Who Would Like This Book:
Dive into the underbelly of Mumbai with this epic, multi-layered crime saga! Sacred Games is not just a detective story - it’s a sweeping portrait of modern India, packed with unforgettable characters, gritty realism, and a unique blend of suspense, humor, and social commentary. If you love immersive stories with rich cultural settings, morally complex heroes, and a touch of Bollywood drama, you’ll be hooked. Fans of sprawling narratives like those by Dickens or James Ellroy, or lovers of Indian fiction and TV adaptations (yes, there’s a Netflix series!), will find plenty to savor here.
Who May Not Like This Book:
This massive tome can be intimidating - it clocks in at nearly 1,000 pages and is sprinkled with Hindi slang and local references (a glossary is provided, but it’s not always enough). Some readers found the plot meandering, with a dizzying cast and narrative shifts that can be confusing. If you’re looking for a tightly edited, swift-moving story or struggle with non-English phrases, you might find it slow-going. The length and cultural density can overwhelm, and the Bollywood-infused melodrama didn’t click for everyone.
About:
Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra is a sprawling epic set in Mumbai that intricately weaves together the lives of various characters from different walks of society, offering a deep dive into the complexities of Indian culture. The story unfolds through alternating perspectives, primarily following Mumbai Police Inspector Sartaj Singh and mafia godfather Ganesh Gaitonde, delving into their intertwined lives and the city's underbelly. The writing style is described as immersive, with vivid descriptions that transport readers to the bustling streets of Mumbai and provide a glimpse into the characters' innermost thoughts and motivations.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The narrative includes themes of violence, mental health struggles, class disparities, and corruption, which may be triggering for some readers.
Has Romance?
There are moderate romantic subplots, particularly involving Sartaj Singh and his relationships, adding depth to his character.
From The Publisher:
Seven years in the making, Sacred Games is an epic of exceptional richness and power. Vikram Chandra's novel draws the reader deep into the life of detective Sartaj Singh - and into the criminal underworld of Ganesh Gaitonde, the most wanted gangster in India.Sartaj, one of the very few Sikhs in the Mumbai police force, is used to being identified by his turban, beard and the sharp cut of his trousers. But 'the silky Sikh' is now past forty, his marriage is over and his career prospects are on the slide. When Sartaj gets an anonymous tip-off as to the secret hideout of the legendary boss of the G-company, he's determined that he'll be the one to collect the prize.Vikram Chandra's keenly anticipated new novel is a magnificent story of friendship and betrayal, of terrible violence, of an astonishing modern city and its dark side. Drawing inspiration from the best of Victorian fiction, mystery novels, Bollywood movies and Chandra's own life and research on the streets of Mumbai, Sacred Games reads like a potboiling page-turner but resonates with the intelligence and emotional depth of the best of literature.
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Sacred Games?
About the Author:
Born in New Delhi, India, in 1961, Vikram Chandra now divides his time between Bombay and Washington D.C., where he teaches at George Washington University. He is a graduate of Pomona College, Los Angeles and Columbia University Film School in New York. His stories have appeared in the New Yorker and the Paris Review. His debut novel, Red Earth and Pouring Rain, was awarded the David Higham Prize for Fiction and the Commonwealth Writers Prize for the Best First Published Book. His collection of stories, Love and Longing in Bombay, was published in 1997 and won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for the Eurasia region. It was also shortlisted for the Guardian Fiction Prize, and was included in the New York Times Book Review's 'Notable Books of the Year', and also in both the Guardian and Independent's 'Books of the Year' round-ups. His most recent novel, Sacred Games, was published in 2007 and was shortlisted for the Encore Awards.,Vikram Chandra is the author of the critically acclaimed novel, Sacred Games (2007), which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction. His first novel, Red Earth and Pouring Rain (1995), won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book and the David Higham Prize for Fiction. His collection of short stories, Love and Longing in Bombay (1997), won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book (Eurasia Region) and was a New York Times Notable Book.
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