What an excellent novel. A literary thriller set largely in the slums of contemporary Kolcata, dealing with the aftermath of a terrorist atrocity. The story is told from the viewpoints of three very different characters, and each of their voices is distinctive and convincingly human. Corruption in Government and in the Justice and Education systems, along with religious prejudice and mob rule, shape the lives of these characters in ways that are moving and ultimately devastating. Even though not all three characters gain our sympathy to the same extent, it is still easy to understand why they act as they do when their choices are limited by the irresistible forces that govern their lives. Ultimately, for me, the book asked important questions about an individual's freedom of choice to act honestly and morally and without hypocrisy when you have no control over major factors which govern the course of your life in a corrupt society. Highly recommended.