It's hard to pinpoint exactly what makes these novels so addictive, but each time I finish the book, I'm desperate to begin the next one right away. 
 Perhaps it is because we've been with Lila and Lenu since childhood and we know them (thanks to the intimate writing style of the author) like our own childhood best friend. Or it could be the fascinating concept of a lifelong best friend who isn't your sibling, allowing certain conventions to fall away and still needing them in your life. Or it could be that we recognize ourselves or others in the prolific cast of characters. For me, it is all of these things and more. 
 Book 3 covers Lila and Lenu's mid 20s into their 30s and focuses mainly on Elena. Marriage, children and self-doubt play a large part in this novel. We are also dropped into the tumultuous late 60s and 70s and political unrest shows us yet another facet of the characters' relationships. The end of the book leaves us with one heck of a cliff hanger. Thank goodness I've got the fourth and final book on hand. 
 4.5 stars