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ovenbird_reads's review against another edition
3.0
phew... this took me three weeks of dedicated daily reading to finish. it was our book club pick and honestly if I wasn't the book club organizer I'm not sure I would have made it past the first 100 pages. But my persistence paid off in big ways and ultimately I'm glad I kept at it. I kept the internet handy to help me with the details of Indian history and while I struggled to make sense of the narrative in many places I was also rewarded with some glittering writing and downright delightful turns of phrase. if nothing else I loved this book as a self reflexive examination of narrative, autobiography, and how one imbues a mundane life with meaning in the context of the political climate of the time in which one lives. this book was hard work but I'm glad to have put in the labor!
qls's review against another edition
3.0
finally made it through this and i must say it’s a book i admire and respect more than enjoyed.
the writing is both brilliantly innovative and tediously self-aware. the story is both all-encompassing and a drag.
i can see why it’s an important book, but i found it laborious, rather boring, and unpleasant to read.
also, i read the random house 40th anniversary edition which is outrageously poorly printed.
the writing is both brilliantly innovative and tediously self-aware. the story is both all-encompassing and a drag.
i can see why it’s an important book, but i found it laborious, rather boring, and unpleasant to read.
also, i read the random house 40th anniversary edition which is outrageously poorly printed.
aimeehdz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
5.0
rji67's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Pockets of intrigue and drops of history but overall a very difficult read
martinclarke's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
akashic_dreckard's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
lsparrow's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like I loved and hated this book. I loved the story of the subcontinent how personal and family history mirrors the greater politics. I found the tangential and wordiness difficult and in the end I felt I lost touch with the reality of the story.