In 'Family Life', eight-year-old Ajay Mishra's world is forever changed as his family relocates from Delhi to America in pursuit of a better life. The novel masterfully captures the Mishras' initial wonder at the dazzling new world, complete with the small victories and thrilling discoveries of daily American life. However, their dream is shattered by a tragic accident that leaves Birju, Ajay's older brother, severely disabled. The Mishra family is engulfed by grief, each member coping in divergent ways: the mother turns to religion, the father to despair and drink, while Ajay is left to navigate this turbulent reality. Faced with an unpredictable future, familial obligations, and the harsh caveats of immigrant life, Ajay must summon the courage to forge his own path. Akhil Sharma delivers a poignant and sometimes humor-tinged exploration of the emotional scaffolding of family, the immigrant experience, and the tenacity of the human spirit.