Reviews

Kanthapura by Raja Rao

nargis's review

challenging dark informative reflective tense slow-paced

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

2.75

charlotte_3082's review

dnf - a uni read. might get around to finishing it at some point but enjoyed the parts i did read.

theobscurereader_7's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

shaulabhushan's review

3.0

i wasn't a particularly big fan of the writing style of the book, it was exhaustive at times forcing me to put the book down; nevertheless, it's a good read.

seventhbookworm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.0

vishmi's review

3.0

Good book.

I hated that ending, but the reality is bitter so I guess I can't really complain.

gipsyt's review

5.0

It is a poem, an emotion, a movie, a chronicle, a life. It is everything a fine book can have. Kanthapura opens with the normal lives of its habitants and ends with their extraordinary journey. Journey from Comedy to Tragedy. Journey of changing Political Ideologies and the idea of India. A fine example of brevity, wit and beautiful storytelling.

dc14's review against another edition

inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.25

thebookguru's review against another edition

1.0

contrary to what E.M.Forster thinks, this is not the best novel written in English by an Indian

jamesvw's review against another edition

3.0

The frenetic pacing of the book, as well as the kind of snapshot view of a village during the build up to Indian independence is great - a style of writing befitting the energy of the country and a perspective that I had never read much about. However, it was really difficult for me to get into this book, perhaps because of the overflow of characters and the trickiness of keeping track who was who. Though I suppose in a book showing the attempt to build a movement, individuals are less important - and Rao certainly achieved making the message and the plot line more memorable than any character. There are also a whole host of Hindi and probably Marathi words and phrases which I could follow some and had to look up many (though I couldn't find a bunch too) and then there were the aphorisms seemingly translated verbatim into English, which comes across at best strange and at worst, laughable.

Recommended though for students of Indian history - a great fictive view of the rise of Congress from a provincial outpost.