Tabish Khair

This book has an interesting premise, young Indian man who has avenged the death of his family and escaped from India by pretending to a young English officer that he is a reformed Thugee. The young man is also interested in phrenology and we learn of a resurrection man (steals newly dead bodies from cemeteries to supply demand for dissection) has been supplying interesting skulls to a rival advocate of the art who collects such skulls to support his theories. But, inconveniently, the possessors of interesting skulls do not die when needed. However, for unrelated reasons I just couldn't get into the story, despite the premise and the interesting presentation, so did not finish it.… (meer)

Tabish Khair's The Thing About Thugs is a fast-moving tale set predominantly in Victorian England. The novel's protaganist is a young Indian man, Amir Ali, who spins tales of his involvement with India's notorious Thugee cult to a British scientist, Captain Meadows, who is recovering from illness in Amir's village. Fascinated by both Amir's tale and his claim to now being reformed, Captain Meadows invites Amir back to England so he can write about his experiences. While in England, Amir becomes engaged not only in Captain Meadows' world, but also those of the English working class and various other colonials who find themselves in England. When a wave of grisly beheadings grips London, suspicion quickly falls on Amir, whose supposed involvement with the Thugee cult has citizens - who don't believe he is reformed - assuming he is capable of committing horrific crimes. Can Amir and his friends convince London that, contrary to popular belief, he is not responsible for the murders?

I have mixed feelings about this novel. While I found both the story and the characters fascinating, the narrative technique employed by Khair to tell this tale did not work for me and had a significant impact on my rating. Told from several different perspectives, including that of a man in the modern day, the constant shifts in perspective interrupted the story's flow and were often times, especially early in the novel, confusing. Nevertheless, Khair has created some memorable characters in this novel and, through his often eloquent prose, he vividly brings to life some of the seedier aspects of Victorian London. In addition, I thoroughly enjoyed how Khair wove the 'science' of phrenology, which was quite popular during the Victorian era, into the narrative. Despite my difficulty with the style in which this novel is written, it will not deter me from reading other novels by this author.

Note: I received a copy of The Thing About Thugs from the publisher as part of the novel's TLC book tour. This in no way influenced my views on the novel.… (meer)

Thank you Goodreads First Reads for the advanced readers copy of The Thing about Thugs.

Thugs was a great read. Sure, there isn't much of a mystery; we know who is doing what and why. The fascinating aspect of Thugs is the life of the street riffraff and immigrants in London, the mix of cultures and languages in the bustling city, and the historical backdrop. I felt like I was reading a subdued Rushdie, except the events were taking place in London, though part of the narration originates in India. The letters written to the lover are perhaps a bit cheesy, though this is intended and well-placed. The font of these letters did not bother me; I found them to be perfectly legible.

Khair is a good writer. Language flows, and each narrator seems to have a distinct voice, and often even a distinct accent. The plot was well done, as well. Unlike some other readers, I did not have trouble following the different lines of narration. Khair does a good job with the narrative voices to lead the reader through the stories, past and present.

I don't recommend the book to people who expect a murder mystery. Historical fiction fans should enjoy it.… (meer)