R. K. Narayan's novel Swami and Friends is a piece of realistic, youth-oriented fiction set in the fiction Indian city of Malgudi in the 1930s. The story is told through the third-person point of view of a few characters, but mostly from the titular Swami, a fun-loving ten-year-old boy. Swami's passions include his love of cricket and his loyalty to his friends, especially Rajam and Mani. However, Swami's life swirls with changes beyond his control, from his mother having another child to the political and social unrest of his country. The novel alternates between Swami's adventures with his friends and how he adjusts to an ever-changing world.
