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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Age of Vice, by Deepit Kapoor, was a thoroughly engrossing read, hard to put down from start to finish. Centered on mafia power struggles and corruption, and the vast abysm separating the rich and privileged from the poor, in contemporary India. Many have likened it to The dazzling plot and the spectacle reminded me of Chetan Bhagat novels (no surprise, then, that the TV rights have already been sold). Like Bhagat, Kapoor is a skillful story teller, but she digs deeper into the characters. My own point of reference for the themes of this novel remains Preti Taneja, whose “We That Are Young” is a brilliant portrayal of crime and corruption in modern India (based on King Lear!). Age of Vice is a more direct but gripping alternative.
The novel focusses on three main characters. There is Sunny, a superficial playboy in his early 20s, son of the powerful and ruthless criminal kingpin, Bunty Wadia. Bunty controls everything from liquor to property development. The Wadias are busy erecting expensive housing around Delhi, bulldozing slums and expropriating their occupants through illegal means. Ajay, an impressionable orphan, meets Sunny while working at a resort in the mountains and soon becomes his chauffer, butler and implacably effective bodyguard. Neda, the other main character, is an attractive journalist, investigating criminal activity relating to Bunty Wadia’s property developments. She seems to have a moral compass, but soon comes under Sunny’s spell. These three lives become inextricably linked and torn apart by the power struggles and ambition of the criminal clans and politics into which the Wadia family are bound.
The story runs seamlessly and page-turningly well for most of the book. It is a shame that in the final fifth it seems to get too clever for itself, following the late introduction of a new character who takes over the plot. As a result, the ending seemed an anticlimax and open-ended. I still enjoyed it, and wanted more. And perhaps that is the cause for the novel veering off the tracks: more is to come, since I understand it is the first of a trilogy.
The novel focusses on three main characters. There is Sunny, a superficial playboy in his early 20s, son of the powerful and ruthless criminal kingpin, Bunty Wadia. Bunty controls everything from liquor to property development. The Wadias are busy erecting expensive housing around Delhi, bulldozing slums and expropriating their occupants through illegal means. Ajay, an impressionable orphan, meets Sunny while working at a resort in the mountains and soon becomes his chauffer, butler and implacably effective bodyguard. Neda, the other main character, is an attractive journalist, investigating criminal activity relating to Bunty Wadia’s property developments. She seems to have a moral compass, but soon comes under Sunny’s spell. These three lives become inextricably linked and torn apart by the power struggles and ambition of the criminal clans and politics into which the Wadia family are bound.
The story runs seamlessly and page-turningly well for most of the book. It is a shame that in the final fifth it seems to get too clever for itself, following the late introduction of a new character who takes over the plot. As a result, the ending seemed an anticlimax and open-ended. I still enjoyed it, and wanted more. And perhaps that is the cause for the novel veering off the tracks: more is to come, since I understand it is the first of a trilogy.
Probably the longest book I’ve read recently, Age of Vice had some really amazing ups and some confusing downs for me. I think that the length put me off from the beginning, but I was willing to look past it. I really liked the three core characters of Neda, Sunny and Ajay. I thought their POVs were compelling and interesting (even if none of their characters were very likable as, I think, was the point). However, there were some plot points (the kidnapping or wedding, for example) that seemed very last minute and under developed and rather confusing. When the book introduced characters that only stayed with us for a little bit, it became a lot to keep track of and motivations/investment was lost. Overall, I don’t know how I felt about the book as a whole, but certain parts will definitely stick with me.
Uffda. I don't know how to rate this book. It's a LONG way from a Hallmark story. It certainly casts India in a poor light.
Given the current state of America, I see it as a prequel to the results of the tRump two presidency. I want to escape, but to where?
Deepti is an amazing author, although the structure of the book made it very difficult to follow. I don't mind books that move around in time, location, and POV, but this really challenged me.
If you want to wade in a bit, I'll point to a couple of things:
Section 2. Chapter Neda 1, sub chapter 4...(PG 435-444 in the large print addition)
Quote: on a "death" she writes: "...returned to atoms and stars." (PG 606 in the large print addition.)
Take a chance. Live dangerously.
Given the current state of America, I see it as a prequel to the results of the tRump two presidency. I want to escape, but to where?
Deepti is an amazing author, although the structure of the book made it very difficult to follow. I don't mind books that move around in time, location, and POV, but this really challenged me.
If you want to wade in a bit, I'll point to a couple of things:
Section 2. Chapter Neda 1, sub chapter 4...(PG 435-444 in the large print addition)
Quote: on a "death" she writes: "...returned to atoms and stars." (PG 606 in the large print addition.)
Take a chance. Live dangerously.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Otroligt spännande bok, men med för mycket mörker, våld och misär för min smak. Är nästan lättad att den är över och övervägde ett tag om jag verkligen skulle läsa klart den. Dessutom var slutet inte bra enligt mig.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder
Moderate: Abortion
This book is set in the hills of northern india, Goa, UP and Delhi - and especially South Delhi. It spoke about details of the places and cafes that only someone who’d spent real time there could write. Hence it struck a special chord for me. The story itself is enmeshed in the politics and power play, corruption of men and gunda raj rampant in politics. the main character Ajay is very well crafted. not a book for the faint of heart.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When I read the description of this book, I didn’t think it was a book for me, but once I started reading it, it was captivating in parts. I especially loved this author’s style of writing and how she structured the book. This isn’t so much a linear concrete story as it is a delving into character studies of a man who is born into an extremely wealthy, corrupt, violent and powerful mafia-type family in India, a woman who gets caught up in his world and a boy whose tragic poverty leads him to do anything for these people out of necessity.
@jaidee below said all that needs to be said. Every character in this book is terrible, there is nothing redeeming about the story. It was super violent, depressing and way too long.