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I strongly disliked this book. I only picked this because it was the first month of my BOTM subscription and I wanted to pick something. It was bleak, overly long and the plot was uninspired. I don‘t have to like the characters in books I read, but I want to at least care about what happens to them. Every single character was one-dimensional. I doubt I will even remember that I read this book in a few months. At least it‘s off my shelves.

This is the most immersive book I‘ve read in a long time. Kapoor brings modern India to life with the haves, have nots, and those who have way too much. Starting with one tragic event, Kapoor peels off many layers of the story surrounding that event from the perspectives of several characters, which is something I love in a book. Characters who are not necessarily lovable but real are another and Age of Vice is full of these. Lives up to the hype!

This is an epic that is not going to be for everyone. It is a bit violent and gritty. There are a few characters, and a switching timeline. I dove in and was totally taken by Ajay, and while part of me wishes we had stuck with him I understand why the views switch, you get a deeper & rounded view of the situation, of the politics and relationships. There is a lot to take in, I did half on audio which worked well for me.

It took me awhile to gather the threads of this story together, yet I couldn't look away. I'm a sucker for retellings of the same events from different perspectives. I pictured Neda so differently from Ajay's descriptions that I didn't recognize her character in Part 2. By the time that there was a Sunny chapter, I had been thinking to myself - "we better hear from Sunny next." I got this so well & found it excellent.

Way too long and too much description. It could have been a good story but it needed to be cut down a lot.

I thought this was very good but having trouble pinpointing exactly why. It's probably the writing itself.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

⭐️⭐️💫

This book was just so long and convoluted that it was hard for me to get invested. It ends on a cliffhanger, but I don‘t care enough to read another huge book to find out what happens next in the trilogy. To be fair, I‘ve never really been too interested in gangster storylines, and I did enjoy the Indian setting. I might like it better as a TV series, which looks like it may be in the works. 🎧

#StoryGraph: literary thriller dark tense crime-fiction family-saga india
548 pages • first pub 2023 • 4.5 Stars

Age of Vice is a thriller about a poor servant, a rich playboy, and a journalist who get involved in a car crash that reveals the corruption and violence of a powerful crime family in New Delhi. This novel raises important questions about morality, justice and power in contemporary India.

#CampLitsy23 @Megabooks @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain just learned about #CampLitsy23 so didn't come up with 6 books but would love to throw Age Of Vice by Deepti Kapoor into the mix for summer reading.

My HS-aged daughter and I discovered Netflix Bollywood dvd‘s in the 00‘s, and I‘ve been intrigued with stories set there ever since. The last few India-based books I‘ve read had female protagonists so this action-packed story was an interesting diversion. There is still though the theme of have and have-nots where the power of those that have is devastating to those who have not - and to those who try to escape what power buys. ↓

Book 13 of 2023! Wow, what a story! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Liked, didn‘t love. On to the next!

Every now and then a big book comes around that grabs you and won't let go even after it has been finished, "Age of Vice" is that book. Gangsters, decadence, conspicuous consumption, fathers and sons in conflict, romance and loss, loyalty, toxic friendship, and a story that doesn't end well. I hope the author continues this saga as there is certainly many open ends that could be explored.

I liked none of the characters and thoroughly enjoyed reading about them all. The ending felt a bit rushed to me - despite it being a longer read. Still a very strong pick.

This was a fascinating story of corruption and greed, told from three different perspectives: Ajay, a Dalit child sold into servitude after the murder of his father, later personal servant to Sunny Wadi; Neda, a young journalist from an upper caste family who falls into Sunny's orbit; and finally Sunny, son of an unspeakably wealthy and powerful man. An absorbing and memorable novel, even if it ultimately chooses plot over any deeper meaning, imo.

This was 5 🌟 it was just fantastic, yes it's violent, violence against women, it shows the difference from the poor to the mega rich and corruption. But you are drawn in to life in India. The three MCs you kind off root for them inspite of they do horrible things. This is the the first in a trilogy. Definitely look forward to the next book.

Decided to skip this month. I was curious about Georgie, but it‘s currently available for free on Hoopla, and there weren‘t any other options I was too excited for.

Also due to a shipping error, BOTM had to send me a new January box, so I am still waiting for Age of Vice to arrive.

👀 coming soon…

Side note, still haven‘t received my January box due to a USPS delivery error, so they had to send me a new box, which is still not set to deliver until Feb 6-8 at the earliest. 🫤

I‘m not saying this book isn‘t without flaws, but if this was a Netflix series with 2 seasons, I‘d complete it at the same rate as The White Lotus. If you want family drama, forbidden romance, parties, servants, conspiracy to break from your role, jail, violence, setting in India, this book is for you. It‘s long, but it never dragged!

An epic story of power, wealth, greed corruption, romance, crime, and social status set in New Delhi. It's basically a 500 page soap opera centering a trio of characters and their connection to the criminal underworld.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book opens with an intriguing scene then immediately jumps into backstory. A little over 2 hours into the audio, it was clear we weren‘t going to get back to that scene anytime soon and I was not at all engaged in it, so I‘m out.

Started after dinner and couldn‘t stop til finished! Eyedrops needed. Action, violence, hard-boiled but lyrical thriller set in New Delhi. Epic storyline of corruption, disparity between wealth and poverty via collision of rich playboy with delusions of doing good, a journalist, and the playboy‘s valet. A car crash is the triggering incident. Hindu concept of cyclical eras defines this time as the age of Vice and spiritual loss for all.

This is a soft pick for me. To be honest I feel super conflicted about this book. On one hand the author did a beautiful job bringing India and Ajay and his world and circumstances to life…on the other hand this is bogged down with so many details the story gets kinda lost in the quagmire of it all. A bit overhyped to be honest. #chunksterreadingchallenge

WHOO HOO! 🎉🎉🎉 The only day better than the day Book of the Month drops their new monthly picks is the day your box arrives! 😍📚💕 #botm

The sunset was more enjoyable than the book. 🙄 💯 overhyped and underdelivered. The #audiobook narration was great though.

The Waadia family is part of the new money that rules New Delhi with an iron fist. Sunny, dilettante son of the patriarch, messes about with women and drugs, and his valet Ajay is ready to clean up his mess. Loyal Ajay was sold as a child and met him in Goa. Part thriller, part family saga, I found the plot over complicated.

Some recent #bookmail! Hopefully I‘ll be getting new bookshelves soon because I‘m double stacked almost everywhere. 😂 I‘ve already finished The Bell Jar, and I ended up reading Age of Vice on audio, so look for those reviews soon! I had to get the newest edition of Tiny Beautiful Things even though I have a very well loved old one.

#botm #bookmail

How many books can I start at the beginning of this year? I left the kids at home to drive through and get dinner (no kids means audiobooks). This book drew me in today when I finished Sea of Tranquility, it‘s an audiobook day cuz I‘m preparing for a trip.

Real life will start again soon and I won‘t have time to look for one more good book, until then, I‘m enjoying the season!

Rave Reviews perfect first book of 2023

I was SO EXCITED to see the Book of the Month choices already up! 😱💕📚 What did everyone pick? I ALMOST went with Hell Bent, but then I realized that I already preordered it and want it to match my copy of Ninth House, which is not a BOTM edition! 😊 #botm

January #botm confirmed!! Hoping some of the others wind up as $1.99 ebook sales 😝

Blurry screenshot.

I picked Age of Vice, but was super torn and want Independence by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni I read her Palace of Illusions years and years ago and loved it. I no longer have a copy but might pick one up and read it this month so that I can grab the new book next month.

This a long book, but so wonderfully written that it never drags and I became invested in both the lives of the characters, especially Ajay, and the setting. It is a fascinating look at wealth and corruption in India. I admit the ending left me a little confused, as it felt unfinished, but then found out it is meant to be a trilogy. I look forward to reading more about the characters and optimistically hope they get their life together. 4.5/5

Eh. Other Age of Vice, which I am really excited for, this month‘s #botm choices underwhelmed me. Picked up a previous choice that‘s been getting good reviews as an add on. Bring on Aarvark!

This is a hard one to describe. It reminded me a bit of “A Brief History of 7 Killings” by Marlon James only set in India and with fewer characters. The writing was other-worldly. Absolutely jaw-dropping, stop everything and read sentences out loud to whoever is nearby because holy shit the way she uses words… five stars. So so good.

Maybe? What do we think about this as the #BOTM clue? 🤔