Dava Shastri's Last Day by Kirthana RamisettiMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
The synopsis sounded intriguing. I required a humorous yet profound novel at this time in my life. What I did get was a varied and politically correct cast of characters, a complicated and sometimes convoluted story with an abundance of information on music and musicians that I had never heard of. I'm still not sure if all of the bands she mentions are real or not! All this music talk just bored me. I can see that it was the crux of many of Dava's relationships...but it just didn't work to keep me engaged.
The idea of a terminal cancer patient bringing her family together on her private island for one last time was an interesting one. But, of course, knowing that she (Dava) was a multi-billionaire added a little something to the mix, and then finding out that this book was set in 2044 during what seems to be the height of climate change was the cherry on the cake.
Unfortunately, as I said, the music issue was a non-starter for me(perhaps because of my age); the characters were all shallow, the lies were hard to take, the deaths by cancer were just brutal, and the book just never seemed to end.
I did manage to finish this simply because I wanted to see how it ended and if Dava's family overcame all of their issues. But, unfortunately, I did have to do a lot of skimming.
*ARC provided by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley.
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Dava Shastri, one of the world's wealthiest women, has always lived with her sterling reputation in mind. A brain cancer diagnosis at the age of seventy, however, changes everything, as she decides to take her death—like all matters of her life—into her own hands.
Summoning her four adult children to her private island, she discloses shocking news: in addition to having a terminal illness, she has arranged for the news of her death to break early, so she can read her obituaries.
As someone who dedicated her life to the arts and the empowerment of women, Dava expects to read articles lauding her philanthropic work. Instead, her "death" reveals two devastating secrets, truths she thought she had buried forever.
And now the whole world knows, including her children.
In the time she has left, Dava must come to terms with the decisions that have led to this moment—and make peace with those closest to her before it's too late.
Compassionately written and chock-full of humor and heart, this powerful novel examines public versus private legacy, the complexities of love, and the never-ending joys—and frustrations—of family."
View all my reviews
SYNOPSIS: "In this thought-provoking and entertaining debut novel about of a multicultural family, a dying billionaire matriarch leaks news of her death early so she can examine her legacy--a decision that horrifies her children and inadvertently exposes secrets she has spent a lifetime keeping.
Dava Shastri, one of the world's wealthiest women, has always lived with her sterling reputation in mind. A brain cancer diagnosis at the age of seventy, however, changes everything, as she decides to take her death—like all matters of her life—into her own hands.
Summoning her four adult children to her private island, she discloses shocking news: in addition to having a terminal illness, she has arranged for the news of her death to break early, so she can read her obituaries.
As someone who dedicated her life to the arts and the empowerment of women, Dava expects to read articles lauding her philanthropic work. Instead, her "death" reveals two devastating secrets, truths she thought she had buried forever.
And now the whole world knows, including her children.
In the time she has left, Dava must come to terms with the decisions that have led to this moment—and make peace with those closest to her before it's too late.
Compassionately written and chock-full of humor and heart, this powerful novel examines public versus private legacy, the complexities of love, and the never-ending joys—and frustrations—of family."
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