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The God of Small Things | 
 enlarge | Author: Arundhati Roy
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
Buy Used: $3.59
You Save: $10.41 (74%)
New (10) Used (18) from $3.59
Avg. Customer Rating:  870 reviews
Sales Rank: 368474
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.9
ASIN: B0007WYFHU
Publication Date: May 1, 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: PB cover has some surface, edge and corner wear, slight corner and edge fuzziness, title page has torn off corner, clean interior and solid binding
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Amazon.com
In her first novel, award-winning Indian screenwriter Arundhati Roy conjures a whoosh of wordplay that rises from the pages like a brilliant jazz improvisation. The God of Small Things is nominally the story of young twins Rahel and Estha and the rest of their family, but the book feels like a million stories spinning out indefinitely; it is the product of a genius child-mind that takes everything in and transforms it in an alchemy of poetry. The God of Small Things is at once exotic and familiar to the Western reader, written in an English that's completely new and invigorated by the Asian Indian influences of culture and language.
Book Description
#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER #1 CANADIAN BESTSELLER #1 UK BESTSELLER NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR The international publishing sensation of 1997 -- translated into 18 languages -- a magical, sophisticated tour de force now available in a stunning Vintage Canada edition. The God of Small Things heralds a voice so powerful and original that it burns itself into the reader's memory. Set mainly in Kerala, India, in 1969, it is the story of Rahel and her twin brother Estha, who learn that their whole world can change in a single day, that love and life can be lost in a moment. Armed only with the invincible innocence of children, they seek to craft a childhood for themselves amid the wreckage that constitutes their family. Sweet and heartbreaking, ribald and profound, this is a novel to set beside those of Salman Rushdie and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 865 more reviews...
 Breathtaking First Novel September 4, 2008
I read this book as a literature student in college and it is still one of my favorite books of all time. Her words read like poetry. It literally took my breath away in its beauty and message. Highly recommended for those who enjoy reading about the effects of globalization on so-called Third World countries, as well as those who appreciate a good romantic novel in the magical realist tradition.
 Lost in Translation August 29, 2008
I had high hopes for this book when I picked it up. Halfway through this book and I find that I have to force myself to turn the next page. If you love reading interesting and in depth books that you can understand, this is not the book for you. The author's words are a spiral of mumbo jumbo that drags on and on. I often found myself re-reading the same sentence 3 or 4 times in order to grasp the meaning but it never comes. If I had to compare this book to something, I would compare it to a long a strange dream... it doesn't make sense and it's not something you would remember after 5 minutes!
My First Amazon Problem Ever July 24, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Unfortunately, I have yet to receive this item. I remain anxious, as I look forward to receiving and reading it. I am familiar with the writings of this author and expect that I will continue to respect her logic and writing abilities.
 Beautiful poetry that is no casual read June 11, 2008
I borrowed this book from a friend's library because I heard so many good things about it. Although it can be confusing at times with multiple flashback events, I love the wordplay and the little details of life from multiple perspectives. Some aspects of the story might be confusing for readers without a background on Indian culture, but it is still quite accessible. I love how the author sets up the drama and creates suspense, but it might be a little much because I lost interest at times and wanted to skip to the end (like what some other reviewers did).
This is a good read for English majors and those who like poetry in their narratives. I wouldn't recommend it for casual readers.
 quite lacking June 4, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
besides the cryptic sentences and unbearable overuse of metaphors, the characters and story are both terribly shallow. roy fails miserably in developing ammu's character, the novel's hero, who she describes with a mix of the caricatures of a bitter feminist, a depressed mother, and a unprejudiced free spirit. can you be any more unoriginal? the story is not engaging, and not all moving or sad as other reviewers have claimed. sure, if you look at the events, of course it can be considered a tragedy, but the jumpy plot and unnecessary detail really stems the flow of an already boring plot. in addition there is a strange and gratuitous twist added in that can easily be lost (perhaps for the better) in roy's awkward prose. probably just an a last ditch effort to add some spice to the novel, but uugghhh, very out of place.
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