The Great Indian Novel

The book certainly earns its name.
An unlikely combination of wit, satire, history, sorrow & realism.
Easily one of the finest books I've read.

It brilliantly superimposes the characters from Indian epics, over those involved in the Indian freedom struggle.
However, the true ingenuity of this book lies in the subtlety of this juxtaposition, making the characters look so obviously similar.