I've bought this book, The God of Small Things, so many times and given it away just as I start reading it because I end up talking to someone about how good it is, they get excited about it, so I give them my copy. Then I buy a new one and start all over again. I'm only on chapter 8, halfway through the book. I usually give my copy away right about now.
This time, it's the writing style that fascinates me most. The first time I started it, the political side was the intrigue. I had just moved to Egypt, and although I'd lived in developing countries before, in Egypt it was much clearer that the impact of the developed world was devastating. I could relate with that part of the story as I was living it for the first time in my life.
But this time it's really Arundhati Roy's writing style that I love. Her details are meticulous and humorous. They don't read like pages of adjectives before nouns placed to fulfill the requirements of a composition class. Every detail has a meaning--often a hidden and derisive meaning. The plot is developed through the descriptions that often come from the voices of children (who haven't yet been jaded). And, it's spot on. She's a master of "Show me, don't tell me."
When fiction explains reality better than non-fiction ever could, that to me is excellence. And when it still grabs your attention at 3 in the morning after you've been teaching Russian students to speak English all online and don't want to read another word in any language, that is just plain awesome.
3 comments:
Next on your list should be Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie, if you haven't read it already. Roy's style is arguably inspired by Rushdie, both in prose and storytelling. And... at risk of offending Roy fans, Rushdie is master.
Another good one by Rushdie, which is not so well known is "Jaguar Smile." It's a non-fiction account of the Nicaraguan civil conflict (can it be called revolution when there seems to be no end to conflict?...). The perspective is unusual: a traveler from one developing country observing another's struggle for identity and political independence.
So glad that you're blogging. This is great.
I should add that I too love Roy's "God of Small Things." It's the kind of book that you can read more than once and I think I'm about due for another go. :)
Oh yeah, I'm not giving my copy away this time. Too many pages have been dog-eared for inspiration at a later date. You've got to read it again.
Midnight's Children is next. Definitely!
Post a Comment