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vistacanas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done, of everything done to me. I am everyone everything who is being in the world affected was affected by mine. I am anything that happens after I’ve gone, which would not have happened if I had not come.”
Midnight’s Children is the life story of a man born at midnight on the day India gained independence from Britain.
First, I would like to give my respect to anyone else who made it through this book. This is NOT an easy read!
Here’s what made it extremely challenging for me:
1) Not knowing enough about India’s history to understand much of what I was reading. As it’s written in an allegorical style without clear explanations, in my opinion, this book is best read with solid knowledge in place.
2) The storytelling is a bit manic and tough to follow.
3) Salman isn’t a fan of commas.
4) It’s not a book that creates any sort of emotional attachment with any of the characters.
While I understand it’s inclusion in 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die as it is quite brilliant, I’m not so sure about Modern Library’s choice to include it their top 100 books. The inclusion in the former is why I pushed myself through to the end. I feel like I should get some sort of achievement ribbon or something 😁
Despite the unusual writing style, I am smarter now than I was when I started and I might be able to have a 10 minute conversation about India, which I wouldn’t have been able to do before!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and War
Moderate: Classism, Bullying, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Alcoholism
travisppe's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is a remarkable book. Uniquely written with a vibrancy that is rarely seen in literature. It is also very dense, difficult, and complex. I can’t say I always had a ton of fun reading it. I’m impressed and have nothing but respect for this accomplishment but I doubt I’d ever reread this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Bullying, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Body horror, Car accident, Alcohol, Animal death, Police brutality, Sexism, Classism, Deportation, Infertility, Violence, Alcoholism, Islamophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Torture, Animal cruelty, Child death, and Grief
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