Flood, Alison (3 March 2020). "Women's prize for fiction lines up 'heavy hitters' on 2020 longlist". The Guardian . Retrieved 1 October 2020. This particular aspect of the story is painfully true to life—the religious divisions in India have been increasing over the last few decades. The text presents these matters as they would happen in the real world and it makes for disturbing, albeit realistic, reading. Deepa’s novel, Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line, will be published by Chatto & Windus on January 30, 2020. EP: You were previously an award-winning journalist in India. How difficult was it to make the leap from writing as a journalist to writing fiction? This promising debut is narrated by Jai, a nine-year-old boy who lives in an Indian slum with his family. Their one-room house is located beside a rubbish dump, in an area smothered by smog, but they have learned to make the best of their situation. When his classmate Bahadur goes missing, Jai, an enthusiast of TV crime shows, decides to investigate. Enlisting the help of his friends, the hardworking Faiz and clever Pari, the trio try their best to solve the mystery. It becomes clear that a corrupt police force will do nothing to help the people of the shantytowns. So Jai and his pals will have to do it all on their own. But then more children start to go missing and the evidence points to something far more sinister at play.

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara – review

The novel also makes your mind boggle. India, the most populous democracy in the world. The clash of religion, the caste system. The seemingly infinite gap between the rich and the poor. The anachronistic feel of India, which at times seems to be a fusion of a third world country and a modern western country with all the perks of modern technology.

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A major strength of the book is Anappara’s grip on (vivid) detail and her masterful use of language. Effortlessly, she draws pictures of contrast — of poverty and richness; of squalor and spotlessness; of deprivation and plenty.” —Aradhika Sharma, Tribune But what begins as a game turns sinister as other children start disappearing from their neighborhood. Jai, Pari, and Faiz have to confront terrified parents, an indifferent police force, and rumours of soul-snatching djinns. As the disappearances edge ever closer to home, the lives of Jai and his friends will never be the same again.

Who Cares About One Missing Child in an Indian Slum? Another Who Cares About One Missing Child in an Indian Slum? Another

Djinn” in this novel are described as spirits who can possess animals. There are good djinns as well as evil. Pari, the third member of the detective trio, later in the novel even suggests that they start up a tv show called, “Djinn Patrol”. WINNER OF THE EDGAR® AWARD • ONE OF TIME’S 100 BEST MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS OF ALL TIME • LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN’S PRIZE The trio fast realize they are facing their unknown adversary alone. The police see the slum as a continual source of annoyance and threaten to bulldoze it to the ground. The wealthy people who live in a gated community of nearby high-rises couldn't care less. And with hysteria creeping in, the adults in the slum begin to turn on each other, causing a rift between the Hindu and Muslim factions within the settlement. With no help or resources, can Jai, Pari and Faiz solve this horrific mystery?The story is narrated in a simple first-person present tense (although one strewn with Hindi slang terms) by a nine-year old: Jai. Jai who lives with his parents and elder sister Runu (Runu-didi) in a basti (temporary turned permanent, slum district) in India. Runu is (to the extent Jai is a fan of real-life crime reenactment shows like “Police Patrol”, his two best friends are Pari (a bright girl) and Faiz (a Muslim, and believer in djinns). Runu is (to the limited extent her parent’s permit it) a keen and proficient athlete (relay runner).

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line

a b Corrigan, Maureen (6 February 2020). "In 'Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line,' an unforgettable voice emerges from an Indian slum". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020 . Retrieved 1 October 2020. Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line is a novel by Deepa Anappara, published in 2020. Her debut novel, [1] it received wide praise and won the Lucy Cavendish College Fiction Prize in 2019. [2] Djinn Patrol is shortlisted for the 2020 JCB Prize and was longlisted for the 2020 Women's Prize for Fiction. [3] [4] The novel won the 2021 Edgar Award for Best Novel. [5] Book [ edit ]

Created from whole cloth, Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line is a richly textured rendition of a world little seen in Indian literature. There is no desire to smooth and tidy in fiction what is untidy in life, but instead there is a pay off for the reader in a story that is as quietly troubling as it is convincing.” —Mridula Koshy, author of If It is Sweet This book is marketed as a mystery, but I disagree. From the description on Goodreads, I'd gotten the impression that it was about a group of children searching for their lost friend, and that it would read similarly to Stranger Things or The Goonies. This isn't the case. Jai is compelled to search for the missing boy that he barely knew. The story is not at all plot driven. It is primarily setting and character driven, and the focus isn't at all on his search. While his friends are three-dimensional characters in this story, I never got the feeling that they have an unbreakable bond and would go to the ends of the earth to find each other should one of them go missing. The story itself doesn't carry with it a sense of hope that I prefer to see in coming of age stories. It's more of a harsh removal of the rose-coloured glasses, and we see the world for what it really is. Gloomy. As Jai’s family watches television, they see news of inconsequential events but nothing on the several missing children from their slum. And the more these disappearances are ignored, the more children go missing. The story itself became repetitive. After one child disappeared, Jai and Pari investigated and played detective, and I was into it. However, then the same thing just kept happening. Another would disappear, Jai and Pari would investigate, turn up empty handed and go home, then another disappear, etc. So, the progress wasn’t as engaging as I would have preferred. Deepa: I am studying for a Creative-Critical Writing PhD at the moment, as part of which I am working on a historical novel.