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Set in India during the time of the Emergency under Indira Ghandi, this story follows the lives and misfortunes of four characters who end up sharing a home together. Firstly the widowed Dina Dalal and her fight for independence as a woman without a male protector in a society not embracing of femininism. She fights against the misogyny of her brother, the tyranny of the landlords and plain gruelling poverty. Next there are the two tailors, Ishvar and Omprakesh, from the untouchable caste, their battles are against classism, oppression and just pure evil, as their family and homes are destroyed, then even the slum dwelling they end up in is bulldozed by the government as part of a beautification scheme. Lastly there is Manesh, a student from a slightly more affluent home, who watches his father unravel as the countryside he loves is destroyed for the sake of progress. These four manage to form a happy alliance, overcoming their own prejudices and obstacles to do so. So the book seems to take a turn for good after all the tragedies that have occurred. (view spoiler)[ Unfortunately this sense of peace and camaraderie is short-lived and all the characters end up in a far worse position than they began. I guess it is unrealistic for me to expect a happily-ever-after ending for a story set in the poorer parts of India during the Emergency, but I found myself disappointed after Dina's nail-biting and protracted battle for independence to find her losing it all at the end. Also for the tailors, with their determined struggle to escape their destined path as tanners and learn another trade and skill, again to finally lose everything was hard to bear. This is a powerful book that is certainly an eye-opener and exposes much of the human tragedy of what went on during this time. At times there was a heavy reliance on coincidence and the tragedies at times almost became melodrama, but I enjoyed the fact that even the "villains" were interesting people with their own story and motivation. The Beggarmaster was one of these great characters. Interesting that the only ray of light at the end of the book was the fact that their friendship endured. A book that left me unsettled but with much to think about. (hide spoiler)]