Scan barcode
dowswell's review against another edition
4.0
There is something to be said about a book that succeeds in being emotionally removed and yet heartbreaking at the same time. Such is the case with this book. You never really get a sense of feeling from the book's protagonist -- a man who introduces himself as having 'the distinction of having been numbered one of Africa's most corrupt men, a cheat of monstrous and reptilian cunning.' Despite this, as his story progresses you find that you relate to him more and more.
It is at the same time a detached and vivid tale that deserves attention from many angles. It simultaneously conquers many issues, from the complexity of race relations to the unending and all-too-human quest for belonging and acceptance. For all its complexity and dispassionate prose, it is easily described in one word: 'mesmerizing'.
It is at the same time a detached and vivid tale that deserves attention from many angles. It simultaneously conquers many issues, from the complexity of race relations to the unending and all-too-human quest for belonging and acceptance. For all its complexity and dispassionate prose, it is easily described in one word: 'mesmerizing'.
bookslayer's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
its_charlielewis's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
bookthia's review
3.0
Giller Prize Winner 2003. This was a good book, and very good in some ways. But it lacked in some ways too. I enjoyed Vikram, getting to know him, getting to understand him... and I enjoyed learning about Kenya and some of its politics. It was an aspect of African history that I had no idea even existed, and so that was interesting to read about. Although the "big sin" that he was hiding from wasn't even brought up until the final few chapters... it just seemed "small" in comparison to all the other "sins" that were perhaps less "criminal" but not "less". I don't know if that makes sense to other readers or not.A good book but not great.
biblizo's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Racism and Religious bigotry
Minor: Terminal illness and Death of parent
kayjay34's review
2.0
This book was full of examples of colourism (Indians looking down on dark skinned Bengalis/native Africans), worshiping whiteness and classism. And that's all right, if there's context written into the story to justify it. However, there was no contextual background given in this novel, and that makes me begin to question if the author is just writing racist ideals, or if he believes them.
It's obvious that colonization deeply affected the indentured Indians of Kenya, but this idea wasn't challenged in the novel. White people were love interests for the main character, blackness was looked down upon, and native Africans were portrayed as savage much of the time.
Also, having context for why the Mau Mau slaughtered the British was needed. The novel made it seemed like the Mau Mau killed the British because they hated whites, or something that simplistic. The only character who challenged this was Uncle Mahesh (the best character) who actually correctly stated that their land was stolen away from them and they're rebelling against colonizing powers.
I was greatly disappointed by this novel because it was well written and interesting, but I feel that all these examples of colourism and racism were not trying to make a deeper point.
It's obvious that colonization deeply affected the indentured Indians of Kenya, but this idea wasn't challenged in the novel. White people were love interests for the main character, blackness was looked down upon, and native Africans were portrayed as savage much of the time.
Also, having context for why the Mau Mau slaughtered the British was needed. The novel made it seemed like the Mau Mau killed the British because they hated whites, or something that simplistic. The only character who challenged this was Uncle Mahesh (the best character) who actually correctly stated that their land was stolen away from them and they're rebelling against colonizing powers.
I was greatly disappointed by this novel because it was well written and interesting, but I feel that all these examples of colourism and racism were not trying to make a deeper point.
tachyondecay's review against another edition
3.0
This is my first book of the year, and it took me quite some time to get into it.
Few things annoy me more than when an author decides to ignore such a useful stylistic conventions as using quotation marks to offset dialogue! I like quotation marks. It makes the book easier to parse and gives me a clear idea of who is saying what. I discarded [b:Blindness|4307454|Blindness|José Saramago|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255970979s/4307454.jpg|3213039] for similar reasons. Had I not been more favourably disposed to M.G. Vassanji after reading [b:The Assassin's Song|1664732|The Assassin's Song|M.G. Vassanji|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1186558450s/1664732.jpg|1659597], I might have done the same thing.
I have an inkling as to why Vassanji chose this departure from the norm. By abandoning quotation marks—in effect, dialogue itself—everything everyone says comes to us via Vikram and is interpreted and filtered through Vikram. All of the characters speak in Vikram's voice, and his is the only voice in the book for that reason. Still, this was an annoying aspect of The In-Between World that did not encourage me to continue reading.
After about the first third of the book, the story picks up as Vikram moves into adulthood. It's painful. That can be a good thing—and I didn't expect a story of unmitigated happiness here. Vassanji is capturing the zeitgeist in the microcosm of an individual, and seldom is the zeitgeist a wholly good one. Vassanji is careful, however, to portray the bad and the good. It was a time of murder and corruption, but it was also a time of hope and inspiration.
As a depiction of Kenya in the late twentieth century, this book fails to yield the scope required for a detailed understanding of the political dynamics at work. However, the interactions between the characters, particularly between Vikram and his relations, give us an idea of the pressures the external world puts upon everyone in Nairobi. Nairobi is much like the main character: a nexus of European, particularly British worldviews with East African identity and cultures. And that portrayal of personal transformation, of a change of identity as Kenya comes of age and gains independence, is the most rewarding part of The In-Between World.
This book has a perfect title. The In-Between World of Vikram Lall describes precisely what it is about. Vikram is in-between everything and everyone. As an Indian born and raised in Kenya, he is neither an "African" nor an outsider. He is alien to his own country. Among his family, he can never seem to take sides in issues. And in Kenya at large, he becomes a power and money broker, not out of avarice but because he gets caught up in larger affairs.
It's this sense of "going with the flow" and powerlessness that prevents me from sympathizing with Vikram. He only takes responsibility for his actions at the end; that's why he's telling this story, I suppose. It's difficult to criticize this, since it's an intentional component of Vikram's characterization, yet it detracted from my enjoyment of the book. As much as the life of an Indian family in Kenya fascinated me, as much as I cringed at the tragedy of Deepa and Njoroge's love, Vikram's constant disavowal of responsibility looms over the narrative like an approaching storm cloud.
If I have to generalize (and you know I do), I'd say that this is a worthy book. My criticism is subjective, so I don't want to warn people away because I disliked the lack of quotation marks or the characterization of the narrator. There's something in this book that will appeal to everyone, even if few people will find everything about the book appealing. Am I so sure it was worth the Giller? No, but then again, it's probably a good thing that I don't have to decide these matters.
Few things annoy me more than when an author decides to ignore such a useful stylistic conventions as using quotation marks to offset dialogue! I like quotation marks. It makes the book easier to parse and gives me a clear idea of who is saying what. I discarded [b:Blindness|4307454|Blindness|José Saramago|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255970979s/4307454.jpg|3213039] for similar reasons. Had I not been more favourably disposed to M.G. Vassanji after reading [b:The Assassin's Song|1664732|The Assassin's Song|M.G. Vassanji|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1186558450s/1664732.jpg|1659597], I might have done the same thing.
I have an inkling as to why Vassanji chose this departure from the norm. By abandoning quotation marks—in effect, dialogue itself—everything everyone says comes to us via Vikram and is interpreted and filtered through Vikram. All of the characters speak in Vikram's voice, and his is the only voice in the book for that reason. Still, this was an annoying aspect of The In-Between World that did not encourage me to continue reading.
After about the first third of the book, the story picks up as Vikram moves into adulthood. It's painful. That can be a good thing—and I didn't expect a story of unmitigated happiness here. Vassanji is capturing the zeitgeist in the microcosm of an individual, and seldom is the zeitgeist a wholly good one. Vassanji is careful, however, to portray the bad and the good. It was a time of murder and corruption, but it was also a time of hope and inspiration.
As a depiction of Kenya in the late twentieth century, this book fails to yield the scope required for a detailed understanding of the political dynamics at work. However, the interactions between the characters, particularly between Vikram and his relations, give us an idea of the pressures the external world puts upon everyone in Nairobi. Nairobi is much like the main character: a nexus of European, particularly British worldviews with East African identity and cultures. And that portrayal of personal transformation, of a change of identity as Kenya comes of age and gains independence, is the most rewarding part of The In-Between World.
This book has a perfect title. The In-Between World of Vikram Lall describes precisely what it is about. Vikram is in-between everything and everyone. As an Indian born and raised in Kenya, he is neither an "African" nor an outsider. He is alien to his own country. Among his family, he can never seem to take sides in issues. And in Kenya at large, he becomes a power and money broker, not out of avarice but because he gets caught up in larger affairs.
It's this sense of "going with the flow" and powerlessness that prevents me from sympathizing with Vikram. He only takes responsibility for his actions at the end; that's why he's telling this story, I suppose. It's difficult to criticize this, since it's an intentional component of Vikram's characterization, yet it detracted from my enjoyment of the book. As much as the life of an Indian family in Kenya fascinated me, as much as I cringed at the tragedy of Deepa and Njoroge's love, Vikram's constant disavowal of responsibility looms over the narrative like an approaching storm cloud.
If I have to generalize (and you know I do), I'd say that this is a worthy book. My criticism is subjective, so I don't want to warn people away because I disliked the lack of quotation marks or the characterization of the narrator. There's something in this book that will appeal to everyone, even if few people will find everything about the book appealing. Am I so sure it was worth the Giller? No, but then again, it's probably a good thing that I don't have to decide these matters.