In 'A State Of Freedom,' Be Careful What You Wish For
The characters Neel Mukherjee's new novel all want better lives, and — to say the least — they're seldom rewarded. A State of Freedom is a dark, brutal read, but also surprisingly beautiful.
Some writers believe that they have to ease their readers into darkness. It's a popular gambit, and to an extent, it makes sense — you don't want to lose the reader by plunging them instantly into misery; there has to be some glimmer of hope at the beginning, even if you plan to extinguish it eventually.
Neel Mukherjee, thankfully, is not one of those writers, as his stunning third novel, , proves. His latest book
