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A review by zerofactorial
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
4.0
Whew! Finally done! And what a marvellous ending. I was truly satisfied with the literary excellence of the last ten pages, although I was worried ten pages prior that I wouldn't be.
It took me a long time to finish this book. I read the first 200 pages or so a few years ago, but couldn't get through more. The structure did at times lag for me (especially during Saleem's time in Pakistan and the end of the second section), which gives me more respect for Shaharazade.
There were many beautiful moments, but for me, this book, Booker of Bookers that it is, is not truly a masterpiece because I did not truly feel much during its reading. I didn't care too much about most of them. To another writer, this would be fatal. But the brilliant style and fast paced (mostly) plot keeps us coming back and coming back. Emotional intensity is simply not one of its priorities, instead a flavor of truth.
Much of the interest and mystery of the book centers around that notion-- truth and storytelling, but not in a way that makes me too curious to investigate, just makes me grateful that I get to listen to this spinning tale.
It took me a long time to finish this book. I read the first 200 pages or so a few years ago, but couldn't get through more. The structure did at times lag for me (especially during Saleem's time in Pakistan and the end of the second section), which gives me more respect for Shaharazade.
There were many beautiful moments, but for me, this book, Booker of Bookers that it is, is not truly a masterpiece because I did not truly feel much during its reading. I didn't care too much about most of them. To another writer, this would be fatal. But the brilliant style and fast paced (mostly) plot keeps us coming back and coming back. Emotional intensity is simply not one of its priorities, instead a flavor of truth.
Much of the interest and mystery of the book centers around that notion-- truth and storytelling, but not in a way that makes me too curious to investigate, just makes me grateful that I get to listen to this spinning tale.