Read as part of CBR16 Bingo: Bollywood. This is a true crime novel about a journalist in India who was murdered, as well as the uniqueness of south Indian culture and the autocratic rule of Modi.
Despite it being one of the largest countries in the world, I know very little about India. I knew Britain treated it like garbage for centuries and that, thanks in part to Gandhi, it won its freedom in 1947. I knew that there are tensions between Hindus and Muslims. I knew that Modi was a wannabe strongman.
That was the extent of it. And this book, examining India’s past and presence through the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh as well as the southern city of Bangalore was enlightening. Rollo Romig is a good writer and he knows what details are important to the narrative while keeping the minutiae sidelined.
I learned about the varieties on language and culture, how different the south is from the north, how faith works there and journalism. I learned how Bangalore went from a peaceful backwater to a traffic-choked urban nightmare but that the longtime residents were docile and kind. Having had a professor in grad school from Bangalore who was an absolute prince of a guy, I can at least confirm that part of their reputation.
The book is weirdly structured and sometimes attempts to bite off more than it can chew but learning about Gauri Lankesh’s world and India writ large was a real treat. And when Romig focuses on those topics in particular, he’s an excellent journalist.
