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Some People
Overview
A man on the brink of divorce is forced to care for his injured future-ex-mother-in-law in this wise, witty, and heartfelt novel from the bestselling author of The Bandit Queens. Malti Patel is absolutely fine. Concussed and bruised, maybe, but fine. Certainly fine enough to not need her daughter's soon-to-be-ex-husband, Nathan Whitlock, playing nurse in her home while she recuperates. And yet, that's exactly the quandary in which she finds herself. Her doctor insists on in-home supervision for seven days, and with her daughter, Kavya, abroad at grad school in India, Nathan proves too much of a do-gooder to let Malti rehabilitate alone. Seven days of Nathan, the man divorcing her daughter for all manner of reasons: cultural misunderstanding, emotional walls, simmering hostility...most of them having to do with Kavya's baggage from her childhood. They want nothing to do with one another. But over the course of the week, as Malti grapples with the shadows of her past and Nathan ponders the wreckage of his marriage, they learn that they are the two people who know Kavya best--and the ones who have hurt her so deeply that she's left them both. Rich with emotional depth, Some People paints a nuanced portrait of love, forgiveness, and our timeless quest for understanding and acceptance.
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Details
- ISBN-13: 9798217093670
- ISBN-10: 9798217093670
- Publisher: Ballantine Books
- Publish Date: July 2026
- Dimensions: 9.41 x 6.01 x 1.21 inches
- Shipping Weight: 0.97 pounds
- Page Count: 304
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- 1
After an altruistic gesture gone wrong, 70-year-old Indian American Malti Patel gets a concussion. Because Kavya, Malti’s daughter and emergency contact, is out of the country, Malti ends up in the care of Nathan, Kavya’s soon-to-be ex-husband. In the week of round-the-clock care that follows, Nathan and Malti’s uneasy and often humorous interactions deepen into a quiet understanding and acceptance of each other, and also of themselves, in Parini Shroff’s emotionally layered follow up to The Bandit Queens. Blending tenderness and humor, Some People is rich in addressing prejudice, parenting and the misunderstandings that shape a family, especially in an interracial family where cultural differences add to the mix. Much of the novel’s charm lies in the strained interactions between Malti and Nathan, who is white. Their forced closeness is often awkward and funny, especially given their generational and attitudinal differences—as seen in their mutual embarrassment at Nathan having to help Malti out of the bathtub. Malti is an absorbing character whose self-reflection increases as she and Nathan bond over their central point of connection: 40-year-old Kavya, who surprised both of them by going away to graduate school in India. Malti’s salty personality, sharpened by her free use of expletives, partially masks her vulnerability, but can also diminish her charm. Nathan is likable, willing to confront his part in a failed marriage, as well as in his distant relationship with Malti. While the two are entertaining and their observations on human interchange are poignant, occasional extended passages about political and social grievances feel more rhetorical than character-driven, and break the continuity of an otherwise engaging narrative. The story is strongest in Malti’s reflections on her past: her life as an immigrant to the U.S. with a young daughter, and the choices she made as an overly protective mother to Kavya. Shroff handles these memories with sensitivity and insight, revealing regrets and guilt that come with hindsight. These emotional reckonings may resonate in particular with parents. Thoughtful and bittersweet, Some People invites introspection while painting a portrait of the journey to mutual respect in a family.
After an altruistic gesture gone wrong, 70-year-old Indian American Malti Patel gets a concussion. Because Kavya, Malti’s daughter and emergency contact, is out of the country, Malti ends up in the care of Nathan, Kavya’s soon-to-be ex-husband. In the week of round-the-clock care that follows, Nathan and Malti’s uneasy and often humorous interactions deepen into a quiet understanding and acceptance of each other, and also of themselves, in Parini Shroff’s emotionally layered follow up to The Bandit Queens. Blending tenderness and humor, Some People is rich in addressing prejudice, parenting and the misunderstandings that shape a family, especially in an interracial family where cultural differences add to the mix. Much of the novel’s charm lies in the strained interactions between Malti and Nathan, who is white. Their forced closeness is often awkward and funny, especially given their generational and attitudinal differences—as seen in their mutual embarrassment at Nathan having to help Malti out of the bathtub. Malti is an absorbing character whose self-reflection increases as she and Nathan bond over their central point of connection: 40-year-old Kavya, who surprised both of them by going away to graduate school in India. Malti’s salty personality, sharpened by her free use of expletives, partially masks her vulnerability, but can also diminish her charm. Nathan is likable, willing to confront his part in a failed marriage, as well as in his distant relationship with Malti. While the two are entertaining and their observations on human interchange are poignant, occasional extended passages about political and social grievances feel more rhetorical than character-driven, and break the continuity of an otherwise engaging narrative. The story is strongest in Malti’s reflections on her past: her life as an immigrant to the U.S. with a young daughter, and the choices she made as an overly protective mother to Kavya. Shroff handles these memories with sensitivity and insight, revealing regrets and guilt that come with hindsight. These emotional reckonings may resonate in particular with parents. Thoughtful and bittersweet, Some People invites introspection while painting a portrait of the journey to mutual respect in a family.