sign in| help
Search advanced search
 
Books
Search:
x dismiss this message

Did you know you can edit this page?

Londonstani
  • Rated 0 stars

Londonstani (2006) (edit title/settings)

by Gautam Malkani (?) (edit contributors)

Share this book on:
see page history

Description edit see section history

A talented new writer whose portrayal of the serious business of assimilation and young masculinity is disturbing and hilarious Hailed as one of the most surprising British novels in recent years, Gautam Malkani’s electrifying debut reveals young South Asians struggling to distinguish... read more

Summary edit see section history

Londonstani starts of with the four members of the gang beating on a gora kid. Apparently, the gora called Hardjit a paki “A paki is someone who comes from Pakistan. Us bredrens who don't come from Pakistan can still b call'd paki by other bredrens if it means we can call dem paki in return.... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Londonstani starts of with the four members of the gang beating on a gora kid. Apparently, the gora called Hardjit a paki “A paki is someone who comes from Pakistan. Us bredrens who don't come from Pakistan can still b call'd paki by other bredrens if it means we can call dem paki in return. But u people ain't allow'd 2 join in, u get me?” Hardjit is the one doing the actual beating and the others; Ravi, Amit, and Jas are just standing there. The truth is that the gora kid never called anyone a paki. They need to beat him up to affirm their identity. These four boys cruise the streets in their parent given Beemers blasting Juggy D, Rishi Rich and Bangra music bragging about their sexual supremacy and discussing other groups and brown races at the same time dissing and beating on ponceys, batty boys and coconuts. These four also have a business of their own. They unblock stolen mobile phones which they receive from a client. Unfortunately, due to their lack of attention to their poncey teachers they all failed their A levels and instead of being at college, they have to retake them. In the story, Jas is the newest member and was formerly a poncey himself. He prefers to keep his mouth shut for fear of saying something that makes no sense at all like; “Yeh bredren, knock his f**kin teeth out. Bruck his f**kin face in. Kill his f**kin... His f**kin, you know, him. Kill him.” After a fight of Hardjit’s the boy’s former teacher introduces them to an urbane poncey named Sanjay. Little did the teacher know that Sanjay would introduce the boys to their cell phone scandal on a grander scale. He tells them that the price index of the official economy is not cared for anymore and that once you’ve entered the world of consumerist aspiration you have to keep on going. Meanwhile one of the boy’s personal lives keeps on affecting the whole group. Amit’s older brother is getting married. However, Amit’s mother feels like the girl’s side of the family isn’t giving them enough respect and keeps on causing problems between his brother and his bride-to-be. Also throughout the story we read of Jas’ infatuation with a Muslim girl named Samira, despite his friend’s warnings about the troubles it could cause between the brown people. For a time Jas and his friends are getting everything they want. Their pockets are always full of money due to their supplying Sanjay with unblocked cell phones. Jas is secretly dating Samira despite Hardjit forbidding him not to. Soon enough however, things go sour. The boys refuse to help Sanjay any longer with his dangerous scheme. Also, due to Jas’ interference with Amit’s family problems, his brother commits suicide and when the boys learn of Jas and Samira’s relationship, they boot Jas out of their gang. Sanjay asks Jas to rob his dad’s cell phone store and when Jas refuses, he learns Sanjay’s real identity. Sanjay photo-shopped pictures of Jas and Samira together and said he would send them to her brothers if he doesn’t do what he’s told. Fearing his life Jas does as he’s told, not long after Samira dumps him for acting too aggressive. Soon after attempting to rob his dad’s store, Jas lands in a hospital. He was brutally beaten up possibly by one of Sanjay’s men. When Jas is in hospital and having a confrontation with his parents, we learn that Jas, presumably Jaswinder, turns out to be Jason Bartholomew. His health card shows 19, white, male.

Characters/People edit see section history

  • Jas: The protagonist and newest member in the gang. He often over-analyzes everything.
Popular Covers

Loading covers…

Choose your book’s cover

Quotes edit see section history

  • “First we was rudeboys, then we be Indian niggas, then rajamuffins, then raggastanis, brit-asians, fuckin Indobrits. These days most a us try an use our own word for homeboys an so we just call ourselves desis but I still remember when we were happy with the word rudeboy. Anyway, whatever the fuck we are, Ravi an the others are better at being it than I am. I swear I watched as much MTV Base an downloaded as many DMX, Rishi Rich an Juggy D tracks as they have, but I still can’t attain the right level a rudeboy finesse. If I could, I wouldn’t be using poncy words like attain an finesse, innit.”
    Jas

First Sentence edit see section history

Serve him right he got his muthafuckin face fuck’d, shudn’t b callin me a paki, innit.

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

  • Search for identity: Londonstani takes place in London, England on the streets of Hounslow near Heathrow airport. It incorporates the urban flowing into mainstream London. Readers get a look on how different sub-cultures try to assimilate but at the same time distinguish their identity through the use of their culture. The world and atmosphere in which the boys are raised defines their personality. Without their upbringing from their parents, they wouldn’t know very much about their culture. Also, without the influence of London society they wouldn’t try to incorporate their culture into society seemingly creating a sub-culture all on its own. By doing this, people try to label it because it isn’t exactly Indian and it isn’t exactly British. “People always tryin to stick a label on our scene. That's the problem with havin a f**kin scene. First we was rudeboys, then we be Indian ni**gs, then rajamuffins, then raggastanis, brit-asians, f**kin indo-brits.” It seems Jas and Hardjit and the others pick what they find most beneficial from Indian culture and pick what they find most beneficial from the British culture. This environment definitely helps the reader understand the theme because the two directly relate to each other. The atmosphere shows how one uses their culture to create an identity for fear of blending in with everyone else. However, the theme which is shown mainly in the ending of the book is that one is not always defined by their own culture.

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Canada
Country: Canada
Publication Date: 2006
ISBN: 0002008157
Page Count: 352

Classification edit see section history

We’re hiding the errata, movie connections, books that influenced this book, books influenced by this book, books that cite this book and books cited by this book sections. If you would like to add content to them, you must first make them visible.

© 2006-2012 Shelfari | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy

Close