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aphraclare's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Antisemitism, Blood, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Colonisation, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, War, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Torture, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
whatshruyireads's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The characters that make you take sides even though the writer doesn't?
The characters that don't shy away from their worst behaviour to just buy into the goodness of the world. Because in their world goodness is a non-existent entity now. An entity that is long gone leaving behind it's inhabitants with raw and unabashed feelings about the world.
This is a story of love, loss, revenge or is it all the same? Is it the story about Kashmir? Is it the story from the past? Is this the story of Max who escaped the clutches of Nazis back in the World War era? Is this the story of Bhoomi who dreamt of getting out of her tiny village in Kashmir and have dreams bigger than her own life? Is this the story of Shalimar who gave all for love, blood and last, revenge? Or is it the story of our own kind who seem to lose touch with humanity and kindness? Who lose touch with the real world and move along with the dark and subject others to pain and themselves pain?
There's a reason why I picked Salman Rushdie for one of my classes at the university and it's precisely to understand world through a complex and an iconoclast of a writer. A writer who holds no bars when he talks about his own homeland or about an institution that means a lot to him? Or just the beliefs that he understands but doesn't let it ride over him? From some of the books I've read in the last few months, this one stands out for it's raw depiction of human life and most of all the crown of our nation that's left to bleed since I can remember - Kashmir.
Also, another historical fiction suggestion for you that I'd recommend blind-folded. ✨
Unpopular opinion incoming: A book that's more refined than 'Midnight's Children' itself and will be a lot more interesting to you cus this doesn't have an overdose of magical realism and a work of Rushdie's that doesn't seem to have many takers. I like myself some underdog challenges.
Graphic: Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Violence