The God of Small Things: A Novel

Hard to read but a worthwhile story.

I personally found Roy's writing style incredibly distracting and annoying to the point that I had to give up reading with fifty pages to go; sort of like an accent that gets under your skin even though everyone else seems to admire it. I usually enjoy novels without a gripping plot which serve as mild meditations and reflections on life. 'the god of small things' however (besides...more

I personally found Roy's writing style incredibly distracting and annoying to the point that I had to give up reading with fifty pages to go; sort of like an accent that gets under your skin even though everyone else seems to admire it. I usually enjoy novels without a gripping plot which serve as mild meditations and reflections on life. 'the god of small things' however (besides being crippled by writing style) felt too disjointed and too shallow to be either. You would either love this book or hate it. For me the more I read it, the more I hated it.   hide

Some phrases in the book made me laugh out loud, for example the description of tourists watching Indian stories/plays with their 'imported attention spans' Unlike many other books set in India, the world around Rahel is sordid and filled by mean-spirited people. The book is constructed so that the only act of true beauty i.e. the lovemaking of Amru and Velutha is at the climax of the book. ...more

Some phrases in the book made me laugh out loud, for example the description of tourists watching Indian stories/plays with their 'imported attention spans' Unlike many other books set in India, the world around Rahel is sordid and filled by mean-spirited people. The book is constructed so that the only act of true beauty i.e. the lovemaking of Amru and Velutha is at the climax of the book. However, the reader already knows by this stage that this act has ruined the lives of all of the family.   hide

The God of Small Things. Of Loss. Abandoned by History, by Marx, by Man... How high is the boundaries between India and England, between each Caste, each Party -- the Big Things? Oscillating back and forth in time. Watch the precious ones die the unjust, painful death. If the cost of living -- of transgression, is death and separation, why promise us a love, a tomorrow? I felt...more

The God of Small Things. Of Loss. Abandoned by History, by Marx, by Man... How high is the boundaries between India and England, between each Caste, each Party -- the Big Things? Oscillating back and forth in time. Watch the precious ones die the unjust, painful death. If the cost of living -- of transgression, is death and separation, why promise us a love, a tomorrow? I felt I have been reading an unedited draft. Disturbed by multi-perspectives and incoming details. Frustrated by the fragmented stream-of-consciousness and post-modern confusion. I suffered my way through, for the frail, cruel beauty -- Oh, postmodern literature. How far can I stretch myself?   hide

‘God of small things’ by Arundhati Roy is a brilliantly written book. I happened to chance upon this book which has won the 1997 Booker prize and happened to be the writer’s first book. I was amazed by the descriptions of the sound, smell and beauty of the use of words, their power at changing us into children and adults again. It us a brilliant write-up and she has definitely done...more

‘God of small things’ by Arundhati Roy is a brilliantly written book. I happened to chance upon this book which has won the 1997 Booker prize and happened to be the writer’s first book. I was amazed by the descriptions of the sound, smell and beauty of the use of words, their power at changing us into children and adults again. It us a brilliant write-up and she has definitely done the literary world proud by giving her best the first time itself. I have not seen much books of hers on shelf on fiction after this one. But I would love to buy the next one I can put my hands on. She has given us an exquisite masterpiece. The human nature has been put on the dissection table and mercilessly groped with, its every negatives bared, eccentricities uncovered. There is no special reason why I am writing this piece except that if you can get your hands on this, do read. The writing is wickedly inspiring and exceptional. I am not selling for Arundhati, yet I would love to share the joys I enjoyed of reading the book with you. Next time, when you grope the book shelves, trying to find something worthy of your money, confused at the variety of the beautiful literature beckoning you in the racks, maybe what I wrote today will help you to get out of the racks and confusion and go straight to the shopper and ask without doubts, the most critically acclaimed master piece of all times.   hide

Arundhati Roy's novel has good bones; structure gave it impact. But its breath, its life lies in its language. The raw facts around which the novel revolves are revealed immediately: the deaths of the twins' half-English cousin Sophie, and of their untouchable friend Velutha; a forbidden love affair; the separation of the twins; the early death of their mother Ammu. These are...more

Arundhati Roy's novel has good bones; structure gave it impact. But its breath, its life lies in its language. The raw facts around which the novel revolves are revealed immediately: the deaths of the twins' half-English cousin Sophie, and of their untouchable friend Velutha; a forbidden love affair; the separation of the twins; the early death of their mother Ammu. These are events from which there is no escape. This is not a book, clearly, of what-happens-next. Plot is secondary to character and atmosphere. In place of plot, we get people: mothers, fathers, uncles, great-aunts, grandparents. No character dives cleanly into the narrative. Only a few things happen in The God of Small Things. Those things are terrible, on the small and human scale of things, but described with beauty and a sensuous brutality. Key events reverberate forward and backward in time, accumulating detail, wrapped in multiplying layers of description and emotion. Yes, the events are terrible, the events are dark, gritty, gripping. It makes a person value the life that one has, because for the characters in this novel, happiness is only a dream. They all broke the rules. They all crossed into forbidden territory. They all tampered with the laws that lay down who should be loved and how. And how much.   hide

Well, I finally finished it. A friend who is an avid reader, and more to my point, a socially avid reader, in that she participates in a book group, tells me that she knows a number of people who have not finished it. A number of people. She had told me this before I finished, but I don’t think it spurred me on. Although I do carry some baggage around my multiple failed attempts to finish...more

Well, I finally finished it. A friend who is an avid reader, and more to my point, a socially avid reader, in that she participates in a book group, tells me that she knows a number of people who have not finished it. A number of people. She had told me this before I finished, but I don’t think it spurred me on. Although I do carry some baggage around my multiple failed attempts to finish Gravity’s Rainbow. I thought I would feel relieved when I finished. Not just because I had been finding it hard to stick with, but also because I was out of renewals at the library and was reading it on ever more costly overdues. I didn’t feel relieved. I felt disappointed, at first, and actually I felt an expected disappointment. There had come a point in my reading The God of Small Things when I started expecting ultimate disappointment. I lost faith. But then, having finished, I read the laconic author bio on the back sleeve, and “first book” restored my faith. After all, I had enjoyed beautifully conjured settings, lush atmospheres, and an important social commentary. I suspect it will be memorable. My disappointment was only with a payoff that did not match its buildup. (Nor would I want it to. The payoff was fine. It needed less buildup.) A structural thing, really, and that reminds me of the kind of chop that gets honed with practice. I hope Arundhati Roy will write a second book.   hide

This book was amazing! It was so full of life, of depth of imagination, creativity and humour! A vivid description of the characters, thier feelings and their surroundings and the events that they played a role in. I found it beautiful how the author was able to make such ordinary objects and things in nature that we hardly notice on a day to day basis, have so much life, and a somewhat haunting...more

This book was amazing! It was so full of life, of depth of imagination, creativity and humour! A vivid description of the characters, thier feelings and their surroundings and the events that they played a role in. I found it beautiful how the author was able to make such ordinary objects and things in nature that we hardly notice on a day to day basis, have so much life, and a somewhat haunting conscious to them. How those very qualities portrayed somehow revolved themselves around the main issue of the story. I must admit, this author TRULY inspired me! She has forever changed the way i view my world. I now see it as sometihng to appreciate, where everything lives and should be valued, where we can find meanings and lessons and pure beauty in everyday things. Her style is purely unique, full of fun word play, vivid and lively descriptions with such depth. I was drawn into the book mainly because of this. And the style of the story is differnt too. It doesnt flow like most stories. It basically revolves around an event that forever changed all their lives, and flashbacks of the characters pasts, and how it led to the main event and the characters futurs and how they were effected by the event, in a seemingly random order. And as you go along the book more and more is revealed. It was different! What i didnt like though was how some parts seemed to stay incomplete somehow, especially between the twins, Estha and Rahel. And some parts were a little TOO vividly described.... but besides that this book will forever change the way i percieve the way and most of all the way i write!   hide

I was overwhelmed with the story of the twins and their Ammu. It took me a while to get into the book, but once I got there, I couldn't stop reading, because there is a Greek tragedy component to this book, with inevitable events slowly unfolding before our eyes and each character being powerless to change the course of destiny. I have read different Indian writers in the past few years and I...more

I was overwhelmed with the story of the twins and their Ammu. It took me a while to get into the book, but once I got there, I couldn't stop reading, because there is a Greek tragedy component to this book, with inevitable events slowly unfolding before our eyes and each character being powerless to change the course of destiny. I have read different Indian writers in the past few years and I am always amazed with the different stories they bring, each showing us a little bit of the fabric that composes the culture and history of their complex and fascinating country. I will definitely look for other books from this author in the future.   hide