Vikas Swarup opts for a non-chronological chain of events in Q & A. What effect does this have?

In
his novel Q & A, better known for the title of its movie adaptation,
Slumdog Millionaire, Swarup alternates between timelines in order to
illustrate the reasons that Ram knows the answers to the game show questions. If the author told
the story chronologically, we might have forgotten how Ram knows all of the specific knowledge
that he possesses; as it is, the readers have a chance to experience each anecdote along with
the game show question that it illuminates, thus ensuring that we are always informed of how and
why the narrative is working. This enables us to follow the story and experience the memories
that Ram himself recalls while he is in the moment of answering the trivia. Beyond the memories
and the trivia, there is a third section of the book's timeline, and that is the scene of Ram's
torture. Chronologically, this happens last, but by switching in and out of this startling
sequence, Swarup builds suspense. Once we know that ouris being tortured, we feel compelled to
read the entire book and find out why. Thus, the order in which the story is told creates a
vivid and comprehensive experience that keeps the reader engaged in the story from beginning to
end.