Pentapod reviewed The City Inside by Samit Basu
Livestreamers influencing the future in India
4 stars
I enjoyed this book, which revolves around livestreamers and a dystopian Delhi not too far in the future. However, I think someone who is unfamiliar with livestreaming and TikTok culture might be a little lost reading it. The story revolves mainly around Joey, a Reality Controller (essentially a livestreamer manager/director) who has ended up managing her ex-boyfriend, and Rudra, estranged younger son of a wealthy and influential family who starts working for Joey. Everyone in the book is confronting past genocides and current political corruption and problems (growing fascism, surveillance state, vast wealth gaps). Joey and Rudra start looking for ways to influence the future of Delhi and the country. I found the ending was a bit abrupt and seemed like a bit of a sudden wrap up after the main body of the book, very much felt as if a sequel is in order here.