Helpful Score: 5
The less you know about India ,the more you will enjoy this book. Do not misunderstand me, it is because you will be intrigued,enchanted and unable to stop reading about these Indian characters in India. Six or seven pages into the novel, you will know in advance the book isn't going to be long enough...and it is a seriously thick book. This novel is akin to a cultural introduction via fiction. This novel is an approachable history of Partition, that will tear at your heart and make you wonder why this is never taught in High school history. This book entertains, explains and has the ability to let you be a fly on the wall of a culture that is, on the exterior, inexplicable. These characters are so real, I partly believe they must live somewhere! Vickram Seth is simply brilliant, he is utterly readable, get this book...live in a place you may never see, understand motives of an unwed Indian girl and a skirt-chasing handsome Indian bachelor. Every page a revelation.
Helpful Score: 5
This is one of my all-time favorite books, and I can't praise it enough. It has insight, humor, pathos, history, interesting glimpses into the culture of India, and beautiful writing. Fortunately (from my point of view), it is also a long book. I never wanted it to end.
Helpful Score: 4
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I was glad it was so long because I never wanted it to end. In its way, a sort of epic tale, it has gentle humor, love, friendship, understanding for both Hindus and Muslims, bits of history, insight into the dynamics of Indian families, vivid depictions of Indian life--I could go on and on; and it is beautifully written.
Helpful Score: 3
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I was glad it was so long because I never wanted it to end. In its way, a sort of epic tale, it has gentle humor, love, friendship, understanding for both Hindus and Muslims, bits of history, insight into the dynamics of Indian families, vivid depictions of Indian life--I could go on and on; and it is beautifully written.
Eadie B. (eadieburke) -
Helpful Score: 1
Even though this book was a monster read (1349 pages), I enjoyed it very much. I learned interesting history and religious customs of 1950's India. It took me a month to read it in between many other books I read but I always looked forward to getting back to read about the interesting characters which began to feel like friends to me. I enjoyed reading about the many suitors that Lata Mehra had and how her mother tried to manipulate her marriage. Torn between 3 men in the end, I believe that Lata finally made the right choice. I can't wait to read Seth's new novel, A Suitable Girl, when it is published in 2016.
Very good book, don't let the length scare you! I enjoyed reading about what was going on in the different families.
Vicki S. (curledupwithabook) -
How I will miss the Mehras, Kapoors, Chatterjis and Khans! After almost a full month of reading this mammoth book, I feel as if these families are not only real, but close friends of mine. "A Suitable Boy" delves deeply into the lives of the four aforementioned families along with providing interesting details about India's political and social situations during the post-WWII era. The title refers to the overriding theme of finding a husband for Lata Mehra, a task undertaken by Lata's ever-loving and long-suffering mother, Mrs. Rupa Mehra.
The reader will encounter unfamiliar words and phrases from that country and/or culture, but the context will make the meanings clear, so it won't be a problem (for me, at least, it did not detract from the enjoyment of the book). The end result is that you will learn quite a bit about India and Pakistan, Partition, the varying religions and cultures, the castes, the gender roles, and the politics of that particular era.
The author, Vikram Seth, writes in such an intelligent manner and has such wit that he keeps the reader completely engaged in the book no matter what the topic in any given section. I found I was just as interested in Mrs. Mehras' musings as I was about the political campaigning or the shoe-making industry or the shenanigans of Maan and Firoz. I couldn't help but conclude that the character of Amit Chatterji was representative of the author, himself. I wonder if other readers will agree.
Overall, one of the best books I've read since "The Time Traveler's Wife". Take it with you on a long vacation. You'll be glad you did.
The reader will encounter unfamiliar words and phrases from that country and/or culture, but the context will make the meanings clear, so it won't be a problem (for me, at least, it did not detract from the enjoyment of the book). The end result is that you will learn quite a bit about India and Pakistan, Partition, the varying religions and cultures, the castes, the gender roles, and the politics of that particular era.
The author, Vikram Seth, writes in such an intelligent manner and has such wit that he keeps the reader completely engaged in the book no matter what the topic in any given section. I found I was just as interested in Mrs. Mehras' musings as I was about the political campaigning or the shoe-making industry or the shenanigans of Maan and Firoz. I couldn't help but conclude that the character of Amit Chatterji was representative of the author, himself. I wonder if other readers will agree.
Overall, one of the best books I've read since "The Time Traveler's Wife". Take it with you on a long vacation. You'll be glad you did.
Don't try to read it at one sitting.
If you don't have time to read all 1,485 pages, the final line is "....and before she could see what had become of it, the train had steamed out of the station."
