hollow.

this book was hollow where substance could have been. set in poverty-laden india, the same-same story of evil higher classes destroying lower caste innocents is ravelled out once again. it's 'a fine balance' without any of rohinton mistry's talent.

this author is so careful to fill up all the things a character is thinking, and all the ways that character might interprete another's actions that we are left with no imagination of our own, no way to connect with the character on our own terms (also, the character's mindset is usually one of bewilderment at being abused - even after said abuse reoccurs and reoccurs. no malice or thoughts of revenge are born)