Radha Balasubramanian

Read it non-stop for a couple of days and enjoyed the racy style. I loved the book for its title as it depicted the dichotomy that is there throughout the writing. Anuradha depicted the Indian reality, tradition, language, etc. extremely well, with a whole family involved in doing everything. The parents' struggle in coming to the US and making it here, their insistence on continuing to follow the Indian values, and insisting that the kids born here live up to their expectations, are brought out well. The heroine's Ranis struggle to find her identity, her strong will and her inner courage is seen clearly. She also shows Oliver's utter ignorance and insensitivity to other cultures, which is very common in kids in midwest high schools!. I loved the way Anuradha is able to bring forth the American "artsy" teenage language and their values . Some of what they say was new to me. The author is extremely talented in conveying what is happening between characters through dialogues without interfering. That makes the book dramatic,. I wonder if she has been approached by film makers to bring this book live on screen! Anuradha is able to easily shift gears from Indian to American milieu. I like how she puts everything for the reader to decide without interpreting the actions. The climax with grandfather's death was classic. The grandfather, who loved Rani immensely, finally saves her from making a mistake and at the same time face reality. I am waiting for more books from Anuradha Rajurkar!