The Death of Vishnu by Manil Suri  

I don't know why people say they read this book to prepare them for trips to India. Why not read a travel guide for that? In any event, this novel is a religious and social work done on the lives of various people living in India: one a dying man on the steps of an apartment complex, another a daughter of the upstairs family who's in love with the boy from the downstairs, a crazy radio man who has an interesting past, etc. This book is inundated with Indian words, yes, but I managed to get by just reading and using comprehension skills. Also, I love the way the third-person view switches around, it gives you an opportunity to look at the stories of various people's lives from their own stories, not someone else's. Finally, the dream sequences/dying visions that Vishnu has are incredible. Ironically, they are full of life and are a joy to read. The entire book is poetic and beautiful, and shouldn't be taken as a book to read if you're preparing for a trip to another country. They have National Geographic and Froemmer's for that.

Has anyone else read this book? What did you think of it?