People who flee their country seeking a better and safer future for themselves and the ones close to them is the theme on which this book by Sanjeev Sahota’s The Year of The Runaways hinges on. It is a theme very relevant in the today’s world as we get hear about journeys on unsafe waters and barbed wire camps.

I really enjoyed this book. It was harsh. It was scary and real. It was a story that is whispered at parties. It is story that becomes the identity and a person. Shifting between England and India, Sahota brings to life young immigrants who are determined to make it. Job hunts, back stabbing, near starvation, love, loss, duty and tradition all colour the book vividly.

While I couldn’t personally fall in love with anyone of the protagonists (there are four – Tochi, Avtar, Randeep and Narinder) I could relate to each one of them. There is no sugarcoating with this book. It is dirty and real. It also takes you into the core of Sikh living and values.

It is a book I would recommend to a friend (and a foe) without batting an eyelid. A brilliant book.