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The Magnificent Ruins
When Lila returns to India from the United States after inheriting an ancestral home, she must confront a culture that has always been a part of her, her mother from whom she has been estranged for a decade, and her family (grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins) who all still live in the house. These family members resent her sudden inheritance of this humongous home, a stunning display of the status and culture of the zamindars, India's ruling class that was so firmly shaped by British colonial rule.
As Lila navigates romantic entanglements and her family’s deep mistrust, a legacy of violence in the family can no longer be ignored. In the aftermath of her cousin Biddy's wedding, an uncle is dead, and her grandmother unwillingly reveals her own secrets. With a lawsuit against Lila gathering steam and a police investigation triggered, Lila must finally reckon with her inherited custom of sweeping everything under the rug to preserve appearances.
With an unforgettable house at its heart, a violent past erupting into the present, a problematic romance, and a compelling and conflicted heroine, this novel is an utterly addictive read.
As Lila navigates romantic entanglements and her family’s deep mistrust, a legacy of violence in the family can no longer be ignored. In the aftermath of her cousin Biddy's wedding, an uncle is dead, and her grandmother unwillingly reveals her own secrets. With a lawsuit against Lila gathering steam and a police investigation triggered, Lila must finally reckon with her inherited custom of sweeping everything under the rug to preserve appearances.
With an unforgettable house at its heart, a violent past erupting into the present, a problematic romance, and a compelling and conflicted heroine, this novel is an utterly addictive read.
439 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 7, 2024
There must be some families somewhere that peacefully transfer real estate, but they don’t get much press. At least since Jacob and Esau, stories about property have been a stew of strife. If you don’t believe me, talk to the lawyers for King Lear’s daughters — a bleak house among many.
Nayantara Roy uses this age-old conflict as the spark for her engrossing debut novel, “The Magnificent Ruins.” The narrator is Lila De, a smart young book editor at a New York publishing company that’s just been bought by a billionaire. For Lila, the acquisition means a huge promotion, but just as her publishing house is being radically upgraded, a house of a different sort disrupts her life.
In the summer of 2015, Lila receives news that she’s inherited her grandfather’s palatial old residence — a grand five-story building with carved pillars and Roman windows. This is hardly an unencumbered windfall, though. The house is 8,000 miles away in India — location, location, location! And what’s even more complicated: The house is inhabited by three generations of Lila’s family. Professionally, the timing couldn’t be worse, but Lila secures permission for an eight-week leave of absence and flies off to Kolkata to figure out what she should do with her ancestral home.
It’s no accident that we use the word “story” to describe the levels of a house and the plot of a book. Roy’s roomy novel draws us deep into the way family history is inscribed on buildings. With “The Magnificent Ruins,” she....
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...
Nayantara Roy uses this age-old conflict as the spark for her engrossing debut novel, “The Magnificent Ruins.” The narrator is Lila De, a smart young book editor at a New York publishing company that’s just been bought by a billionaire. For Lila, the acquisition means a huge promotion, but just as her publishing house is being radically upgraded, a house of a different sort disrupts her life.
In the summer of 2015, Lila receives news that she’s inherited her grandfather’s palatial old residence — a grand five-story building with carved pillars and Roman windows. This is hardly an unencumbered windfall, though. The house is 8,000 miles away in India — location, location, location! And what’s even more complicated: The house is inhabited by three generations of Lila’s family. Professionally, the timing couldn’t be worse, but Lila secures permission for an eight-week leave of absence and flies off to Kolkata to figure out what she should do with her ancestral home.
It’s no accident that we use the word “story” to describe the levels of a house and the plot of a book. Roy’s roomy novel draws us deep into the way family history is inscribed on buildings. With “The Magnificent Ruins,” she....
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...
August 1, 2024
The Magnificent Ruins by Nayantara Roy
So many thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin books for the opportunity to read The Magnificent Ruins by Nayantara Roy. The story follows Lila, a young woman of Indian descent currently living in New York working as an editor. Born in Kolkata to Indian parents who divorced when Lila was young, she lived 16 years there with her mother and extended family in their huge ancestral home. At sixteen she moves to New York to live with her father and stepmother (who is white) and her two half siblings.
Now an adult living in NYC, Lila is finding success in her career when she receives a call that her beloved grandfather has died and left the family mansion to her. She takes a leave of absence from her job and travels to Kolkata and immerses herself into the lives of her extended family once again. She must decide what to do with the massive home that tho once grand has fallen into disrepair, help plan for her cousin Biddy’s wedding, face her first love who is now married, but most of all she must face her mother and the rest of her complicated family.
I loved the setting of Kolkata and I’m fascinated with Indian culture. Reading Roy’s rich descriptions of the city, its people, their way of living, the food and the customs there drew me in and brought it all alive for me. I could see the people and places she describes in my mind and felt that I was climbing the many steps to walk the floors of the Lahiri family home.
The characters are vivid and real, brought to life by the author’s hand. Their different personalities and backgrounds and Lila’s interactions with them propel the story forward.
I believe at its heart this story is Lila’s struggle to understand herself amidst the backdrop of her family’s ancestral home and the people that inhabit it. She has had a complicated relationship with her mother her whole life. Her mother is often cold and harsh, manic even, going long periods where she will not communicate with Lila. The family hides many secrets and even relatives that Lila has always deeply loved prove to be enigmas as she spends more time in close proximity with them. Lila is torn between the culture and customs of her native India and those of her adopted home in New York City. Is she “the American” as her family calls her or is she truly Indian? I loved seeing Lila confront her long held beliefs about these different family members and herself as she rises to the role of manager of the family home and all that entails. Her struggle to understand herself and her relationships with those close to her kept me invested until the very last page.
Roy has written an extraordinary debut in The Magnificent Ruins that is rich and deeply felt. I will definitely recommend this to others as a wonderful read!
August 19, 2024
What a story - This Indian-American tale has nothing on Bollywood!
Lila De is about to be promoted when she learns that she has inherited a behemoth crumbling mansion in her Indian childhood home. She rushes to her family and begins to unravel the many, many stories that make up Family Lahiri. Literally stories, as family members live on each of the five floors of the home!
There are almost two whole stories in this novel - the story of Lila De and who she is and how she became a rising editor at a house on the cusp of greatness and the story of Lila De's family in Kolkata. Lila navigates the requests of her grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins as well as what her estranged mother wants. And As most stories set in India (at least for me), the customs, the food, the culture itself is a character all of it's own.
The story is so incredibly beautiful and winding - much like the mansion itself, there are little stories within stories and it's easy to forget the main path of the novel. Before long you are completely enmeshed in the family's fears, wants and desires.
All in all, a favorite tale of mine and something you are sure to fall in love with. Even now, I wish I could zoom with Lila's family and have them tell me I need to eat more, change my outfit, get a husband :)
Thank you netgalley!
#algonquin #themagnificentruins #nayantararoy
Lila De is about to be promoted when she learns that she has inherited a behemoth crumbling mansion in her Indian childhood home. She rushes to her family and begins to unravel the many, many stories that make up Family Lahiri. Literally stories, as family members live on each of the five floors of the home!
There are almost two whole stories in this novel - the story of Lila De and who she is and how she became a rising editor at a house on the cusp of greatness and the story of Lila De's family in Kolkata. Lila navigates the requests of her grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins as well as what her estranged mother wants. And As most stories set in India (at least for me), the customs, the food, the culture itself is a character all of it's own.
The story is so incredibly beautiful and winding - much like the mansion itself, there are little stories within stories and it's easy to forget the main path of the novel. Before long you are completely enmeshed in the family's fears, wants and desires.
All in all, a favorite tale of mine and something you are sure to fall in love with. Even now, I wish I could zoom with Lila's family and have them tell me I need to eat more, change my outfit, get a husband :)
Thank you netgalley!
#algonquin #themagnificentruins #nayantararoy
November 12, 2024
As always, thanks to Algonquin Books for sending me this ARC! I think this is the first book I have read published by them and it won't be my last.
Reading this book was like reading a Bollywood movie! Every emotion you can think of was conjured while reading this story. It even had a little twist at the end that I was not expecting and I audibly said "WAIT WHAT!?" and had to go back and reread a little bit for the "O.M.G." moment.
The author did an amazing job with the world building. I could see every landscape and taste every meal as if I was standing in the world with the characters. Also the little tid-bits of history on the region and political climate added so much to the story.
Reading this book was like reading a Bollywood movie! Every emotion you can think of was conjured while reading this story. It even had a little twist at the end that I was not expecting and I audibly said "WAIT WHAT!?" and had to go back and reread a little bit for the "O.M.G." moment.
The author did an amazing job with the world building. I could see every landscape and taste every meal as if I was standing in the world with the characters. Also the little tid-bits of history on the region and political climate added so much to the story.
October 28, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for this advance reader copy, in exchange for an honest review. I’ve just finished this book and I’m just absolutely in awe— this book is definitely a contender for one of my favorites this year and I think it is one that I will enjoy coming back to over the years, just stunning. The Magnificent Ruins is the story of Lila De, a young Indian American woman who immigrated to the US with her father in her teens from Kolkata, still in the wake of her parents scandalous divorce and from her difficult relationship with her mother. Lila, now age 29, is a successful book editor in Brooklyn and her world is upended when she receives a call telling her that her beloved grandfather has passed away and left the historic, sprawling family near-mansion to her, along with the estate. This kicks off the events of the story, as Lila travels back to Kolkata to reckon with this and with her immediate family, all of whom live in the home she’s just inherited.
This book was absolutely lush with beautiful prose and vivid descriptions of the city of Kolkata including the homes, the people, the food, the clothes, etc. The author’s writing was so evocative and transporting throughout the entire book and so, even though it was long, it didn’t feel like it. I was content to just live with these characters and within this setting for the whole reading experience.
The characters were so richly developed, as well, and felt like they were truly real. The author breathed so much life into them, showcasing their flaws, quirks, positive characteristics, and complex behaviors in such a way that they were fully three dimensional. There were a lot of themes and topics covered in this story and through the slow, languorous plot, they had the opportunity to truly flesh themselves out and sit with you. Topics like domestic abuse, caste, and generational trauma revealed themselves through these characters and were given the space to exist here, with no easy solution presented to take away from the realistic harsh nature of these topics. Our main character, Lila, struggles notably throughout this book with the back and forth pull she feels being Indian and American, being part of her mothers family and her fathers family, and what all of these emotions mean for her future— romantically, professionally, and even geographically. I so enjoyed being on this emotional journey with Lila and the entire Lahiri family. There is a section in the book where the author talks about Kolkata days versus New York days and how they stretch out lazily, without rush or haste, but instead, filled with relaxation and moments of joy and warmth— that is how reading this book felt, like beautiful, enjoyable, lengthy journey with these characters. I loved every minute of it.
I would highly recommend this book to literary fictions fans, readers who enjoy multi-generational family stories, and readers who enjoy character centric novels. I can’t wait to see this book out in the world and look forward to revisiting it myself with a finished copy, once it’s published!
This book was absolutely lush with beautiful prose and vivid descriptions of the city of Kolkata including the homes, the people, the food, the clothes, etc. The author’s writing was so evocative and transporting throughout the entire book and so, even though it was long, it didn’t feel like it. I was content to just live with these characters and within this setting for the whole reading experience.
The characters were so richly developed, as well, and felt like they were truly real. The author breathed so much life into them, showcasing their flaws, quirks, positive characteristics, and complex behaviors in such a way that they were fully three dimensional. There were a lot of themes and topics covered in this story and through the slow, languorous plot, they had the opportunity to truly flesh themselves out and sit with you. Topics like domestic abuse, caste, and generational trauma revealed themselves through these characters and were given the space to exist here, with no easy solution presented to take away from the realistic harsh nature of these topics. Our main character, Lila, struggles notably throughout this book with the back and forth pull she feels being Indian and American, being part of her mothers family and her fathers family, and what all of these emotions mean for her future— romantically, professionally, and even geographically. I so enjoyed being on this emotional journey with Lila and the entire Lahiri family. There is a section in the book where the author talks about Kolkata days versus New York days and how they stretch out lazily, without rush or haste, but instead, filled with relaxation and moments of joy and warmth— that is how reading this book felt, like beautiful, enjoyable, lengthy journey with these characters. I loved every minute of it.
I would highly recommend this book to literary fictions fans, readers who enjoy multi-generational family stories, and readers who enjoy character centric novels. I can’t wait to see this book out in the world and look forward to revisiting it myself with a finished copy, once it’s published!
Shelved as '2024'
July 8, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books
August 24, 2024
THE MAGNIFICENT RUINS
By Nayantara Roy
Lila De is a successful editor in Mew York when she learns suddenly that her grandfather had passed away and left her their family’s five story ancestral home in Kolkata.
I loved reading Lila’s voice and her thoughts as she comes to terms with her newly inherited wealth, its burdens, her complex family dynamics, her complicated relationship with her mother, and her burgeoning career 8,000 miles away.
I love stories like these. As an Asian American with a whole lot of family still across the globe, I understand these scenarios as they are common to my family and the issues are certainly relatable to me and will be for so many.
I really enjoyed this one, and grabbed my attention from the first page.
By Nayantara Roy
Lila De is a successful editor in Mew York when she learns suddenly that her grandfather had passed away and left her their family’s five story ancestral home in Kolkata.
I loved reading Lila’s voice and her thoughts as she comes to terms with her newly inherited wealth, its burdens, her complex family dynamics, her complicated relationship with her mother, and her burgeoning career 8,000 miles away.
I love stories like these. As an Asian American with a whole lot of family still across the globe, I understand these scenarios as they are common to my family and the issues are certainly relatable to me and will be for so many.
I really enjoyed this one, and grabbed my attention from the first page.
August 19, 2024
This family saga stars Lila, a young American who was brought up in India and moves to the US to live with her father and his new wife in high school. When her grandfather dies, he leaves the family home to Lila. This ‘home’ is 6 stories and houses most of the Grandfather’s decedents. While the family was once prosperous, their fortune is dwindling. I enjoyed learning about each of the characters and the author did a great job interspersing their backstories. These characters are richly drawn. There are a couple of love interests in the book that didn’t enhance the story neither did a mystery that was woven in at the end. I did enjoy the description of the politics. At ~450 pages, it was too long and these extra storylines detracted from the main story. The book kept my attention and I was always curious about what is next. 3.5*
October 8, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up.
This is a typical generational/family book filled with lies and secrets. The author's analogies are quite descriptive and lyrical, even poetic at times. However, sometimes, they are just a tad too much.
The main character, Lila, seems to have split personality disorder. One minute, I feel I should be totally on her side, and I love her. The next, she seems to have a personality turnaround, and I dislike her immensely. She also cannot seem to get over her feelings of dislike/hatred for her mother. However, her mother seems to have the same sort of disorder that Lila has. The author does a great job dealing with all the different types of hate throughout this novel. But it does get a bit depressing at times.
Several storylines were unnecessary to advance the plot, in my opinion. We didn't really need romantic interests when this was a novel about family. We also didn't need the death of a family member, and I thought it was a little too much, but because of who it was, I can see why it was necessary. I would have liked to see a little more of Lila deciding what to do about the house and why she chose the path that she did.
I did find it interesting to learn about India, its different factions, and political parties. However, I had a difficult time with the language. Kindle can't seem to translate this form of Indian into English, so I feel like I missed out on a lot.
It was a very good read, and I would recommend it to those who want something different, educational, historical, and, at times, fiendish.
This ARC was supplied to me by the publisher Algonquin Books/Hachette Book Group, the author, and NetGalley.
This is a typical generational/family book filled with lies and secrets. The author's analogies are quite descriptive and lyrical, even poetic at times. However, sometimes, they are just a tad too much.
The main character, Lila, seems to have split personality disorder. One minute, I feel I should be totally on her side, and I love her. The next, she seems to have a personality turnaround, and I dislike her immensely. She also cannot seem to get over her feelings of dislike/hatred for her mother. However, her mother seems to have the same sort of disorder that Lila has. The author does a great job dealing with all the different types of hate throughout this novel. But it does get a bit depressing at times.
Several storylines were unnecessary to advance the plot, in my opinion. We didn't really need romantic interests when this was a novel about family. We also didn't need the death of a family member, and I thought it was a little too much, but because of who it was, I can see why it was necessary. I would have liked to see a little more of Lila deciding what to do about the house and why she chose the path that she did.
I did find it interesting to learn about India, its different factions, and political parties. However, I had a difficult time with the language. Kindle can't seem to translate this form of Indian into English, so I feel like I missed out on a lot.
It was a very good read, and I would recommend it to those who want something different, educational, historical, and, at times, fiendish.
This ARC was supplied to me by the publisher Algonquin Books/Hachette Book Group, the author, and NetGalley.
November 15, 2024
{3.5 stars}
Thanks Algonquin Books for the gifted copy. All opinions below are my own.
Lila is an editorial assistant living in New York with very little in the way of commitments until she receives a call that she has inherited her grandfather's Indian mansion upon his death. She is shocked as generations of her family including her mother currently live in the sprawling yet dilapidated estate. She flies home to India to find that the rest of the family is angry and planning to contest her ownership. What follows is 8 weeks of their lives with Lila reimmersing herself in her family member's problems which include domestic abuse (both physical and emotional), gambling and alcoholism. What was once a storied Indian noble family has fallen apart at the seams and she needs to decide what is the right thing to do for all of them.
I have to admit, there were a lot of unlikable characters in this one. That said, it felt like a very realistic family with complex dynamics and everyday struggles. I didn't like the way they treated each other for most of the story. I did enjoy the immersion in the culture as they gave us the family history and planned the family wedding. The ending sort of took a turn that I wasn't expecting and I'm still not sure was necessary but I get the message that messy families will always be messy.
Read this one if you liked The Museum of Failures or The Book of Everlasting Things.
Thanks Algonquin Books for the gifted copy. All opinions below are my own.
Lila is an editorial assistant living in New York with very little in the way of commitments until she receives a call that she has inherited her grandfather's Indian mansion upon his death. She is shocked as generations of her family including her mother currently live in the sprawling yet dilapidated estate. She flies home to India to find that the rest of the family is angry and planning to contest her ownership. What follows is 8 weeks of their lives with Lila reimmersing herself in her family member's problems which include domestic abuse (both physical and emotional), gambling and alcoholism. What was once a storied Indian noble family has fallen apart at the seams and she needs to decide what is the right thing to do for all of them.
I have to admit, there were a lot of unlikable characters in this one. That said, it felt like a very realistic family with complex dynamics and everyday struggles. I didn't like the way they treated each other for most of the story. I did enjoy the immersion in the culture as they gave us the family history and planned the family wedding. The ending sort of took a turn that I wasn't expecting and I'm still not sure was necessary but I get the message that messy families will always be messy.
Read this one if you liked The Museum of Failures or The Book of Everlasting Things.
September 10, 2024
THE MAGNIFICENT RUINS by Nayantara Roy
Absolutely spellbinding and utterly transportive, I was completely mesmerized by Nayantara Roy’s, THE MAGNIFICENT RUINS. An addictive page-turner and sweeping family saga that transports the reader from Brooklyn to Kolkata, Roy’s arresting debut opens with the delicious premise: what happens when an up and coming NYC editor is suddenly bequeathed her family’s estate back home where she “must confront the legacy of an extended family she thought she left behind sixteen years ago”?
With the dazzling setting of Kolkata and Roy’s glittering prose, THE MAGNIFICENT RUINS, is destined to become an instant classic! Roy’s masterful hand at winding the narrative with twists—and then deftly twisting it again and again, drawing the reader further in at each turn—makes for an immersive, propulsive read that had me flipping the pages, desperate to find out what was going to happen next and who I should be loyal to, an ever-moving target that Roy teases over the span of the book.
I fell hard for Lila De and the complicated, twisty, but also heartwarming Lahiri family whose messy dynamics sometimes conjure shades of Knives Out, so much so that while this novel stands on its own, it also leaves the reader begging for a sequel!
Laced with Roy’s razor-sharp wit, richly-drawn characters, and also staggering ability to pierce the heart (the third act obliterated me, but in the best possible way!), I was wholly invested in Lila De’s journey as well as the second-chance romance narrative and also love triangle at the heart of the story. But ultimately, the true love story here is the sometimes torturous, but also transcendent love story between Lila and her family. Prepare to become obsessed!!
Absolutely spellbinding and utterly transportive, I was completely mesmerized by Nayantara Roy’s, THE MAGNIFICENT RUINS. An addictive page-turner and sweeping family saga that transports the reader from Brooklyn to Kolkata, Roy’s arresting debut opens with the delicious premise: what happens when an up and coming NYC editor is suddenly bequeathed her family’s estate back home where she “must confront the legacy of an extended family she thought she left behind sixteen years ago”?
With the dazzling setting of Kolkata and Roy’s glittering prose, THE MAGNIFICENT RUINS, is destined to become an instant classic! Roy’s masterful hand at winding the narrative with twists—and then deftly twisting it again and again, drawing the reader further in at each turn—makes for an immersive, propulsive read that had me flipping the pages, desperate to find out what was going to happen next and who I should be loyal to, an ever-moving target that Roy teases over the span of the book.
I fell hard for Lila De and the complicated, twisty, but also heartwarming Lahiri family whose messy dynamics sometimes conjure shades of Knives Out, so much so that while this novel stands on its own, it also leaves the reader begging for a sequel!
Laced with Roy’s razor-sharp wit, richly-drawn characters, and also staggering ability to pierce the heart (the third act obliterated me, but in the best possible way!), I was wholly invested in Lila De’s journey as well as the second-chance romance narrative and also love triangle at the heart of the story. But ultimately, the true love story here is the sometimes torturous, but also transcendent love story between Lila and her family. Prepare to become obsessed!!
August 14, 2024
This multigenerational family and their magnificent house is just, messy. They all live in the house, albeit on multiple floors, and when the patriarch dies and leaves the house to his Indian American granddaughter, passive aggressive chaos ensues. Lila, is estranger from her mother, and on her journey back to Kolkata, secrets and resentments slowly pour their way out. I couldn't put this down, even as I cringed at the family relationships and as the impending election gave it another sense of foreboding.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
October 20, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy. This is a long book but it never felt that way. I was totally engrossed from the start of the novel. The writing style reminds me a little of Elena Ferrante as it's internal yet still a bit at arms length. The relationships are intense and very complicated in the family and the drama about the house and the estate and why the grandfather would choose her over everyone else was full of tension. The main character has a well intentioned sentiment about the house and yet she has a lot of growth to do during the book that she is unaware of. It seems that I'm reading a bunch of books with the common theme of trauma and its effects on women. Or am I just picking that theme out since I read What My Bones Know, maybe. Either way, there is a lot going on in this book and I thought it was excellent.
July 26, 2024
Was very lucky to get an early copy of this incredible debut. Roy writes of a home and a life that, on paper, may seem different to many of us, but through the infinite relatability of the characters, their struggles, flaws, and humanity, I found myself deeply connected to Lila and her entire family. Full of heart, hurt, and humor, this book is a must read for anyone who has ever returned home to confront the difficulties of the past. Which is to say, all of us.
July 9, 2024
Lila, a career-oriented Indian woman with a bright future, learns of the death of her grandfather and his bequest to her of her extended family’s home. She travels to India and struggles with old family dynamics as she grapples with her evolved self vs. her old patterns with her family. This was a well written character driven book. Although it was a good read, I felt it could have been shorter. A character driven novel with a very authentic immersion into Indian society and life. However, there was a lot of insignificant minutiae which made me impatient for the story to progress. She created a very authentic telling and I learned a lot about modern Indian society learning to integrate with the old, ingrained ways. She definitely immersed me with Indian life, but sometime I felt there was too much unnecessary depiction of insignificant actions. I think it could have been edited and streamlined better, but it didn’t detract too much from the story. Thank you NetGalley and Algonquin Books for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.
June 24, 2024
In this very readable novel, Lila is a 29-year-old living in Brooklyn and working for a publisher. Her Indian grandfather dies and to her shock (and that of her family) he leaves Lila the ancestral home in Kolkata, a massive, crumbling historic pile that is also home to her huge extended family. The Lahiri family's alarm in having their communal home in the hands of someone who left India at the age of 16 to live in the US with her father runs deep. Lila is estranged from her mother and her parents' divorce continues to be a scandal that taints the Lahiris to this day.
Lila deeply loved her grandfather and immediately arranges for an eight-week leave to manage things in Kolkata. She's lovingly welcomed by her family, even though they are concerned that she'll sell the house and leave them without means to find a new place to live. You's think that they'd be reassured by the improvements Lila has made it clear that she will not sell the house because it would not bring enough for everyone to be able to buy new housing. They question. Will they counter-sue, saying that her grandfather was not in his right mind when choosing her as his heir? Will they work with her? There's a lot going on, her cousin's wedding, possible romance with people her family would not approve of, her mother's brilliance and temper, authors to edit and manuscripts to read in a completely different time zone. Can she wrangle all this in eight weeks? Will she even go home to Brooklyn?
Up until the final quarter of "The Magnificent Ruins," the POV has been Lila's. Now there's a terrific chapter where outsiders view and comment on the Lahiri family with a completely different lens. Gathered in are the corps of maids, watchmen, beggars, and tea stall waiters, who have lots to say regarding Lila's "modern" behavior with men and the family''s general attitudes.
Nayantara Roy creates memorable characters, bound tight by the ties of family. Lila is particularly complex. She lived in Kolkata, in the house, until she was sixteen and understands the vibe and expectations, yet she chooses to dress inappropriately for special events, poking at traditions she knows better than to disrespect. She's sympathetic in how she manages to maneuver between worlds and personalities, absorbing revelations about family secrets. This novel is an engaging read that will keep readers eager to find out what's next.
Many thanks to Algonquin Books and Net Galley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Lila deeply loved her grandfather and immediately arranges for an eight-week leave to manage things in Kolkata. She's lovingly welcomed by her family, even though they are concerned that she'll sell the house and leave them without means to find a new place to live. You's think that they'd be reassured by the improvements Lila has made it clear that she will not sell the house because it would not bring enough for everyone to be able to buy new housing. They question. Will they counter-sue, saying that her grandfather was not in his right mind when choosing her as his heir? Will they work with her? There's a lot going on, her cousin's wedding, possible romance with people her family would not approve of, her mother's brilliance and temper, authors to edit and manuscripts to read in a completely different time zone. Can she wrangle all this in eight weeks? Will she even go home to Brooklyn?
Up until the final quarter of "The Magnificent Ruins," the POV has been Lila's. Now there's a terrific chapter where outsiders view and comment on the Lahiri family with a completely different lens. Gathered in are the corps of maids, watchmen, beggars, and tea stall waiters, who have lots to say regarding Lila's "modern" behavior with men and the family''s general attitudes.
Nayantara Roy creates memorable characters, bound tight by the ties of family. Lila is particularly complex. She lived in Kolkata, in the house, until she was sixteen and understands the vibe and expectations, yet she chooses to dress inappropriately for special events, poking at traditions she knows better than to disrespect. She's sympathetic in how she manages to maneuver between worlds and personalities, absorbing revelations about family secrets. This novel is an engaging read that will keep readers eager to find out what's next.
Many thanks to Algonquin Books and Net Galley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2024
India - Lila is an Indian American book editor living in New York who returns to Kolkata when she learns that she has inherited her family’s enormous ancestral home, and the secrets that lie within it.
There is so much Indian culture in this novel and I enjoyed reading about it - Roy provides a rich imagery of the streets of India, from the food, architecture to customs, while also examining the way Indian lives are impacted by colonialism and modernization. With fluid prose, what Roy does even better is to expose the Indian family dynamics, with all its complexity and messiness. Much like the mansion left to Lila, the complex layers of the Indian family are dissected by Roy in the most raw way and the reader is able to navigate through the struggles of (the child of) divorced parents, siblings' relationship and convoluted mother-daughter bond.
Through the main character who grapples with the clash of cultures and at the same time, is trying to find her place whether in America or India, this book captures well themes of identity, family, generational trauma and belonging. Roy crafts often lost characters haunted by the legacies of their own stories, they are flawed and relatable in different ways. Lila, I have to say, gave me mixed feelings - as much as I wished to understand her as a whole, some of her decisions and actions can seem quite annoying which, alongside the side characters whose dynamics lack depth, they don't really leave an emotional imprint.
The plot acquires some dynamism when offering glimpses of the publishing industry, which I find these sections very engaging. Although I enjoyed the backstories in the Lahiri household which invite a further comprehension of the characters, the amount of side characters and side stories might distract the reader from the main plot. More often than not, there's a lull in the plot, which makes it lengthy, therefore detracting from one's full investment in the story. The ending felt quite convenient, which I found satisfaction in certain aspects while being unconvinced by other plot devices (especially regarding the closure of one particular character, the romance and politics).
THE MAGNIFICENT RUINS is for those wanting to read about realistic and chaotic family relationships and complexity of belonging. While this novel adds a unique perspective, I would have appreciated this book more with a better execution and editing.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Algonquin books . All thoughts are my own ]
There is so much Indian culture in this novel and I enjoyed reading about it - Roy provides a rich imagery of the streets of India, from the food, architecture to customs, while also examining the way Indian lives are impacted by colonialism and modernization. With fluid prose, what Roy does even better is to expose the Indian family dynamics, with all its complexity and messiness. Much like the mansion left to Lila, the complex layers of the Indian family are dissected by Roy in the most raw way and the reader is able to navigate through the struggles of (the child of) divorced parents, siblings' relationship and convoluted mother-daughter bond.
Through the main character who grapples with the clash of cultures and at the same time, is trying to find her place whether in America or India, this book captures well themes of identity, family, generational trauma and belonging. Roy crafts often lost characters haunted by the legacies of their own stories, they are flawed and relatable in different ways. Lila, I have to say, gave me mixed feelings - as much as I wished to understand her as a whole, some of her decisions and actions can seem quite annoying which, alongside the side characters whose dynamics lack depth, they don't really leave an emotional imprint.
The plot acquires some dynamism when offering glimpses of the publishing industry, which I find these sections very engaging. Although I enjoyed the backstories in the Lahiri household which invite a further comprehension of the characters, the amount of side characters and side stories might distract the reader from the main plot. More often than not, there's a lull in the plot, which makes it lengthy, therefore detracting from one's full investment in the story. The ending felt quite convenient, which I found satisfaction in certain aspects while being unconvinced by other plot devices (especially regarding the closure of one particular character, the romance and politics).
THE MAGNIFICENT RUINS is for those wanting to read about realistic and chaotic family relationships and complexity of belonging. While this novel adds a unique perspective, I would have appreciated this book more with a better execution and editing.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Algonquin books . All thoughts are my own ]
Read
October 25, 2024When Tolstoy said, “All happy families are like; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” he laid a blueprint for the Lahiris. In “The Magnificent Ruins,” a cast of relatives is trapped together under one crumbling roof, united by their common distrust of their American relative who has just inherited their ancestral home instead of them.
Anyone who has been forced to straddle the line between East and West will find something relatable in Laila, Nayantara Roy’s plucky heroine, who struggles to put her finger on what it means to be “Indian enough.” Her unexpected journey to Kolkata to face her newly inherited family home puts her on a painful path of uprooting generational trauma while diagnosing her own culpability in perpetuating it. Readers are guaranteed to root fiercely for Laila as she finds herself trapped between a promising career and an overbearing family, a new love in Brooklyn and a first love in Kolkata, and challenging her family’s cultural norms versus the reliable comfort of looking the other way. Roy builds greater intrigue by smartly interweaving the complex history and politics that are intimate to Kolkata and the lived experience of its citizens through Laila’s point of view.
Being the token loud, opinionated, American girl in a messy, complicated, feuding family myself, Laila was a breath of fresh air. I cycled in anger and empathy toward my own family as the story went on, and closed with a reminder that no family is as black-and-white as purely happy or unhappy, moral or immoral. I am confident that I won’t be the only reader for whom Laila has charted the path toward a frank and overdue conversation with our mothers and families. This book is a reminder that familial love is earned, not owed; and that ugly truths need to be spoken to prevent cycles of violence.
Anyone who has been forced to straddle the line between East and West will find something relatable in Laila, Nayantara Roy’s plucky heroine, who struggles to put her finger on what it means to be “Indian enough.” Her unexpected journey to Kolkata to face her newly inherited family home puts her on a painful path of uprooting generational trauma while diagnosing her own culpability in perpetuating it. Readers are guaranteed to root fiercely for Laila as she finds herself trapped between a promising career and an overbearing family, a new love in Brooklyn and a first love in Kolkata, and challenging her family’s cultural norms versus the reliable comfort of looking the other way. Roy builds greater intrigue by smartly interweaving the complex history and politics that are intimate to Kolkata and the lived experience of its citizens through Laila’s point of view.
Being the token loud, opinionated, American girl in a messy, complicated, feuding family myself, Laila was a breath of fresh air. I cycled in anger and empathy toward my own family as the story went on, and closed with a reminder that no family is as black-and-white as purely happy or unhappy, moral or immoral. I am confident that I won’t be the only reader for whom Laila has charted the path toward a frank and overdue conversation with our mothers and families. This book is a reminder that familial love is earned, not owed; and that ugly truths need to be spoken to prevent cycles of violence.
October 27, 2024
[Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE...
• Family dramas
• Inheritance disputes
• The hustle and bustle of India
I THOUGHT IT WAS...
An enthralling story about the dirty secrets of a large, complicated and historied Kolkata family. Just as Lila gets a huge promotion at work, she gets the stunning news that her beloved grandfather has passed and left her the family's five-story mansion, the very one in which her entire extended family in India lives in. So, after years away, she returns to Kolkata to confront whatever it means to be the heir of her messy family.
Roy's writing is the type that sucks you in, making it hard to put the book down. I loved almost everything about this novel, the vibrant characters, the complicated relationships, and the isolating pain of feeling like a foreigner in the place where you were born and raised. Roy does an expert job of transporting you right into the loud and busy streets of Kolkata, a place where ugliness is disguised and made light as juicy gossip, because it's too painful and sad to confront it as the ugliness it really is
It's even harder to confront when your own family is responsible for the ugliness, and I thought Roy explored this so well. Morals and values are suddenly less black and white when it's family casting the shadow to make things gray. The cultural norms of India superimposed over the family drama help make this novel stand out in the genre.
READ IF YOU LIKE...
• Family dramas
• Inheritance disputes
• The hustle and bustle of India
I THOUGHT IT WAS...
An enthralling story about the dirty secrets of a large, complicated and historied Kolkata family. Just as Lila gets a huge promotion at work, she gets the stunning news that her beloved grandfather has passed and left her the family's five-story mansion, the very one in which her entire extended family in India lives in. So, after years away, she returns to Kolkata to confront whatever it means to be the heir of her messy family.
Roy's writing is the type that sucks you in, making it hard to put the book down. I loved almost everything about this novel, the vibrant characters, the complicated relationships, and the isolating pain of feeling like a foreigner in the place where you were born and raised. Roy does an expert job of transporting you right into the loud and busy streets of Kolkata, a place where ugliness is disguised and made light as juicy gossip, because it's too painful and sad to confront it as the ugliness it really is
It's even harder to confront when your own family is responsible for the ugliness, and I thought Roy explored this so well. Morals and values are suddenly less black and white when it's family casting the shadow to make things gray. The cultural norms of India superimposed over the family drama help make this novel stand out in the genre.
November 3, 2024
“The Magnificent Ruins” by Nayantara Roy is an intriguing family saga filled with complex relationships and rich cultural descriptions, set against the backdrop of Kolkata. When Lila De, a young Indian American editor from Brooklyn, unexpectedly inherits her family’s ancestral home, she finds herself navigating not only old family resentments and secrets but also her own identity caught between two worlds.
The novel does a beautiful job capturing the sights and sounds of Kolkata, immersing readers in the vibrancy of the city and the multifaceted Lahiri family. Roy’s descriptive prose brings the setting and family home to life, making it easy to feel the weight of Lila’s inheritance and the fractured family dynamics.
However, the book can feel a bit drawn out, with some side plots—like the love interests and a late mystery—seeming unnecessary for the main narrative. Though the story meanders at times, “The Magnificent Ruins” still offers a heartfelt exploration of family, legacy, and self-discovery. Fans of immersive generational tales will find much to enjoy here, even if the pacing is a bit slow.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin books for the advance copy. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
The novel does a beautiful job capturing the sights and sounds of Kolkata, immersing readers in the vibrancy of the city and the multifaceted Lahiri family. Roy’s descriptive prose brings the setting and family home to life, making it easy to feel the weight of Lila’s inheritance and the fractured family dynamics.
However, the book can feel a bit drawn out, with some side plots—like the love interests and a late mystery—seeming unnecessary for the main narrative. Though the story meanders at times, “The Magnificent Ruins” still offers a heartfelt exploration of family, legacy, and self-discovery. Fans of immersive generational tales will find much to enjoy here, even if the pacing is a bit slow.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin books for the advance copy. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
November 13, 2024
In some ways, I would consider Lila De a lucky woman. She’s an editor at a rising publishing house in New York. (I would love to have this job, if I couldn’t be a librarian.) She makes enough to afford her own apartment in one of the most expensive cities in the world. On the other hand, she’s less lucky in love and downright unlucky when it comes to some members of her family. Lila’s sudden inheritance of her grandfather’s house in Kolkata—where many of the members of her mother’s family live—turns out to be as much good luck as it is bad. The Magnificent Ruins, by Nayantara Roy, follows Lila as she wrestles with literal and metaphorical inheritances, good and bad love, and the past and the future of her very messy family...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
October 7, 2024
I had hoped to find this one a bit more exciting and interesting. I probably could have forced myself to finish it, but I chose to walk away because I was not able to stay engaged. To be fair, I read something similar a few months ago, and that may be why this one was a struggle for me to get into.
I do appreciate Algonquin sending me an advanced copy so that I had the opportunity to read it, and give my opinions of it early, even if I decided not to finish it.
I do appreciate Algonquin sending me an advanced copy so that I had the opportunity to read it, and give my opinions of it early, even if I decided not to finish it.
November 15, 2024
Following a young woman’s return to her family home in Kolkata, this book explores themes of inherited trauma and cross cultural belonging. I thought the descriptions of the family mansion and Kolkata were so vivid and the details concerning food made me salivate. I got annoyed sometimes at the main character but I do think she found herself in the end. I received digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
October 2, 2024
Incredible read, and ambitious but successful in its scope:
- intergenerational trauma
- shifting cultural norms and impacts on family dynamics
- complexity and depth of human capability
- intergenerational trauma
- shifting cultural norms and impacts on family dynamics
- complexity and depth of human capability
October 3, 2024
After her grandfather dies and leaves her the family house, a young woman returns to India and the loving but dysfunctional family she left behind.
November 16, 2024
3.5 rounded up. A tale set in Kolkata. Rambled a lot. Characters well developed. Just never got there.
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