First published 2011
Yogesh Murthy stands alone on his balcony, watching his neighbors pack their belongings. A wealthy developer wants to demolish Vishram Society, the aging apartment tower where Yogesh has lived for decades. One by one, his fellow residents accept generous buyout offers and leave. Yogesh refuses to sell. The building empties around him as the developer grows impatient and the remaining neighbors grow desperate. They need unanimous consent to complete the deal that will make them all rich. Yogesh becomes the obstacle between his community and their dreams of prosperity. Pressure mounts from all sides as relationships fracture and loyalties shift. The story reveals how money transforms ordinary people and tests the bonds that hold communities together.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: community-drama, moral-dilemma
Setting: India, Vishram Society
Period: Contemporary
421 pages · Paperback · Atlantic