Girl Gone Viral (Modern Love #2)(99)
The culture thrived for at least a generation, but as laws around immigration and citizenship changed, and the children of these unions grew up and moved and had families, so did the makeup of the community. Once the borders opened, South Asians naturally gravitated to places like Sutter County, where they had friends and family. Today, Yuba City is reportedly home to one of the largest populations of Punjabis outside of Punjab. The Yuba City Annual Sikh Parade and Festival draws over a hundred thousand visitors from all over the world every November.
I visited Yuba City on a summer day when the temperatures soared so high my car overheated. I parked it in the shadiest spot I could find and explored. I walked through peach orchards where farmers picked fruit; was warmly welcomed at the three local Gurdwaras; toured the Becoming American Museum, dedicated to Punjabi American history; gorged myself on a $7.99 buffet I would easily make an eight-hour drive for again (shout-out to Star of India, the saag was truly divine); and sampled tacos and snacks at roadside stands. This is the American heartland, I thought. A rich and beautiful tapestry of faces and languages and food.
If you’d like to learn more about this volume of American history, I’d recommend starting with the Becoming American Museum’s digital exhibits and archives, W. Kamau Bell’s Emmy Award–winning United Shades of America episode “Sikhs in America,” and Making Ethnic Choices: California’s Punjabi Mexican Americans by Karen Leonard. Please excuse any liberties I may have taken with the city in this book. All errors are entirely my own.
Psst. If anyone can recreate that legendary roti quesadilla? I’m still hungry.
Best,
Alisha
Reading Group Guide
Katrina goes viral because of a voyeur eavesdropping and embellishing her conversation. In a society where anyone and everyone has a camera or recording device in their pocket, do we have any expectation of a right to privacy outside of our own home?
Ross really ran with his fifteen minutes of #CafeBae fame—making the talk-show rounds and creating a false social media impression detailing his “relationship” with #CuteCafeGirl. What do you imagine the fallout in his own life might be when the truth of the situation finally comes to light? How will he be affected—if at all—on social platforms and in his daily life?
Do you understand why Katrina wanted to get away from her home following the viral explosion of #CafeBae?
Jas was a witness to war and his testimony helped put McGuire away. Yet this criminal’s family is quite well-connected and a pardon is certain. What is the emotional impact on Jas, and all the other soldiers who testified, when the offender walks free?
Do you agree with Jas’s decision to not make a statement to the media because it would be too painful for him?
Are you annoyed that Katrina didn’t tell Jas she was meeting with her father because she felt driven to do it on her own? Would you be as annoyed if it had been Jas withholding similar information from her?
Do you think Katrina was too lenient or too harsh with her father?
In the end, Katrina feels some empathy for Becca, despite the position the other woman put her in. Do you empathize with Becca? Would you feel differently if Becca hadn’t embellished the original story? If she hadn’t taken photos but had simply tweeted Katrina and Ross’s conversation?
Should Becca and Ross feel guilty? Would you feel guilty if something you tweeted about someone else (without their knowledge) went viral?
Jas and Katrina have just scratched the surface of their new relationship. Do you think Jas quitting is the right move? What do you think the future holds for how this relationship will evolve?