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thundrflap's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
emmavardy2's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
There's no doubt this is a beautifully written book. About an older lady who is widowed and how she is supported by her family in older age. Also about impact of partition of India in modern day. However I did struggle to follow at times and it is very long. But glad I've read it.
heyfarahey's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
surabhidiwan's review against another edition
3.0
I have a natural inclination towards books which are centred around women, and probably one of the reasons I picked it up, other than the same being the International Booker Prize Winner!
The story revolves around an octogenarian - Amma, who slips into depression after her husband dies. But she wakes up one fine day, moves out of the house of her elder son and goes on to live with her daughter - Beti , who leads her own independent and 'modern' life. Amma goes on to befriend a transgender woman, much against the norms of the society she is living in and then goes for an extra ordinary adventure to Pakistan, without a visa to get her life back.
The story has a beautiful plot and has amazing twists, but I found the plots and twists lost between a lot of details of the story. I felt like the plots and twists had their own peek-a-boo games with me! When the story actually unfurls, when Amma is reciting everything about her past, I was touched and I got a bit sentimental as well. This is one of the examples of the best parts of this book.
Honestly, I loved the story, but could not connect with the literature as such! I must say, Daisy Rockwell has done a stupendous work as the translator of the book. towards the end of the book, it looked like an endurance test. I was just waiting that when would the book end. Thanks to my reading buddy that I could finish the book with fun discussions with her.
Happy Reading :)
The story revolves around an octogenarian - Amma, who slips into depression after her husband dies. But she wakes up one fine day, moves out of the house of her elder son and goes on to live with her daughter - Beti , who leads her own independent and 'modern' life. Amma goes on to befriend a transgender woman, much against the norms of the society she is living in and then goes for an extra ordinary adventure to Pakistan, without a visa to get her life back.
The story has a beautiful plot and has amazing twists, but I found the plots and twists lost between a lot of details of the story. I felt like the plots and twists had their own peek-a-boo games with me! When the story actually unfurls, when Amma is reciting everything about her past, I was touched and I got a bit sentimental as well. This is one of the examples of the best parts of this book.
Honestly, I loved the story, but could not connect with the literature as such! I must say, Daisy Rockwell has done a stupendous work as the translator of the book. towards the end of the book, it looked like an endurance test. I was just waiting that when would the book end. Thanks to my reading buddy that I could finish the book with fun discussions with her.
Happy Reading :)
mfarenivar's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
"The state of families is rather like that of the city of Delhi, chock-a-block willy-nilly slapdash crammed scattered messy raptor-snatching nail-catching; old: Sikandar Lodi; oldest: Indraprastha; glittering malls grime-blurred slums, and above and below the scraps of earth and sky, swinging betimes from the dusty bits of tinsel that hang from electricity and telephone wires, where occasionally the addle-brained stand too close: when they get a shock it cleans their clock."
anveshjain's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
thebookerharlot's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
ruinedlanguage's review against another edition
3.0
[3.5] I think I spent more time admiring this book than enjoying it. The translator’s note just affirmed that.
marjolina's review against another edition
4.0
“That which is torn develops an increased capacity for insight and and forbearance. A capacity to experience sensations that escape the notice of others.”
“Sometimes when we read literature as literature, we realise that stories and tales and lore don't always seek to blend themselves with the world. Sometimes they march to their own blend. They don't have to be contemporary or complementary or congruent or connubial with the real world. Literature has a scent, a soupçon, a je ne sais quoi, all its own. And that is its style.”
From: ‘Tomb of Sand’ by Geetanjali Shree.
I’ll be honest. This was quite a struggle for me for at least the first 300 pages. I could see the art in the lyrical, poetic writing style, but I just didn’t get it, I guess. Part of the problem might have been that I don’t know much about Indian history and after looking some things up during my read, I felt more connected to the story.
But also the more I read, especially starting from part 2, the more I got invested in the characters and the story and the author’s ideas. She touches on so many important issues (feminism, immigration/separation by borders, hijra’s) and always in such a moving and melodic way.
After finishing it and thinking (and talking) a lot about it, I seem to appreciate it more and more and I am very glad I read it.
“Sometimes when we read literature as literature, we realise that stories and tales and lore don't always seek to blend themselves with the world. Sometimes they march to their own blend. They don't have to be contemporary or complementary or congruent or connubial with the real world. Literature has a scent, a soupçon, a je ne sais quoi, all its own. And that is its style.”
From: ‘Tomb of Sand’ by Geetanjali Shree.
I’ll be honest. This was quite a struggle for me for at least the first 300 pages. I could see the art in the lyrical, poetic writing style, but I just didn’t get it, I guess. Part of the problem might have been that I don’t know much about Indian history and after looking some things up during my read, I felt more connected to the story.
But also the more I read, especially starting from part 2, the more I got invested in the characters and the story and the author’s ideas. She touches on so many important issues (feminism, immigration/separation by borders, hijra’s) and always in such a moving and melodic way.
After finishing it and thinking (and talking) a lot about it, I seem to appreciate it more and more and I am very glad I read it.