Indra Sinha Anmal's People

What I particularly liked about Indra Sinha, Anmal's People is that it does not sentimentalise the poor. All the characters are real - a mixture of good and bad - especially Animal, who is angry, cynical and has a huge chip on his shoulder, with good reason. The use of language , especially in dialogue, captured for me the earthy way the man in the street speaks, and also the universal disrespect for authority, corrupt and self-interested as it is. The poor are on their own and help each other, not because they are noble or altruistic because if they do not help each other no one else will do it. The subject is serious and worthwhile but I found Animal an entertaining and likeable character and felt compelled to go back to the book even when I should have been doing other things. In places I found it very moving too, LIke 'The Poisonwood Bible'it addresses serious issues but the issues never overwhelm the book. Highly recommended.