Reviews

China Room by Sunjeev Sahota

jaclyncrupi's review

4.0

Sahota, in each of his books, vividly captures moments of life in India and the lived experience of the Indian diaspora. His work is specific and detailed and heartbreaking. His characters live difficult lives of pain and sacrifice and toil. China Room is a novel of family ties, lies, love and sadness. It looks at the lives of a few young women and men in India in 1929 and 1999 and the stories and bloodlines that connect them. It is an incredibly complex story told in a very simple way.

alinarecs's review against another edition

book was about to expire on borrow box + i wasn’t finding myself as drawn to it

knitlitcamp's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

emilyky's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

badmanreads's review

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

A beautiful, harrowing and gripping book. I was equally horrified and obsessed. I wanted to cry and laugh in the turn of a page. Highly recommend and I will be seeking out Sunjeev’s other books. 

quinlan_riorson12's review

medium-paced

2.0

seaswift14's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

kashacapetown's review

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 CHINA ROOM - SUNJEEV SAHOTA

At 256 pages, this historical novel manages to pack in a whole lot of story within its shorter length. Before we jump into my thoughts on it, here's a quick blurb:

A transfixing novel about two unforgettable characters seeking to free themselves - one from the expectations of women in early 20th century Punjab, and the other from the weight of life in the contemporary Indian diaspora.

China Room follows two narratives: Mehar, a young bride in 1929, and an unnamed male character, who visits the same location in rural Punjab in 1999. Both of these characters face their own battles, with Mehar weighed down by the strict expectations for women living in early 20th-century India. The unnamed male character arrives in Punjab recovering from a heroin addiction and the after-effects of continuous xenophobia experienced while living in England.

If that sounds heavy, that's because it is. But I was intrigued by the synopsis and all that this novel covers. The writing is beautiful and descriptive, really bringing Punjab to life, as well as the characters' emotions at pivotal points in the novel.

But I wanted more. And maybe that is to do with the novel's length. I was invested in the characters and wanted more depth, about them and about the things that were happening to them.

I do think it's a good read, especially for people who like shorter historical fiction novels and are happy with just a glimpse into other lives, whereas I always prefer a deeper dive into characters and plot when it comes to historical fiction.

Review score: 3/5

TW: Addiction, sexual content, racism 

rebekka_m's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

ajkozak's review

emotional sad medium-paced

4.25