A friend of mine recently published her first novel, it's getting some very wacky reviews. I can't wait to pick it up:


Here are some of the reviews:
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From Publishers Weekly Hampton's debut novel is a spectacular, colorful, and way too busy mess. There is the gigantic Mr. Nair and his five daughters (only two of whom figure prominently), plus their tiny allergy-plagued mother who hasn't opened a window for 20 years. There is Mr. Nair's sister, Gita, her married lover and his ex-wife, two medical students—one being a love interest for one of the daughters—a lecherous professor, a single mother landlord and her two children, an adorable trio of bakers, assorted in-laws and relatives and the town crazy who swoops in at the end to provide a totally unsatisfactory conclusion. There's also a book within a book. The narrative is lovely, vibrant, expansive, and well-paced, and the characters are complex, but there are simply too many of them and too much going on with no anchor to keep things from running amok—and run amok they do. Hampton has a lot of promise and a great handle on most of the author's toolbox; hopefully, next time out, there'll be a sturdier hand in reigning it in. (Feb.)
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From Booklist Hampton’s debut follows the fortunes of an Indian family living in Virginia. Gita Nair, a troubled young professor, is practically shrinking away to nothing as she pines for Chris Jones, a handsome married man she met and fell in love with in an airport when she was only 18. Their affair spans many years, as Chris’ wife Jeri tries to get over the stillborn birth of the child she hoped would save their marriage. Gita is hard at work on a recounting of the tragic, cursed life of her great-great-great grandmother, and fears that the family curse might be visited on one of her five voluptuous, beautiful nieces. Her fears seem on the brink of being realized when two of the girls fall into love affairs, one joyous, the other unhappy: Veena experiences love at first sight with a young doctor, while Dhanya is seduced by a rakish college professor. This rich, lush family drama is bound to appeal to readers who like their fiction imaginative and whimsical. --Kristine Huntley
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"A thoroughly wonderful, absolutely engaging debut novel. From the first page to the last, I was captivated by the beautifully drawn characters, intricate plotting, and compelling storyline. Quite simply, once you enter the crazy, heartfelt, loving, magical world of Dr. Raman Nair and his five daughters, you will never want to leave." --Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of FIREFLY LANE
"Lyrical, erotic and quite funny, As It Was Written isn't about a clash of cultures: it's about the meeting of powerful mythologies, which regard one another with wonder and suspicion and then, inevitably, begin to swirl together." —Jincy Willett, author of THE WRITING CLASS
"A beautifully written novel, in turns comic and poignant, from a bold new writer with a distinctive voice and a joyously vast imagination." -Roopa Farooki, author of BITTER SWEETS
“The type of epic, heart - tugging book about family that you want to jump into so you can be a part of the story, too. Sujatha Hampton writes with elegance and honesty.” —Cathy Lamb, author of HENRY'S SISTERS
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