Monday, June 1, 2015

One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

I heard about One Amazing Thing on Erin Reads. Since I'm trying to read more books about POC, I added it to my tbr list. I'm so glad I did. One Amazing Thing is a phenomenal book that will keep you thinking for days.

Nine people survive an earthquake but are stuck in the Indian consulate. Nine strangers must attempt to survive as they wait to die or be rescued. One woman suggests they share their stories, tell the others about one amazing thing. At first, the group balks. Why should I tell you about myself? But slowly they start sharing, eager to be heard. Even thought they are from different walks of life, different ages, they all have stories of pain, disappointment, and loss. And even in the rubble of this consulate, maybe some hope.

One Amazing Thing is a slender novel, just about 200 pages. But I was amazed by how quickly the characters develop and how the story unfolded. This wasn't a quick story. I definitely wanted to savor their stories and think about how their stories effected their situations. I would recommend this for book  clubs. There is so much to talk about! It's not super heavy. I just wanted time to process and react to their stories.

I really enjoyed One Amazing Thing and I would recommend it. It's more in the adult fiction category but I think older teens might also enjoy it. Others who shared their thoughts on One Amazing Thing: Erin Reads, A Little Adrift, Linus's Blanket, and Caribousmom.

2 comments:

  1. I read this book a couple of years ago and loved it. I'm not usually much of a fan of short stories, and this one is not billed as that but works that way pretty much. There was a lot of depth here. Glad you enjoyed it! Makes me want to go reread it.

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