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A review by mnasr
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
God of small things definitely deserves the attention it has gotten. Set in Ayenmen, Kerala, the narration takes a deep dive into the casteism, taboos around love and the different standards held for men and women (often held up by other women) when it comes to love and sex.
Despite being heavy, the writing style was still quite enjoyable. The descriptions were strange yet vivid and accurate. Many descriptions definitely unsettled me but that only increased the quality of the narration. This novel is supposed to be unsettling and the descriptions build that aura most aptly. Due to the thick and heavy writing style it did take me a while to get through it.
In my opinion it is primarily a socio-political commentary presented as a narration and might require the right head space for some to enjoy.
Despite being heavy, the writing style was still quite enjoyable. The descriptions were strange yet vivid and accurate. Many descriptions definitely unsettled me but that only increased the quality of the narration. This novel is supposed to be unsettling and the descriptions build that aura most aptly. Due to the thick and heavy writing style it did take me a while to get through it.
In my opinion it is primarily a socio-political commentary presented as a narration and might require the right head space for some to enjoy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, and Violence
Moderate: Incest and Sexual content
Minor: Sexism