A really touching and memorable story about the rich and the poor in India. I really enjoyed this as it was about a country I have little knowledge about. It’s thought provoking and a definite one to buy and spread the word about. String 5 stars.

A tale of how money can buy much in India, corruption is rife and silence can be bought. Part thriller and part family saga, there are three main characters entwined in this story which is set in rural Uttar Pradesh and New Dehli. Love and crime make for a rich tapestry

A crime novel set in India. Violent at times but a great thriller which I enjoyed despite not being my usual genre of book.

Really enjoyed this. It is a sprawling epic, which is all I need to hear to get me interested. Would absolutely read more from this author.

This was recommended by colleagues who assured me that despite it's length, it was well worth the read. I agree, this was an epic that is both gripping and compelling. Deepti Kapoor is a skilful storyteller - I was honestly hooked. It’s a tale of greed and corruption that has ripple effects throughout communities, Crime, intrigue and family saga merge to reveal a view of contemporary India that is ruthless, criminally corrupt, and full of stark inequalities between the few at the top, protected by the establishment, and the desperate lives of the impoverished majority, There were a few parts that felt slightly inconsistent (hence 4 starts), but overall this was well worth the read!

Power, corruption and exploitation in modern India.

This crime thriller begins and ends with acts of violence. A deadly car accident results in the imprisonment of Ajay, a young man from Utter Pradesh. The novel shows the events that have led to this point in his life, acting as valet/bodyguard to Sunny Wadia, son of a local bigwig.

The novel switches viewpoint to Neda, a journalist, who falls for Sunny, a relationship she keeps hidden from colleagues and family. Her moral compass is compromised as she discovers more about the family business.

The reader is also shown events from Sunny’s point of view, which gives a wider perspective of events.

The pace is languid but works in enmeshing the reader into the worlds of each of the main characters. The contrast between privilege and poverty is laid bare and the greed and corruption seems hopelessly embedded in Indian society.

There is one weakness in the narrative. Towards the end of the book, there is a change in the narrative approach and all attention is focused on the life story of a career criminal, who uses his story to excuse rape, theft and murder. Whilst the character is important to the story, the time spent is much less so.

A searing indictment of Indian government, this is apparently the first of a trilogy which should appeal to fans of Don Winslow.

The buzziest book of 2023.
What to expect?
- A literary crime novel that serves cruel villains, helpless victims and social commentary on the same platter. It's a nitty gritty novel set in India that kickstarts with a road accident (and five deaths) caused by a rich man's car.
- Vibe : Think lavish parties, drugs, real estate, political violence, influential families, corruption. MONEY and INFLUENCE. A social commentary on capitalism, the economic divide between the rich and the poor.

What wasn't great?
-I would call this more of literary crime novel than a literary thriller.
-The length! This could've been edited into a crisper book. Sometimes the writing took ages to come to the point, which was frustrating. Same with character introductions; shorter and quicker please.
-It took me 150ish pages to get invested in the story. So keep reading if it didn't hook you instantly.

More thoughts:
This would make a super cool TV series. I hear a movie adaptation might be coming soon. With the right cast, it is definitely gonna be a hit
If you liked White Tiger, you'll love this.

Gripping and real this is a great read full of suspense and twists. Would be pleased to read another novel by this author

"Age of Vice" by Deepti Kapoor is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that explores the dark side of contemporary India. Set in Delhi, the book tells the story of a young journalist who becomes involved with a charismatic politician and his corrupt inner circle. Kapoor does an excellent job of portraying the complexities of power and corruption, and the novel is filled with sharp insights into the social and political realities of modern India. While the pacing can be slow at times and the characters can be difficult to sympathize with, overall "Age of Vice" is a powerful and engaging read.

"Age of Vice" by Deepti Kapoor is a fascinating and thought-provoking novel that explores the underbelly of modern-day Delhi through the eyes of a young woman who has recently returned to the city after living abroad for several years.

The protagonist, Jivan, is a complex and conflicted character, struggling to find her place in a city that she both loves and hates. She is drawn to the hedonistic lifestyle of Delhi's elite, with their parties, drugs, and sex, but she is also repelled by the corruption and inequality that pervades the city.

Through Jivan's experiences, Kapoor skillfully depicts the contradictions of contemporary India, where traditional values clash with modern desires, and where wealth and power are often acquired through shady means. The novel is also a poignant exploration of identity, as Jivan grapples with her own sense of self in relation to her family, her culture, and her experiences.

Kapoor's writing is both lyrical and gritty, capturing the sights, sounds, and smells of Delhi with vivid detail. Her characters are fully realized and complex, and she is able to convey a sense of empathy and understanding for even the most flawed and damaged individuals.

Overall, "Age of Vice" is a powerful and engaging novel that delves into the complexities of modern India and the human condition. It is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary literature and the changing face of the globalized world.

A different read for me, fast-paced full of exciting car chases, vice and evil people. Very well written and I loved it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I had such high hopes when I started this book! The writing was excellent, the atmosphere was constructed beautifully. The scenes of poverty Ajay came from were shocking in relatively recent times. The plot was gripping and as the lives of the main characters moved forward I was completely immersed. But for me it was just TOO bleak. I found the endless drug taking tiresome by the end and wanted at least one character to find some relief, if not happiness. By the end I was dragging myself through the depravity and darkness of the last few chapters, hoping for some light but none appeared. I can't fault the excellent writing of the author but the relentless misery was too much by the end.

Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor is set in India about people in the criminal underworld, and their servants.

I found it to be a fast paced story.  It has different points of view which are explored as the story continues. I found this enhanced the story, and the tension.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Little, Brown Book Group.

I really REALLY wanted to read this but the formatting of the book for Netgalley meant it was completely unreadable for me.

Wowww my heart was racing at the end. This is not the genre I usually read and even though I enjoyed Reading this book, guess I would rather watch this as a tv series.

I really enjoyed the age of vice - it described the India of today where the rich live and the poor don’t - the characters where easy to get to know and it was written in a way that made u want to read more - would def recommend reading thisx

This is an engaging and tough read ... each evil, perfidious event and character leading inexorably to the next. We follow a poor young boy,who knows instinctively how to inveigle his way in a world where gangsters of a powerful group rule the worlds, with ties from birth to death. Luring him on once he has assassinated with pictures of his family and promises to find them, he becomes demoralised. It's a dark, dark tough read with desperate and victimised characters, and sometimes i wondered what it was all for but it's readable in spades.

At first, I was somewhat bewildered by the comparisons to Mario Puzo's 'The Godfather'. Initially, for me, 'Age of Vice' was a beautiful story about a poor little boy. What a life Ajay has had! Deepti Kapoor's writing is beautiful throughout, and she gives a very full, and nuanced, picture of each of the main players. I particularly enjoyed the different perspectives explored within the sections of the book. The violence, when it comes, is shocking and visceral. It's a book which deals with impossible choices. It's a big book but you spend most of it not wanting it to end. One of the plot threads didn't entirely work for me, in the last quarter of the book, but overall I found it to be a compelling read. I very much look forward to whatever Deepti Kapoor does next. If you enjoy literary crime fiction, you really need this one in your collection.

Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor

This was undoubtedly one of my top reads of January. It’s compelling, engrossing and addictive.

It opens with a fatal car crash that spins the fates of the three main characters into paths that are out of their control or desire. The narrative of the book then switches between timelines and POVs. Ajay is a young boy taken from his family to pay a debt after the death of his father and then we watch his desperation to please as he becomes a loyal servant to Sunny Wadia. Sunny is a complex character, the son of a feared gangster Bunty, who is consumed by hedonism, parties and glamour rather than the power and political manipulations of his father. Neda, a young journalist working in Delhi is magnetised by Sunny’s charisma and is drawn into his increasingly unstable orbit.

These characters are drawn so vividly that it’s as if they leave the pages and inhabit the same world as the reader. I didn’t agree with their actions but I found myself caring deeply about them.

Age of Vice is a literary crime thriller that tethers extremes of deprivation and excess, corruption and honesty, love and betrayal. It explores social issues, the class divides in modern Indian society, family ties and highlights the meeting point of political corruption and organised crime.

In all a fast paced, roller coaster of a book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and I believe it will captivate a wide range of readers. Highly recommend.

Thanks to @fleetbooks for my #gifted copy.

This is a lengthy book with some quite heavy subject matters. It is dark, dangerous and exciting. It follows different stories over different timelines and all meets together for a devastating conclusion. There's lots of corruption, violence, drug use, murder and heartbreak.
The writing is wonderfully vivid and really transports you.