Stuck at home with nothing do to in particular..I decided to give some of my old books a reread..Specially the ones I distinctly disliked from the first read.I decided to start with an award winning book,"The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy.
The first time I read the book, I didnt understand why it had been awarded the booker prize.The storyline was too complicated, switching from past to present without any indication and the language was too descriptive.But as I was rereading the book...many small nuances which had earlier escaped my notice(perhaps because I was trying to read it too fast) became prominent..and so did the skill with which Ms. Roy has created a masterpiece.A very simple story, told in a very different manner.
The bond between Estha and Rahel has been portrayed so beautifully, that you as a reader feel drawn in towards their relationship.No words,no proclamations of love.Just an unspoken bond, which refuses to break.Set against the backdrop of an old school Kerela town..the story takes us into a world which refuses to give in to the future..holding its past in a strong grip.The old caste distinctions..The old prejudices against divorcees...Nothing changes.Something which ultimately leads to many lives getting ruined.
This book calls for a mature reader, as it contains explicit details about everything,something which might offend a reader with conservative sensibilities.But as we read further..we realise that all these details are necessary to create the correct atmosphere of the book and are not added just for the heck of it.And somewhere down the line..It is the simplicity of the story being told, which touches your heart in a way you can never imagine.
All in all..It is a good book, and very well worth a read.A word of caution though, do NOT try to rush through the book.Instead, savour every chapter and go with the pace of the book.
