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“I'm having trouble getting into this Booker Prize winning novel. Starting from the first sentences: "May in Ayemenem is a hot brooding month. The days are long, and humid." How does writing like this win the Booker Prize? I keep reading hoping to find out. I've been struggling with this book for too long--half-way through. I think I quit today.”
Tommye wrote this review Sunday, January 27, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“too slow.”
thomas Strandberg wrote this review Thursday, January 24, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Il dio delle piccole cose (Italian Edition)”
Alessandra Forno wrote this review Tuesday, January 22, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“It's truly touching and heartbreaking but it demands to be read with patience”
Vani wrote this review Saturday, January 12, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Weird and marvellous and beautiful and everything I want from a book. I can't imagine anyone not loving this.”
Rebecca wrote this review Wednesday, January 2, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I really loved this book, but it took a while to get into it to be honest. By the time I was about 150 pages in, I was hooked. The lyricism of the writing is amazing, as is the fractured approach to the story telling. Really magical. ”
Amy Alice D wrote this review Tuesday, January 1, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“After I read it and had the story clear in my mind, I immediately started re-reading it. It's a wonderful book”
CCRecRat wrote this review Wednesday, December 26, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“reinvention of language, it's a fun book with a heavy message”
dobbierodds wrote this review Sunday, December 23, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“God of Small things
D.Nambiar wrote this review Monday, December 3, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This Booker Prize winner stands out for its narration. Arundhati Roy has a unique style of writing giving a lot of importance to descriptions of both its characters and the setting. She has brilliantly created extremely interesting and strong characters in Rahel, Estha, Ammu, Chacki, Baby Kochamma, Velutha, Mamachi and Pillai, who make up the story of God of Small things. Ayemenam, the village where this story takes place is very artfully described so much so that one who has not visited suburban Kerala does so vicariosly through Roy’s wordplay. This, I would say is the USP of this book.
The God of Small Things also touches on some Syrian Christian lifestyle, some Marxism and caste system of Kerala of the 90’s. It also lays great emphasis on the human mannerisms and the use of the English language albeit with its regional influence . Many a time she seems to have given undue importance to petty things of ordinary life; this with more than a pinch of grossness, such that it distracts the reader from the larger picture.
Roy has also used a lot of Malayalam words in the book, which does give a better picture of a part of Kerala but it might be a little inconvenient for one who does not know the language because there is many a case in it, where it is pretty difficult for one to even deduce a contextual meaning.
The characters and the settings, are definitely the strong points of the book. For these, most of all, God of Small things is a worth a read. It might have to be reread to get the most out of it.
(I’m still wondering if is a good thing or bad thing or not so important really if we don’t necessarily fall in love with or root for any of the characters in the book despite the fact that each of them is chiseled out very prominently. )
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