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Deepti Kapoor

3.6 AVERAGE


Really good, but I was a tad disappointed in the ending… also felt like she really threw in SO much within the last 20 pages.

I'm giving this 4 stars, even though, by 3/4 through I felt it was more 3 stars, because that's when it got unnecessarily violent, a bit long-winded (adding a character that I didn't feel added anything other than a vehicle to the ending). The violence, and drug use became too much and it painted quite a horrifying picture of India, so that if I had never been there, I would not want to ever go!
Apparently there is going to be a film, which depending on the director and actors, I may watch, and there is apparently going to be a sequel to the book which I will not read.
It's an ambitious book, and I appreciate the intent. The writing is superb, and it's so fast-paced and compelling. So maybe I'll end this on a 3 1/2 stars:)

I found this book to be terrible. Despite its great reviews, I found it to be way, way, way too long, with lots and lots unnecessary filler. Then there's the fact that pretty much every character in the book is a terrible person, or at least so badly flawed that it was hard to root for them. Finally, the story meandered endlessly, from different characters' points of view, and it was pretty near impossible to find a common thread. As a result, I found the ending to be both confusing and indecipherable.

What was this book about and what was the author trying to tell us? I honestly have no idea. I wouldn't have finished it, except that I hate not completing any book once I've started. The only reason I give it two stars (and not one) is because it's clear the author tried hard to write a meaningful book. He did not succeed with me.

Es un libro entretenido y que te engancha desde el primer momento, la historia de ajay te hace ponerte en su lugar y sentir como siente y por qué hace todo lo que hace, es un libro largo pero merece mucho la pena leerlo por qué tiene una historia muy interesante.

Es una lectura épica en todos los sentidos, es un libro largo, pero completamente interesante. Deepti Kapoor es una muy buena narradora nunca había leído un libro suyo pero después de este estoy segura de que leeré más. Estaba súper intrigada no podía parar de leer. Creo que merece mucho la pena ser leído. Es una magnífica saga de codicia y corrupción.

Me encanta la forma en que el final va in crescendo a un suspenso que te deja conteniendo la respiración. Leí el libro con entusiasmo.
Lo recomiendo un montón porque es una historia que merece ser leída y que te va a enganchar de principio a fin. Y sin duda buscaré libros de la autora porque me a encantado su forma de escribir como describe a los personajes para que te los imagines a la perfección y como narra la historia.

I ordinarily don't enjoy violent "crime family" dramas, so I went in with moderate expectations for this book despite the hype surrounding it. It was better than I expected, and I could be persuaded to give this one four stars but for the last 200 pages. The first half of the book was truly engaging and I can see why the book has been opted for a television series. The second half--the editors disappeared. Overall, still a good summer read--different from much that is being published recently.

This book is pretty dark - corruption, power, sexual abuse. Found it hard to follow via audiobook even though the narration is great.
dark slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

 "Where is this going?" That was my recurring thought as I read Age of Vice. By the time I hit the final chapters, it became clear that the book was going nowhere. TL;DR: Maybe skip this one and wait for glossy, binge-while-multitasking series that it'll inevitably become. 

The story kicks off with Ajay, whose introduction hints at a thrilling, outsider-takes-on-the-rich narrative. You expect a gripping tale of disruption, revenge, and moral reckoning. Instead, you get a series of overblown caricatures parading as characters. There’s the entitled billionaire brat reimagining India (yawn), the educated love interest reluctantly buying into said brat’s "vision" (eyeroll), the crusading journalist with an unshakable moral compass (predictable), the one-dimensional bad-guy sidekicks (why?), and the underdog with a tragic backstory that’s neither new nor compelling.

When the story focuses on Ajay, it shows glimmers of what it could have been. His time in prison, his internal struggles, his complicated dynamics with Sunny, Prem, and Neda—these are where the book momentarily finds its footing. But just as you start to care, the narrative yanks you back to yet another flat character or, worse, to Sunil Rastogi (seriously, what even was this character?).The violence in the books crosses into gratuitous territory when Rastogi is introduced. These chapters feel like the literary equivalent of shock-value cinema where Kapoor threw in graphic violence and sexual assault simply because she could. The story would’ve been just as disappointing without these disturbing chapters. 

I finished Age of Vice only because I can’t bring myself to abandon books midway and by the end, I hated myself for wasting time I'd never get back. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

Pues la verdad es que había leído cosas buenísimas de esta novela y me he quedado un poco plofff. Me explico.

Comienza la novela con un accidente, un hombre detenido por ello que va a la cárcel. Es Ajay, chico para todo de Sunny. Desde el principio tienes claro que no fue él la persona que conducía el coche, pero desconoces todo sobre las circunstancias que rodean a Ajay y del accidente. En esta parte, la historia se centra en la vida actual y pasada de Ajay, es dura, es dolorosa, es triste.

Más tarde, en un flash-back, nos presentan a Sunny, el niño de papá, hijo de ricachones al que no se le ha negado nada, vive como dios, gasta dinero a espuertas y, principalmente, folla, se droga y bebe como un cosaco. Un Froilán cualquiera, vaya.

Y luego está Neda, que tiene una relación con Sunny. Si bien ella no es hija de ricachones sino de padres cultos, universitarios y con buena posición, se amolda a la vidorra de Sunny lo que puede. Folla, bebe y fuma, y va a trabajar, porque es periodista.

En fin, se van hilando las historias de los tres, Ajay diciendo sí bwana y los otros a lo suyo. Y la historia es más o menos entretenida hasta que nos enteramos de qué sucedió la noche del accidente, por qué Ajay está en la cárcel. Y en ese momento deja el tema de tener interés.

Aparece un nuevo tipo, cuentan una historia tremebunda y un poquito psicodélica, se lía la madeja, y llega un momento en que no sabes de qué va el tema porque te has salido totalmente de la historia inicial. Y llega el final (ahora sé que el libro es una trilogía) y te quedas sin entender nada, yo al menos lo he vivido así.

Yo habría dejado de escribir cuando se cuenta el accidente y lo que pasó de verdad.

He echado en falta notas explicativas sobre la comida y la vestimenta india. O un glosario con esas palabras. No creo que sea un universo muy conocido, en España al menos, y todo me sonaba exótico y raro, por lo que habría agradecido esa ayuda.
tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Started off really well and I willed it to get back to it primarily being focused on Ajay but it was truly all over the place by the end. Not really sure how this goes on to be a trilogy. 

Couldn’t finish this one. Got to be too much for me!