All Those Tears We Can’t See, by Gita Audhya, is a story of India and the USA through immigration, culture, poverty, and corruption. Shimonti, or Samantha, married Amit at a young age and moved with him from India to America. Shimu, or Sam, faces many obstacles in the USA, mainly concerning her culture and conservative mindset that doesn’t match her husband’s Americanized attitude. Still, the most challenging aspect will reveal itself to be raising a Bengali child in a westernized environment. Her stubbornness when it comes to wanting her daughter, Monica, to marry a Bengali man meets Amit’s indifference and Moni’s rage, but all of them will get an opportunity to switch their point of view and open their mind.

Audhya writes descriptively, entertaining the reader with the details of crowded Indian streets and cities. She analyzes the character’s past, especially Shimu’s, in order to give the reader insight into both the American and the Indian cultures. The author does a good job showing how Indian culture has changed through the years and has modernized itself while keeping some prejudices and introducing negative aspects, such as the spread of physical assault. I appreciated the focus on the clash of cultures or melting pot that forms when Indian culture meets the American culture. The difference between Westerners and Easterners is entirely underlined, but the bond between Monica and Brandon proves itself to be stronger than prejudices and differences.

Readers will appreciate the author’s focus on the characters’ personal issues. It starts first with the initial companionship between wife and husband, showing how they grow apart as years go by. Then, the relationship between mother and daughter turns into a constant fight, and the most shocking part is the assault, which turns the trip to India into a nightmare. All these aspects make for a realistic story.

All Those Tears We Can’t See is a fascinating look at the cultural differences between Indian and American ways of life. Through this well-written story, readers will see both Shimonti and Monica’s points of view and the importance of the relationship between mother and daughter. This novel will catch every reader’s heart through the family drama, the romance, and a detailed look into the Indian culture.

Pages: 225 | ASIN : B088WHNDB1