Minor Disturbances at Grand Life Apartments: THE SUMMER READ YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR
£0.90
‘The most charming, utterly lovely story I’ve read in ages… this is one of my books of the year’ RED
‘This joyous novel is a feast for the senses, as well as the soul’ JOANNA NELL
A warm-hearted debut novel set in the beautiful coastal city of Chennai, for fans of Alexander McCall Smith, Joanna Nell and Graeme Simsion.
Grand Life Apartments is a middle-class apartment block surrounded by lush gardens in the coastal city of Chennai, India. It is the home of Kamala, a pious, soon-to-be retired dentist who spends her days counting down to the annual visits from her daughter who is studying in the UK. Her neighbour, Revathi, is a thirty-two-year-old engineer who is frequently reminded by her mother that she has reached her expiry date in the arranged marriage market. Jason, a British chef, has impulsively moved to India to escape his recent heartbreak in London.
The residents have their own complicated lives to navigate, but what they all have in common is their love of where they live, so when a developer threatens to demolish the apartments and build over the gardens, the community of Grand Life Apartments is brought even closer together to fight for their beautiful home…
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‘I loved this heartwarming read’ PRIMA
‘It’s utterly entrancing – so humane and funny, and so seeped in India that I could smell the cooking and breathe the exhaust fumes. I absolutely loved it from start to finish.’ DEBORAH MOGGACH
‘I was put in mind of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City . . . a distinctive and evocative voice’ GRAEME SIMSION
‘Warm, gorgeous, tender, hopeful and human. I felt so HAPPY when I was reading it’ DAISY BUCHANAN
‘An enchanting hug of a book with characters that you’ll really root for’ NIKKI MAY
‘A super warm and lovely read … Should have a warning though: WILL MAKE YOU HUNGRY!’ KATE SAWYER
‘Hema Sukumar’s debut is an absolute joy. I loved being transported to the Grand Life Apartments and I was bewitched by the characters, colours and tastes of Chennai. Please can I move in forever?’ CLARE POOLEY
‘A gorgeous, beautifully-written story, full of wonderfully charming characters – and a loveable cat.’ NICK BRADLEY
‘Written with such warmth … full of life and love. Hema Sukumar’s lovely characters became like friends to me, and I adored spending time with them.’ SARA ADAMS
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Additional information
| Publisher | Coronet (27 July 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| File size | 3465 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Not Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 300 pages |
by Narayan Kamath
I returned this book after reading to 36% because nothing was really happening and I didn’t really connect with any of the characters.
by Gnuism
What a delight this book is! I’ve read this a couple of times now, and each time I genuinely didn’t really want it to end. I found myself utterly immersed in the happenings at Grand Life Apartments, Chennai, and beyond, happily chuckling at the most hilarious and insightful observations throughout the book. Each of the main characters – Reva, Kamala, Jason and the equally important Sundu, Mani, Karthik and Poons (the cat) are a joy to get to know, and I dare say you will find yourself nodding your head in agreement or shaking your head ruefully at all the little things they say and do, just like you would for the real people (and animals) in your life, regardless of your culture, upbringing, race or nationality. The plot and pace are just right, making this book a wonderful page turner (without giving you palpitations), and one that will likely stay in your mind and your heart for a very long time. I cannot wait to read more work by this author, everything about this is so moreish!
by AB
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Recommend it to anyone that’s looking to have their day brightened up.
by VS
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this heartwarming book. Hema’s writing gently immerses you in to the lives of the residents at the Grand Life apartments and beautifully sketches out characters who you feel like you deeply know and understand. The book left me feeling nostalgic and as though the characters had become good friends who I will now miss!
by GS
Hema manages to engage all the senses with her writing. The sounds, smells, sights, the food, and emotions of India, and Chennai in particular are laid bare through the story of these three characters. The perfect book to meander through, and take the time to reminisce about your own memories along the way.
by JDq London
I enjoyed this book enormously. From the very first chapter Ms Sukumar take you on a whimsical, nostalgic journey through a time and space that is well thought out and very comforting. Her characters are eminently relatable and the last page came as a little bit of a shock. I miss Kamala, Sundu and Revathi. I want to know what they going to do next!
by Gnuism
This was an absolute pleasure to read! Hema Sukumar’s debut novel is set in South India, and it explores the various little (or not) calamities that strike the lives of the four residents who live in an apartment block. While the actual building’s golden years might be behind it, it still provides refuge to these individuals and is a safe, tree-filled and humanity-soaked haven for the different characters, who come to see their home as the one constant in an ever-changing world. So when this home gets threatened they band together to try and save it. The slice-of-life lens through which each character is explored, is a delight to read. The sights, sounds and more importantly, the taste of South India is beautiful set out by Hema Sukumar in this absolutely delightful and transportative novel. A must-read!
by Amazon Customer
This seems quite promising and starts well but then nothing really happens or gets resolved