Written by an Indian author, this book created waves when it was first published; it soon became world-famous as it bagged the prestigious Booker Prize. I read this book several years ago. It is a story that is set in a small village in Kerala, India, in the 1960's. In a family, a lady dies, and a pair of children, twins actually, are devastated. This pair of children are the main characters of the book: Rahel and Estha. The story is narrated by Rahel, and it is this aspect of the book, accompanied by a completely different style of writing, that endeared Arundhati Roy, the author, to her readers and critics alike.

My own take on the book was a mixed one: it was delightful to read in most places, while at others, its excitement sort of petered out and it became boring too.

Those with a yen to read award-winning books that may seem to be a little difficult to understand, but reveal the talent of the writer on closer scrutiny.

The characterisations of the twins, the various mini-stories told within the main story and the unusual narrative from the child's POV.

Sometimes, the narrative did slow down ...

just put it away. I own the book but have never opened it again in the last 15-odd years.

proud to be a fellow-Indian but confused to be a reader of slightly differently-styled work.

Arundhati Roy.

Read it or not, it's your call.

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Created Sep 23, 2008 at 8:00am • Submit your own review...