The Loudest Firecracker

It's India versus Pakistan and as the excitement soars in the final over of a memorable cricket match, ten-year-old Siddharth sets off a firecracker. The blast that follows will change his life. Siddharth discovers that growing up isn't easy: he has to handle a tragic death, his best friend is gravitating to a rghtwing political party, and his film-maker father has troubles of his own as he shifts away from the commercial but lucrative world of Hindi movies. And Poona is nothing at all like Bombay. Will tennis matches help, or can his mother's beautifully retold myths do the trick? Will instant noodles come to Siddharth's rescue, or will it be his old elocution standby, The Charge of the Light Brigade? In this touching, poignant and often hilarious debut novel, Arun Krishnan has created a world we all recognise, one that will appeal equally to young adults and a more mature audience.