Vikara is the a debut fiction that tackles many ideas about humanity and society. The book is both ambitious and has a lot of potential. It is set in a future time where there is a distinct lack of empathy and sympathy. There are both humans and cyborgs attempting to live within a situation where select people have good housing, food, and money while others do not. People can be removed from their living situation (downgraded) if they are infirmed, old, or have ideas that are unpopular. Likewise, those living on the opposite of the spectrum and have talents in the creative arts can be upgraded. Without giving away too much of the story, I will simply say that the inherent evil within humanity ends up being the victor of this book. Humans and cyborgs alike are discarded with little thought.

I enjoyed the read. I appreciate the representation of multiple cultures done in an accurate and respectful manner. I spent a great deal of the time rooting for the underdogs to find that things did not work out so well for them. I had a repeated difficulty connecting with the characters. I feel like they needed to be written with stronger motivation and emotion. I feel like I need to connect with their struggles a little more. I also found myself disappointed by the lack of a good redemptive ending. Like I said, humanity ends up being the victor and I was left with the feeling that the story continues to repeat itself in a circular fashion.

The teaser and summary of the book compared the story with 1984 and I feel like this is a good comparison. This is more literary fiction within a future setting and not necessarily a Science Fiction story.

#Vikara #NetGalley
Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Vikara in exchange for an honest review.

Vitul Agarwal's debut literary/sci-fi novel is a dystopian narrative set high in the sky — within the station's fountain apartments — in the year 2271. We are introduced to our ensemble cast: a refugee child, a rebel cyborg, and an artist who becomes a politician. I was immediately drawn to the concept of a world imbued with rampant socioeconomic disparities and an analogous AI that limits the world's capacity for creative thought. Agarwal's background as an academic clearly runs throughout this work, as seen in the topics and the presentation of information. This analytical lens, which breaks down the world of Vikara, is both a boon and a detractor from the overarching story. 

Whilst we are privy to the author's and, to some extent, the characters' rich understanding of socioeconomic inequality and the factors which impact it, ranging from politics, academia, and the general public's lack of education on the topic, we are also given limited time with each character to unpick their deeper perspectives on these topics. As someone who has also published in academic journals, the expectation to be as pithy as possible can often lead to limited breadth in the necessary aspects of creative writing. At times, this leads to what feels like a shallow engagement with the underlying message. Yet the novel's ending is where the author's inequalities framing shines in the impacts faced by fundamentally flawed characters, as we are given a realistic ending through this lens.
 
I will say it took me longer than I expected to bond with each character, and by the 3/4 mark, I was starting to get a better grasp of who they are. However, that is significantly longer than I expected for it to take. Whilst I am glad I reached the end of the novel, it may be a harder read for those who need a quicker connection to the main characters. Additionally, the plot pacing was mostly good. Still, there were times when time-skip jumps occurred, which disoriented my sense of what was happening. 

Readers who enjoyed the grit of The Broken Earth trilogy may find themselves drawn to this story, especially its realism-driven ending. I give Vikara a 3.75 (rounded to a 4-star rating for NetGalley's review system). The concept is interesting and thought-provoking, but the characters' limited depth results in a lower overall rating. I am excited to see how Agarwal's future novels will feel now that their debut is out of the way, as there is significant promise in their storytelling style.