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A review by richardwells
Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara
3.0
Dystopias are where you look for them, and Delhi stands out like a sore thumb. The Delhi slum where this book takes place is a sore thumb with a ribbon on it. Too many people, substandard housing, not enough food, lack of basic sanitation, no money, no work, no prospects, inefficient and corrupt police, gurus in it for the money/prestige, criminals, kids kids kids. That being said, the people are decent, parents care about their kids, people who have jobs work harder than hard - and humanity in all its beauty and mess is in your face.
Into this come children-snatchers; for trafficking, for body parts, for sick kicks, nobody knows, but kids are going missing. Three other kids decide to investigate. Djins or criminals. "The Shadow knows."
Having lived in Delhi, and visited the slums, and gotten to know NGO workers, having more than a passing relationship with various wallahs, upward striving tech workers, and "hi-fi's" and having been accosted by a fair share of slum kids, I will testify to the veracity of this novel. Of course, it helps that it was written by a Delhi-wallah.
Not great, but good, and worth the time, and Mr. Anappara writes with the conscience of a 21st century Charles Dickens.
Into this come children-snatchers; for trafficking, for body parts, for sick kicks, nobody knows, but kids are going missing. Three other kids decide to investigate. Djins or criminals. "The Shadow knows."
Having lived in Delhi, and visited the slums, and gotten to know NGO workers, having more than a passing relationship with various wallahs, upward striving tech workers, and "hi-fi's" and having been accosted by a fair share of slum kids, I will testify to the veracity of this novel. Of course, it helps that it was written by a Delhi-wallah.
Not great, but good, and worth the time, and Mr. Anappara writes with the conscience of a 21st century Charles Dickens.