The God of Small Things

Books | Fiction / Literary

3.8

(1.3K)

Arundhati Roy

The beloved debut novel about an affluent Indian family forever changed by one fateful day in 1969, from the author of The Ministry of Utmost HappinessNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • MAN BOOKER PRIZE WINNERCompared favorably to the works of Faulkner and Dickens, Arundhati Roy’s modern classic is equal parts powerful family saga, forbidden love story, and piercing political drama. The seven-year-old twins Estha and Rahel see their world shaken irrevocably by the arrival of their beautiful young cousin, Sophie. It is an event that will lead to an illicit liaison and tragedies accidental and intentional, exposing “big things [that] lurk unsaid” in a country drifting dangerously toward unrest. Lush, lyrical, and unnerving, The God of Small Things is an award-winning landmark that started for its author an esteemed career of fiction and political commentary that continues unabated.

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Author

Arundhati Roy

Pages

336

Publisher

Random House of Canada

Published Date

2011-07-27

ISBN

030737467X 9780307374677

Community ReviewsSee all

"Lyrical writing that traces the intricacies of the lives of twins and their family through a series of tragic events, set in India. (Pay attention as the story moves back and forth as it plays out.)"

Jackie Davidson

"This book hurts me in ways I can’t describe 🥹"

Kye Ponce

"Wanted to love it, but couldn’t finish. Descriptive and moving at times, but overall not something that could keep my attention. "

Emily Calleja

"A sobering account of the consequences of bitterness, impulsive decisions, and “careless words.” As complicated and fractured as the family we follow, we see snapshots of lives filled with abuse, disappointment, and escapism. We see the loss of innocence, and the desperate want to turn back time. Insightful and wistful, this was an interesting read to cross off of many novel bucket lists. "

Emily

"This is the most brilliant and repulsive book I have ever read. It is was unappealing to me partially for it’s overwhelming bombardment of (at first) difficult to decipher information and secondly for the MANY triggering and uncomfortable scenes. However, I cannot even begin to express the sheer beauty in the way Roy converges her many storylines and symbols at the perfect moments to emphasize poignant and powerful themes. Absolutely genius. (I also, in hindsight, very much appreciate the inclusion of those “gross” scenes because of how much they mean to their impact on the characters.) But, this book absolutely blew my mind. Thank you Arundhati Roy, you mad genius."

Litermutt

"Haunting, beautifully written, I could read this book many times over. "

Mia Burroughs

"This is slightly difficult to read at first. Roy's style is like jazz. Her story is told in fragmented thoughts, like a puzzle without a reference picture. The further you read, the more each cluster of thoughts makes sense, forming a beautiful picture of tragedy, loss of innocence, and the complications of India's caste system."

Ware Lyan

"So many! Just finished the virgin suicides by Jeffery Eugenides, which I loved! Would also recommend The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Micheal Chabon "