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Original poster

Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children. Does it get better?

24 replies

Unusualactualname · 28/09/2023 08:15

I'm 3 chapters in and really struggling with his style. It's one of those 'should read' books for me, especially as I'm really interested in the subject. At the moment all I'm reading is self-indulgence and verbosity. Does it get better? I'm not sure I can stand 600 more pages of this.

OP posts:
YukoandHiro · 28/09/2023 08:16

It does, but I think only because you get more used to the style. I read it for uni and it was a bit of a slog. The ending stayed with me though.

bigbadbarry · 28/09/2023 08:17

My book group read it and almost universally hated it. I probably hated it the least but definitely found it a chore

Delphigirl · 28/09/2023 08:18

It is one of the cleverest most fantastical beautifully written books of the 20th century. Stick with it!

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 28/09/2023 08:20

Watching with interest. My father rates it as one of the best books he has ever read but I have struggled to get into it. Perhaps I should give it another go....

Delphigirl · 28/09/2023 08:21

I sgree with your father. It is a masterpiece. The language is a huge part of that so give into it and you will appreciate the ride much more

BlueKaftan · 28/09/2023 08:22

I absolutely loved it. You might prefer The Moor’s Last Sigh, also beautifully written.

GCAcademic · 28/09/2023 08:23

It took me four attempts at starting it before it eventually clicked with me. It’s a very clever book, and I admired its style, structure and language, but I’d stop short of saying I actually enjoyed it. Perhaps because it’s essentially a parable, it’s weak on characterisation. If you want a South Asian novel that has it all, I’d suggest Rohiton Mistry’s A Fine Balance (though it’s not a happy novel, to put it mildly).

Dighi · 28/09/2023 08:24

As I recall the audio book version was very entertaining. Could you try that instead?

Twotooto · 28/09/2023 08:50

I’ve tried a couple of times and just gave up
in the end. I know people rave about it, but it’s just not for me.

LaLaLouella · 28/09/2023 09:02

I thought it was beautifully written - it's an amazing book, stick with it!

barbarahunter · 28/09/2023 09:10

Another one who tried a couple of times and then threw in the towel. Actually, the couple of people on here who loved it are the only people I've ever heard of who could get beyond the first few pages.

MrsSamR · 28/09/2023 09:20

It's my Dad's favourite book ever so I read it but quite honestly found it a slog - and I'm an English Literature graduate who has read a lot of the classics!

TheThunderer · 28/09/2023 09:33

I loved it - it's an astoundingly good novel. Not surprised it's such a prizewinning classic.

But that doesn't mean that everyone has to like it. There are great novels out there which I don't enjoy because the writing style or subject matter just aren't for me.

I would persevere a bit longer and then give it up if you still hate it. Life's too short (and Midnight's Children is very, very long).

peskykiddds · 28/09/2023 12:55

I read it at uni and loved it - read it twice in fact. Haven't read it since but enjoyed quite a few of his novels, not sure if I still would though... (hated some of the later ones so haven't read any since the early noughties...). At the time though I found it completely compelling!

BitOutOfPractice · 28/09/2023 12:56

YukoandHiro · 28/09/2023 08:16

It does, but I think only because you get more used to the style. I read it for uni and it was a bit of a slog. The ending stayed with me though.

This.

you do get onto the flow and it Does get easier. Again it’s a book that’s stayed with me. I think I read it the year it won the booker prize.

muddyford · 28/09/2023 13:00

I read it the year it won the Booker prize. Life is too short to struggle on with a book.

Springduckling · 29/09/2023 09:16

I tried and just didn't get into it either. Couldn't believe it won the Booker or Booker prize Winners.

Original poster
Unusualactualname · 29/09/2023 21:35

I'm keeping going with it - mainly because I'm interested in the history. I guess judgements about good writing styles are always going to be subjective.

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 29/09/2023 21:37

I never found out. It was on my uni syllabus too and I just couldn’t hack it after a while with 3 other books I had to read a week.

Best of luck!

JaninaDuszejko · 30/09/2023 20:45

BlueKaftan · 28/09/2023 08:22

I absolutely loved it. You might prefer The Moor’s Last Sigh, also beautifully written.

I hated The Moor's Last Sigh, I struggled on but it was one of the books where the writing gets in the way of the story (or it did when I read it nearly 30 years ago). Possibly one of the most difficult books I've struggled through.

Haroun and the Sea of Stories is good though and I've enjoyed his short stories.

YokoOnosBigHat · 30/09/2023 22:15

Mark Corrigan had it right re: that book.

Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children. Does it get better?
Original poster
Unusualactualname · 01/10/2023 11:54

YokoOnosBigHat · 30/09/2023 22:15

Mark Corrigan had it right re: that book.

Haha.

OP posts:
Portakalkedi · 01/10/2023 11:56

I loved it, but his writing is not to everyone's taste, and sounds like it's not for you.

Hollyhead · 01/10/2023 18:10

I'm reading it at the moment and really enjoying it, but more for the language and the cleverness of it and the context. It's taken a month to do 100 pages, unlike The Running Grave which I've just read in a weekend 😂

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