Such Big Dreams
Reema Patel’s brilliant debut, Such Big Dreams, is a moving story about poverty and classism in Mumbai.
Synopsis: Rakhi is a twenty-three-year-old haunted by the grisly aftermath of an incident that led to the loss of her best friend eleven years ago. Constantly reminded she doesn't belong, Rakhi lives alone in a Mumbai slum, working as a lowly office assistant at Justice For All, a struggling human-rights law organization headed by the renowned lawyer who gave her a fresh start.
Fiercely intelligent and in possession of a sharp wit and an even sharper tongue, Rakhi is nobody's fool, even if she is underestimated by everyone around her. Rakhi's life isn't much, but she's managing. That is, until Rubina Mansoor, a fading former Bollywood starlet, tries to edge her way back into the spotlight by becoming a celebrity ambassador for Justice For All. Steering the organization into uncharted territories, she demands an internship for Alex, a young family friend from Canada and Harvard-bound graduate student. Ambitious, persistent, and naïve, Alex persuades Rakhi to show him "the real" India. In exchange, he'll do something to further Rakhi's dreams in a transaction that seems harmless, at first.
As old guilt and new aspirations collide, everything Rakhi once knew to be true is set ablaze. And as the stakes mount, she will come face-to-face with the difficult choices and moral compromises that people make in order to survive, no matter the cost. Reema Patel's transportive debut novel offers a moving, smart, and arrestingly clever look at the cost of ambition and power in reclaiming one's story.
What appealed to you the most in this story?
"This city is mutilating itself with these bloody class divides."
The culture and setting are what really drew me into this story. Patel really brings the Indian slums to life in a realistic and heartbreaking way. From the very beginning I found myself immersed in Rakhi’s story (both present and past) and like I was right there in Mumbai as she worked and traveled throughout the city.
Was Rakhi a realistic character?
Rakhi is a character that embodied realistic. Nothing in her life was sugar coated to create a fairytale existence. Her bluntness and stark outlook had me emotionally hooked as I read about her class struggles and lack of privilege as she started out as a young girl living in the streets. What really made me love her the most was her amazing resilience and how she was still holding onto her dreams.
How was the pace?
This was a slow burn character driven story. Even though it was a slow burn, I found myself turning the pages quickly.
Do you recommend this book?
If you are looking for an impactful and thought-provoking story, then you really should pick up this heartbreaking and inspiring story!
Thank you, Ballantine Books, for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
