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Cover of The Association of Small Bombs by Karan MahajanThe Association of Small Bombs
Modern · Fiction, War

The Association of Small Bombs

by Karan Mahajan
2016 · 286 pages · Fiction
Critics' pick
≈ 7 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

After seeing two friends killed by a 'small' bomb in a Delhi marketplace, Mansoor Ahmed becomes involved with a charismatic young activist whose beliefs prove more changeable than he imagined.

Why it's worth reading

It was a National Book Award finalist. It's a novel about the long aftermath of terrorism.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It follows the long aftermath of a single attack.

By the numbers

61.1Must-Read Score
  • Readers38 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller8 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz4 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
National Book Award (Fiction) finalist (2016)

Reads as

Dark

How we rank

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Quick answers

Is The Association of Small Bombs worth reading?

Yes. It was a National Book Award finalist. It ranks #2,423 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.1 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Association of Small Bombs about?

After seeing two friends killed by a 'small' bomb in a Delhi marketplace, Mansoor Ahmed becomes involved with a charismatic young activist whose beliefs prove more changeable than he imagined.

How long does it take to read The Association of Small Bombs?

About 7 hours (286 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Association of Small Bombs?

If you liked it, try The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry or The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen.