This book was difficult for me to rate. It's well-written, but I did not like it. Like Dickens, Tejpal brings to life a wealth of interesting characters and exposes the dark side of Indian culture, politics, and institutions. But the contempt of the author for all of his characters, and his deep cynicism also come through. One reviewer calls his writing "humane." I don't see this at all. It is not just that the main character is really unlikeable--sexist, amoral, materialistic, uncaring. It is the dispassionate detached way in which the author describes all of the characters. You certainly do gain an understanding of why and how the assassins became who they are. But it is difficult to emotionally identify with any of the characters. There's a lot of sex and violence in the book, and he uses sexual language to describe violence. I found it fairly repulsive. Nonetheless, this author is calling attention to things that need to change. I'm rating this book fairly highly because I think this is a thought provoking book worth discussing and debating.