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

Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

90 reviews

buzzybuzzybeefudge's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

The prose was gorgeous and had a lot of really creative and visceral motifs but

WHY DID IT END IN TWINCESSSSST UGHHHHHHHH

also in general it was just really dark with a lot of disgusting visuals which were powerful but very difficult to listen to, so i would be careful if you are considering reading this book. read trigger warnings!!

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mehmehsloth's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

You can't come up with words if youbwere to describe the emotions. It's hard to digest and yet somehow easy to ready. You might be aware of what is coming and hence you'll be scared to go ahead. But even through all the grotesque parts a perspective of child is not lost.

No praise is enough to convey what this book says. On surface it's a social themed book but it's a entertaining one. It makes you see it all through eyes of the kids. Hence it makes people feel like kids.

Every description of culture, people, architecture, food and even clothing is discovered and made to look differently. Immense description ranging from kathakali to communism in Kerala to pickle making and to what not. It is one of those pieces that you read once but will remember with incidents and progression.

Ending is what catches you off-guard.

Atleast the incestuous conclusion.

Irrespective of the ending conclusion because, there is no conclusion, the book is devastating story, wrapped in perfectly wrapped flowers of prose and poetry and luxurious descriptions.

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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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runningonwords415's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective slow-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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agnela's review against another edition

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challenging emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

First and foremost, this is full of fat phobia. If a character is violent, angry or despicable, you can bet they'll be overweight. The prose is stunning, gorgeous, maybe sometime a bit too much, where you wanted the story to go faster, but this added more poetry feels to it. Without all of it, it's just a family drama. I will remember how this made me feel, but I don't know if there's much left to think about after. Well see.

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