The excerpt in The New Yorker was so disturbing and yet so very compelling that I had to get this book. Unfortunately, that was the best chunk of this first novel by Akhil Sharma. It's not a terrible book, but it's not really all that interesting, either. It also bothered me that the second chapter is told from the point of view of the daughter, and then it's just completely dropped (I expected an alternating narrative). Ram Karan, the main character, is indeed an odious fellow, but that wasn't the reason why I didn't like this book. It's just a plodding, emotionally lukewarm work.

- SJW

this material clearly isn't for everyone, but most of those who responded above did not read the book critically. from the illogic of their comments, one suspects jhumpa lahiri's "interpreter of maladies" would be too overwhelming for them as well, even though its subject matter is far less disturbing. "an obedient father" is a rewarding read for anyone who reads critically, and an exceptional debut that was nominated for some of the most prestigious awards in american literature. give it a try and form your own opinion.

Don't enter into Akhil Sharma's AN OBEDIENT FATHER expecting the romantic exoticism of many of today's Indian writers. His India is not mystical or lush or dream-like but instead peels away exterior layers to show what lies beneath. This is a story of corruption, both moral and political. Ram Karan is a self-pitying hedonist, and he knows it, even hates himself for it. Others think even less of him. When his daughter confronts him with their shared secret he hopes she had forgotten, two days after the assassination of Rajiv Ghandi, both Karan and India face an uncertain future.

To Sharma's credit, he allows the reader deep enough into Karan's psyche to elevate him from despicable to pathetic, and yes, you do start to feel for this man, however guiltily. Sharma's greatest strength here is his characterizations, from Karan to Anita to the corrupt bureaucrats who work with Karan to his extended family.

If you are just now sampling the range of Indian fiction available in the United States, this is a good place to start. If you are familiar with the wider range of voices, Akhil Sharma's adds a nice balance to the rest, perhaps more American than most but still in his heart Indian.