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sabra's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
whitneynoelwaller's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
The story was engaging enough, but I spent most of my reading time wondering: “Would I like this story more if a woman wrote it?” And the answer is: Probably, yeah. The female characters were flat, and mostly just kindling for the plot. The male characters were all presented as noble, though flawed, figures who were victims of their circumstances versus their own choices.
deetalkz's review
4.0
China Room by Sunjeev Sahota is an introspection and an homage to the lives lived that have lead to the lives we live today. Interspersed between pre-independence Punjab and modern-day Punjab, China Room tells the story of two people who lived there. It tells us the story of two people who have their lives changed in this room. Mehar, a child-bride of 15 is wed to a man she doesn’t recognise by face. Through her story we are introduced to rural Punjab in 1929 power and agency were polarised to the privileged quarters of a few. Her story seems to be narrated to us through her great-grandson, who remains unnamed. The great-grandson, born in London, with his own issues of trouble in fitting in and what nots, has come to Punjab to rid himself of a heroin addiction. This story is of the stories in the family that China Room has borne witness.
qbenson11's review against another edition
1.0
I really struggled to connect or engage with this book. I feel bad giving it a 1 because I’m sure others will enjoy it, but it didn’t work for me. It was a 6 hour audio book, which would normally take me 1 or 2 days to finish, but it took me a week and a half.
Womp womp.
Womp womp.
amiablebookworm's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
marie_gg's review against another edition
3.0
I'd give this one 2-1/2 stars if Goodreads would let me.
My husband really liked this book, but I was less enamored. I have read a lot of Indian fiction, so I am comparing this novel to many others. This story was not believable to me and it felt like it was a male fantasy. I found it difficult to fathom that a young girl would not know which of the three brothers was her husband...and then when he raped her without her consent, she fell in love with him. The story of Mehar's descendant was interesting at times before I lost interest. Overall, I found this book lacking.
My husband really liked this book, but I was less enamored. I have read a lot of Indian fiction, so I am comparing this novel to many others. This story was not believable to me and it felt like it was a male fantasy. I found it difficult to fathom that a young girl would not know which of the three brothers was her husband...and then when he raped her without her consent, she fell in love with him. The story of Mehar's descendant was interesting at times before I lost interest. Overall, I found this book lacking.
knitswhilereading's review against another edition
4.0
A very compelling short novel - outside the norm for what I usually read but very satisfying. Although some people would have preferred a longer story, I found the window into each character’s story to be just enough.
brew_and_books's review against another edition
3.0
I am not sure if I have learned the art of dealing with a sharp sense of longing after completing a book. An air of ambivalence around and a deep hankering within that something was amiss. My feelings after reading this book emanated from the deep dark corners bearing a resemblance to discomposure and apprehension. Probably and precisely something unsettling and deeply troubling.
China Room is a beautifully written and unflinchingly emotional book that enamors and immerses the reader in ‘29 rural Punjab and ‘90s Britain interweaving two different narratives with the flow. The modern timeline follows the life of a desolate and distanced young man, growing up in the suburbs of Britain relentlessly withstanding racism and social exclusion and wound up in the travails of heroin addiction. Familially estranged, he finds himself in his ancestral home as he tries to lay bare the threads of the life story of his great-great-grandmother, Mehar, while grappling his way out of substance abuse and addiction.
In the intertwining narrative set in pre-independent India and a timeframe when only the women are expected to meet the harsh ‘customs’ and unbending rituals, we meet a 15-y/o Mehar as she ponders which of the three sons of the family is her husband, along with the two other newly wedded women of the house. It sounds absurd to keep the identity of one’s husband from a woman but what is particularly disturbing is the ensuing harsh rebuke that stems from any questions concerning the same. For the part of husbands, they know the inside-out of their wives, who in turn lead their lives in complete obscurity. Safe to speak, any attempt on Mehar’s part to gain clarity on her husband’s identity emanates considerable risk and dangers.
I found the book to start off with tremendous potential, but it started circling the same point after the premise affixation. It kind of fell flat and appeared just centered on one particular aspect of married life. I wanted so much more from the characters than just what happened to them or their relationships with the people around them. I believe there were a lot of loose ends that could have been worked upon. Working a bit more on the characters, not just the main ones, would have certainly added more to the dimension of the story and depth to the characters. Despite it being competently written and emotionally evocative, I could not feel the turmoil inside me, nor was I entirely moved. I longed to know more about how the characters felt and how they battled their harsh realities. Also, the dual timeline narrative did not quite work well for me; I was more interested in the primordial storyline, like till the end. It was a reasonably engaging read and a brisk one, so not too much of a disappointment, but assuredly, not entirely surprised that this did not make to the shortlist.
China Room is a beautifully written and unflinchingly emotional book that enamors and immerses the reader in ‘29 rural Punjab and ‘90s Britain interweaving two different narratives with the flow. The modern timeline follows the life of a desolate and distanced young man, growing up in the suburbs of Britain relentlessly withstanding racism and social exclusion and wound up in the travails of heroin addiction. Familially estranged, he finds himself in his ancestral home as he tries to lay bare the threads of the life story of his great-great-grandmother, Mehar, while grappling his way out of substance abuse and addiction.
In the intertwining narrative set in pre-independent India and a timeframe when only the women are expected to meet the harsh ‘customs’ and unbending rituals, we meet a 15-y/o Mehar as she ponders which of the three sons of the family is her husband, along with the two other newly wedded women of the house. It sounds absurd to keep the identity of one’s husband from a woman but what is particularly disturbing is the ensuing harsh rebuke that stems from any questions concerning the same. For the part of husbands, they know the inside-out of their wives, who in turn lead their lives in complete obscurity. Safe to speak, any attempt on Mehar’s part to gain clarity on her husband’s identity emanates considerable risk and dangers.
I found the book to start off with tremendous potential, but it started circling the same point after the premise affixation. It kind of fell flat and appeared just centered on one particular aspect of married life. I wanted so much more from the characters than just what happened to them or their relationships with the people around them. I believe there were a lot of loose ends that could have been worked upon. Working a bit more on the characters, not just the main ones, would have certainly added more to the dimension of the story and depth to the characters. Despite it being competently written and emotionally evocative, I could not feel the turmoil inside me, nor was I entirely moved. I longed to know more about how the characters felt and how they battled their harsh realities. Also, the dual timeline narrative did not quite work well for me; I was more interested in the primordial storyline, like till the end. It was a reasonably engaging read and a brisk one, so not too much of a disappointment, but assuredly, not entirely surprised that this did not make to the shortlist.