On her first night in America, Kay sits on the tarmac of John F. Kennedy International Airport, trying to make an inventory of all the things she left behind in India: her parents, her grandparents, her best friend, and her gaslighting ex-boyfriend. Staring out at New York's flickering city lights, she realizes two things: that the abuse she escaped has created gaping holes in her memory, and that she feels no sadness at leaving her old life behind-only relief and guilt. Thus begins a thought-provoking exploration of one woman's search for self as she navigates the long-lasting effects of the trauma that continue to haunt her even as she finds comfort in the unfamiliarity of New York City. At once heartbreaking and uplifting, This Beautiful, Ridiculous City is a love letter to New York City through the eyes of a woman as complex as the city itself.