Many thanks to my partner @prhaudio and libro.fm for the #gifted audiobook.

 

Raw. Brutal.  Enthralling.    

 

“This is Kali Yuga, the losing age, the age of vice.”

 

A speeding Mercedes.  An inebriated driver.  Five dead bodies littering the street.  The first scene of this Indian crime thriller/family saga was propulsive, and the drama didn’t let up for another 400ish pages.    

 

Told primarily from three points of view: Sunny (the son of the “mob” boss), Ajay (servant to Sunny), and Nada (journalist and Sunny’s lover).  This narrative, more than anything else, is one of political and moral corruption.

 

I was captivated by this gritty and dark gangster saga.  The level of darkness,  immense as it was, seemed overshadowed by the propulsive storyline.  Teeming with drugs, sex, greed, and violence, the plot was fueled by the dirtiness of wealth and power.  

 

Kapoor writes with skill.  The story unfolds in cinematic detail, vividly depicted as though watching a movie.  And in so, it’s really no surprise that the entire trilogy was opted for screen adaptation even prior to the first book being published.  

 

At over 500 pages, this one didn’t feel daunting.  With constant action and changing POV, the majority of the book was a fast read.  And even when one section slowed to a (literal) snail’s pace, I was so invested I knew I had to see it through. 

 

The longer this book has sat with me, the more I’ve liked it.  And though I closed the book unsure about the ending, I’m looking forward to the next installment.  

 

This made for a great buddy read.  From ongoing contemplations to predictions of what was to come, we were never at a loss for discussion points.  And those discussions truly heightened my enjoyment.  

 

I combined the print and audio for this one.  Narrated by Vidish Athavale, the audio resonated in intensity and gave an authenticity to the culture and setting.  But I also found myself grabbing for my print copy to track the depth in the plot.  I recommend reading this one in tandem.