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The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

The God of Small Things

by Arundhati Roy
  • Critics' Consensus:
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  • First Published:
  • May 1, 1997, 321 pages
  • Paperback:
  • May 1998, 321 pages
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There are currently 56 reader reviews for The God of Small Things
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Nicole

This is definitely an amazing book. Reading it reminded me of how I felt reading J.D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey some years back. I was absolutely confounded by the language Ms. Roy used (as with the language Mr. Salinger used) and at the start (and quite honestly, through a greater part of the book), I felt utterly frustrated, wondering what in the world I was going to write for my required paper on the book(yes, I give, we were assigned to read the book for our world literature class). But when the last few chapters began to unfold, everything fell into place, and I not only understood everything (or, at least as far as anyone can understand...the book is probably too profound for true human understanding!), I was absolutely swept away! Really exceptional work, Ms. Roy!
jeanie

The God of Small Things. The name itself is mysterious and of high standards. Arundhati Roy has done a marvellous job with this book. The way she connects the smallest details of the past to something of the present is extremely incredible. Her play on words such as "Lay. Ter" helps the reader look imagine the incidents from more of a childish immature point of view. She really grasps the attention of the reader, and encompasses them into the plot of the whole story. BRAVO!!! Ms. Roy i really admire your work!!!
sherine


the title of the novel attracted me, i was amazed. it is such a sad story that makes you love the charcters and symapathize with them. The way Roy tells the story in a flash back way is very clever. The details and memories of childhood , the description of the feeling and the wound which remains with the characters for so many years is very sad. The love laws which were broken is very true of all human beings. we usually can not control our feelings and chose who we should love.
Ammu did quinch her desires and she had the love which she shouldnt have had , but she is much better of a human being than Baby Kochamma who lived all her life loving a man from a distance and had haterd for other people.
Simon

God of Small Things I found a highly personal read, as if at times Roy were writing specifically for me, yet feel somewhat underqualified to review or appraise her work, but as one punter to another I´ll write on. It´s an astoundingly rich, vibrant, pungeunt style, probably unlike anything you have read before, that draws on an ordinary, yet for me, exotic world of a cast society. The family, some politically or socially motivated, some poetic or driven by inner desire, are all fabuously painted with an eye for detail and an untamed, unusual, imagination. The plot is merged and covered in matters of daily life, characters and motivations, subordinate to the exploration of the small and personal, but finally is tragic and heartbreaking. The style shifts to suit the characters, particuarly enjoyable were the sequences written through the eyes of the twins; her giggling, brave and frightened children. Not immediately an easy read perhaps, not least because I had trouble placing all the characters (only a handful but still I was halfway through the book before they all started to fall into place) and keeping up with the chronology, but, as they say, I couldnt put it down. A crazy yet methodical, merciless, disarmingly different and huglely memorable piece. More!


I am surprised to see that other people did not enjoy the captivating and utterly enthralling way that Roy enlightens the reader to the unjust manner of the caste system, and the trials and tribulations of finding

<< 'Infinnate joy' >>

I think that this novel, told through the innocent eyes of the twin protaganists Estha and Rahel is a very enjoyable read, and Roy tackles issues of a sensitive nature in a manner that provokes strong reactions from the reader.

I am 17 years old and discovered this whilst doing my comparitive coursework for english literature at A-level, and am extremely glad that I read such an amazing novel, which has far more depth than it has perceived to have, on its first read.
Rebecca

It would be impossible for me to put in words the emotion and power that this book has inspired in me.
I am speechless.
It is such examples of pure beauty that remind me why I am alive, and how truly alive one can feel.
pallavi

i must congratulate Roy for an excellent thing she has done,i never expected to find such original thoughts
ever in a novel or elsewhere.She has actually made literature of 'junk' and 'trash'!the useless,forgotten and senseless thoughts,of our childhood which which we never cared to recall or remember but discarded most of the time as 'garbage thought' now find a new place in sensible literature.roy polishes the the deserted memories,and carefully places them in a red velvevt box with glass lids for everyone to admire.we did understand the value of the thoughts bcoz we have all experienced it.Childhood never dies
it is alive breathing somewhere in the corner of our lives which speaks when you speak to it.
The language is amzingly alive with all senses involved what is seen,smelt,felt in the heart and the feelings described are all real ,I could identify with every aspect of Rahel's childhood.
Anthony Boogie

Her writing is just as beautiful as she is. Told from, a very convincing, child's perspective. An emotional, mysterious, tragic, poetic love story that mesmerizes as it unfolds.

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