Nuzhat Shahzadi

A Table for Us Nuzhat Shahzadi

A Table for Us is a modern love story. It narrates the emotional journey of the protagonist, Opshora--her struggle to strike a balance between her heritage and the world she inherits as a second-generation immigrant in America.




Opshora is a Bengalee American, an anthropologist. She falls in love with Antonio, an Italian American chef. Antonio cooks with fanatical passion and "some crazy" to produce culinary miracles. He bakes tarts, pastries and chocolate cakes and offers them to Opshora as an expression of his deep adoration for her. His intense love for Opshora is like a sweet-savory roulade, ecstasy; but her love also demands profound trust. Their cultural differences add a unique flavor to the story that is both relatable and amusing.




The subplot reveals Opshora's mother Ruby's experience as a young immigrant in the 60s, which spices up the richness of the book. Opshora's family, her gay friend Chris, and Zayn--the man she fell in love with in Fiji in her youth--sketch a holistic portrayal of Opshora.




This book is a tale of race-relations, the identity dilemma of immigrants and their deep patriotism for a country, which celebrates diversity and, at the same time, is afraid of it!