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bookshelfbybub 's review for:

The East Indian by Brinda Charry
3.0
dark informative reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I enjoyed the prose in this book and the voice of the main character. However, there were a few moments of inconsistency in Tony’s voice where he took on a more modern tone; in those moments I felt I was reading the author’s perspective rather than the character’s. I enjoyed the detailed description of the historical settings. I enjoyed the infusion of literary allusions to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It made a lot of sense to me why Tony would fixate on that play as a character who could relate to Shakespeare’s changing boy. 

Truthfully, I was not prepared for the prevalence of many dark themes throughout the novel, particularly that of childhood sexual abuse.