The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I gave this book two stars. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad book. I just didn’t enjoy reading it, which again doesn’t mean it’s a bad book. The book centers on twins Rahel and Esthappen, girl and boy, who live in India. Estha is sexually molested by the “Orangedrink Lemondrink” Man behind the snack counter at the movie theater, which is the beginning of a series of traumatic events that happen to these children. There is a conniving aunt, who, if you read this book, you will come to despise. A man who befriends the twins is from a lower caste. Although he may be the best person in the story, in the society in which they live, he is considered less than. SPOILERS AHEAD: Velutha, the untouchable, has an affair with the twins’ mother and once found out is brutally beaten to death. This only happens after the aunt lies to the children and forces the boy who had been molested to lie to the police about Velutha’s role in the accidental death of a third child. The story bounces back in forth and sideways in time. I think that, plus my trouble keeping the characters straight, way problematic for me. I was able to catch a glimpse of a different culture, view life through others’ experiences, but it wasn’t pleasant and I understand that it was not meant to be pleasant.
Pingback: Top 50 Books to Read Next List | snyderemarks.com