This is a cross cultural story. Life in Mumbai is difficult for Rahki. She is struggling to survive in the most basic of ways. The characters are spirited and detailed. The author does a good job exploring the culture and how difficult it is to rise through the class system.

Such Big Dreams by Reema Patel is the story of Rahki, a young girl living in the slums of Mumbai. It is an eye opening look into daily life in the slums, especially for those of us who have no idea what goes on there. I found myself rooting for Rahki to better herself, not knowing if this was even an option in her circumstances. The author did an excellent job of immersing us in the daily struggle for food, water and a safe place to live. Thank you to the author,Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and Netgalley for sending me an ARC of this compelling novel in exchange for an honest review.

Rakhi is just twenty-three years old but is still deeply affected by the loss of her best friend eleven years ago. She may work in a law office, but she is still living in the slums of Mumbai. Justice For All is a human-rights law organization headed up by a well-thought-of lawyer who gives her a chance.

She smart. Very smart. And though she is looked down on by others, she is managing to get by.

And then she meets Alex. Alex wants the real India experience. And in return he makes promises. It sounds like a good deal. But if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Everything Rakhi knows will be turned upside down. She will have to make choices that are hard for her in order to survive. And she is looking at the reality of the costs of getting yourself back.

Very impressive debut novel!

NetGalley/May 10th, 2022 by Ballantine Books

With SUCH BIG DREAMS, Reema Patel's story transported me to a foreign city and the realities of a life that I cannot imagine. All her characters are deftly drawn, especially Rakhi and Alex. I enjoyed every minute of this intricate, vivid story and stayed up way too late, breathless to see what happened next and where we were taken in a vivid present and a hot-breathed past. A noteworthy and memorable story -- I look forward to more stories from Patel. I received an advance copy of this book and these are my own, unbiased opinions.

This book wasn’t for me. I just couldn’t get into the story like I thought I would from the synopsis. I just couldn’t engage with either the plot nor the characters.

Once I got past the first few chapters of the story and got used to the writing style, I was truly drawn in by Rakhi’s drive and character. Rakhi has been through the ringer, and I truly admired how she remained true to herself despite her circumstances. With flashbacks to the incident that changed her childhood, the story changes from present day to the past, and truly provides an overall experience and was well done in terms of pacing. Reema’s writing truly made you sympathize and feel with the MC, especially with her inclusion of her inner commentary. I recommend this debut—and don’t forget to read the author’s note! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

This is a beautifully written slow burn of a book that gets the reader right into the heart of a Mumbai slum. The descriptions of life there are hard to read at times and of course as a reader all you want is for someone, anyone to come in and save these people, or at least offer them a lifeline. But as is real life, there aren't happily ever afters for all. There are no real good or bad people in this book; everyone is flawed and just trying to get by the best they can. The plot circles around characters working in a non-profit law office called Justice for All. In the end, is there justice for all? No, but there is hope for some.

Well, let me tell you, this book had so many nuances to it. Sure, Rakhi was homeless and after being arrested was sent to a girl's home where she was found by a generous human rights lawyer who gives Rakhi a job, a home, and a future. Okay, well that is how Guari Ma'am sees it. But Rakhi doesn't quite see it the same and through the course of the book, Rakhi becomes more disillusioned with the life she is told she is lucky to have and starts to reach out on her own. Her character development is wonderful. A great combination of innocence, street smarts, and luck. The rest of the characters in the book are not as well developed but I think in this case it helps shine the spotlight on Rakhi herself. As seems to be commonplace these days, the story is told in two timelines. As is normal for me, I enjoyed one timeline much more than the other. But, I didn't feel the dread I sometimes feel when moving from timeline to timeline. I feel like the author understood that we might need some context from a younger Rakhi but that it wasn't the main force in the story. You will find yourself worrying and rooting for Rakhi.

A heart-breaking, yet inspiring story about the slums of India. Rakhi was such a multi-dimmensional character. Told through both her present life and snippets of her past, we get a real sense of who she is: a young, naive, but also savvy, girl who grows into a strong, cunning, determined woman. Although not the ending I had expected, I thought it was the right ending for this book. My only reason for dropping it down a star is because I felt like the first half was a bit slow. While it was important to set the scene, it dragged a little bit. That said, it is worth sticking with it because the second half is really strong.

This was a wonderful debut novel by Reema Patel! I so enjoy being able to learn about different countries and cultures and both were very evident in Such Big Dreams.

Rakhi lived on the street for five years as a child after running from her father. She ended up making friends on the streets and was accepted by a group that included her new best friend Babloo. After a terrible accident occurs, Rakhi winds up in a girls home where she is then noticed by a social justice lawyer. Gauri sees great potential in Rakhi and hires her to work at her law firm. Now at the age of 23, Rakhi works as an assistant to a well-known lawyer at Justice For All.

When Justice For All hires a new spokesperson, things at the firm begin to change and they aren't all changes that Rakhi agrees with. Will she be able to continue working there given how she feels about some of the proposed changes? Will she be forced to make decisions that could change the course of her life?

This was one of those books that made you feel on so many levels. You felt true emotion and that is the best thing you can do as a reader. You feel like you're immersed right in the story with the characters. This is one I would highly recommend picking up.

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Rakhi is a 23 year old woman living in a slum in Mumbai. After the death of her parents at a young age and running away from relatives, she meets and joins a group of kids who live on the street.  After a tragic incident forces her into a home for girls, she loses contact with her group of friends, but catches the attention of one of the board members, Guari.

Guari is a human rights lawyer/activist promoting housing rights for everyone. She offers Rakhi a job as an office assistant.  Even though she promotes independence and equality for women, she treats Rakhi more as a child and a servant.  When Rakhi decides she wants more from her life, Guari is offended, remind her of her place and her past, then fires her. This happens on the same night that Rakhi's slum burns down, causing her to lose everything at once. From this, she rebuilds her life and comes back stronger than ever.

This book did a great job of allowing Rakhi to evolve. The story was told in present tense, but most chapter had a small piece of the past. This beautifully filled in Rakhi's story and showing just how much she truly grew.  The author wants afraid to demonstrate how tough it is for kids on the street and just how fast they are forced to grow up. 

There were a lot of Hindi words in this book (obviously). Not speaking Hindi, I was able to understand the basic sentiments from the context, or was able to use Google translate, but a small dictionary of words would have been extremely helpful.

Overall, I give this book 3.5 stars.

This book was a realistic account of the ways in which hardships shape life for better or worse. It examines culture, government, relationships, and biases that while telling the captivating story of a young woman trying to survive in Mumbai. The cultural references helped to paint a picture of the rich Indian celebrations and way of life.

BOOK FEATURE

Such Big Dreams ~ Reema Patel

“…A splash of a debut,” Patel tells the story of Rakhi who lives in the slums of Mumbai working in the office for a human rights law organization, Justice for All, that is run by a lawyer that helped her after a haunting tragedy years ago.

Despite her meager life, Rakhi is bright and can hold her own, with sharp wit and fierce intelligence. When Bollywood star, Rubina Mansoor signs on as a celebrity face of Justice for All, Rakhi’s life changes and she must make some tough decisions in the name of power and ambition.

“…Such Big Dreams is a gripping story you’ll want to simultaneously race through at breakneck speed and slow down to savor every word.”

I find learning about other cultures and backgrounds to be enlightening and educational. I find it intriguing to see how others live, what their views of the world around them are, and how they are affected by these aspects. It is easy to take our lives for granted and to turn a blind eye from what we are not familiar with or may feel foreign to, which is just wrong to me. After being educated about other cultures, I feel somewhat of an understanding and connection when talking to someone from that culture, now knowing a bit more than I had before. What I especially appreciated with Such Big Dreams was the generational age range of the main characters. It changes the overall tone of a novel and I found this to be perfect for me at this time. It is easier to connect with the characters and the reading is easier and lighter.

Rakhi is an incredible woman who has such strong and positive attributes that have helped her be where she is today and will help her succeed into the future. Though she is still learning the English language, her interest and ambition coax her along, as well as her increased understanding of this new-to-her culture. Having Alex in her life has helped her more, and retrospectively has changed his life as well for the same reasons. Her rekindled friendship with Babloo brought about even more life changes for Rakhi, at the same time as her friendship with Alex takes a turn.

I liked the women empowerment at the lawyer’s office, the turmoil surrounding politics, and the energy created by the famous star and her involvement with the non-profit. That all added a fiction flair to the book, making it more enjoyable.

This debut novel offers a moving, smart, and arrestingly clever look at the cost of ambition and power in reclaiming one’s story.

This detail-rich read is a tour of the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Bombay. I felt like I was there. Rakhi is a very sympathetic hero, although it is hard to watch her struggle against such a tough world. All the signs point to things going wrong, from the moment Rakhi meets Canadian intern Alex. Watching events unfold is excruciating and compelling.

Reema Patel makes a powerful debut in Such Big Dreams. Focusing on Rakhi, a former street child in Mumbai who at age 23 a menial office worker living in a slum and beholden to her boss at Justice For All, an NGO led by and staffed by lawyers who work on a pro bono basis. By the time she was 7 Rakhi had lost everyone and everything, including her birth name, Bansari. Over time she is "rescued" first by a friend, then by the head of Justice For All, whom she thinks treats her like the daughter from whom she is estranged, and then by a Canadian intern whose family is part of the highest class. Over time, and at great personal loss, Rakhi realizes that all of these people have betrayed her and that she must trust herself to reach her dreams. The novel examines the meaning of 'the real India' as well as 'real people.' Although the ending is predictable, Patel's prose is riveting, resulting in a most satisfying novel. It forces serious readers to think about themself as well as about the ways in which they can meet their responsibility to help themselves and others. Highly recommended.

"Such Big Dreams" by Reema Patel is a tremendous debut novel! I loved seeing how Rakhi grew as a person from the first page to the last. She is a character that will haunt me for months to come. This book packs a serious punch; it is raw and real and doesn't sugarcoat life in the slums of Mumbai and the corruption with which the city struggles. As a lawyer, I was particularly interested in the parts describing the shortcomings of the Indian legal system, especially how that system routinely allows human rights violations and unjustly punishes the poor.
Reema Patel is certainly an author to watch and I look forward to reading more from her!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this fabulous book, in exchange for my honest review.

What a powerful story. I loved getting to know Rakhi throughout this book. I enjoyed how the author told her story in the present and then included short flashbacks to her past when living on the streets of Mumbai as a child. I thought it was enlightening to read about Rakhi’s life living in the slums, it definitely helped give me a new perspective. I thought the story line was powerful and intriguing. The end definitely didn’t end up where I was expecting, but I love how the author tied up some of the storylines and wrapped up Rakhi’s story. This book had lots of sorrow mixed with lots of hope. I highly recommend!

Rakhi is an orphaned girl, living in the slums of Bombay and working as an office assistant in a nonprofit law firm. She has led a difficult life on the streets before she Gauri Ma'am found her at a girls' home and promised to help her. Rakhi has "such big dreams" but 5 years of working in the office at the beck and call of Gauri Ma'am, she is still no closer to moving forward. When a Canadian intern comes to work at the office, he offers Rakhi hope to one day go to college and maybe work in a hotel. But as luck would have it, for the poor and uneducated, it seems impossible. As the law firm is desperate for money, Gauri Ma'am has "big dreams" of her own and partners with a washed up Bollywood actress in an attempt to raise funds and awareness for her cause. But somewhere along the way, Gauri Ma'am looses sigh of what she's fighting for.

This novel explores what it means to have high hopes and the political conditions that can stifle those dreams. Through Rakhi, we learn of the grit it takes to survive on the streets a child and as an adult with no future prospects, always being left with broken promises. We learn of the corruption in the system that vows to help clean up the slums at the cost of destroying the lives of the very people they claim to want to help.

I enjoyed this novel, especially Rakhi's character. I wish there had been a little more background on Gauri Ma'am and why she singled out Rakhi as her "cause". The book started slow but then moved really fast near the end. All in all, this was a good read and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for this Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on 5/10/22

I wasn’t really into this book. I had a hard time with it not holding my attention. I gave it 4 stars because parts were interesting. I am not sure I would recommend this book.