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bethanneguc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Addiction, Bullying, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, and Violence
lindsayerin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Classism, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Torture, Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Rape, Violence, Alcohol, Gore, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, and Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
maregred's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Vomit, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Gun violence, Car accident, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Trafficking, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Cursing, Violence, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Infidelity, Grief, Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Death of parent, Colonisation, Classism, Pregnancy, and Death
egmamaril's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Drug use, Gun violence, Murder, and Suicide
Moderate: Misogyny and Fatphobia
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, and Pregnancy
There is also some ableist language and a lot of inter-caste racism.berylbird's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Alcohol, Car accident, Colonisation, Death of parent, Cursing, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Classism
booksbeyondthebinary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It takes place in India and features the main characters of Ajay, Sunny and Neda. They all have their own stories but are all intrinsically linked and it follows their lives as they all navigate the social and political tensions stemming from Sunny’s family and their dealings with organized crime.
This book reminded me of Succession in some ways, in regards to Sunny being the heir to his fathers wealth and not always being worthy of that from the viewpoint of his father.
I heard that this is the first book of a trilogy and I will absolutely be waiting for the next two books because I am dying to see what happens next with these characters.
Graphic: Rape, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Abortion and Trafficking
okiecozyreader's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
From the first page, the story is gripping. They find Ajay in an expensive car, wrecked, which killed people. He is sent to prison, when he beats up some gang members who attack him, the warden tells him:
“ There’s been a mistake. I wasn’t told,” he says. “If I’d been told, this would never have happened. Really, no one knew, not even your friends. But things will be different. You’ll be taken to your friends here now. You’ll be free, within reason. And this unfortunate business with those other men, this will be forgotten…. You should have said something. You should have made it clear. You should have let us know. Why didn’t you let us know?”
Ajay stares at the food, at the cigarette pack. “Know what?”
The warden smiles. “That you’re a Wadia man.”
So then, we go back in time, to learn what it means that he’s a Wadia man. Later, we meet the infamous and wealthy Sunny Wadia, and Neda, the reporter; and how their lives all intersect. I loved each of these characters (until the end).
Part One
“…no one abuses him or threatens to kill him. It’s a better life than any he’s ever hoped for or known.” New Delhi 2004 / 4
“And he discovers something else: It gives him pleasure to please, it gives him pleasure to anticipate every possible need, not just Mummy’s and Daddy’s but everyone’s, the farm workers’, the animals’, the shopkeepers’ pleasure. Not just pleasure, not really, more like the stanching of a wound, more like the holding of a tide, a sacrifice, negating the trauma of his birth.” Maharajganj 1991 / 5
“The girls often ask about him. But he’s too shy; he recoils. He cannot conceive of it, his own body terrifies him, his own needs. He likes to set himself within limits; those limits keep him strong.” Maharajganj 1991 / 6
“Madam,” he replies. “Don’t tell us about our culture. We’re not zoo animals for your pleasure, not the smiling native to accessorize your enlightenment. The simplicity and honesty you think you know is simply your eyes deceiving your brain. …If you knew our culture, you’d know respect is one currency, but at the end of the day, money talks. Finally, understand this one thing. India is our country, not yours. You are guests here. We are great hosts, but don’t disrespect us in our own home.” Ch 7
“I’m tired. I’m stuck between the shit my father does and the things I can’t do.” Ch 15
“…she understood in that moment how the sources of strength are illusory.” Ch 15
“The chains of existence … have to be weak enough to break.” Ch 15
“Remember, nothing will change, this is Kali Yuga, the losing age, the age of vice.” Ch 16
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcohol
Moderate: Physical abuse, Abortion, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Abandonment, and Death
hilaryreadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Abortion, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Sexual violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Cursing, Confinement, Rape, Gun violence, Drug use, Death, Self harm, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Violence, Car accident, Death, Murder, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Abortion, Child abuse, and Rape
Minor: Suicide, Sexual content, and Panic attacks/disorders
cc_shelflove's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Can we just talk about the fact that I finished this beast in 36 hours? Who am I? Kapoor’s writing makes it so easy for the reader to picture everything in his or her head so vividly. I was flying through pages because I felt like I was literally watching everything unfold before my eyes. You can imagine my excitement, then, when I heard this was already selected by FX to be a television series. There will also be two more books in the saga… sign me up! In short, Age of Vice is like Sons of Anarchy without the motorcycles (but maybe there are just a few motorcycles sprinkled in…).
I started getting serious Anakin vibes about a quarter of the way through the novel. If you’re a Star Wars fan, you know what I mean. The reader faces a man who will go to any means to get his revenge. Actually, several of these men. These people are pretty fucked up.
If I had to pick one thing that made this book stand out to me, it would be the multiple points of view. Instead of alternating chapters between characters as is typical of this writing style, Kapoor writes the same events through different eyes. Very interesting!
Another book I likely never would have read if not for Book of the Month. A juicy delight.
Graphic: Car accident, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Murder, Drug use, and Gun violence
Moderate: Trafficking, Abortion, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicide