Is it worth it read "Age of Vice" by Deepti Kapoor? At over 500 pages it's definitely a big time investment! Keep reading to see what worked for me in this book and whether I think you should read it, too.
by Deepti Kapoor
goodreads // amazon // library
New Delhi, 3 a.m. A speeding Mercedes jumps the curb and in the blink of an eye, five people are dead. It’s a rich man’s car, but when the dust settles there is no rich man at all, just a shell-shocked servant who cannot explain the strange series of events that led to this crime. Nor can he foresee the dark drama that is about to unfold.
Deftly shifting through time and perspective in contemporary India, Age of Vice is an epic, action-packed story propelled by the seductive wealth, startling corruption, and bloodthirsty violence of the Wadia family -- loved by some, loathed by others, feared by all.
In the shadow of lavish estates, extravagant parties, predatory business deals and calculated political influence, three lives become dangerously intertwined: Ajay is the watchful servant, born into poverty, who rises through the family’s ranks. Sunny is the playboy heir who dreams of outshining his father, whatever the cost. And Neda is the curious journalist caught between morality and desire. Against a sweeping plot fueled by loss, pleasure, greed, yearning, violence and revenge, will these characters’ connections become a path to escape, or a trigger of further destruction?
Equal parts crime thriller and family saga, transporting readers from the dusty villages of Uttar Pradesh to the urban energy of New Delhi, Age of Vice is an intoxicating novel of gangsters and lovers, false friendships, forbidden romance, and the consequences of corruption.It is binge-worthy entertainment at its literary best. ( from amazon.com)
Book Review and Discussion of
"Age of Vice" by Deepti Kapoor
Things That Worked for Me
"Age of Vice" felt like an achievement to read and finish. There should be a quick quiz I can take and a certificate should be mailed to me. The FOMO would have been too much if I had skipped on reading "Age of Vice" and with the wait at the library begin 11 weeks on a digital copy and potentially longer for a physical one, I decided to brush off my dusty BOTM subscription and get it ASAP.
Strong world building There are quite a few characters in "Age of Vice" but they are all unique enough that I did not feel like I had to take notes - which is my go to when authors introduce too many similar characters. I felt like this was especially impressive because all of the main character's names are Indian, which could further complicate name confusion for me when I'm already less familiar with them. Also, because the author has obviously spent a great deal of time where the book is written the locations and scenery were immersive and she built out a solid world for us to be dropped into for this epic story.
Very strong first half - I think the best constructed part of this book is the first half. There are not as many characters, the plot is more focused and kept my interest as we followed three characters - Ajay, Sunny, and Neda. I wish that the author had stuck with these characters more, but for the first half of the book I was very sucked in and excited to see how the story would progress!
I'm invested - even though I only gave 'Age of Vice" three stars, I do think I will continue to read the series because I want to know what is going to happen. I am also curious to see how the author, Deepti Kapoor, develops as a writer over time. However, if I felt the same way after finishing the second book, I'm not sure I would take the time to finish the series. I am not a fast reader so choosing to invest time in an over 500 page book is not a decision I take lightly, it's likely going to take me over a week possibly two to read through a book this big.
What I Struggled With
By the end I had book claustrophobia "Age of Vice" is *long* and like most really lengthy, time consuming books, at some point you start asking yourself if it was really all that necessary. There were definitely chunks of "Age of Vice" that could've been cut and it would've made little difference to the plot or outcome - particularly around the 2/3 point. "Age of Vice" will be a trilogy, and it's supposed to be an epic story with a large cast, and I think with that comes LONG.
There isn't much hope to cling to in this story. And while I don't mind reading gritty,intense, or sad novels, I do prefer that there be a character I can root for or at least a glimmer of hope for justice or happiness. Again, this is the first in a series so who knows what the next two books will bring - but "Age of Vice" as a standalone just felt like a lot of suffering without a purpose. I had hard time discerning what the author wanted me to take away from the story, other than life in impoverished India, or even as someone wealthy there, is beautiful but also very difficult.
Too many characters and backstories I loved the first half of "Age of Vice" and felt confident that it would be a five star read - and then the rest of the book happened. The world really started to expand and then all of a sudden these very late introduced characters were suddenly incredibly important to the plot, which is a strange way to build a story. I missed the original characters and wish that the story had been more focused.
Have you read Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor? Comment below and let me know what you thought! Or tell me the last really long book you read that was worth the effort! Thanks for reading, readers!
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