Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

29 reviews

anharchive's review against another edition

5.0

As I tell you about Roy’s book, more comes to mind about the language and painstaking attention to detail, rather than the plot that loosens itself in the backdrop. It is minimal, unravelling around an Indian family whose extended members have all ended up living together, and not by their own choice. 

It’s a bizarre, dysfunctional assemblage of people who grow together, then grow apart: the abusive Pappachi and overprotective matriarch Mammachi; the bitter and proud Baby Kochamma who fiercely governs over an empire of pickle preserve production; her disillusioned daughter Ammu, single mother of “egg twins”, the inseparable little angel demons Rahel and Estha (that unapologetically steal your whole heart); their divorced uncle Chacko, whose Oxford education slings around him like a cape (which he willingly dons).

The story advances in a non-linear path as past and present can’t decide to meet each other half-way, embodying perhaps how trauma and their past lingers in the family. You especially follow the children and you feel your heart slowly stepped over when you witness their world doesn’t allow them to be children. A world of selfishness, self-preservation, dog-eat-dog, where heartfelt moments are to be followed by bone-chilling wake up calls.  Where the characters remain unsatisfied for the whole book about who they are, and reminisce on who they could become.  

Now onto the language that wraps itself around them;  Roy has a beautiful relationship with the world round her, and i m so grateful she decided to share it with us. If human thought and observation could speak, it would be in her voice. She manages to find the just right images and words to wrap an invisible, intangible feeling or moment into something tactible, possible to taste. My favourite recurring description motif is Pappachi’s moth that lies on Rahel’s heart, who flaps its wings whenever Rahel feels anxiety. 

While reading this book, many elements of the Indian context could be palpable. Themes of class, colonialism, the communist wave in India, the caste system, poverty and strife weave in an out of the narrative. I definitely will want to read more non-fiction and educational material on the periods this book lapses in, around 60s India to contemporary India. 

The way it ends is so satisfying. I turned the last page and only at the final stop did I realise I had finished my journey. I hope you will have an equally enjoyable time picking up Roy’s phenomenal book. ❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence

Moderate: Blood

hatoooz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.25

a tough read tbh but it’s worth it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

alicerowano's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This was a stunningly beautiful book, I’ve never read anything so skilfully written. The language is rich and very evocative, I really got a strong sense of place. The characters are fleshed out and each feels so real. Not an easy read at all, but very much worth it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Incest, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Vomit, and Violence

bradonppeterson's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

Roy jumps between eras and characters, and it wasn't always clear who she was discussing. Other than that, the book is well written, and the story recounted in a way that makes the reader feel like a member of the family.

It's been over a week since I finished it, and I still want to whack Baby Kochamma.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Child death, and Death

Minor: Blood

tree_hugging_ginge's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Murder, Pedophilia, Police brutality, and Torture

supertaylormoon's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Incest, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, Violence, Death, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Blood

km00's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Incest, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Violence, and Vomit

penofpossibilities's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Bit uncertain how I feel about the ending, it seemed to drag for a little bit +

incest,,, I knew it was coming it was heavily hinted at but pls why

The writing in this book, however: immaculate, impeccable, lyrical but with just the right edge of uneasiness and without covering up the disgusting and horrible things. I loved the use of metaphors and repeated sentences and all the discussions about race and ideology and poverty- sublime and real and powerful. Really incredibly well done. I definitely recommend this novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Incest, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content

heathermesley's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, and Vomit