Members only by Sameer Pandya. Thanks to #bookishfirst and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Raj is an anthropology professor trying to find a place for himself in many areas of his life: his community, his career, his elite tennis club. In a moment of nerves and a desperate attempt for connection with an African-American doctor applying for admission to his tennis club, he slips a comment that is seen as racist. On top of this, a group of students is pushing for him to be fired as they accuse him of “reverse racism”.
I loved the beginning of this book, exploring his community and the tennis club that he is part of. I think it did a great job of developing Raj’s character and his relationship with his family. That said, I started to feel a bit bogged down about halfway through as memories of his past emerged. The author did a great job of relating them to his present life, but I felt the pace was a bit too slow at these times. I think the topic of this book was unique and worth exploring. I would have enjoyed getting more into the depth of the accusation. For a heavy and controversial topic, I felt it was resolved a bit too quickly from the reader’s perspective. I liked the first person narrative of an Indian-American man trying to fit in. Overall a unique read with a worthwhile topic, but a bit slow in parts.
“I was mad at that woman for getting my name wrong twice, but perhaps even angrier with myself, for hoping that, given time, I could be part of this club without losing some vital part of myself and my dignity”.
Raj is an anthropology professor trying to find a place for himself in many areas of his life: his community, his career, his elite tennis club. In a moment of nerves and a desperate attempt for connection with an African-American doctor applying for admission to his tennis club, he slips a comment that is seen as racist. On top of this, a group of students is pushing for him to be fired as they accuse him of “reverse racism”.
I loved the beginning of this book, exploring his community and the tennis club that he is part of. I think it did a great job of developing Raj’s character and his relationship with his family. That said, I started to feel a bit bogged down about halfway through as memories of his past emerged. The author did a great job of relating them to his present life, but I felt the pace was a bit too slow at these times. I think the topic of this book was unique and worth exploring. I would have enjoyed getting more into the depth of the accusation. For a heavy and controversial topic, I felt it was resolved a bit too quickly from the reader’s perspective. I liked the first person narrative of an Indian-American man trying to fit in. Overall a unique read with a worthwhile topic, but a bit slow in parts.
“I was mad at that woman for getting my name wrong twice, but perhaps even angrier with myself, for hoping that, given time, I could be part of this club without losing some vital part of myself and my dignity”.