as integration. And the description of the parties at the Ganguli household as well as those at Maxine’s and the ones that he and Moushimi attend prove a setting for the contrasting styles of each household.