I love a family drama and I love a novel focusing on a culture other than my own. This book has all that and it's fine, but somehow it's missing something to kick it over into really good. Maybe it's that Dev takes actions that are not admirable even though I understand the source of his conflict. I also found the ending less than satisfying. Still, it's not a bad book and the intercultural pieces were quite interesting to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of However Far Away in exchange for an honest opinion. However Far Away is available now.

Dev was raised by a Sikh family in Vancouver after his parents died when he was young. Dev married out of obligation to his adoptive family and now has two daughters, but a past relationship has never really concluded. This book takes place on the day of his nephew's wedding while intertwining stories that lead up to the day. The cover doesn't make sense and the ending is abrupt, but the journey is compelling.

This was a frustrating read for me - partly due to formatting in the ARC which, I assume, won't be as challenging in the print copy when changes of paragraph / character viewpoint are more clearly delineated. Also a very abrupt ending leaving much unresolved.

The plot of this book revolves around the complicated and emotionally fraught relationships within families, communities, and couples. The main character, Dev, loses his parents in a tragic accident as a boy and ends up living with the Sikh family from whom they rented their home. The family gains wealth and status, which is also accorded to Dev. He repays them by being a dutiful member of the family and is well-loved. Although he has an ongoing on-and-off relationship with Emily, an Irishwoman, he ends up marrying Kuldip as a means of honoring his family. When Emily returns to Canada after being home to care for her mother, they began an affair. The story goes back and forth through time to show the development of various relationships and to explain the divided loyalties. Emily and Kuldip end up both being present at Dev's nephew's wedding and there are other families' drama playing out at the same time. Although it felt a bit busy at times, the story never got chaotic and maintained its rhythm. I particularly liked how the author crafted the ending as it was not at a convenient or neat point. Some might have wanted closure, but in this case, I think leaving it open was the right choice.