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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think this is a book you are either going to love or hate. I can't really see anyone saying "that was just okay" because if you're not loving it, you're probably going to give up on it quickly. I, personally really enjoyed it.
Loved the voice in this, overall—especially when it becomes clear Why it is the way it is. Fantastic concept and a wonderful way to consume a fairly historical text. Sure, it’s augmented with the fantasy element, in which our main character is ostensibly telepathic and those like him, born at Midnight at the moment when India becomes a country, also have powers.
Their journey parallels a burgeoning country taking its first steps, it’s adolescence, etc.; It’s intelligent and witty and well executed—as long as you like the voice, which is rapid fire and full of vivid details, only some of which ever go beyond painting a scene level of importance. It can feel meandering… but the meandering makes sense, once you have the full context. Still, people who abandon it early on due to that, I totally understand. I would say give it a go on audio though. I started with the book and then started alternating and the narration is so good that once you get it in your head, and it supplants your own voice while reading the text, I think it really helps you get through it. And probably made it a lot more entertaining.
It didn’t quite bring it home, for me. It does a lot of work building it up but the ending feels a lot more mundane and a bit of a let down, despite it feeling like an ending that completely makes sense for the book.
Their journey parallels a burgeoning country taking its first steps, it’s adolescence, etc.; It’s intelligent and witty and well executed—as long as you like the voice, which is rapid fire and full of vivid details, only some of which ever go beyond painting a scene level of importance. It can feel meandering… but the meandering makes sense, once you have the full context. Still, people who abandon it early on due to that, I totally understand. I would say give it a go on audio though. I started with the book and then started alternating and the narration is so good that once you get it in your head, and it supplants your own voice while reading the text, I think it really helps you get through it. And probably made it a lot more entertaining.
It didn’t quite bring it home, for me. It does a lot of work building it up but the ending feels a lot more mundane and a bit of a let down, despite it feeling like an ending that completely makes sense for the book.
challenging
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am never going to forgive my lecturer for making me read this insufferable piece of pretentious literature, that disguises itself as a higher piece of art, even though it should have most definitely stayed in the drafts. I feel like Salman Rushdie thought it would be fun to write the longest, most boring book that leads to nowhere and has pages of unnecessary descriptions that try way too hard to be funny, and see if he could get away with it. And I don’t know if the editor was sleeping or what the hell went wrong there, but you could most definitely cut at least half of this book and it would have no impact whatsoever on the story. If I didn’t have to read this for an oral exam, I would have given up a long time ago. Honestly… a huge disappointment and a waste of time.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Great read. I loved the symbolism threaded through out the story, the characters, the magical realism, and the unpredictability. While the main story - the life of Saleem Sanai - was interesting enough by itself, I had to give up on followong the Indian/Pakastani wars, events, and players. Probably I lacked enough background knowledge of these conflicts to begin with. I am quite educated and a native English speaker and still had to look up many words that Rushdie chose to use. I enjoyed it, but definitely did not consider it an an easy breezy read.