Drizzle, Dreams, and Lovestruck Things / Maya Prasad / Book Review

The four Singh sisters are as different as could be. 

Nidhi is always in control. As the eldest, she has to be. But that doesn't stop her from having big plans--plans that include summer in Paris with her boyfriend. Even if the relationship has started to feel stale. 

Avani is caught up in a go, go, go world of busywork, which isn't helped by her scatterbrained nature. She just wants her family to take her seriously. It would help if she could remember all the tasks she's supposed to do. 

Sirisha might be painfully quiet, but she still deserves love. Even if that means breaking out of her shell. And learning how to take a chance on the cute new girl in town.

Rani is a hopeless romantic, waiting for her Destiny to walk in the door. But definitely not the cute boy from last summer who ghosted her. She's got higher standards than that.



Thoughts

I loved the concept here--a seaside inn, four uniquely sisters, the whole coming-of-age arc. Maya Prasad's writing stands strong. But even with the concept and the writing, I just found the end product... a little boring. 

Pros

  • Sisterly Love: It's so rare to find a book where sisterhood is integral. This book perfectly captures that thread of sororal love, embodying what makes Louisa May Alcott's Little Women a classic. These four girls are distinctly different in personality, ambition, and life goals, but they love each other, understand each other, support each other--and that's excellent.
  • PNW Vibes: It can be so easy in contemporary novels for the setting to fall to the wayside. The setting is familiar, not a fantasy realm or deep space or some otherwise unfamiliar landscape that genre fiction generally employs. But here, the setting is as integral as the sisters. Crashing Pacific waves, fluttering snow, quirky hipster vibes--and of course, the seaside inn that these sisters call home. This setting creates a unique and sort of ethereal backdrop for this coming-of-age romance. 
  • Personality Writing: It can be hard, in third person narration, to find a distinctive voice for each character--especially when those characters are sisters. But Prasad does an excellent job distinguishing these girls, down to the very way their narrative parts are written. Nidhi thinks in lists, tasks to be done. Avani expresses her life through bouts of poetry. Quiet Sirisha's inner monologue fills in the gaps where her dialogue doesn't suffice, and Rani's romantic Bollywood-style script best describes her own hopes and dreams. This switch-up in narrative style was unique and interesting, and it perfectly fit each of these girls and their big dreams. 

Cons

  • Slow: This book is slow. It takes its time to unfold. It's not particularly short, and so there's a lot of material to dig into here. There's a lot to get mired in. Reading this book felt like a slog. That's not to say it wasn't enjoyable in the long run, but it does take its time to get there. 
  • Long Chapters: You know what makes a slow book feel longer than it already it? Long chapters. Because of the meandering nature of this story, the chapter length made it feel longer and slower than it should have. The writing here is good, but it is hard to get sucked into the story when each chapter feels like such a commitment. 
  • Similar Structure: Four sisters, uniquely different, right down to the very style in which their chapters are written. And yet, each of these four sections felt incredibly similar because they are all structured the same. The love interest is introduced, a few obstacles are thrown in the way, a long and ponderous build-up ensues, and then there's a kiss. Another chapter or two wrap up that sister's tale before we move on. It was fine the first time around. The fourth time, I was tired of it. 

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5/10

Fans of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women will enjoy these contemporary sisters learning to face the world. Those who enjoyed Ann Brashares's Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants will love these four unique perspectives on love and life. 

Details

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Date: October 18, 2022
Series: N/A
Add to Goodreads
Buy It HERE

Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sky's End / Marc J. Gregson / Book Review

Image
SKY'S END Sixteen-year-old Conrad wasn't born to be a Low. In fact, he was born to be the highest of the Highs, but he lost all that when his father died—was murdered—and his treacherous uncle took power. The Meritocracy is harsh. That's just the way of the world. Conrad was offered a place by his uncle's side, but he won't stand with a traitor—even if it means exile as a Low. But when Conrad's mother dies in a gorgantaun attack, he knows he has to get the last of his family back: his little sister. And getting his sister means working with his uncle... kind of. Conrad and his uncle strike a deal. Conrad can come back without bowing to the traitor, but only if he earns it. And earning it means entering the Selection. Earning it means joining the Hunters, the deadliest of the Trades. Earning it means rising to be captain, surviving the brutal Gauntlet, and killing the most gorgantauns in this Selection year. And in a w...
Read more

Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix / Gabe Cole Novoa / Book Review

Image
MOST ARDENTLY: A PRIDE & PREJUDICE REMIX Oliver Bennet isn't who everyone thinks he is. He's a man, for one. The world knows of the five beautiful and witty Bennet daughters, charming and of good breeding (even if they are a little light on funds). But Oliver isn't resigned to a fate of petticoats, ballrooms, and endless suitors until his ultimate (unfortunate) wedding. He has bigger plans, if only he can figure out a way to realize them. But living as the man he knows he is turns out to be rather difficult in 1812. Even with suitable clothes, Oliver has to be careful not to get caught. But when Oliver runs into some acquaintances while dressed as his true self, they don't recognize him... and it gives him ideas. It gives him hope that the world might let him exist as he pleases. On the other hand, his family... THOUGHTS Honestly, this book is such ...
Read more

A Darker Mischief / Derek Milman / Book Review

Image
A DARKER MISCHIEF A working class kid from Mississippi, Cal Ware isn't exactly in the position to turn down a full-ride scholarship to an elite New England boarding school. And why would he want to? He'd do anything to leave his life in Mississippi behind after what happened. A chance to attend Essex Academy is a chance to reinvent himself. But as Essex, image is more important than Cal thought, and all his new classmates can see is his thrift store clothes, his several-generations-too-old phone... His accent only helps him to stick out more. His parents don't work in politics, don't run companies, don't own fancy vacation homes on the Cape. If Cal thought he could fresh start here at Essex, well... But just when Cal's ready to give up on reinventing himself, he learns one Essex secret that might give him a leg up. There's a secret society on this campus, a society that cares more about intelligence than money or ...
Read more