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The Museum of Failures
An immersive story about family secrets and the power of forgiveness from the bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick Honor
When Remy Wadia left India for the United States, he carried his resentment of his cold and inscrutable mother with him and has kept his distance from her. Years later, he returns to Bombay, planning to adopt a baby from a young pregnant girl—and to see his elderly mother again before it is too late. She is in the hospital, has stopped talking, and seems to have given up on life.
Struck with guilt for not realizing just how ill she had become, Remy devotes himself to helping her recover and return home. But one day in her apartment he comes upon an old photograph that demands explanation. As shocking family secrets surface, Remy finds himself reevaluating his entire childhood and his relationship to his parents, just as he is on the cusp of becoming a parent himself. Can Remy learn to forgive others for their human frailties, or is he too wedded to his sorrow and anger over his parents’ long-ago decisions?
Surprising, devastating, and ultimately a story of redemption and healing still possible between a mother and son, The Museum of Failures is a tour de force from one of our most elegant storytellers about the mixed bag of love and regret. It is also, above all, a much-needed reminder that forgiveness comes from empathy for others.
When Remy Wadia left India for the United States, he carried his resentment of his cold and inscrutable mother with him and has kept his distance from her. Years later, he returns to Bombay, planning to adopt a baby from a young pregnant girl—and to see his elderly mother again before it is too late. She is in the hospital, has stopped talking, and seems to have given up on life.
Struck with guilt for not realizing just how ill she had become, Remy devotes himself to helping her recover and return home. But one day in her apartment he comes upon an old photograph that demands explanation. As shocking family secrets surface, Remy finds himself reevaluating his entire childhood and his relationship to his parents, just as he is on the cusp of becoming a parent himself. Can Remy learn to forgive others for their human frailties, or is he too wedded to his sorrow and anger over his parents’ long-ago decisions?
Surprising, devastating, and ultimately a story of redemption and healing still possible between a mother and son, The Museum of Failures is a tour de force from one of our most elegant storytellers about the mixed bag of love and regret. It is also, above all, a much-needed reminder that forgiveness comes from empathy for others.
358 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 2023
About the author
Thrity Umrigar
16 books2,571 followersA journalist for seventeen years, Thrity Umrigar has written for the Washington Post, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and other national newspapers, and contributes regularly to the Boston Globe's book pages. Thrity is the winner of the Cleveland Arts Prize, a Lambda Literary award and the Seth Rosenberg prize. She teaches creative writing and literature at Case Western Reserve University. The author of The Space Between Us, Bombay Time, and the memoir First Darling of the Morning: Selected Memories of an Indian Childhood, she was a winner of the Nieman Fellowship to Harvard University. She has a Ph.D. in English and lives in Cleveland, Ohio. (from the publisher's website)"
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July 11, 2023Also the title of my résumé!
November 2, 2023
With the encouragement and blessing of his beloved father, Remy Wadia left Bombay, India, as a young man to attend college in America and never looked back.
The Ohio State University graduate now lives in Columbus, Ohio, with a flourishing ad agency and his pediatrician wife, Kathy.
When the 37-year-old successful American businessman returns to Bombay for the first time since his father’s death three years earlier, Remy sees his native country through the lens of his American life: “India always disappointed. He had often thought of Bombay as the museum of failures, an exhibit hall filled with thwarted dreams and broken promises.”
While it’s the prospect of adopting a child that has Remy flying 8,000 miles from his home in Ohio, the Universe, as they say, has other plans.
Upon his arrival in India, Remy finds that his widowed 70-year-old mother’s health has dramatically declined and she’s been hospitalized.
Remy has a contentious, tenuous-at-best relationship with his mother Shirin, but he’s never fully understood why.
Rest assured, he’s about to find out.
At its heart, The Museum of Failures, is about the destructive power of family secrets.
As Shirin tells Remy her own story for the first time and long-held secrets slowly unravel, it upends everything he thought he knew about her and his father.
Once he understands, Remy sees his childhood and his relationship to his parents through a new lens.
I’ve read several books by local author Thrity Umrigar and have thoroughly enjoyed each one.
Originally from Bombay, now a professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, Umrigar is a highly praised fictional interpreter of Indian life.
Like Umrigar, the character of Remy is raised Parsi: a tiny ethnic and religious minority (only 100,000 members worldwide), practitioners of the ancient faith of Zoroastrianism.
Her description of this unique community — its sacred rituals, traditional garments, and exotic cuisine — is part of what makes the novel so fascinating.
While there isn’t much dimension to Remy’s life in Ohio, the American side of things, of course, is not Umrigar’s focus here.
She perfectly captures the dichotomy of existence immigrants live at times: “transplanted in new soil, yes, but also rooted in another.”
I strongly recommend The Museum of Failures if you’re in the mood for a well-written contemporary novel that is both educational and entertaining.
October 2, 2023
Remy Wadia returns to India to adopt the unborn infant of a pregnant teenager. He has not been back for years due to his fraught relationship with his widowed mother. Remy discovers that his mother is severely ill and has generally been neglected by the people he left in charge. He winds up staying in India longer than expected, and family secrets come to light as he tries to navigate both the adoption and his mother’s recuperation.
This book got more interesting in the last third. The beginning felt like a constant rehashing of old grievances. The revelation of a devastating family secret turned the book around for me. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic. I actually had to check on Audible to confirm that this was not read by a full cast. Vikas Adam was better at doing female voices than a lot of female narrators, and he differentiated all of the characters extremely well. Highly recommend listening to hm. 4.5 stars
This book got more interesting in the last third. The beginning felt like a constant rehashing of old grievances. The revelation of a devastating family secret turned the book around for me. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic. I actually had to check on Audible to confirm that this was not read by a full cast. Vikas Adam was better at doing female voices than a lot of female narrators, and he differentiated all of the characters extremely well. Highly recommend listening to hm. 4.5 stars
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February 21, 2024Lengthy look at a dysfunctional mother-son relationship as the NRI son returns to Bombay in the hope of adopting a child. It's well written and treats a lot of emotional things and family difficulties, and there's a good sense of place and identity but...I dunno. It seems a bit unfair to say I felt lukewarm--I finished it, and I am very happy to DNF for lack of interest--but I guess I was waiting for it to get going and it never really did.
I think possibly the problem is that everyone in this book was basically all right. Everyone who behaves badly ends up doing better, and has a reason for it really, and the cumulative effect was a kind of 'everyone's nice deep down really' feeling that will be wildly up a lot of people's street, but for some reason didn't land with me on this occasion. Hey ho.
I think possibly the problem is that everyone in this book was basically all right. Everyone who behaves badly ends up doing better, and has a reason for it really, and the cumulative effect was a kind of 'everyone's nice deep down really' feeling that will be wildly up a lot of people's street, but for some reason didn't land with me on this occasion. Hey ho.
February 20, 2024
The novel centers around a 30+ year old man's (Remy Wadia) trip to Bombay, India in hopes of adopting a baby for himself and his wife. Remy, who had been raised in India, went to school in the U.S. and married an American woman (Kathy). The plot encompasses Remy's returning to India and reunion with his estranged mother (Shirin). He discovers that she is gravely ill.
I have very mixed reactions to the book. I was enjoying it until the plot took a nose-dive, three-fourths into the story. I can't spell out how, for fear of giving spoilers. *It felt melodramatic and overly wrought. The turn of events were tragic. The sweet ending then seemed to be too pat.
2.5 stars
I have very mixed reactions to the book. I was enjoying it until the plot took a nose-dive, three-fourths into the story. I can't spell out how, for fear of giving spoilers. *It felt melodramatic and overly wrought. The turn of events were tragic. The sweet ending then seemed to be too pat.
2.5 stars
August 12, 2023
If you liked Thrity Umrigar's previous novels you will definitely like this. It is the mix of Indian and American life that makes her novels stand out.
The Museum of Failures is the nickname that our protagonist, Remy, has given to Bombay although he gives several examples of his reasons I cannot recall one at present.
Remy has returned from his life in Columbus where he is a successful advertising manager, married to Kathy, in order to adopt a baby from a teenage cousin and also to see his ailing, elderly mother with whom he has always had a fractious relationship. However once he has arrived he is dealt several devastating blows which lead to a family secret buried so deep that it takes some unravelling.
Remy is an interesting character if a little on the selfish side. He certainly doesn't consider the consequences of his own actions and doesn't really seem to care about anyone else's feelings for quite a long time into the novel. For me, he was hard to like a lot of the time. However Thrity Umrigar is wonderful at giving us complex characters with complicated back stories. Nothing is ever as simple as it first seems and Museum of Failures starts simple but the secrets keep coming and surprises follow.
I'd definitely recommend this book. It is an easy read with enough surprises to keep you hooked. The family relationships are not wildly complicated and the plot is easy to understand.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Swift Press for the advance review copy.
The Museum of Failures is the nickname that our protagonist, Remy, has given to Bombay although he gives several examples of his reasons I cannot recall one at present.
Remy has returned from his life in Columbus where he is a successful advertising manager, married to Kathy, in order to adopt a baby from a teenage cousin and also to see his ailing, elderly mother with whom he has always had a fractious relationship. However once he has arrived he is dealt several devastating blows which lead to a family secret buried so deep that it takes some unravelling.
Remy is an interesting character if a little on the selfish side. He certainly doesn't consider the consequences of his own actions and doesn't really seem to care about anyone else's feelings for quite a long time into the novel. For me, he was hard to like a lot of the time. However Thrity Umrigar is wonderful at giving us complex characters with complicated back stories. Nothing is ever as simple as it first seems and Museum of Failures starts simple but the secrets keep coming and surprises follow.
I'd definitely recommend this book. It is an easy read with enough surprises to keep you hooked. The family relationships are not wildly complicated and the plot is easy to understand.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Swift Press for the advance review copy.
September 14, 2023
There’s no denying that Thrity Umrigar knows how to write about the heartache and healing of being human. After loving HONOR, I was eager to pick up THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES. This family drama follows Remy, an Indian man married to an American woman who are struggling with infertility. Remy returns to India to be with his ailing mother and hopes to grow his family through adoption.
My biggest qualm with the story is the plot really didn’t pick up momentum until about the 70% mark. As a result, my emotional investment in the characters was a bit lacking. I was hoping for a gut-punch of a story and Thrity certainly went there, I just didn’t feel the same level of connection to the characters I did in her previous books.
I did enjoy the cultural aspects of the story and am always eager to learn more about places in the world I’m not as familiar with. If you enjoy a slower-paced family drama you may find deeper enjoyment.
RATING: 3.5/5
PUB DATE: September 26, 2023
Many thanks to Algonquin Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My biggest qualm with the story is the plot really didn’t pick up momentum until about the 70% mark. As a result, my emotional investment in the characters was a bit lacking. I was hoping for a gut-punch of a story and Thrity certainly went there, I just didn’t feel the same level of connection to the characters I did in her previous books.
I did enjoy the cultural aspects of the story and am always eager to learn more about places in the world I’m not as familiar with. If you enjoy a slower-paced family drama you may find deeper enjoyment.
RATING: 3.5/5
PUB DATE: September 26, 2023
Many thanks to Algonquin Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2024
What an absolutely beautiful book! I loved it. This author, Thrity Umigar, has the most lyrical, beautiful, spiritual way of writing. One takes one of her phrases, often on every page, and just kind of mulls it over. It really wraps you in, and stays.
The book was shaping to be a four star read. But then in its last 100 pages, it begins to move its tale in such a painful, yet beautiful way. The depth of pain, love, resilience, growth, and forgiveness in these characters was simply amazing. It was heart stopping. I literally had to stop reading because I was weeping with all the emotions blended. This one hit me incredibly strongly on every level.
At its core, this book is about the unassailable bond between parents and children. And how the infinite and boundless capacity for love (and pain) can shape us in ways unimaginable, and to what lengths we would go to to protect children, even if it means severing that bond. It was also wrapped up in India as well, in terms of the disparity of mindset, attitude, choices, and realistic resources. The book was a stunning masterwork and one not soon forgotten. I loved it, and it will go easily into my Top Ten this year. I highly recommend it. But I do have a wondering. I wonder if this book will hit parents differently. If they will somehow resonate with the themes more strongly than others who have not or not yet had that experience shape them. As a mom and daughter, everything about this book hit me on just the right levels. I wonder whether others will have the same experience of it, and why or why not in either case. I can't wait to talk about it. I am opening the Buddy Read in PBT, and I hope others will join in when they get to it.
The book was shaping to be a four star read. But then in its last 100 pages, it begins to move its tale in such a painful, yet beautiful way. The depth of pain, love, resilience, growth, and forgiveness in these characters was simply amazing. It was heart stopping. I literally had to stop reading because I was weeping with all the emotions blended. This one hit me incredibly strongly on every level.
At its core, this book is about the unassailable bond between parents and children. And how the infinite and boundless capacity for love (and pain) can shape us in ways unimaginable, and to what lengths we would go to to protect children, even if it means severing that bond. It was also wrapped up in India as well, in terms of the disparity of mindset, attitude, choices, and realistic resources. The book was a stunning masterwork and one not soon forgotten. I loved it, and it will go easily into my Top Ten this year. I highly recommend it. But I do have a wondering. I wonder if this book will hit parents differently. If they will somehow resonate with the themes more strongly than others who have not or not yet had that experience shape them. As a mom and daughter, everything about this book hit me on just the right levels. I wonder whether others will have the same experience of it, and why or why not in either case. I can't wait to talk about it. I am opening the Buddy Read in PBT, and I hope others will join in when they get to it.
April 3, 2024
I have very much enjoyed this author’s work before – particularly The Space Between Us. Unfortunately, this novel did not capture me nearly as much. The novel tells the story of a man, Remy, who returns to India (the land of his birth and youth) to adopt a baby. He finds his mother, with whom he had a difficult relationship, very ill. Issues arise with respect to the adoption, and, of course, he and his mother must explore their relationship. Many ugly family secrets are unearthed. There was nothing wrong with this story, it just didn’t touch my heart as her other novels have done.
January 11, 2024
Filled with resilience, transformation, and the power of family bonds.
August 25, 2023
a heart wrenching, emotional novel; thrity umrigar has done it again.
remy grew up in india with his loving, adoring father and his cold mother. his father did everything for him and loved him deeply. now, he lives in america with his american wife, kathy. unable to conceive, remy travels to bombay in the hopes of meeting a young pregnant woman and adopting her child. when he arrives, the girl has changed her mind, his mother is ailing and extremely sick, and his life is in shambles. a tale of family secrets, love, loss, and misconceptions about one's parents, this is "the museum of failures."
this novel is so emotionally gut wrenching. i read it in one sitting, unable to put it down. umrigar writes with such poetic diction. so much love went into this novel, that is clear. you will question your own childhood, your own upbringing, and your own parents. not everything is as it seems, and no parent is perfect. this novel captivated me, made me cry, and filled my heart with warmth.
thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
remy grew up in india with his loving, adoring father and his cold mother. his father did everything for him and loved him deeply. now, he lives in america with his american wife, kathy. unable to conceive, remy travels to bombay in the hopes of meeting a young pregnant woman and adopting her child. when he arrives, the girl has changed her mind, his mother is ailing and extremely sick, and his life is in shambles. a tale of family secrets, love, loss, and misconceptions about one's parents, this is "the museum of failures."
this novel is so emotionally gut wrenching. i read it in one sitting, unable to put it down. umrigar writes with such poetic diction. so much love went into this novel, that is clear. you will question your own childhood, your own upbringing, and your own parents. not everything is as it seems, and no parent is perfect. this novel captivated me, made me cry, and filled my heart with warmth.
thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
November 25, 2023
Remy was born in India and moved to the US, where he met his wife, Kathy. They become aware of a situation in Remy’s hometown, where an unwed mother appears willing to allow them to adopt the child immediately after its birth. Remy travels to India. He meets the young woman, but all does not go as planned. He also finds that his mother’s health has deteriorated. He has bad memories of his childhood and has not had a good relationship with his mother. The storyline revolves around the adoption and a reconnection with his mother. He discovers family secrets that shed light on the reasons for his difficult childhood.
I read this book on the strength of other books I have read by this author. Umrigar excels at storytelling and character development, and this book is no exception. It kept my interest throughout, and the people seemed very real. Key topics include the cultural differences between India (particularly within the Parsi religion) and the US, parent-child relationships, and the aftermath of secret-keeping. It weaves in segments of the immigrant experience, where Remy does not feel completely at home in either his birthplace or his new county. It touches on themes of love, identity, forgiveness, and acceptance. It will appeal to those who enjoy well-written novels about family dynamics.
I read this book on the strength of other books I have read by this author. Umrigar excels at storytelling and character development, and this book is no exception. It kept my interest throughout, and the people seemed very real. Key topics include the cultural differences between India (particularly within the Parsi religion) and the US, parent-child relationships, and the aftermath of secret-keeping. It weaves in segments of the immigrant experience, where Remy does not feel completely at home in either his birthplace or his new county. It touches on themes of love, identity, forgiveness, and acceptance. It will appeal to those who enjoy well-written novels about family dynamics.
March 4, 2024
A moving saga of deception and forgiveness. Candid and tenderly crafted, The Museum of Failures is a portrait of motherhood, sacrifice, and the cost of guarding devastating secrets. It is an exploration of the ways in which our views of our parents over time; how our memories are colored by truths withheld and hurts buried. A testament to the winding but essential path of understanding, so that we may unburden ourselves of the expectations we have placed upon our lives based on a legacy partially untold. Evocative and introspective.
September 17, 2023
NetGalley Advanced Copy | Thrity Umrigar is one of my all-time favorite authors. I absolutely loved The World We Found and Honor - plus The Story Hour.
Unfortunately, I just could not get into The Museum of Failures, and it felt a bit like "trauma porn," which is so very 2023 publishing right now - as well as rubbed me the wrong way on the presentation/discussion of multiple topics.
The first quarter of the book drew me in, and there's no denying Umrigar's beautiful prose and ability to capture the hardest parts of the human spirit. Her writing is always stunning.
Plus, I was personally here for a story about a son who never heads home to India, only to be met with an aging parent facing health issues. The guilt is palpable, and Remy quickly learns that his dad wasn't quite the hero he believed.
Unfortunately, the story felt repetitive and lost its speed. There's a lot of judging and preachy parts. Then, I got straight out bored. There is so much slow filler to slog through, it really ruined the beauty of the story.
When I got to the big "reveals" - it just felt like shock for the sake of shock, and tying in everyone's stories felt overly contrived.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Unfortunately, I just could not get into The Museum of Failures, and it felt a bit like "trauma porn," which is so very 2023 publishing right now - as well as rubbed me the wrong way on the presentation/discussion of multiple topics.
The first quarter of the book drew me in, and there's no denying Umrigar's beautiful prose and ability to capture the hardest parts of the human spirit. Her writing is always stunning.
Plus, I was personally here for a story about a son who never heads home to India, only to be met with an aging parent facing health issues. The guilt is palpable, and Remy quickly learns that his dad wasn't quite the hero he believed.
Unfortunately, the story felt repetitive and lost its speed. There's a lot of judging and preachy parts. Then, I got straight out bored. There is so much slow filler to slog through, it really ruined the beauty of the story.
When I got to the big "reveals" - it just felt like shock for the sake of shock, and tying in everyone's stories felt overly contrived.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 20, 2024
Thirty is an excellent writer and I loved the cultural aspects of this story. It started slow, picked up in the middle and then the ending seemed like a quick unexpected rush and I wasn’t a fan of that. I would go with 3.5 starts if I could, but went with 4 for the writing.
November 12, 2023
DNF- I read until page 288 and then gave up.
I just couldn’t take it any more.
It will probably win a Pulitzer.
I just couldn’t take it any more.
It will probably win a Pulitzer.
January 21, 2024
Maybe only 3.5 but I’ll round up because Umrigar is such an evocative writer and I very much appreciated the way she built a sense of Bombay. Remy is a bit of a lost soul, caught between trying to adopt a baby and care for his elderly and estranged mother. He’s displaced, navigating life in India, having lived so much of his adult life in America (but self aware enough to know he’s not completely at home there either.) "This was the eternal burden of the immigrant, the divided soul. He would always be a foreigner in America, but the irony was, he was also a stranger in India."
Unfortunately, the story took a little too long to develop for me, and, although I liked Remy and his crisis was very real, I found his mother the much more compelling character and we don’t get enough of her story until late in the book. Hers was the book I wanted.
Still, I’m an Umrigar fan. I loved the title the many ways it could be applied to both her characters and her setting. He often thought of Bombay as the museum of failures, an exhibit hall filled with thwarted dreams and broken promises. The feels of red tape themselves were worthy of their own display room."
Unfortunately, the story took a little too long to develop for me, and, although I liked Remy and his crisis was very real, I found his mother the much more compelling character and we don’t get enough of her story until late in the book. Hers was the book I wanted.
Still, I’m an Umrigar fan. I loved the title the many ways it could be applied to both her characters and her setting. He often thought of Bombay as the museum of failures, an exhibit hall filled with thwarted dreams and broken promises. The feels of red tape themselves were worthy of their own display room."
September 18, 2023
I went into this totally blind, trusting that Thrity Umrigar would tell me a story that would connect with my heart, and she did just that.
Remy, born and raised in India now lives in the USA with his American wife. He returns to India with the hopes of adopting a much desired baby from a family friend and perhaps he should swing by and see his aging mother...Upon arrival things to do not go as planned. As things slowly devolve, he finds his mother quite ill and in the hospital and non responsive. During his 2 week stay in India, many things come to light regarding his families past along with him trying to work out this adoption plan.
I quite enjoyed the plot of this story. It touches on the humanity of people in the light of pain, secrets, forgiveness, embarrassment, kindness and love. The story has many layers and I was touched by the ugly truths shared.
The book started out strong, but had a bit of an intermission in the middle but then ended with a strong ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for the advance e-copy of this book.
Remy, born and raised in India now lives in the USA with his American wife. He returns to India with the hopes of adopting a much desired baby from a family friend and perhaps he should swing by and see his aging mother...Upon arrival things to do not go as planned. As things slowly devolve, he finds his mother quite ill and in the hospital and non responsive. During his 2 week stay in India, many things come to light regarding his families past along with him trying to work out this adoption plan.
I quite enjoyed the plot of this story. It touches on the humanity of people in the light of pain, secrets, forgiveness, embarrassment, kindness and love. The story has many layers and I was touched by the ugly truths shared.
The book started out strong, but had a bit of an intermission in the middle but then ended with a strong ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for the advance e-copy of this book.
December 19, 2023
As I was reading this book it was strongly reminiscent of, The Kite Runner. High praise indeed as that is one of my all-time favorite reads. You can imagine my surprise and delight when there is a kite scene at the very end. Perfection! 🪁 Poignant. Powerful.
This author is quickly becoming a favorite.
“…..Faith is like an armor. It’s for your own protection. This world can be an unforgiving place. Faith helps a man from being buffered around.”
This author is quickly becoming a favorite.
“…..Faith is like an armor. It’s for your own protection. This world can be an unforgiving place. Faith helps a man from being buffered around.”
January 30, 2024
The Museum of Failures is what Remy Wadia calls his birthplace, Bombay. Remy is now an American citizen who met his wife while attending graduate school in the US. His last visit home was three years ago after his beloved father died. Remy's relationship with his mother is rocky at best and he assuaged any guilt he had about leaving his mother alone by moving a cousin and his wife into their building to look after her. When he returns to Bombay, he finds his mother quite ill in the hospital wuthout any notification from his cousin. Remy is in India to arrange for the adoption of a baby and his mother's illness derails his plans.
Thrity Umrigar dives into complicated family dynamics, the lingering guilt of immigrants leaving family members behind and the tragedy of family secrets. 3.5 stars for the thematic elements which Umrigar handles with such clarity. The other books I have read by Umrigar were 5 stars, I just didn't like Remy very much which tempered my enjoyment and lowered the rating for this one.
Thrity Umrigar dives into complicated family dynamics, the lingering guilt of immigrants leaving family members behind and the tragedy of family secrets. 3.5 stars for the thematic elements which Umrigar handles with such clarity. The other books I have read by Umrigar were 5 stars, I just didn't like Remy very much which tempered my enjoyment and lowered the rating for this one.
November 13, 2023
After leaving India for college, Remy Wadia has built a full life in America. He's married to Kathy, an American-born pediatrician. They are seeking to adopt a child but have been unsuccessful so far. When one of Remy's close friends tells him about a relative who is pregnant and is willing to let the couple adopt her baby, Remy leaves his home in Ohio and heads to Bombay (Mumbai) to make all the arrangements. He has not been back since his beloved father passed away three year earlier. Once he arrives, his belief that Bombay is a "museum of failures, an exhibit hall filled with thwarted dreams and broken promises" is reinforced as the young woman now has doubts about the adoption and Remy's mother, who he has a fractured relationship with, is in the hospital clinging to life. Remy decides to be there for his mother no matter how he feels about her. During this period, Remy learns a family secret that changes everything about what he thought about his parents - their relationship with one another and with him.
Author Thrity Umrigar has created a powerful, rich and emotional story with The Museum of Failures. The scenes in which Remy is caring for his mother will touch anyone who has been a caregiver for an elderly parent or loved one. The cultural descriptions were interesting to read about. The emotions and struggles of the characters, however, were universal and well presented. This was an incredibly moving and complex story of grief, self-discovery, forgiveness and ultimately hope.
I loved it!
Rated 4.5 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Author Thrity Umrigar has created a powerful, rich and emotional story with The Museum of Failures. The scenes in which Remy is caring for his mother will touch anyone who has been a caregiver for an elderly parent or loved one. The cultural descriptions were interesting to read about. The emotions and struggles of the characters, however, were universal and well presented. This was an incredibly moving and complex story of grief, self-discovery, forgiveness and ultimately hope.
I loved it!
Rated 4.5 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
January 22, 2024
This book started a little slow, then got complicated and interesting, and finally completely jumped the shark. The middle was incredibly compelling through. The beginning was maybe needed to set the scene for the interesting bits. The end was not for me. Heck with Remy, heck with Mommy, heck with their generational trauma. This review is dedicated to Saint Kathy.
April 16, 2023
It was a pleasure to read another excellent book by this very talented author. I received an ARC from Edelweiss+.
October 20, 2023
Thrity Umrigar is one of my favorite contemporary writers. As a general rule, I'm not interested in "domestic" fiction: tales of strained families or unsteady relationships. Umrigar is the exception to this rule. Her characters are interesting, she imbues them with rich inner lives, and they come from multiple cultures and perspectives.
In the case of The Museum of Failures, our central character, Remy, is a Parsi Indian who moved to the U.S. and stayed there. He's married to an anglo woman, a pediatrician. The couple is at a crossroads. After multiple failed attempts at fertility treatments, they've arranged to adopt the baby of a young girl in India, a niece of one of Remy's childhood friends.
Remy arrives in India, intending to take care of the legal paperwork required for the adoption, but runs unto unexpected difficulties. First, the girl who will be the birth mother has decided she doesn't want to give the baby up for adoption. Second, he finds his elderly mother, who has always been volatile and unkind, is hospitalized with pneumonia. The distant relatives who were supposed to be caring for her, have been largely ignoring her because her volatility makes her difficult to deal with. So, Remy is left without a much-wanted baby and and with long stretches of time spent with a mother he was happy to be living half a world away from.
In a way, readers can predict parts of the plot. Perhaps Remy will be able to bring home the baby after all. Perhaps he and his mother will come to a truce of sorts that will release the burden of his many unhappy childhood memories of her. Perhaps. What does happen is similar, but also utterly different, surprising both Remy and the reader.
If you appreciate fiction that closely examines familial relationships and/or the experiences of immigrants returning to a home that is not a home, you'll find this novel a deeply satisfying read. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
In the case of The Museum of Failures, our central character, Remy, is a Parsi Indian who moved to the U.S. and stayed there. He's married to an anglo woman, a pediatrician. The couple is at a crossroads. After multiple failed attempts at fertility treatments, they've arranged to adopt the baby of a young girl in India, a niece of one of Remy's childhood friends.
Remy arrives in India, intending to take care of the legal paperwork required for the adoption, but runs unto unexpected difficulties. First, the girl who will be the birth mother has decided she doesn't want to give the baby up for adoption. Second, he finds his elderly mother, who has always been volatile and unkind, is hospitalized with pneumonia. The distant relatives who were supposed to be caring for her, have been largely ignoring her because her volatility makes her difficult to deal with. So, Remy is left without a much-wanted baby and and with long stretches of time spent with a mother he was happy to be living half a world away from.
In a way, readers can predict parts of the plot. Perhaps Remy will be able to bring home the baby after all. Perhaps he and his mother will come to a truce of sorts that will release the burden of his many unhappy childhood memories of her. Perhaps. What does happen is similar, but also utterly different, surprising both Remy and the reader.
If you appreciate fiction that closely examines familial relationships and/or the experiences of immigrants returning to a home that is not a home, you'll find this novel a deeply satisfying read. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
December 26, 2023
As with many of Umrigar’s books, she doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. This is a family drama that focuses on culture, immigration, stunning family secrets, love and loss.
Remy Wadia has returned to India after 3 years away, in America. There are several reasons for his trip, and he is forced to confront many difficult memories of the past while looking towards hope for the future.
‘He had often thought of Bombay as the museum of failures, an exhibit hall filled with thwarted dreams and broken promises.’
I must admit that it took me longer to become invested in this book than her previous books. Once I was, it was poignant and heart rending. The last third of the book I didn’t want to put it down. It’s one I’ll be thinking about for some time.
‘The only way to destroy the museum of failures is to burn every shameful secret that it has ever held.’
4.25/5 ⭐️
CW | Some coarse language interspersed throughout.
Remy Wadia has returned to India after 3 years away, in America. There are several reasons for his trip, and he is forced to confront many difficult memories of the past while looking towards hope for the future.
‘He had often thought of Bombay as the museum of failures, an exhibit hall filled with thwarted dreams and broken promises.’
I must admit that it took me longer to become invested in this book than her previous books. Once I was, it was poignant and heart rending. The last third of the book I didn’t want to put it down. It’s one I’ll be thinking about for some time.
‘The only way to destroy the museum of failures is to burn every shameful secret that it has ever held.’
4.25/5 ⭐️
CW | Some coarse language interspersed throughout.
Shelved as '2023'
June 17, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books
October 21, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up. I really loved the slow unpacking of complex family dynamics in Bombay. The author wrote nuanced and well written characters. The audiobook narration was excellent as well.
January 13, 2024
I will read anything Thrity Umrigard writes even though she is at times a bit uneven. She has brought India to full life for me in every book. The Museum of Failures was a five-to star read until about 2/3 of the way through when it got a bit bogged down and redundant. Still, I love reading about her India featuring rich and sympathetic characters who struggle against impossible odds.
October 21, 2023
The Museum of Failures
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Thirty Umrigar
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Algonquin Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: When Remy Wadia left India for the United States, he carried his resentment of his cold and inscrutable mother with him and has kept his distance from her. Years later, he returns to Bombay, planning to adopt a baby from a young pregnant girl—and to see his elderly mother again before it is too late. She is in the hospital, has stopped talking, and seems to have given up on life.
Struck with guilt for not realizing just how ill she had become, Remy devotes himself to helping her recover and return home. But one day in her apartment he comes upon an old photograph that demands explanation. As shocking family secrets surface, Remy finds himself reevaluating his entire childhood and his relationship to his parents, just as he is on the cusp of becoming a parent himself. Can Remy learn to forgive others for their human frailties, or is he too wedded to his sorrow and anger over his parents’ long-ago decisions?
My Thoughts: Remy has not been back to India for years due to a deep seated resentment against his mother. Remy is going to India for an adoption of a baby from a pregnant teen. While in India, the caregivers he left his mother with were not taking proper care of her and she is really ill, and has been neglected. Remy ends up staying in India longer than anticipated and some deep buried family secrets begin to surface. Can Remy forgive his mother?
This story is heart wrenching and heartfelt. Sometimes a parent’s decisions are not always easy and you cannot understand why the decision was made until much later in life, and even then you may not understand the lengths a parent will go for their child. In the beginning, it is very much a slow burn. It hashes out the grievances Remy has felt, and at times, becomes repetitive. However, the last third was hard to put down. Remy’s character is quite interesting, he comes off as selfish, does not seem to care when his own actions carries consequences, and the feelings of other people is insequential to him. The story is narrated mostly by Remy, in his POV, and in a dual timeline with both past and present tense. The characters were well fleshed out, written with powerful emotion, and were intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, layered, poignant, thought-provoking, and brilliant. It is rare to read a story that is both character driven and plot driven, usually it is one or the other, but this story was both.
I fell in love with Umrigar when I read her previous book, Honor. Umrigar has a way of blending American and India culture and write about tough heartache and the healing that comes along with the heartache. However, for this story, I could not connect as early as I usually do, it did not pick up for me until about 60% into the book. This book follows a family drama through mystery and secret unraveling. It is a story on how fragile we are as humans, the ability to forgive, and to reach acceptance from that forgiveness. I read the digital book but have read from other reviewers that the audiobook is fantastic and that the audiobook only has one narrator and she far excelled voice variation, did both male and female voices perfectly. Having said that, I would still highly recommend this story and her previous works. She is a brilliant writer.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Thirty Umrigar
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Algonquin Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: When Remy Wadia left India for the United States, he carried his resentment of his cold and inscrutable mother with him and has kept his distance from her. Years later, he returns to Bombay, planning to adopt a baby from a young pregnant girl—and to see his elderly mother again before it is too late. She is in the hospital, has stopped talking, and seems to have given up on life.
Struck with guilt for not realizing just how ill she had become, Remy devotes himself to helping her recover and return home. But one day in her apartment he comes upon an old photograph that demands explanation. As shocking family secrets surface, Remy finds himself reevaluating his entire childhood and his relationship to his parents, just as he is on the cusp of becoming a parent himself. Can Remy learn to forgive others for their human frailties, or is he too wedded to his sorrow and anger over his parents’ long-ago decisions?
My Thoughts: Remy has not been back to India for years due to a deep seated resentment against his mother. Remy is going to India for an adoption of a baby from a pregnant teen. While in India, the caregivers he left his mother with were not taking proper care of her and she is really ill, and has been neglected. Remy ends up staying in India longer than anticipated and some deep buried family secrets begin to surface. Can Remy forgive his mother?
This story is heart wrenching and heartfelt. Sometimes a parent’s decisions are not always easy and you cannot understand why the decision was made until much later in life, and even then you may not understand the lengths a parent will go for their child. In the beginning, it is very much a slow burn. It hashes out the grievances Remy has felt, and at times, becomes repetitive. However, the last third was hard to put down. Remy’s character is quite interesting, he comes off as selfish, does not seem to care when his own actions carries consequences, and the feelings of other people is insequential to him. The story is narrated mostly by Remy, in his POV, and in a dual timeline with both past and present tense. The characters were well fleshed out, written with powerful emotion, and were intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, layered, poignant, thought-provoking, and brilliant. It is rare to read a story that is both character driven and plot driven, usually it is one or the other, but this story was both.
I fell in love with Umrigar when I read her previous book, Honor. Umrigar has a way of blending American and India culture and write about tough heartache and the healing that comes along with the heartache. However, for this story, I could not connect as early as I usually do, it did not pick up for me until about 60% into the book. This book follows a family drama through mystery and secret unraveling. It is a story on how fragile we are as humans, the ability to forgive, and to reach acceptance from that forgiveness. I read the digital book but have read from other reviewers that the audiobook is fantastic and that the audiobook only has one narrator and she far excelled voice variation, did both male and female voices perfectly. Having said that, I would still highly recommend this story and her previous works. She is a brilliant writer.
November 18, 2023
The more I read Umrigar's novels, the more I like her work. As usual, this book is about India or people from India. In this book, it is a favored son who met and married a wonderful woman in the USA. She is a physician, he is an ad agency owner. They are childless but are now thinking about children as they approach their late 30s. As the book opens, the husband has returned to India, three years after the death of his beloved father, to find his mean mother in the hospital near death. He has returned to adopt the unborn child of a dear friend's niece. The mother-to-be is unmarried and wants the adoption to occur in secret. The adoption can be arranged easily by an attorney friend of the family. That is all the story you get from me. Umrigar is a lovely writer, the prose just flows - we know and understand the main character but are only given hints about the mean mother. Umrigar mixes in his old friends from childhood, the family attorney, secrets from the past, his mother's health. Was he, perhaps, a mean child who deserved her punishments and distain and distance? Or was she just a mean person? The book describes many types of relationships and forced me to think about some of my relationships with friends and family. There are many surprises in the book and it became somewhat tiring near the end. By the time I knew some of the history of the family, I was tired of the mooning over past behaviors and the wondering if one can erase the pain of the past. There was a tiny surprise at the very end - Umriger wanted to give us some hope for the future. This book would be great for book group discussions; there is so much about family relations that we all can see ourselves or others.
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