Deviants

Reviews

It’s magnificent: funny, melancholic, sharply true. The force of it crept up on me in a brilliantly subtle way Deviants is so compulsive and wrenching it made me miss my tube stop more than once. Rarely have I felt so invested in a novel: I carried each strand with me into my life, their joy, grief and hope. The detail and care that goes into these stories makes them burn in you long after the pages are closed. Bhattacharya has written the epic text for the South Asian queer community that the characters in this book long to find There is an epic confidence to Bhattacharya’s writing Deviants is a beautifully written and formally inventive multi-generational tale of gay life in one Indian family Bhattacharya's storytelling talents are limitless One of the best debuts this year Written with verve, intelligence and compassion A joy to read, a full universe of feeling ... A born storyteller Bhattacharya has the enviable ability of creating a cast of characters that feel as real as any person I've met. His effortless writing sings on the page Bhattacharya is a vivid and humane storyteller with a talent for encapsulating the social in the personal Intoxicating ... Terrific A fearless portrait of a changing society, bringing hitherto marginalised lives centre stage with great heart and humour … At times heartrending, but also life-affirming and celebratory Deviants is a brilliantly compelling novel. Emotionally powerful and not shy in terms of explicit content, it dives right inside the lives of three generations of queer Indians. Like Mambro, I’m thankful the language now exists to tell their stories and that Bhattacharya is the one admirably wielding the pen A vibrant, engaging and important novel. Santanu Bhattacharya explores gay love in India across three generations of a family with remarkable elegance and compassion. By turns funny, illuminating and moving, Deviants is a fine achievement Expand reviews