Book Review: The Beauty of the Moment
I loved Tanaz Bhathena’s first book A Girl Like That, when I read it last year. And I’ve been waiting to read The Beauty of the Moment since I saw the book cover being shared on Instagram over the last few books. So firstly, what a great cover. It just makes you want to read the book.
And the book in itself is so engaging. I read it in one go, taking almost no breaks in between. Set in Canada, it focuses on 2 Indian teenagers who now live there. Complete with high-school romances, family issues, parental pressure and a rising awareness of the world around, it’s a fascinating read. I loved the portrayal of the long-distance best friendship that Susan and Ayesha carry on through the novel. It was innocent, and real, and so relatable. I also like how Bhathena brings out the subtle racial discrimination that kids subject each other to, and also the not-so-subtle racism prevalent everywhere.
The protagonists themselves- Susan and Malcolm, are quite predictable as teenagers, their choices and actions not at all surprising to anyone who’s read YA fiction before. That’s definitely a major problem with the book.
But a great weekend read, so much fun and happiness in this book .