Aravind Adiga’s Selection Day among the the most exciting books of 2016: Asia House

Front covers from left to right ‘Selection Day’ by Aravind Adiga; ‘Human Acts’ by Han Kang and ‘One Child’ by Mei Fong

From a new novel by Man Booker-winner Aravind Adiga to the final in a trilogy on life under Mao by Frank Dikötter, here’s Jemimah Steinfeld’s guide to this year’s hottest releases.

River of Ink by Paul M.M. Cooper

An intriguing title to match an intriguing plot, River of Ink by debut novelist Paul M.M. Cooper follows Asanka, a court poet in the ancient island kingdom of Lanka. In the midst of a war, Asanka is tasked with the translation of an epic Sanskrit poem by the new, tyrannical king, who believes it will instil a sense of loyalty in his subjects. However, through Asanka’s translation, the reverse occurs.

Selection Day by Aravind Adiga

Selection Day is a coming-of-age story from Aravind Adiga, author of The White Tiger, which centres on a teenager in contemporary Mumbai. Manjunath Kumar knows a lot about himself – what he’s good at (cricket) and what he’s interested in (CSI). But at just aged 14, there’s still a lot more to learn and his older brother’s rival is just the one to aid in this discovery.