One Small Voice

Author Santanu Bhattacharya
Narrator Mikhail Sen
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Run Time 11 hours and 21 minutes
Format Audio
Genre Family life fiction, Narrative theme: Coming of age, Narrative theme: Politics.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book.

Listen to a sample

What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

'A joy to read, a full universe of feeling, an effortless page-turner by a born storyteller. One Small Voice is the great contemporary middle class Indian novel, showing us ordinary people knocked about by the specific sociopolitical currents of turn-of-the-century India, but also wrestling with universal challenges of family, ambition, friendship and shame' Max Porter, author of The Death of Francis Bacon
____________________________________________

India, 1992. The country is ablaze with riots. In Lucknow, ten-year-old Shubhankar witnesses a terrible act of mob violence in which his family are complicit: an act that will alter the course of his life.

In the two decades that follow, Shabby must wrestle with the ghosts of his past, the expectations of his family, and the seismic shifts taking place around him as the country enters the new millennium. As an adult in Mumbai, he encounters Syed and Shruti, who, like him, are seeking the freedom to rewrite their stories while navigating the contradictions of modern India. As the rising tide of nationalism sweeps across the country, their friendship becomes a rock they all cling to.

Until one day, Shabby makes a split-second decision that will change everything...

Dazzling and deeply moving, One Small Voice is a novel of modern India: of violence and prejudice, friendship and loyalty, community and tradition, and of a young man coming of age in a country on fire.

©2023 Santanu Bhattacharya (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critics Review

Epic in scope and yet composed of intimate moments … One Small Voice will be one of the best debuts this year

Guardian

[A] diverse, original take on contemporary India … [A] hugely engaging novel written with verve, intelligence and compassion

Irish Times

[A] beautiful coming-of-age novel

Observer, Meet the 10 Best Debut Novelists for 2023

An intoxicating portrait of modern India, riven with internal political and cultural tensions, caught precariously between its colonial past and its ruthlessly modernising future … Terrific

Daily Mail

Epic … Guided by an intimate trajectory… Bhattacharya is a vivid and humane storyteller with a talent for encapsulating the social in the personal

Sydney Morning Herald

A joy to read, a full universe of feeling, an effortless page-turner by a born storyteller

Max Porter

Devastating and intimate, and political and radical all at the same time. Bhattacharya’s storytelling talents are limitless

Nikesh Shukla

A compassionate, many-layered chronicle of trauma and recovery following mob violence in contemporary India, One Small Voice is a wonderful, timely contribution to world literature

Tsitsi Dangarembga, author of This Mournable Body

Exceptional … Bhattacharya gives us India in all its messy glory … Heartbreaking and yet so full of hope

Melody Razak, author of Moth

Bhattacharya has the enviable ability of creating a cast of characters that feel as real as any person I’ve met. His effortless writing sings on the page

Kasim Ali, author of Good Intentions

Whilst the plot turns on our capacity for cruelty, Bhattacharya’s book brims with compassion. A novel about the complexities of adulthood, and the shame we all carry, that is both fearless and kind

Clare Pollard, author of Delphi

Thrilling … Bhattacharya writes beautifully about friendship, family and the devastating consequences of secrecy and shame in a narrative that powerfully evokes the complexities of coming of age in modern India

Ben Fergusson, author of Tales from the Fatherland

Emotional and bold … A rare voice that rewards us with hope and recognition

Tice Cin, author of Keeping the House

More from the same

Author

Deviants

Narrator

About xigxag

Enjoy the best audiobooks on xigxag, an innovative, user-friendly audiobook platform that makes it easy to find, purchase, and enjoy your favorite books in audio format. xigxag’s flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less – affordable prices and the best audiobook deals with no subscription required. Give the perfect gift with our audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

xigxag’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices ensures a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform – an exciting alternative to big tech. Enjoy audiobooks from the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service and a leader in audiobook innovation.

Search effortlessly, read honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the book and the narration, and discover hidden gems. Download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere and get the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.