I felt like I was walking beside Jonnie, a young engineer from Chennai who gives up a steady job to try his luck in America around the Y2K years. The story follows his quick jump into American life, the jobs and promotions, the green card and the shiny things, and the people who shape him along the way. He falls in love more than once with women he meets there, and those relationships push him to ask whether the dream he chased really gives him what he thought it would.
My reading experience
I read this in easy, one-sitting chunks. The book moves along briskly, small scenes that felt honest and immediate. I kept turning pages because I wanted to see how Jonnie would react next, not because the plot had huge twists, but because the everyday moments felt real and familiar.
Characters I remembered
Jonnie is the heart of the book. His old name shows where he came from and his new life shows what he wanted to become. Abby, the nurse, is one of the people who opens his world and teaches him softness and courage. The relationships are simple but vivid, and they felt true to the kind of culture shock and longing someone in his place might go through.
Themes that stayed with me
What stayed with me most was the tug between aspiration and belonging. The book asks quiet questions about whether getting what you want abroad fills the inside the way you hoped, and how culture, love, and family pull in different directions. It is as much about identity as it is about the things we chase.
Writing and pace
The writing is simple and unshowy, which I liked. Scenes are short and the pace is steady, so it reads like a conversation more than a lecture. That makes it easy to connect with Jonnie, even when I did not always agree with his choices. For context, the book is a short read, around 130 to 136 pages, published by Notion Press.
Small critique
Very small thing I would change: I sometimes wanted a bit more depth about Jonnie’s inner thoughts in certain moments. A few scenes felt like they could have been stretched just a touch to let me sit with him longer. That is all.
Who I think will enjoy it
If you like short, character-driven stories about immigration, culture clash, and modern love, this one will feel warm and honest. It is a quick read that leaves you thinking about choices and what home really means.
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