greeny reviewed A House for Mr.Biswas by V. S. Naipaul
Review of 'A House for Mr.Biswas' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
It is really difficult for me to rate this book. I dont think that it is bad, at all. It just lacks on characters that are likable and that makes reading this book much harder than others. I appreciated the theme of the book: Houses. Everything relevant in Mr Biswas life occurs in a house. Throughout his life he struggles to build is own one for himself and his family. The book, which takes place in Trinidad in the first half of the 20th century, has different chapters and each of them describes the part of Mr Biswas life in another House. We follow him, when he looses his father in his first place, until he finally dies in his own house. Between these two events the reader joins his journey. How he meets his wife and ends up living with her huge family where he gets mainly surpressed.
I …
It is really difficult for me to rate this book. I dont think that it is bad, at all. It just lacks on characters that are likable and that makes reading this book much harder than others. I appreciated the theme of the book: Houses. Everything relevant in Mr Biswas life occurs in a house. Throughout his life he struggles to build is own one for himself and his family. The book, which takes place in Trinidad in the first half of the 20th century, has different chapters and each of them describes the part of Mr Biswas life in another House. We follow him, when he looses his father in his first place, until he finally dies in his own house. Between these two events the reader joins his journey. How he meets his wife and ends up living with her huge family where he gets mainly surpressed.
I already mentioned that the characters are not really likable. Mr Biswas seems really egoistic, he and his wife Shama are always arguing and non of them tries to understand the other one. The other characters in the book behave in a similiar egoistic way. But on the other hand, there is a bound in the family of the Tulsis. Whenever Mr. Biswas was close to be without a job or home, the interveined and helped him out. Relations in the family grow with the time and some even end up in friendship, others are still full of betrayel. Therefore this book gives a great insight of the indian culture and importance of the family, for instance when marrying it seems more important to satisfy the needs of the family than your own.
This book is not a page-turner and has its length, but I would definitely recommend it. Mr. Biswas ongoing will and passion to live in his own a house, although it is a story of a nobody in Trinidad, it is a story we all share: Seeking for an own family, a status in the society or perhaps finding the love of your life. Everyone goes this journey in some way, fighting all these various struggles. Mr. Biswas finally fulfilled his dream. Well done.
