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sophiecorbett's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
illiteratebookclub's review
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The book follows the formation of the city of Bombadrome out of the ruins of Bombay. It is a nonlinear narrative that alternates between the past and the present - it is written as if it were a historical document chronicling the essence of the city and the powers that govern it.
The main character - Godse -is an IAS officer who knows the intricate details and designs of the city and the price that was paid to make it into Bombadrome - a city that eliminates diversity in order to be inclusive. Technology allows for reality to be altered to the point that people perceive everything as similar to them.
The narration follows the life of Godse that intersects with the life of countless other people and how in the end they are all part of a grand scheme of Bombadrome and it's history.
The main character - Godse -is an IAS officer who knows the intricate details and designs of the city and the price that was paid to make it into Bombadrome - a city that eliminates diversity in order to be inclusive. Technology allows for reality to be altered to the point that people perceive everything as similar to them.
The narration follows the life of Godse that intersects with the life of countless other people and how in the end they are all part of a grand scheme of Bombadrome and it's history.
siddharthageorge's review
challenging
dark
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
4.25
flawedpoetry's review
5.0
I was looking for a book from India that dealt with climate change and came across this book from an author I had not known before. It is always a treat to dive into such books with no idea of the depth they have. To say that this book was engrossing from the first page would be an understatement. The book is set in a post-climate change India where the rising sea levels have claimed the coastal land. Mumbai is no longer the bustling city. The sea has claimed all the land and it no longer rains. Yes, the Mumbai that is drenched in the monsoon rains every year is now an arid, dry desert. People live in a towering structure called Bombadrome where everything is regulated, from the water and electricity to the air that they breathe.
What I loved about this book is the 'Indianness' of it. Even though the theme is global the book is as Indian as it gets. Issues like castism that are fused with the idea of this nation have been dealt with brilliantly. The narrator Godse is the "last civil servant of the India of old". Old because the new India has no place for bureaucracy. It is Godse who takes us through the journey of India's transformation. And if you're wondering about his name, be assured that there is a wonderful backstory. My favourite character though -- as I'm sure will be the case with many others -- is Saadat Taariq Chishti. Saadat or Saad, as the narrator calls him, is a blogger who writes anti-establishment blogs and has been a witness to the transformation of India. There's a blog by Saad titled 'The Story of India' (on page 99) that covers the entire history of India from it's Independence in 1947 to the present time (2007 in the book). Let me just say that those two and a half pages are my favourite among all of Indian writings. It was while reading that piece that it suddenly struck me that Saadat could actually be a tribute to Saadat Hasan Manto. Had Manto been alive, he'd have definitely had similar thoughts about India. To read Saad as Manto was another unexpected experience that made this books extra special.
There is a lot of things that this book deals with. Even though its numerous themes are quite heavy, the book is an easy read. The writing is flawless, the characters well thought out and the story hard hitting. There are scenes of extreme violence that will jolt you out of your stupor but there are also scenes that makes you giggle. Overall, it is a wonderful book that takes you through the past, present and future of India in the best way possible.
What I loved about this book is the 'Indianness' of it. Even though the theme is global the book is as Indian as it gets. Issues like castism that are fused with the idea of this nation have been dealt with brilliantly. The narrator Godse is the "last civil servant of the India of old". Old because the new India has no place for bureaucracy. It is Godse who takes us through the journey of India's transformation. And if you're wondering about his name, be assured that there is a wonderful backstory. My favourite character though -- as I'm sure will be the case with many others -- is Saadat Taariq Chishti. Saadat or Saad, as the narrator calls him, is a blogger who writes anti-establishment blogs and has been a witness to the transformation of India. There's a blog by Saad titled 'The Story of India' (on page 99) that covers the entire history of India from it's Independence in 1947 to the present time (2007 in the book). Let me just say that those two and a half pages are my favourite among all of Indian writings. It was while reading that piece that it suddenly struck me that Saadat could actually be a tribute to Saadat Hasan Manto. Had Manto been alive, he'd have definitely had similar thoughts about India. To read Saad as Manto was another unexpected experience that made this books extra special.
There is a lot of things that this book deals with. Even though its numerous themes are quite heavy, the book is an easy read. The writing is flawless, the characters well thought out and the story hard hitting. There are scenes of extreme violence that will jolt you out of your stupor but there are also scenes that makes you giggle. Overall, it is a wonderful book that takes you through the past, present and future of India in the best way possible.
thebookelf's review
5.0
I am a big fan of the dystopian theme be it while watching Black Mirror or reading Animal Farm and The Black Dwarves of the Good Little Bay by Varun Thomas Mathew is my first ever Indian dystopian. When I first got the book I had no clue that this one would get me hooked from the very first page.
A riverting take on the future of Bombadrome erstwhile Bombay/Mumbai, the book is borderline magical realism and marries the theme of technological advancement with anti-utopian society. A society resides in a towering structure Bombadrome and leading a technologically driven life. There is one exception though, a man who is a witness to the old India who finally takes it as his duty to remind people of the old world and of themselves.
The book will give you the chills and get you thinking deep about the inevitable. It is blunt in its narrative and highlights how the sins of our past actions can never be buried. A gripping novel with a smooth narrative and a very well developed storyline.
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