34 pages 1 hour read

One Amazing Thing

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2009

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Summary and Study Guide

Overview

Published in 2010, novelist and poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s One Amazing Thing tells the story of nine people from diverse backgrounds who become trapped inside the visa office of the Indian Consulate after a major earthquake hits. As they wait for help to arrive, each person takes a turn telling a story from their own life, often revealing feelings or tales previously unshared. Told in third-person perspective from the point of view of each character, Divakaruni crafts a narrative that provides unique observations from each person while also remarking on the universality of humanity.

Other works by this author include Arranged Marriage, Sister of My Heart, and The Palace of Illusions.

Plot Summary

In an unnamed city on the west coast of the United States, an earthquake strikes. Nine people become trapped in the basement-level visa office of the Indian Consulate. Seven of them are hoping to secure travel visas, while two are employees of the Indian government. These few people represent a variety of nationalities—including African American, Caucasian, Chinese and Indian, along with a variety of beliefs, such as Islam and Hinduism.

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