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supriyasrivatsa's review against another edition
2.0
I read about a hundred pages of this book, and have abandoned it for now.
The literature is beautiful. The descriptions, the characters - Geetanjali has a way of painting an image with words.
But, hundred pages into the book, one of the protagonists hasn't even woken up. Hundred pages of hearing her sleep! Inspite of loving the writing, the words, I abandoned the book, because the tale never seemed to begin! Page after page of imagery, even if beautiful, wears me down when there is no story to supplement it. May be, in a distant future there will come a day, when I want to only want to read beautiful words, and then, I will pick this book up again.
The literature is beautiful. The descriptions, the characters - Geetanjali has a way of painting an image with words.
But, hundred pages into the book, one of the protagonists hasn't even woken up. Hundred pages of hearing her sleep! Inspite of loving the writing, the words, I abandoned the book, because the tale never seemed to begin! Page after page of imagery, even if beautiful, wears me down when there is no story to supplement it. May be, in a distant future there will come a day, when I want to only want to read beautiful words, and then, I will pick this book up again.
ellesbelles94's review against another edition
Not my style at all - found the prose to be frustrating and ugly to read.
terrypaulpearce's review against another edition
1.0
DNF.
I should've read beyond the first page before deciding to pick this up. I enjoyed its literary flourishes and clever play with language, but I was expecting that those flourishes would embellish a story. After 50+ pages and a flick through the remainder, it seems to be flourishes all the way down, and for me I had to work much, much too hard to maintain any sense of story or flow. It's more like a 700-page poem. If that's your bag, check this out, but for me I just found myself having to re-read passage after passage, trying to make things make sense.
I should've read beyond the first page before deciding to pick this up. I enjoyed its literary flourishes and clever play with language, but I was expecting that those flourishes would embellish a story. After 50+ pages and a flick through the remainder, it seems to be flourishes all the way down, and for me I had to work much, much too hard to maintain any sense of story or flow. It's more like a 700-page poem. If that's your bag, check this out, but for me I just found myself having to re-read passage after passage, trying to make things make sense.
eren_reads's review against another edition
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? Yes
3.5
This book is a hard one for me to review as I have such conflicting views about different parts of this novel. I shall start with an overall point on the writing. In a lot of instances the writing was quite laborious to read and, at times, convoluted.
More specifically, I found that the first part of this three part novel was my least favourite part and involved the most amount of convoluted writing. However, I will say that at instances the writing and Geetanjali Shree's usage of metaphors to represent wider ideas, such as the depression that the pivotal character, Amma, experiences after her husband's death.
Secondly, the second part of this novel was my favourite part of the novel. Primarily this was because it centred around the relationship between Amma and her daughter, Beti, relationship the most. In addition, I found it interesting how Geetanjali Shree choose to represent Amma's, for lack of a better word, rebirth after her husbands death.
Finally, at times I found the final part confusing but overall I enjoyed the latter part of it in particular.
More specifically, I found that the first part of this three part novel was my least favourite part and involved the most amount of convoluted writing. However, I will say that at instances the writing and Geetanjali Shree's usage of metaphors to represent wider ideas, such as the depression that the pivotal character, Amma, experiences after her husband's death.
Secondly, the second part of this novel was my favourite part of the novel. Primarily this was because it centred around the relationship between Amma and her daughter, Beti, relationship the most. In addition, I found it interesting how Geetanjali Shree choose to represent Amma's, for lack of a better word, rebirth after her husbands death.
Finally, at times I found the final part confusing but overall I enjoyed the latter part of it in particular.
anusha_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Tomb of sand is an epic journey undertaken by an octogenarian, Amma. Although throughout the story there aren’t names for the main characters, Amma’s name is revealed almost at the end. The other characters are Beta(son), Beti (daughter), Bahu (daughter-in-law), Sid(grandson), and Serious/Overseas son(grandson)
It’s very easy to feel sorry for oneself and stay morose, but it’s tougher to spring up energised looking at life with a renewed perspective and objective.
Amma is depressed after the demise of her husband. She refuses to even talk or get up from bed. Amma springing up into action, changing her wardrobe and doing things as opposed to her etched-out lifestyle, alarms the people around her. The sweet friendship between Rosie, a hijra, and Amma was depicted very admirably. I liked the character Rosie very much as she was bubbly, well natured and took good care of Amma.
There are so many aspects of the book that I simply enjoyed. A whole new set of crow terminologies, the talking crows; their stories were funny and interesting; magical realism kind.
The author is omniscient and talks about a plethora of topics like pollution, climate change, war, classical music, famous painters, musicians, books, movies, and most importantly borders.
Daisy Rockwell has translated it so amazingly, keeping the essence of the Hindi idioms, phrases, and proverbs intact.
Geetanjali Shree has beautifully woven the tale of this octogenarian while talking about so many wonderfully imagined tales and narrating interesting classic anecdotes. The sentences are so deep, that one ponders after reading them trying to interpret the subtle undertone. As I haven’t read the Hindi version, I was mentally trying to fit in the Hindi idioms and phrases that I remembered which would mean the same.
I loved the way she has played with words: e.g., “EACH TIME THEY TIE ANOTHER KNOT. ONE MORE KNOT. A NO, NOT. A KNOW KNOT. A KNEW KNOT. A NEW KNOT. A NEW DESIRE. NEW. NYOO”
There are many parts of the book that I enjoyed a lot, for instance there is a story with a bird that signifies how customs are born. Beautiful paragraphs on what and why we have borders? Another part that I just loved was about why we mustn’t have certain fixed notions about how an old lady should be.
Every word in the book is worth mulling over and one needs to read it grasping every nuance and subtle playfulness.
The love for an old mother that the children have is shown so beautifully. It’s a typical Indian family where elders are given prime importance.
I would like to read the Hindi version of the book; I was disappointed when the bookstore told me that they had run out of copies!!
This is a slow-paced book with plot twists that requires time and attention but is MUST-READ.
It’s very easy to feel sorry for oneself and stay morose, but it’s tougher to spring up energised looking at life with a renewed perspective and objective.
Amma is depressed after the demise of her husband. She refuses to even talk or get up from bed. Amma springing up into action, changing her wardrobe and doing things as opposed to her etched-out lifestyle, alarms the people around her. The sweet friendship between Rosie, a hijra, and Amma was depicted very admirably. I liked the character Rosie very much as she was bubbly, well natured and took good care of Amma.
There are so many aspects of the book that I simply enjoyed. A whole new set of crow terminologies, the talking crows; their stories were funny and interesting; magical realism kind.
The author is omniscient and talks about a plethora of topics like pollution, climate change, war, classical music, famous painters, musicians, books, movies, and most importantly borders.
Daisy Rockwell has translated it so amazingly, keeping the essence of the Hindi idioms, phrases, and proverbs intact.
Geetanjali Shree has beautifully woven the tale of this octogenarian while talking about so many wonderfully imagined tales and narrating interesting classic anecdotes. The sentences are so deep, that one ponders after reading them trying to interpret the subtle undertone. As I haven’t read the Hindi version, I was mentally trying to fit in the Hindi idioms and phrases that I remembered which would mean the same.
I loved the way she has played with words: e.g., “EACH TIME THEY TIE ANOTHER KNOT. ONE MORE KNOT. A NO, NOT. A KNOW KNOT. A KNEW KNOT. A NEW KNOT. A NEW DESIRE. NEW. NYOO”
There are many parts of the book that I enjoyed a lot, for instance there is a story with a bird that signifies how customs are born. Beautiful paragraphs on what and why we have borders? Another part that I just loved was about why we mustn’t have certain fixed notions about how an old lady should be.
Every word in the book is worth mulling over and one needs to read it grasping every nuance and subtle playfulness.
The love for an old mother that the children have is shown so beautifully. It’s a typical Indian family where elders are given prime importance.
I would like to read the Hindi version of the book; I was disappointed when the bookstore told me that they had run out of copies!!
This is a slow-paced book with plot twists that requires time and attention but is MUST-READ.
mac_ashton's review against another edition
1.0
It's very rare for me to not finish a book, but this is my second this year. I tried very hard to get into this, but the writing is circular, confusing, and ended up feeling like a chore. I'm sure it's great for someone, but for me, I couldn't understand even the most basic elements of the story.