In terms of English its not simple unless you are habitual of lot of readings.
Style is highly descriptive, full of small details in a random rhythm but you will become more and more familiar to this randomness as book progress, until you will figure out that its not random at all.
I have looked to dictionary more in last week then the whole last year before it. :)
As its name suggests it’s about small things (even about those things which we usually ignore or which don’t make any sense to us). But it is much more than this claim. This book carry a story of young twins (he-Eastha and she-Rachel) and life around them under the shadow of ever present insensitive reality. This book doesn’t follow any chronology and keep moving back and forth in time. Book is full of childish phrases on the context of severe reality … sometimes look like description of a cruel world from innocent eyes (of age 11-12 years).
It contains lot of serious issues of life ... in a smooth childish manner … book is nowhere intense until you are hyper sensitive to some emotions or thoughts. Sometimes you wonder that this could be a way to look at things.
Its good to read something about Kerala as I was completely unaware of its historical background except that it has the highest literacy rate in india and it had formed the first democratic elected socialist government around 1956 (a big set back for congress party of that time).
The social issues it covers or touched (a better word i think) are so many (actually it depends on your sensitivity…) a few I came across while reading : Castism in Indian society (esp about untouchables) and changes in it with time, communism, child abuse, failure of personal relationships, conservative mindset, social insecurity, gender inequality, divorced couples, individual weakness, prejudices and loneliness … and many others ...
But the best part of the book is the innocent fairy tales of young twins spread all over the story…which keeps diluting the reality from being acidic.
Hmm… at end you can even say that its not a story but some collection of moments with their contexts (even some historical contexts as well) along with the thoughts of some key actors of that moment.
For me its like a long poetry written in prose … :)
this book carry so many childish phrases … while reading the book if you come across a phrase and it reminds you the context of its previous occurrence then you are in the rhythm of book. I really enjoy reading it. It was an experience to remember.
One important thing – it’s not a interesting, pleasing stuff like a senseless humor or a story of platonic romanticism ... if you don’t find it captivating in first 50 pages, leave it, its not for you :) .. From my opinion its highly boring for a normal reader, looking for a good time with a good fiction.
And the last words :
A perfect 10 for “The god of small things” … !!!
Thanks to Arundhati Roy for writing such a wonderful book … !!!
