Reviews with content warning for Bullying - The God of Small Things

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The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

5 reviews

tinyplutos's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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duskx's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

"The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy unfurls like a melancholic hymn, weaving the fragility of human emotions with the relentless weight of societal expectations. Set in the verdant heart of Kerala, India, the novel traces the invisible tremors of small, fleeting moments—moments that ripple through time, shattering lives and leaving deep scars. Through this tapestry of love, loss, and caste-bound constraints, Roy paints a portrait of a family fractured by the quiet cruelty of the world around them, haunted by their own unspoken pain.

Rather than diving into the plot, I’d argue the true brilliance of this novel lies in Roy’s prose. Her writing is both lyrical and evocative, almost poetic, a fusion that captures the fragility and quiet despair of the world she constructs. Her imagery is unforgettable: crisp dead insects littering the floor, the wilted arum lilies atop the child’s coffin, the aroma of red fish curry cooked with black tamarind, the stench of old urine lingering in the air. It’s a symphony of senses, combining both beauty and decay, woven together with such precision that each line feels like an incantation.

In Roy’s hands, small moments become monumental. The sound of innocent laugh basking in sunlight, and then, almost imperceptibly, bitter lies ignite like kindling, swelling into devastating fires. A weak protest, dismissed at first, is shattered beyond repair. The narrative reverberates with gut-wrenching sobs, hollow laughter, deafening curses, and late apologies drenched in vertiginous guilt. It is a cacophony of regret that buzzes, swelling with a delirious intensity.

Slapping. Cursing. Spitting. Kicking. Stomping.

Each revelation carves deeper, unraveling the delicate threads of hope. What begins with an air of innocence and optimism spirals into a chasm—vast, dark, and unrelenting—until every flicker of light is consumed. The tension tightens gradually, each moment more harrowing than the last.

The characters are just as intricately crafted—vivid, multi-dimensional, and tethered to the weight of societal and familial expectations. Forbidden love, caste oppression, and dysfunctional familial bonds pulse through the narrative, adding complexity without sacrificing the nuanced portrayal of human emotion and interaction.

I almost put this book down at the (child) sexual assault scene, but since Rosh recommended it to me, I mustered the grit and determination to keep going. I’m glad I did because this is a must-read for anyone who appreciates literary fiction that is as beautifully written as it is socially relevant. While its fragmented structure and constant shifts in time can be disorienting, and the prose, at times, quite dense, the novel remains an essential read.

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