The In-Between World of Vikram Lall

Author M.G. Vassanji took home his second Giller Prize for this novel and ever since I read the back cover blurb (which was quite some time ago) I've wanted to read the book. Well, I finally did and I must say that my reaction was mixed.

The novel follows the life of Vikram Lall, an Indian living in Kenya. The book is at its most effective when Vassanji describes Lall's childhood during the Mau Mau emergency, when Kenyans were fighting for their independence, and less so during his adulthood, as a man of much prestige in the Kenyan government who helps corrupt officials funnel money this way and that. Lall is a complex character, both likeable and not, who rings true when the author portrays him as a child and young man, but who becomes less believable as he ages.

It was a good read, though, despite its drawbacks and if you're interested in reading about other cultures, I'd recommend it.