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A review by grahamclements
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
5.0
Midnight's Children tells the impossible life story of Saleem Sinai, born on the stroke of midnight on August 15 1947 when India gained independence. Through his life story we get a history of the tumultuous decades after India's independence. Saleem is convinced that he and his powers are responsible for much of the turmoil of India's independence and its partitioning into India and Pakistan.
The novel starts off with a bang with questions that need answering. At the end of the first section there is a massive twist. From then the novel alternatively trots and charges, as questions are solved and new ones demand to be answered.
The novel has a massive cast of characters, most of whom fate dooms to bizzare deaths. Rushdie shows his skill as a writer in how he reminds the reader of who the character is in relation to Saleem.
The novel is magic realism, with characters full of supernatural powers, but not marvel comic powers, these powers are much more subtly used. And according to our somewhat unreliable narrator, their use, especially his use of them, affect the destiny of India.
The novel is much like 100 Years of Solitude in concept, but Midnight's Children does more than just meander from one revolution to another (yes I think 100 Hundred years is totally over-rated). Rushdie's novels tells us he does not think much of the rulers of India and Pakistan, finding them generally totally corrupt and with visions clouded by superstition and self-interest.
Finally I have read a magic realism novel that is worthy of its veneration.
The novel starts off with a bang with questions that need answering. At the end of the first section there is a massive twist. From then the novel alternatively trots and charges, as questions are solved and new ones demand to be answered.
The novel has a massive cast of characters, most of whom fate dooms to bizzare deaths. Rushdie shows his skill as a writer in how he reminds the reader of who the character is in relation to Saleem.
The novel is magic realism, with characters full of supernatural powers, but not marvel comic powers, these powers are much more subtly used. And according to our somewhat unreliable narrator, their use, especially his use of them, affect the destiny of India.
The novel is much like 100 Years of Solitude in concept, but Midnight's Children does more than just meander from one revolution to another (yes I think 100 Hundred years is totally over-rated). Rushdie's novels tells us he does not think much of the rulers of India and Pakistan, finding them generally totally corrupt and with visions clouded by superstition and self-interest.
Finally I have read a magic realism novel that is worthy of its veneration.