I thought this was a wonderful book about power and dominence and how the balance of those forces can shift: England over India; parents over children; men over women; old-world values and traditions over the new world's. And poor Samad is at the center of it all. Although India hasn't been England's "jewel" for more than 50 years, he can't keep English culture from infiltrating his family. He doesn't have the expected control of his wife, and his children haven't listened to him in years.I also thought it was very funny and even enjoyed reading about the characters I disliked (the Chalfens). Every character rang true. Well worth reading.