The Taste of Ginger: A Novel

I went through the emotions with the characters on this journey. A tale that those who feel caught between two cultures can easily relate to, regardless of what part of the world they are from.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and it was nice to read about cultural differences which we face in different countries. Very good read.

Ms Shah has explored the lifestyle and philosophic dilemmas faced by all immigrants. She has articulated the choices available and the necessity to adapt to grasp opportunities that your new home offers. If i understood her, she eventually accepts her Americaness and I presume she will return to the US. If you do not adapt your outlook to your new home then, if you are sensible you should return home. Sadly many immigrants fail to see this.Mansi Shah's story line captures these ideas well without being artificial or stretching credulity. It struck a chord with me as I too am a South Asian immigrant, of over 50 years standing and in many ways faced the questions Preeti posed.

I love books set in different parts of the world, to learn the customs and culture of other countries, and India is such a vibrant and colourful country I thought I would love this one. This book started well, I enjoyed reading of Preeti’s integration into life in America from the age of seven and of the hugely different lifestyle changes on her return visit to India at the age of 30 following a family tragedy. But then the book turned into a monologue of self-reflection and feeling sorry for herself and by 50% I was longing for something – anything – interesting to happen, it had become rather boring! I’m not usually a fan of books told from multiple POVs, but on this occasion I felt it might have worked better.The book picked up again around the 75% point and I became more immersed in Preeti’s relationships with the other characters and the strict rules and customs of the country. Western readers might believe the book was set 20-30 years ago as Indian customs are so outdated, and I never realised their caste system was so rascist and prejudiced amongst the people of their own country. But I do now have a huge respect for their customs and beliefs and the contentment the majority of them feel for their rather harsh and disciplined lifestyle. The book may not have had the ending I would like, but it was probably a more realistic one.Finally, the x-ray facility for this book on Kindle is useless. There is no character list, so I had to keep doing a ‘search’ for previous references, and a glossary of Indian words and terminology would have been very helpful in the ‘terms’ section to save me having to ‘Google’ them.

This is well written and there's not a hint of Bollywood in it. Sadly, it shows how very prejudiced India and its customs can be, and I say this as a British Asian who was born in the UK, lived a few years in the country that my family stems from, and who married an English guy and faced some of the dilemmas that Preeti faces.There's sadness that I hadn't expected in the tale, and I had to ask myself if it was necessary or just a vehicle to get Preeti out to India. This surprised me, as to lose someone in this way was heartbreaking and not what Indian culture likes to dwell on. The rites and customs and people and their prejudices and their 'what will people say?' culture were spot on.What was not great here, is how Preeti outed a gay man who'd confided in her, and how the gay man then agreed to enter into a marriage to a woman. There are reasons for the latter, and they're sad ones and ones that exist all too often, and again, this tale came far too close to the truth for comfort. Most readers, and I strongly think that this tale is NOT aimed at a Western audience, or perhaps is aimed at NRI - Non Resident Indians, because there's so much that the West would consider close to racism. I did. I do.Refreshingly, though, it doesn't end in Bollywood sweetness and roses. But Preeti finds herself in some ways, loses part of herself, too, and realises that she has a lot of finding and growing up to do.On an editorial level, there's a lot of repetition about biodata, to the point I wondered why no one had done a count. I wonder why the outing of the gay man was seen as acceptable.

This book has made me think of the plight of immigrants worldwide and their tussles with their old and new customs and who they really are. An excellent book!

Beautifully portrayed conflict of how to identify when cultures collide- sensitively approached and full of insights into just how different ways of thinking and expectations can be depending on your upbringings

This book is an exploration of the effect on children who move to a new country where they are the only Asian family in the area. It explores the difficulties of fitting in at a new school while still living with Asian rules at home. How is success measured and how much effort does it take? The visit back to India raises different questions yet answers others. A very thoughtful book that I would recommend to anyone who is interested in the challenges of different race and different culture.