Book Review : The Wildings - Part 1: The Wildings and Part 2: The Hundred Names of Darkness by Nilanjana Roy , narrated by Tania Rodrigues

The Wildings by Nilanjana Roy
4 of 5 stars

Utterly marvellous tale of a colony of cats in Old Delhi. For story lovers of all ages. Highly recommended.

Linguistic note - the squirrels are named Ao and Jao - Come and Go.
The birds are called sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, and ni - the 7 notes (swara) in Hindustani classical music.



The Hundred Names of Darkness by Nilanjana Roy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

No sequel disappointment herein! The adventures of the Nizamuddin cats continues as they struggle through hard times.
Marvelous section telling of the love between the two eagles,Tooth and Claw.
The author's choice of names for all the animal characters is great, and the tone of voice captures their individual characters so well.
Both books are so very well narrated by Tania Rodrigues.

I can't recommend these enough!

View all my reviews

Book Review: Blackwater by Nilanajana Roy

Black River by Nilanjana Roy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Although the plot is a bit predictable in the sense that I guessed the murderer really early on, that didn't detract from a good read - the main characters' back stories are the best part eg Chand's time working in Delhi and living on the back waters with Rabia and her husband. What is also very strong is the representation within the story of the societal issues in India - Hindi v Muslim, city growth and expansion, climate and environment issues, corruption, police violence and the difficulties that woman in particular face.

The author has fairly recently started writing for the FT and is on the panel selecting 2026 International Booker. This is her first adult novel, so a really good debut in my opinion. She has previously written two children's books. Additionally, I'm dipping in and out of her book of essays The Girl Who Ate Books: Adventures in Reading

View all my reviews