A review by shreyabaldwa
Black River by Nilanjana S. Roy

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Nilanjana Roy's Black River isn't your regular murder thriller. The book explores the world of crime and also gives a grim commentary of the social climate in India. Unlike the regular whodunnit books, Roy takes a deep focus on the fault lines of class and gender, migration, moral disquiet, religious bias, inequality and friendship. Roy directs the reader’s attention to cases of rioting, lynching, gender violence and how the minority are left on the margins. While the reader will realise the murderer eventually, it's the uncomfortable world that Roy creates that keeps the story going.