The City of Devi by Manil Suri has been out for quite sometime, and I’m not quite sure why it has taken me until now to read it. I have loved all of Suri’s previous books, but was perhaps a little hesitant to read this one as I’d heard it took place after a nuclear attack. Sounded just a little bit to close to post-apocalyptic to me.
I needn’t have worried. First, The City of Devi is not a futuristic, post-apocalyptic tale. It is set in the very near future and is entirely plausible in every way. Suri builds his tale around the rising tensions between Pakistan and India, and between Muslims and Hindus within Bombay. He also brings in the complex issue of sexuality in an increasingly police monitored state. All this while a character from a Bollywood movie ascends as the presiding deity of the city.
I loved The City of Devi. It was a love song to Bombay, one of my favorite cities in India, a tale of lovers in a dangerous time and fiery concoction of politics, satire and adventure. I do wonder, however, if the story would be as powerful for those who are not as familiar with Indian and Pakistani politics. And for me, towards the end it veered a little to much into action adventure.
The story was also wonderfully multi-layered. It nicely completes a triptych with his other two novels The Death of Vishnu and The Age of Shiva. Put together, the three are the kind of thing I’d like to write a university paper on.
Who would like this book? If you’ve read Suri’s other books, then you know you are going to love this one as well. For anyone who is interested in the geo-politics of the region, this book is a fascinating exploration into the realm of the what-if. And fans of Bollywood will also appreciate the overlapping of cinema and politics in The City of Devi. For me, it was a 5 star read.
52 books or bust 
This is the only book of his I’ve read, and I quite enjoyed it. Very unusual and refreshing. I need to read his other books now.
His other books aren’t quite as unique as this one. I feel like with this one he has really found his voice and his vision. But I also loved The Death of Vishnu.
Hmm wow a 5 star read. I have not read this author yet, so would you say to start with his early novels first? I’m not an expert on India nor have I travelled there yet. Which novel is most accessible for a green person on all things India? thx
It’s been so long since I’ve read his other novels, I can’t say where the best place to start it. I would say this one would be good though. There are a lot of references to pop culture, twitter, life in this interconnected era, so from that point of view it is pretty universal.