Liz Loves Books.Com.

My grateful thanks to Quercus for the lovely review copy.

To commemorate Chitralekha Nepauney’s Chaurasi – her landmark 84th birthday – Chitralekha’s grandchildren are travelling to Gangtok to pay their respects. All three harbour the same dual objective: to emerge from the celebrations with their grandmother’s blessing and their nerves intact: a goal that will become increasingly impossible thanks to a mischievous maid and a fourth, uninvited guest.

So I really enjoy a good bit of family drama, especially when it is well formed and often hilarious as is the case right here.

An eclectic mix of brilliantly portrayed characters come together and over the course of a funny, insightful and often emotional story we learn more about them and where they have come from.

It is a cultural soundbite about an area and a people I know little about -or knew little about until I read this book - the background is fascinating, covering many little rituals and observations on life that are endlessy intriguing. Set against the backdrop of the Gorkhaland movement I learned a lot as I went.

My favourite character was Prashanti,without a doubt, but they are all marvellous people to reside with for a while, some of them formidable indeed.

An absolutely captivating tale. Recommended.

Happy Reading Folks!