What I’m Reading: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:
When Ravi Kapoor, an overworked London doctor, reaches the breaking point with his difficult father-in-law, he asks his wife: “Can’t we just send him away somewhere? Somewhere far, far away.” His prayer is answered when his entrepreneurial cousin sets up a retirement home in India, hoping to re-create in Bangalore an elegant lost corner of England.
Seven retirees are enticed by the promise of indulgent living at a bargain price, but upon arriving, they are dismayed to find that restoration of the once sophisiticated hotel has stalled, and that such amenities as water and electricity are . . . infrequent. But what their new life lacks in luxury, they come to find, it’s plentiful in adventure, stunning beauty, and unexpected love.

My Review:|
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was the first book I purchased to read on my Kobo! I had a discount code and was itching to read a full-length book on my eReader, so I figured I give this one a try. It wasn’t a book that would normally grab my attention, but after hearing a couple of decent reviews of the book, and with it being turning into a movie, I figured it couldn’t be too bad.

And it wasn’t! It took me a while to get through it, mostly because I read it while nursing Isla in the middle of the night, but I quite enjoyed it! Following the different characters and reading about their lives and different backgrounds was amusing, especially reading what they thought about the other guests at the hotel.

I don’t know if I could pick a favorite character from the book, but I think I’m leaning towards Norman. He’s the epitome of a dirty old man, and who hasn’t come across one of those in their lives? I’ve come to know two or three in my day, although none quite match up to Norman.

I’m not sure if there’s anything I didn’t like about the book, other than the way the different characters’ sections were broken up. Maybe it was a glitch in my Kobo, but the sections would suddenly switch from one character’s story to another’s and I had to go back and re-read sections because I got lost a couple of times. (Although that could be the lack of sleep and falling asleep while nursing/reading too, lol)

I don’t think I’ll watch the movie, but I definitely liked the book. I just have a thing with movies that star all English-speaking actors. It’s a British-accent overload for me.

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars. It was good for something that’s slightly out of the normal for what I usually read.

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts on it?