Like Vikram Seth's A SUITABLE BOY, THE HOUSE OF BLUE MANGOES tells many stories in one, each slipping effortlessly into the other and all ultimately entwined. Three generations of an ancient family come and go in Chevathar, the village by the sea. First there is Solomon, the patriarch, manoeuvring to keep the peace as caste struggles begin to encroach on the village. Then there is the story of Solomon's sons, their fortunes rising and falling as India begins its struggle for independence. Finally, there is the story of Solomon's grandson, perhaps the last of the line, making his own stand for independence. A host of characters enliven these pages: Father Ashcroft, the English priest washed up in a forgotten corner of the empire; Mrs Wilkins the planter's wife who clings to the old ascendancy; Joshua, the prodigal son who leads the battle on the beach; Daniel and Aaron, brothers at war; and Helen, an Anglo-Indian beauty who brings about the final disintegration of the family. This is a glorious, generous, and exhilarating read.