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A review by awoodward1
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
This attempts to be an epic tale of India's class struggle, castle system and family and sexual politics. I didn't feel it was quite pulled off. In the early stages, too much effort is spent teasing the action to come in the final act, and as a result for at least the first half I just felt anxious about what was to come. The balance is also off between literary descriptions of the setting vs. genuine character development - particularly of the star crossed lovers. This makes the first two thirds a slog, although the final third is pacey and action packed. There are some uncomfortable moments involving the twins too which I would rather not have read.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, and Death
Minor: Domestic abuse