I absolutely loved this. An Indian widow leaves Kolkata, the only city she’s ever known, to go on a cross country tour of America, with the end destination being where her son lived. She hasn’t seen her son in years as her domineering husband decreed he was dead to them. There is also the possibility that her son is actually dead. Her companions on this trip are Satya and Rebecca. The latter is an American struggling actress and the former is a boy from Bangladesh hoping to make it in the U.S. They are an unlikely trio, each with their own backstory and motivation. We also read the backstories of the tour company operator and the Mrs. Sengupta’s son’s lover.
I really liked how this story was comprised of so many stories-for example, finding out all about Ronnie, the tour company owner.
This was a pretty touching story, particularly when it came to grief and isolation. I relished the last few chapters especially. It was also a fascinating story in terms of cultural differences and India-Bangladesh history. Mrs. Sengupta is not a character filled with self pity, but I felt so much pity for her and anger on her behalf at the life she had lived under her terrible husband.
The Last Book I Read 