One Amazing Thing is a contemporary novel written by award-winning author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. It was published in 2009 in the United States by Hyperion. Similar to her other works, Divakaruni delves into the subjects surrounding multiculturalism such as the immigrant experience and human connection.
The narrative involves nine characters from different backgrounds and thereby have prejudices and personal biases toward each other. After a massive earthquake, the group is trapped under the debris of the Indian Consulate that they were all in. The leader of the group is an African American veteran named Cameron who assists with the survival tactics. Uma is a young student who is inspired by The Canterbury Tales and suggests that everyone tells a personal story. Malathi and Mangalam are employees at the consulate who are having an affair since Mangalam is a married man. The Pritchetts are an older Caucasian couple suffering from traumatic experiences in their lives. Tariq is an idealistic American-born Muslim who becomes disillusioned by the treatment of Muslims after 9/11. Lastly, Jiang is a Chinese woman who was in a forbidden relationship in her younger years in India and is accompanied by her rebellious granddaughter Lily.
Through their stories they break the illusory barriers that separate them, demonstrating the power of storytelling. Donna Seaman of Booklist wrote “Their tales of heartbreak and revelation are nuanced and riveting as Divakaruni takes a fresh measure of the transcendent power of stories and the pilgrimage tradition…they are pilgrims of the spirit, seeking “one amazing thing” affirming that life, for all its pain, is miraculous.”
