Publisher's Synopsis
In the early 1900s, South Asians arrived in British Columbia's Lower Mainland, carving out a place for themselves in Vancouver, BC. For generations, they have worked to build lives and communities in a foreign land. But by the 1990s, the dream of a better life began to take a darker turn. What started as a way for immigrant families to survive in an unfamiliar world soon spiraled into a dangerous game of power and survival.
Indo-Canadian gangs began to emerge, becoming one of Canada's most formidable organized crime groups. In exchange for cocaine and heroin, these gangs transported BC-grown marijuana to drug cartels in the U.S. and Mexico. It was a complex world of deals, betrayal, and violence-fueled by the greed for money and the desire for power.
For many of the first-generation immigrants, strength in numbers became the key to survival. Bullying and racism from the white community forced them to form bonds and find strength in unity. But for the second and third-generation kids, the allure of the "gangsta" life had little to do with protection from racism. These kids came from well-off families, but the attraction to the fast money, the guns, and the thrill of rebellion offered a dangerous sense of identity and power.
The world of gangs was a cycle of violence, one that seemed impossible to escape. Those who entered it often found themselves trapped, whether from their past mistakes or the dangerous promises of the life they were living. What started as a way to adapt to a new land soon became a prison of its own, where loyalty and betrayal are often indistinguishable.
Mainland Low follows the story of one family caught in this vicious cycle. It begins with Arjan, a young man whose life takes a tragic turn when a heated altercation with his fiancée's would-be fiancé ends in murder. Fleeing to Canada, Arjan is pulled into a brutal turf war between his cousin Sukhi and his friend-turned-foe, Jas. What follows is a journey of power, revenge, love, and betrayal as Arjan adapts to his new life, navigating the dangerous world of organized crime.
In the Lower Mainland's killing grounds, where violence reigns, there is no easy escape. Arjan must come to terms with his choices and decide whether he will rise up to seek revenge or continue down a path that could consume him entirely.
