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tamracielle's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the saddest books I have ever read. And yet, it ends exactly as it must according to Mistry’s views on life and humankind. Our circumstances do not define us; it is our resiliency and attitude that matter. This is a must read.
al_sharnaqi's review against another edition
5.0
أنا متوتر بينما أحاول كتابة مراجعة تقترب ولو بقدر ضئيل عما أشعر به، بعدما فرغتُ من اختتام قراءة الرواية؛ ولا أفهم سبب حدوث ذلك.
في حقيقة الأمر لا أدري ماذا أقول وما الذي عليَّ كتابته في مقام مراجعة لروايةٍ كهذه حملت بين طياتها كل أصناف الحياة، بين فرح وحزن، بين أمل ويأس، وبين سقوط ونهوض، وغير ذلك. ولا أظن بأن شيئًا أكتبه كمراجعة سيُضيف على هذا الرواية إضافة ما مَهما صغُر قدره، أمام أي قارئ أيًا كانت درجته، ولا حتى أمام نفسي في المقام الأول. ولهذا، أجد بأن الصمتْ هو الشيء الوحيد الذي أستطيع أن أقدمه لهذه الرواية، باستثناء النجمات الخمس طبعًا، تقديرًا، وشكر أيضًا. لا شيء سوى الصمت فعلًا تعبيرًا عن احترامي وامتناني الكبيرين لها.
في حقيقة الأمر لا أدري ماذا أقول وما الذي عليَّ كتابته في مقام مراجعة لروايةٍ كهذه حملت بين طياتها كل أصناف الحياة، بين فرح وحزن، بين أمل ويأس، وبين سقوط ونهوض، وغير ذلك. ولا أظن بأن شيئًا أكتبه كمراجعة سيُضيف على هذا الرواية إضافة ما مَهما صغُر قدره، أمام أي قارئ أيًا كانت درجته، ولا حتى أمام نفسي في المقام الأول. ولهذا، أجد بأن الصمتْ هو الشيء الوحيد الذي أستطيع أن أقدمه لهذه الرواية، باستثناء النجمات الخمس طبعًا، تقديرًا، وشكر أيضًا. لا شيء سوى الصمت فعلًا تعبيرًا عن احترامي وامتناني الكبيرين لها.
nithreasaigh's review against another edition
5.0
The most masterful work of fiction I've read in a long time. "The secret of survival,” muses more than one character, is “to balance hope and despair, to embrace change," to adapt. Mistry's narrative propels the reader through the highs and lows of these very emotions as his myriad compellingly fleshed-out & memorable characters strive to adapt as life relentlessly delivers one heart-breaking change after another. Part study in human cruelty, my heart was ripped out with each successive wave of tragedy incomprehensibly worse than the last, even as the seemingly boundless resilience of the characters kept me buoyantly turning the pages hoping that happiness would find them on the next one. Set against the backdrop of tumultuous times in India’s history, from Partition to “the Emergency”, this book should be on every Post-Colonial reading list!
lauracooleyjohnson's review against another edition
5.0
This is an extraordinary novel, and one that I guarantee my review won’t do justice to. It takes place in 1975 India, during the time when the Prime Minister had declared a state of “Emergency,” which gave the government license to commit all sorts of human rights atrocities. Forced castrations, labor camps, demolition of slums without warning.... The main characters are two men from the lower caste, a student and a widow. Their stories weave together like the quilt that Dina ends up sewing. The language of this book is silky, and the story unhurried and beautiful, despite the ugly history and awful conditions our main characters endure. The grit, poverty, and inequality of India come alive here, and this book is by no means an easy read. But I highly recommend it. To turn away from ugly realities doesn’t make them any less real.
brenna_law's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.75
wilde_read's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A slow plodding read where I kept expecting something to happen. Eventually things happen, but it was an uphill climb to get there. The blurb compares it to a Dickens novel. That's really over-selling it! The ending seemed very rushed, compare to the build-up of the beginning. I listened to an audio version read by John Lee. He is incredibly talented in portraying the Indian accent. I would rather listen to a long book read by his voice, and have many more lined up for later.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Violence, Death, Hate crime, and Police brutality
dunnadam's review against another edition
5.0
What does one read next after having read the perfect book?
Like The Grapes of Wrath, Mistry here presents characters stripped down to the essence of their souls.
The version I read was 800 pages, I could not put it down.
The very meaning of life is in these pages. A book I will never forget.
Like The Grapes of Wrath, Mistry here presents characters stripped down to the essence of their souls.
The version I read was 800 pages, I could not put it down.
The very meaning of life is in these pages. A book I will never forget.
bstorey01's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-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
draymond's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25