A review by bookmarkedbybecky
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Age of Vice’s length intimidates me. I actively shy away from books that exceed 400 pages, and this one totals 546 pages. 😳 Yet, the tagline “where money, pleasure, and power are everything, and the family ties that bind can also kill” intrigued me enough to start reading.  

This book will not be for everyone in its Godfather or Sapranos-esque tone and style. Drugs, sex, violence, and greed unabashedly play a pivotal role in political corruption, family dynasty, and never-ending quest for power without regard for the consequences towards the greater Indian community. Kapoor’s magic with words creates characters you hate yet sympathize with simultaneously, and her setting descriptions feel movie-esque. (BTW - I hear FX/Fox Studio purchase the TV rights?!?)  She’s a remarkable storyteller!

I both read and listened to Age of Vice. Vidish Athavale perfectly narrates this organized crime story. His voice captures all the betrayal, the anguish of lost love, submission under power, and lackadaisical attitudes towards ethics and morality. Hopefully, he continues the series! 🤞

The more I sit with this novel, the more I love it. My only remaining question/debate lies with who Hummatgiri is.
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