Around India In 80 Trains

Between the Assassinations is a collection of short stories that take place over seven days in the fictitious town of Kittur on the Konkan Coast. The seven-day format makes the book seem instantly more accessible, intriguing and difficult to put down - all the more so as Adiga's precise descriptions of the town - from the posters in the local porn cinema, to the views from approaching trains - fire his stories with a vigour and energy that make the lives of his characters seem skin-crawlingly real. And of course they are real, but most Indian writers dare not venture below into the world that smug middle-class Indians are so keen to ignore.

The two assassinations of Indira Gandhi in 1984 and Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 bookend the time period within which this book is set, but the realities are as current as they were 20 years ago. The book begins with a hard-working Muslim who, from the outset, is plagued by his religion, the differences between him and his fellow Hindu workers and his internal and external struggles begin to blend into one. Adiga cuts straight to the heart of the issues of caste, creed and class and ruthlessly tears off the lid to reveal Indian hypocrisies, corruption and shamelessness in their treatment of fellow human beings. His writing captures the beautiful ugliness of the world so ignored and he embroiders his lines with the most delicate details that humanise every single one of his characters - an 'underbelly' of society that normally merge into one.

However, despite the feverish will of his characters to upset the apple cart, challenge the order of things and fight for their rights, the book still peters out into the depressing and universal conclusion that India will never change.

Although the town of Kittur is fictitious, the Konkan Coast is one of the most stunning stretches in India, and the Mandovi Express crosses this segment, so take the book along with you for the ride.