“The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy (India) 

Review

For those who were reading this book for the first time, they said it took them a while to get into the story as they found the timeline unnecessarily confusing at the beginning. Readers, for whom it was the second or third read, said they enjoyed it more each time describing it as an amazingly rich book. They thought the character development was excellent, presenting the reader with an array of plausible and complex characters. They warmed to the twins and their mother, as well as to some of the secondary characters. Readers loved the writing style, which they felt flowed really well. They pointed out the exquisite turns of phrases, the humour, the playful spelling of words, the rich vocabulary, and the vivid descriptions of the people and places. Overall, they found it a touching book telling a poignant story. It averaged an 8.5 out of 10, the second highest score of the season.

Synopsis

Set against a background of political turbulence in Kerala, Southern India, “The God of Small Things” tells the story of twins Esthappen and Rahel. Amongst the vats of banana jam and heaps of peppercorns in their grandmother’s factory, they try to craft a childhood for themselves amidst what constitutes their family… Read more

Season 13 – “Politics and Religion” (Feb – Jun 2011)

“Moses, Citizen & Me” by Delia Jarrett-Macauley (Sierra Leone)
“Seeing” by José Saramago (Portugal) *
“My Name is Light” by Elsa Osorio (Argentina)
“The Eagle’s Throne” by Carlos Fuentes (Mexico)
“The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy (India)

* The book club favourite
In italics, Nicola’s Coup de Cœur