The God of Small Things- do I throw in the bin or carry on until the bitter end?

[mimimomma]

So I've had this book on the shelf for years (purchased soley because I liked the cover and it's a Booker Prize winner). But boy it's hard going, I've read about 5th of it and want to know is it really worth continuing with? Or bin it and forget it? I generally don't like to start and not finish a book, but in this case could make the exception if you wise MNtters suggest it.

Well, its one of my favourite books of all time. Along with Salmon Rushdies midnight children. But then I love reading about far flung places and different cultures.

Oh it's brilliant, stayed with me for a long time that book. cotton also a big fan of midnights children.

I loved it. I read it years ago, and I can't remember much about it, but I do remember that it was a great read.

cottonreels have you read A Fine Balance? I think you'd enjoy it. It's one of my favourites.

Overated - bin.

overrated

I loved the writing of the book, and some of the scenes are uniquely evocative. But for me the story did get a bit sideways sometimes, not entirely satisfactory - but I did enjoy it very much. It went in my 'keep' pile (and I am ruthless )

Another fan of Midnight's Children here too! Stick with the God of Small Things as it is really excellent too. Made me cry at the end. Brilliant book.

Wonderful book, one of those books where events stay with you like memories from your own childhood. Agree about A Fine Balance - excellent book too.

Chuck it, it sucks.

God of Small Things - quite good. A Fine Balance - ended up hating the book for being so bloody depressing. Extremely well written if you can cope with the misery though!

Disliked this book very much. I would ditch it.

Bin

Definitely bin.

I have loved lots of comtemporary fiction from the Indian subcontinent - but this was trite rubbish. God knows how it won the Booker...

Read it. I love how it all starts coming together from around halfway through.

Bin

Chuck it. The MOST depressing book I have ever read. Relentlessly awful throughout - life never gets better for these folks.

Read it. I thought it was beautiful and definitely worth persevering with. (And I'm not one for ploughing on with things if it's not worth it)

I remember liking it rather than loving it when it was first published, though can't remember much about it now, other than it was sad and set in India.

I do remember lending to someone who I thought would like it and their comment was that they gave up reading it because they had no idea what it was about.

So on the fence here.

Haven't read God of Small Things, and will probably avoid it given those who like it also like Midnights Children, which is the most rambling, self absorbed, contrite book I have ever read (had to read it for uni).

If you like India based stories try Kanthapura - a brilliant, charming little story about how a little village is impacted by the fight for independence or Sunlight on a Broken column - a wonderfully written book about the impact of independence on a teenage muslim girl and her family.

I liked it. Also I rather love Arundhati Roy.

Lenak, I reviewed Sunlight on a broken column years and years ago (about 20) when it first came out, and Attia Hussein liked my review [proud]; she was the same kind of generation as my Indian grandmother.

I gave up at my first attempt, but tried again a year later and stuck with it. Glad I did as I loved it.

Also absolutely love A Fine Balance.

i loved it when i read it a long time ago. might try it again since it's been so long...

It is self-conscious, esoteric, hard work and depressing. But still read it. Roy captures the stream of consciousness of childhood well.

This thread inspired me to go and buy Family Matters at the weekend by the same author as A Fine Balance. When I mentioned it upthread, I remembered how much I loved it.

I absolutely love The God of Small Things...one of my all time favourites. DH couldn't quite get to grips with it though so it's not everyone's cup of tea.

ninjasquirrel I agree about A Fine Balance. Utterly utterly depressing as are all the other books from Rohinton Mistry although I am considering giving his Such A Long Journey a try...just to see whether he's lightened up a little!

Just finished the Gift of Rain and was mesmerised/haunted by it. A beautiful read...anyone agree/disagree?