Summary
School Library Journal:
Gr 9 Up– Dimple Lala has spent her entire life trying to fit in. In India, she is too American, while in America she feels unable to conform, largely because of her parents’ efforts to educate and involve her in Indian culture. By her 17th birthday, she feels incapable of making anyone happy and is hopelessly confused as to where she belongs. Her parents are unhappy about her obsession with photography and her dating activities, while Dimple herself feels that her best friend, Gwyn, is either ignoring her for a new boyfriend or trying to usurp Dimple’s family. Her parents come up with what they think is a perfect solution–they introduce her to Karsh, a suitable boy. Dimple is turned off at the thought. Just when she is sure that things can’t get more complicated, she meets him again, now involved in activities that would render him completely unsuitable to her parents but that interest her. By this time Gwyn decides that he seems like the perfect boyfriend for her and Dimple ends up with a number of tricky situations. This involving story, filled with detail about the protagonist’s life and background, will reward its readers. The family background and richness in cultural information add a new level to the familiar girl-meets-boy story. Teens will be rooting for Dimple and her quest to find her own place in her family and country.–Betsy Fraser, Calgary Public Library, Canada –Betsy Fraser (Reviewed December 1, 2002) (School Library Journal, vol 48, issue 12, p136)
Awards:
- YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 2003
- YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults: I’m New Here Myself (2013)