This was a vivid and exciting book, and I enjoyed the mystery element of it. I did feel that the character development was lacking and it was heavy going in some places but was a solid read

"Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line" by Deepa Anappara is a well-written and insightful debut novel that explores the lives of marginalized children living in a slum in India. Anappara's writing is vivid, with a strong sense of place and a compelling voice. The story is engaging, with a mystery at its core that keeps the reader hooked. However, at times the pacing can be slow, and some of the characters are not fully developed. Overall, while not perfect, "Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line" is a worthwhile read that sheds light on important social issues.

Thank you to the publisher for my eARC copy of this book. Unfortunately I didn’t love this book and therefore didn’t finish, I just didn’t connect with this one. Not for me, sorry.

This book just wasn’t for me, I found it extremely heavy going and not what I expected it to be. With only 100 pages read a full review isn’t possible

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line is a compelling story about a series of child disappearances from a poor slum in India. We see the events through the eyes of 9 year old Jai, which to me was pivotal to the book's whole charm and appeal. Jai is determined to solve the mystery of the disappearances, following in the footsteps of his favourite TV detective show. Jai has an innocent stubbornness that drives him on to find out more and by doing so reveal the plot to us. We come to really get a soft spot for Jai, who sees this all as an exciting adventure to embark on with his friends. I think if it had been narrated by a character who knew the true dangers facing the children, this story would have been too bleak.

Overall I loved this book, but there was something just missing from it for me. Maybe Jai's perspective was just a bit limited and could have been complimented with another layer. Although saying that, we do get glimpses through the eyes of the missing children themselves. So perhaps I'm nitpicking too much - even so I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This was a quirky, sometimes funny and ultimately heartbreaking story with impoverished Indian children as its main characters. Whilst I enjoyed much of it, I felt there were too many untranslated Indian words which made it hard to understand in places.
With grateful thanks to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for review.

There is a strong narratorial voice in this tale of mystery exploring the class/caste divide in India. The author does something brilliant by using Jai - our child protagonist - as the main detective, his innocence about the world, his almost black and white view of things asks the reader to work harder, to read between the lines of what is happening. Is this a case of nefarious djinn? or do we have a human serial killer on our hands?

I thoroughly appreciated this tale that manages to include references to the golden age of crime, exploring a setting and people that we don't often see popularised in fiction. Strong characterisation and storytelling skills lead to an enthralling reading experience.

A difficult read because you know it is based in reality, 'Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line' goes into the issue of slum children disappearing. Told from the perspective of a nine year old, Jai makes the book all the more heart wrenching because his innocence darkly contrasts with the truth of what's going on, both in the novel and in the real world. No one seems surprised by how many children go missing without trace. Indeed, adults barely seem to care, putting down the disappearances to the djinn, powerful spirits who whisk away children.

It is down to Jai and his friends to uncover the truth of what is going on, but how safe is a 9 year old on the streets?

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

This book was highly anticipated by me but unfortunately it was a huge disappointment.
I couldn’t get into this book and sadly had to DNF it.

This is a fascinating novel set in a sprawling Indian city where children are going missing. What is happening to them? Is there a djinn taking the young from the streets? Djinn Patrol is part detective story, part mystical fable, highlighting the children who go missing in India daily and how their disappearances are treated by the police and the media.

Featuring a strong narrative voice and a wonderful sense of place, this book is highly recommended.

I knew i would have to steel myself to read this excellent debut novel from Deepa Anappara. It tells the story of three children Jai, Pari and Faiz who start investigating the disappearance of children from the slums in which they live. I found out that the book was inspired by a real case - the Nithari killings - and the book offers an insight into the world of segregation, corruption, communalism and discrimination through the innocent eyes of Jai. The ending is utterly harrowing and I found myself haunted by the vibrant characters that DA brings so powerfully to life. Highly recommended.

This book stays with you long after you’ve finished it, such a powerful book; I really enjoyed it. Gives you a glimpse into the life of a child in one of India's many slums and you really see another side of life here. Sad and somehow uplifting at the same time it really is a little gem.

This is an uncomfortable book for the reader and the description of the slums and life there is harrowing. Unfortunately I didn't find the storyline at all compelling although it picked up towards the end.

This book grabs you by the heart and does not let go. A beautiful book, well deserving of all the praise being heaped upon it.

This story is from the point of view of 9 year old Jai and tackles themes of poverty, child abduction, discrimination and violence against the backdrop of the slums of Delhi, India.
The story is disturbing on a deep level, and is often heart breaking and eye opening but also powerful and sensitive.
It will stay with me for a long time.
4 stars as it was slow at time but worth it in the end!

****BOOK REVIEW****

Djinn Patrol on the purple line by Deepa Anappara (2020)

“When I’m grown up and rich, Samosa and I will eat mutton for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and we’ll solve cases that baffle the police because our brains will be twice as smart”.

Nine year old Jai, the first person narrator of this sparkling debut novel, is determined to track down the children who go missing, one after the other, in the Indian slum where he lives. With his dog Samosa & his two best friends (in a vaguely Harry-Potter-like set up), he sets out to find them. Jai is optimistic: he thinks he can do better than the police, inspired by Sherlock Holmes & other famous detectives.

The thought of children going missing feels like a weak spot, the dark possibility that wakes us up at night. This week, the longstanding tragedy of the Madeleine McCann disappearance was yet again in the news, reminding of us of this chilling reality.

Yet apparently in India- according to a quick search on the BBC- a child goes missing every 8 minutes.
Deepa Anappara worked in India as a journalist for years. She then moved to the UK & turned to fiction. This is her debut, which was fought over by publishers & was simultaneously translated & published in a number of languages earlier this year. It’s written in English sprinkled with untranslated Hindi words, which somehow make sense. It’s already an award winner & is longlisted for the Women’s Prize. Rightly so.

This novel does a number of things. It’s a coming of age detective story: cheeky, enthusiastic, brave Jai & his friends search in vain for their missing friends. It is also a vivid portrayal of daily life in a ‘basti’ (=slum) in an unnamed Indian city, built next to a gated ‘hi-fi’ community. But it’s more sinister too. The stark inequalities & clashes- religious & financial- in this close-knit community emerge through the children’s discussions, & the matter of the missing children becomes more painful as the novel progresses.

An accomplished debut. During the Covid lockdown, noticing the work of new authors is more important than ever. This is a new voice worth discovering.

Thank you to #netgalley for offering me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc. I’ve heard many good things about this debut, so was excited to read. I’m glad to say for once the hype machine is justified for Djinn Patrol and the Purple Line, which I urge you to read.
This is narrated from the POV of Jai, a 10-year old boy, who lives in a basti (slum). His house is one room that contains a kitchen, bedroom and living room all in one, and you need coins to use the public bathroom. He lives with her parents and older sister, Runu, who is a running athlete at the school. Jai goes to the local free school, and his friends are Pari and Faiz, a Muslim boy. When a boy called Bahadur in the basti goes missing, Jai inspired by watching lots of detective dramas is determined to make investigate with the help of his friends.
What I loved about this book was the way the author uses a simple missing child story to explore the lives of these marginalised children, and brings forth complex topical issues for instance discrimination of classes and caste in India, as well as the rise of right-wing Nationalism, increasing racism towards the Muslim community and the mob vigilante mentality that is resulting in lynching innocent people.
This is a complex, nuanced read about a child trying to make sense of his dismal world through a naive, yet hopeful narrative inspired by the television shows he watches. Jai’s voice felt authentic and real, and heartbreaking at times due to its innocent perception of the world.
The setting is also vividly captured with attention to details, such as the smog in the basti and stained glasses the chai is served in, the wrappers littering the floor of the busti and the scents of the food vendor. Bhoot Bazar is a character of its own.
Also I liked the breaks from Jai’s POV to the POV of its victims, who your heart just aches for and the urban legends of the ghosts that mark the beginning of the three parts, whose harrowing lives continue in their hauntings in their afterlives.
My only minor gripe is regarding the ending, which doesn’t tie the answers up and had the plot been tighter this would’ve been a more satisfying read.
Nonetheless this is an important read, into a world not often seen, and I wish we had more POC writers innovating the crime genre the way Deepa Annappara does here. 4.5/5.

Written continuously from the perspective of a nine year old, Deepa provides a vivid picture of life in India's city slums, and a child's absolute acceptance of his lot. It's only later in life does materialism affect ones ability to be happy. The interaction with adults is nicely played out, and Jai, our story teller, has the right balance of independence, confidence, insecurity and ridiculousness of a nine year old.
Developing the theme of one law and service for the rich and a different one for the poor, was also well handled, as was the anti-muslim feelings rampant in central India.
My criticism, and motivation for the lower star rating is that Jai's nine year old voice, although reasonably authentic, became monotonous before reaching the end of the book. Having the story told occasionally from the perspective and with the voice of another protagonist would have enhanced the overall impact of the what is a dramatic and horrific tale of disappearing children.

I found the book really “wafflely” for want of a better word. There was a frivolous amount of description of things and I found the use of a lot of Indian words for things confusing. I spent more time checking words on google and with Indian friends than I did reading.

I have recommended the book to an Indian friend who was quite interested from my many questions. Really sad that I couldn’t finish this one initially as I just couldn’t keep up with what was going on due to the language and over description.

I have managed to finish this now and found that the use of the word Djinn in the title made me believe that there would be more of a magical theme in the story and I was sadly disappointed.

The story highlighted to me that children go missing in india frequently and Jai’s very closed perspective on his friends disappearance makes for a frustrating read.

I picked this book up in between other books as I found my mind wandered a lot.

I’m still enjoying my occasional forays into reading non-Anglocentric literary fiction and the worlds opened up by those experiences. There’s always at least one point of connection in any story, even if it’s just the fact that all readers – and characters – have been children at some point and, in the case of this book, the main protagonists still are. Not that this is a book for children. It’s aimed firmly at an adult audience and has some very challenging and disturbing themes. Not least the day-to-day poverty that these children have to struggle through.

Jai lives with his sister and their parents in a closely packed community overlooked by the high-rise buildings occupied by their vastly better off neighbours – by whom many, including Jai’s mother, are employed as cleaners and the like. Jai goes to school, where he tries to work hard at his lessons, since he dreams of getting a job that will enable him to emulate those in the apartments. However, he is easily distracted by his friends, by the goings-on around him, and by the police dramas he watches on his family’s television. When a classmate is reported missing, Jai, who has previously paid little attention to the other boy, becomes frustrated at the apparent inaction of the local police, and encourages his two best friends to become assistants to the great detective he thinks he can be, as they search out the missing child. Soon they are looking for a number of missing children: the best friend of the first, and then an assortment of others, who are mostly unconnected, beyond having been last seen in the same area, close to one particular shop.

Jai’s searches are not limited to his immediate area. He ‘borrows’ money from his mother’s emergency fund and takes the Purple Line metro into the city, where he encounters children worse off than himself and hears the legends they tell each other about long-gone protectors and the fate of mothers whose children have also disappeared. One of Jai’s friends is convinced that the missing children have been snatched by an evil spirit, a djinn, although Jai is certain the culprit is all too human. As the numbers of the missing increase, different sectors of the community are turned against each other, particularly along religious lines, and the impact is particularly harshly felt by one of Jai’s friends. This only fuels Jai’s determination to seek out the truth, and in the end all the pieces fall into place, though not with the outcome Jai might have wished for.

This was definitely a tough read at a time when I could have done with something lighter. However, the writing was atmospheric and the characters were highly distinctive. I found it thought-provoking that Jai sees as normal situations which most western readers would find intolerable, should they have to deal with them for more than a few days. I was struck by the constant threats Jai and his family have to endure with regard to the impermanence of their home and neighbourhood, and with the adults’ acceptance of that just being the way things are. Definitely a book I should reread under less trying circumstances, if I am to fully appreciate all the information it has to impart.