Reviews

Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree

pritika75's review against another edition

challenging inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

I thought I might stick it out but the amount left is the same amount as just reading a whole other book so I'm going to politely leave this unfinished.

erxcaeng's review against another edition

Got this as a recommendation from an artist’s IG story. Kind of boring? Got almost 1/3 of the way through and still feel like it’s going nowhere. There were some lovely passages, some funny scenes, but it got repetitive. In the end I couldn’t enjoy it anymore :(

cgreenstein's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

There's no plot until the last 1/4 of the book, and even then it's not a plot-driven book, it's about the language more than anything. Unfortunately, I am someone who reads for plot. I can and do appreciate good language, but I also want to be able to follow along with what's being said and see a point to what's being said, and in this I really just didn't. I'm glad it's over so that I can complain about it.

bookishkitkat's review against another edition

2.5

didn’t understand most of it. Why did I even finish. I think my brain cells are not big enough to enjoy this.

atcucchetti's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 If you are looking for a book that allows you to wallow in the wonder of words; allowing them to wash over you in magical waves, this is a book to savor. Oh my goodness this big, beautiful book. There is a comfort to this book that I didn’t expect. I went into it expecting more of a road trip adventure and found it to be a much more character driven exploration of Ma’s metamorphosis after the death of her husband and the retirement of her local son. The subtle approach to everything from the role of women in households to the relationship she forges with Rosie, whose hijra identity allows for both genders, opens space for readers to consider, reexamine and reinterpret their own thoughts and ideas. I appreciated the focus on the octogenarian Ma and what comes next, after she has made all her sacrifices and served all the expectations of family and community. What happens when she selfishly chooses? Something quite remarkable not just for her but many around her. While not ordinarily a fan of magical realism, it worked for me here, especially in the third part when she ventures to Pakistan on Rosie’s behalf. As I looked at the different covers for this book, I enjoyed deciphering what the artist chose to emphasize about the text. I like the international paperback cover best as it highlights some of that magical realism. I enjoyed reading this across both print and audiobook formats, together they made it a more complete experience for me. This is a book to savor when you have the time and the mental bandwidth to immerse yourself in it fully, not a book to attempt a crash through reading as you try to achieve some end of year reading goal. Besides, reading at that pace you’d miss so much of what’s magical about this story. 

binitkarki2003's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

3.0

krl446's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

polinablyumina's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

lameeya_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Lyrical, meandering, you need to have a lot of patience with this one, allowing the story to unfold and finding the rhythm of the book but once you do and you've given in, it is magical. The end, of course, is extremely heartfelt and tragic and is another testament to the devastation of the India-Pakistan Partition but the journey to that end is also beautiful and poetic, you just have to lean in to the expansive sort of storytelling. Oh, and the book is downright hilarious at times.