I'm struggling to finish The Ministry of Utmost Happiness (Arundhati Roy)

[TheOtherBennetSister]

Some spoilers, I suppose. Though with my limited understanding of what's going on I don't know if I've spoiled anything much.

I was enjoying the story when we were following Anjum. I realise a lot of the cultural references and political commentary goes over my head, but I like the way Roy writes and I sort of bob along with the story understanding the main gist if not every detail.

Then there was the protest on the street and the man baby which I didn't really understand. I was so sure Anjum was going to end up with the abandoned baby but she didn't.

And now suddenly there's a new narrator telling a complicated story about his three friends who I can't seem to get straight in my head and I THINK one of them (the girl) has the baby but I have no idea how any of this relates to Anjum or even if we get to meet up with her again.

Anyone else?

A thousand times - yes! I know this hasn't been posted on in ages but it is therapeutic to hear someone else struggling through this book. Reviewers seem to love it.
I complained about it a lot (to dh) as I was reading it. Eventually I got into the new story you mention (the three friends), but the author seems to introduce new characters every other page! I was very willing to go along with any character and narrative that she threw me, but no sooner did we get started then someone else was introduced, and it was just too much for my brain to grasp!
At the end of the book I went back and realised some connections that I missed. I reckon if I read it again I'd enjoy it more. But my goodness it was hard work the first time (and I'm not going to re-read it).
I loved the God of Small Things on the other hand...

I see from your username that you are an Austen fan. I'm just in the midst of re-reading them all (Mansfield Park next). But I'm making myself have more modern palate cleansers in between each one. So at the moment I'm reading Lessons in Chemistry and to me this book seems really pretty dire - still quite early though... maybe it will get better?
Currently hating the way we have a beautiful young female lead, and a minor character (Miss Frask or something) who is jealous and middle aged. She has pudgy or plump fingers apparently: how very dare she?! The author describes her glasses on a chain as 'like a sloppy noose'. What a loser - even in hanging herself her noose is sloppy... aren't middle-aged women grim?
[Sorry - casual ageism/sexism against middle-aged or older women really pisses me off. Maybe because I'm middle-aged myself?!]

This is a very old thread!
I did finish The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, and ended up loving it. Definitely didn't understand it all, but enjoyed it nonetheless, and even recommended it to a friend (perhaps to give the impression that I'm cleverer than I am?)

I didn't mind Lessons in Chemistry too much. It was okay. I had heard absolutely none of the hype, so didn't really examine it too closely. It was a quick read and a bit different. Quite entertaining. I imagine that if I read it now having heard all the hype and all the ate, I probably would like it less.

** All the hate, not all the ate.

I loved loved loved God of Small Things too.