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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
Epic story of intertwining lives of multiple castes in 1960's India. A review of the real lives of the various caste members and the impact of the special emergency measures and government corruption on their daily lives.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A story, well woven, of simple lives lived in a structured place during complicated times. The paths crossed in life, the joys, the small triumphs, the lessons and the tragedies . . . a fine balance. Definitely recommended!
A heart-wrencher worth every moment it takes you to read the 603 pages.
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2019 Extreme Book Nerd Challenge - Book set in India
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2019 Extreme Book Nerd Challenge - Book set in India
Punch to the stomach, anyone? How about several?
I would put this on a shelf with Paul Bowles, Kiran Desai, Jhumpa Lahiri, Arundhati Roy. Beautiful writing about living through horrible times. the horrors are often matter-of-fact. Things happen to the main duo as to Don quixote and Sancho Panza. And they soldier on. Towards what?
At times you will probably look away. Passages about lives of beggars are especially rough.
Highly recommended.
I would put this on a shelf with Paul Bowles, Kiran Desai, Jhumpa Lahiri, Arundhati Roy. Beautiful writing about living through horrible times. the horrors are often matter-of-fact. Things happen to the main duo as to Don quixote and Sancho Panza. And they soldier on. Towards what?
At times you will probably look away. Passages about lives of beggars are especially rough.
Highly recommended.
Easily one of my new favorite books. Reminds me of the book Crash, how all the characters are introduced separately and then intermingle in eachothers lives in unexpected ways.
A must-read for today's political climate and time of intolerance.
A must-read for today's political climate and time of intolerance.
(At this point I have pressed the backspace button of my keyboard about 15 times since I started writing this review). This novel is one of those where it is better to just read it than read reviews and decide whether or not to read it. It is set during the time when India was in Emergency. Atrocities committed by the police and the government knew no bound. But this novel isn't really going to tell you much about the Emergency. What it will tell you is how life could be going smooth one second, and unexpectedly flip the next second. Ofcourse you already knew that, but this book will let you experience it if you haven't already. Another striking aspect, atleast to me, was that each character in this book was well developed and felt very real.
Interesting, and it explores a part of history a lot of Westerners don't know about--however, the ending ruins it. Without spoiling it, things fall into place a little too well before the author decides the characters are entirely too happy, and promptly ruins their lives in various imaginative (and implausible) ways.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Καλογραμμένο, σκοτεινό, γεμάτο απόγνωση, γλυκόπικρο κάποιες λίγες στιγμές, πικρό τις περισσότερες φορές, ένα δύσκολο βιβλίο που μιλά για την Ινδία από την Ανεξαρτησία μέχρι τα μέσα της δεκαετίας του '80, με επίκεντρο τα χρόνια της Έκτακτης Ανάγκης την εποχή της πρωθυπουργίας της Ίντιρα Γκάντι (η οποία σκιαγραφείται με μελανότατα χρώματα), μέσα από τις ζωές τεσσάρων ανθρώπων που έρχονται για λίγο κοντά. Η σχεδόν απωθητικά ρεαλιστική ντοκιμαντερίστικη γραφή συμπλέκεται διαρκώς με έναν απρόσμενο λυρισμό και με μια μάλλον ξένη για μας φιλοσοφική διάθεση. Οι συνεχείς -ατυχείς συνήθως- περιπέτειες των ηρώων, μαζί με τις υπερβολικά πολλές συμπτώσεις που τους βυθίζουν σε όλο και μεγαλύτερα προβλήματα, δίνουν συχνά μια αίσθηση πικαρέσκου μυθιστορήματος, χωρίς βέβαια την ελαφρότητα των ευρωπαϊκών ομολόγων του. Ο τίτλος του βιβλίου φυσικά μόνο ειρωνικά μπορεί να διαβαστεί, εκτός κι αν η μοιρολατρική αποδοχή της κατάστασης είναι η μόνη ισορροπία μπορεί να επιτευχθεί κατά τον συγγραφέα.
Engrossing, old fashioned novel that takes place in 1975, during Indira Gandhi’s declaration of a State of Emergency. The story is about the relationship of four people, two of whom are Untouchables, and the relationship they form during this troubled time. The book is realistic about life in India during that time, especially for the lower castes, so it is a good read, but not always a pleasant one.