Run And Hide

Pankaj Mishra’s first novel in 20 years is an unusual read, as it uses first person

direct address, with the “you” suggesting the narrator Arun is speaking to a close acquaintance. This can be disconcerting, but doesn’t detract from a wellwritten and engaging tale. It follows Arun and his friends the prestigious Indian

Institute of Technology in the 80s, to their involvement in the emergence of modern India – with some embroiled in financial and sexual scandals. Arun is a wholly believable character and the description of his impoverished childhood

in a small railway town is evocative and poetic, skilfully conjuring a sense of place. Covering caste, religion, politics and the impact of technology amid the globalisation of India, this sweeping novel is, at its heart, about family ties and relationships. 8/10