The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal
Deathbed wishes (commands) come in many guises. For British-born Punjabi sisters Rajini, Jezmeen, and Shirina, their mother’s last wish is for the bickering siblings to make a pilgrimage to India to scatter her ashes, and connect with their heritage and each other. Since two of the girls have never been to India, mom helpfully provides a written itinerary complete with points of interest, safety tips, and reflections.
Rajini, the eldest, swore she would never go back to India after one traumatizing visit as a teenager, but she would never disobey her mother’s last wish. An unfortunate social media scandal has actress Jezmeen welcoming a trip to another continent, and newlywed Shirina, who is struggling to get along with her new in-laws, hopes some time away will help her with a major family decision.
As the journey begins, Mrs. Shergill’s hopes for sisterly love seem remote. But reconciliation is the final destination, even if the trip does not exactly follow mother’s itinerary.
Balli Kaur Jaswall is the author of the bestseller and Reese’s Book Club selection Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows.
This novel is a little predictable but a gratifyingly quick read.