Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme started by @Lauren’s Page Turners but is currently hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog. This meme is quite easy to follow – just randomly pick a book from your to-be-read list and explain why you want to read it. It is that simple.

This week’s book:

The Complex by Karan Mahajan

Blurb from Goodreads

A brilliant, sweeping, tour de force moving between America and modern India, following the illicit liaisons, real estate dramas, political ambitions, and mortal betrayals of one prominent Delhi family — from the author of the National Book Award finalist The Association of Small Bombs

In a sprawling complex in Delhi, the sons and daughters of SP Chopra, one of India’s political architects, live together vying for influence in a family shaped by the great man’s legacy. By the late 1970s, his descendants are scrambling to define their own futures in a still-young nation on the brink of transformation.

Sachin Chopra leaves for America, with his bride Gita following not long after, as the newlyweds are eager to forge their own lives beyond the pressures of the family compound. Yet Delhi remains an inescapable force, one that keeps pulling them back, even as Gita is menaced by Sachin’s predatory uncle, Laxman. A man of ruthless ambition, Laxman ascends through the ranks of a rising Hindu nationalist movement, caught between his political aspirations and his personal transgressions. Meanwhile, Vibha, his sister, tries to keep the peace and the reputation of the family intact even as she wrestles with her own exile.

As India erupts in violence and long-buried secrets come to light, the embattled Chopras must reckon with the cost of power, the weight of tradition, and the shifting nature of love and allegiance. Equal parts brilliant family saga and piercing political drama, The Complex is a virtuosic novel of revenge and redemption, ambition and undoing, loyalty and love, by one of the most lauded voices in contemporary fiction.

Why I Want To Read It

Happy Monday, everyone! Technically, it is already Tuesday. Nevertheless, today is the last Tuesday of the seventh month of the year. In a couple of weeks, we will be welcoming August. How time flies! As always, time takes its natural course, ever flowing forward, with no regard for any of us. It does not wait for anyone. As such, I hope the year is going—and will continue to go—well for everyone. I hope the rest of the year will be kind to you all. Things are still erratic, whether at work or in geopolitics. I hope the tension in the Middle East begins to de-escalate and that peace is gradually restored. I also hope things start to slow down at work. They remain hectic, and I am hoping things will start looking up. Anyway, I hope everyone has had a good start to the workweek. I hope everyone is in a place of comfort. The new week beckons with hope and fresh starts, and I hope it unfolds in everyone’s favor. Wishing you continued success and happiness. I hope everyone is doing well, in body, mind, and spirit.

I know—not many people get excited about Mondays (though I’m sure a few are out there). I, too, am not exactly a fan. Still, I hope that as the week moves forward, you gradually gain a semblance of momentum. I hope everyone’s workweek goes smoothly. More importantly, I hope everyone is doing well—mentally, emotionally, and physically. After spending the first two months of the year reading works by Latin American and Caribbean writers, I have spent the following four months reading the works of European authors. I chose to read European writers because most of the books on my 2026 reading challenge list are by European authors. I am thankful that I was finally able to complete all the books on my reading challenge lists. With the start of a new month, I also commenced a new literary journey. With July being my birth month, I have commenced a venture across Asian literature. I am currently reading Dai Sijie’s Once in a Moonless Night.

In line with this month’s reading motif, I am featuring a work by an Asian writer. As the year approaches its halfway mark, literary publications have begun sharing their lists of the best books of the year so far. This is how I came across Karan Mahajan and his novel The Complex. Honestly, it was only today that I learned about the Indian American writer. I guess it is also serendipitous as I am about to read his countrywoman Kiran Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss. Interestingly, Mahajan was born in the United States but grew up in New Delhi. He returned to the United States to study English and Economics at Stanford University. In 2008, he made his literary debut with the publication of Family Planning. It was critically received, with the book being a finalist for the International Dylan Thomas Prize. His sophomore novel, The Association of Small Bombs, was also warmly received by pundits. The New York Times even named the novel one of its “10 Best Books of 2016.”

In 2026, Mahajan made his literary comeback with the publication of The Complex. It was also listed by the New York Times as one of their best books of the year, so far. It is on track to joining its predecessor. The titular complex is situated in Delhi and housed the sons and daughters of SP Chopra, one of India’s political architects. His scions were trying to emulate their father. However, living under his shadows came with its own challenges. They were unable to live up to his legacy. Meanwhile, India was also on the brink of transformation. The intertwining fate of India and the family at the heart of the novel makes for a promising premise. For now, I hope I can secure a copy of it. How about you, fellow readers? How was your Monday? What books have you recently added to your reading list? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

For now—happy Monday, and as always, happy reading!