A review by demonibestia
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

Beautiful and colorful prose with interesting and nicely written characters. Powerful message and critique of the caste system and the implicit misogyny present in some traditional values. Despite being a little confusing at first the flashback-flashforward structure really works on this book, separating the story in pieces that fit like a puzzle by the end of the book. This could have taken a little of the tension and interest of the (sort of) climax off but surprisingly it doesn't. 
I would have given it more stars but, despite being an original and (as one starts "getting" the characters better) refreshing choice, the narrative shaped after the way children conceptualize and describe the events of the story gets awkward. It's really well done though! But it gets old and little too quirky at times.