Thank you Libro.fm / Penguin Random House Audio, #partner for the ALC of Age of Vice in exchange for my honest review. I purchased a print copy for my own collection.
Publisher: Riverhead Books / Penguin Random House Audio
Published: January 3, 2023
Summary:
This is the age of vice, where money, pleasure, and power are everything, and the family ties that bind can also kill.
New Delhi, 3 a.m. A speeding Mercedes jumps the curb and in the blink of an eye, five people are dead. It’s a rich man’s car, but when the dust settles there is no rich man at all, just a shell-shocked servant who cannot explain the strange series of events that led to this crime. Nor can he foresee the dark drama that is about to unfold.
Deftly shifting through time and perspective in contemporary India, Age of Vice is an epic, action-packed story propelled by the seductive wealth, startling corruption, and bloodthirsty violence of the Wadia family—loved by some, loathed by others, feared by all.
In the shadow of lavish estates, extravagant parties, predatory business deals and calculated political influence, three lives become dangerously intertwined: Ajay is the watchful servant, born into poverty, who rises through the family’s ranks. Sunny is the playboy heir who dreams of outshining his father, whatever the cost. And Neda is the curious journalist caught between morality and desire. Against a sweeping plot fueled by loss, pleasure, greed, yearning, violence and revenge, will these characters’ connections become a path to escape, or a trigger of further destruction?
Equal parts crime thriller and family saga, transporting listeners from the dusty villages of Uttar Pradesh to the urban energy of New Delhi, Age of Vice is an intoxicating novel of gangsters and lovers, false friendships, forbidden romance, and the consequences of corruption. It is binge-worthy entertainment at its literary best.
My thoughts:
I started hearing noise about this book last year and knew it was going to be something I needed to read, especially as it was the first in a crime trilogy. And even though I didn’t get a review copy, I was thrilled when I saw Libro.fm had it as option for its influencers in January – I immediately snatched it up and then grabbed the Book of the Month version, too. I knew I wanted a print copy for my shelves!
This book is big…let’s get that out of the way first. But, right from the very beginning, I was pulled in and I found myself completely invested in what was going on. Now, I will say that a few times I had to go back and reread parts – but this is where I was so glad I had both the audio and print so that I could easily do that.
This book is intense as it delves into some heavy topics – corruption, violence, poverty, wealth, gangs, forbidden romance and greed – but the way the story is written, I found myself glued to the pages. And I absolutely loved how we were able to see the same scene from multiple perspectives – it really shows how perspective changes things. Ajay, Sunny and Neda were such broken characters and I loved how their stories intertwined…it kept me so engaged in what was going on, needing to know what was going to happen next to all of them. This is definitely a character-driven story and I was here for it! These characters are so well written and I felt we were constantly learning more about them as the story moved forward.
This is such a multi-layered story that gives us not only a crime thriller but also a family saga. I loved this book…the suspense, the family drama, the mob vibes – it all comes together for one thrilling read and I will be so eager to get my hands on the next installment. I love series and I love when I become so invested in the characters that I can’t stop thinking about them and that is exactly what happened here. I do think that I will be rereading this one before the next book come out just because so much happens here in this first installment and that cliffhanger that we are left with – I am going to need that fresh in my mind as I start the next book! But, if you don’t mind a chunk of a book with some dark themes, then I highly recommend picking this one up!
Audio thoughts:
This was great on audio…not only because it’s so long, but because the narrator, Vidish Athavale, does a fantastic job bringing the story to life. I will definitely be doing a combo read/listen to the entire series, especially if Vidish Athavale continues to narrate!
