A Suitable Boy

gawwrgi reviewed A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

Review of 'A Suitable Boy' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

The book is set in 1950-53, just after Indian independence, partition and it captures the anxiety of a new nation really well. Also, all the characters in the book felt so real, I know of and I know these people in real life. The book talks about communal tensions, caste system, people who have the privilege to ignore these things and patriarchy prevailing all through this. I haven't read anything that comes this close to describing India. Even though I am very disappointed by Lata's choice, I know of people IRL who would make the same choice, and argggghh.

I can't wait to see the BBC adaptation this summer!

Sandra reviewed As uitable boy by Vikram Seth

Review of 'As uitable boy' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I read Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy as a "Big Book" reading selection for a book club I belong to on goodreads. It is not a book I would normally choose for recreational reading. Just the mere size of the thing, not to mention the setting would turn me off in search of something "lighter", ha. But I am glad I took the time with this novel. Was it the best thing I ever read? No. There was really nothing in this book's story that hasn't been examined many times in other, much shorter, books. But, I must say, what at first turned me off about this novel, the sheer size, the setting in India in the 1950's, turned out to be the very thing that was this novels ultimate triumph. A Suitable Boy utterly took over my life for weeks, mentally transported me to a foreign place and time …

I read Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy as a "Big Book" reading selection for a book club I belong to on goodreads. It is not a book I would normally choose for recreational reading. Just the mere size of the thing, not to mention the setting would turn me off in search of something "lighter", ha. But I am glad I took the time with this novel. Was it the best thing I ever read? No. There was really nothing in this book's story that hasn't been examined many times in other, much shorter, books. But, I must say, what at first turned me off about this novel, the sheer size, the setting in India in the 1950's, turned out to be the very thing that was this novels ultimate triumph. A Suitable Boy utterly took over my life for weeks, mentally transported me to a foreign place and time inhabited by characters who became both very familiar and ultimately familial. I grew to really care, to become emotionally invested in the story. I traveled to India for an extended stay and really grew to like it there. What more can you ask from a book?

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