What readers think of The God of Small Things, plus links to write your own review.

her writing is extremly confusing and nonsensical

This is definitely an amazing book. Reading it reminded me of how I felt reading J.D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey some years back. I was absolutely confounded by the language Ms. Roy used (as with the language Mr. Salinger used) and at the start (and quite honestly, through a greater part of the book), I felt utterly frustrated, wondering what in the world I was going to write for my required paper on the book(yes, I give, we were assigned to read the book for our world literature class). But when the last few chapters began to unfold, everything fell into place, and I not only understood everything (or, at least as far as anyone can understand...the book is probably too profound for true human understanding!), I was absolutely swept away! Really exceptional work, Ms. Roy!

The God of Small Things. The name itself is mysterious and of high standards. Arundhati Roy has done a marvellous job with this book. The way she connects the smallest details of the past to something of the present is extremely incredible. Her play on words such as "Lay. Ter" helps the reader look imagine the incidents from more of a childish immature point of view. She really grasps the attention of the reader, and encompasses them into the plot of the whole story. BRAVO!!! Ms. Roy i really admire your work!!!

the title of the novel attracted me, i was amazed. it is such a sad story that makes you love the charcters and symapathize with them. The way Roy tells the story in a flash back way is very clever. The details and memories of childhood , the description of the feeling and the wound which remains with the characters for so many years is very sad. The love laws which were broken is very true of all human beings. we usually can not control our feelings and chose who we should love.
Ammu did quinch her desires and she had the love which she shouldnt have had , but she is much better of a human being than Baby Kochamma who lived all her life loving a man from a distance and had haterd for other people.

God of Small Things I found a highly personal read, as if at times Roy were writing specifically for me, yet feel somewhat underqualified to review or appraise her work, but as one punter to another I´ll write on. It´s an astoundingly rich, vibrant, pungeunt style, probably unlike anything you have read before, that draws on an ordinary, yet for me, exotic world of a cast society. The family, some politically or socially motivated, some poetic or driven by inner desire, are all fabuously painted with an eye for detail and an untamed, unusual, imagination. The plot is merged and covered in matters of daily life, characters and motivations, subordinate to the exploration of the small and personal, but finally is tragic and heartbreaking. The style shifts to suit the characters, particuarly enjoyable were the sequences written through the eyes of the twins; her giggling, brave and frightened children. Not immediately an easy read perhaps, not least because I had trouble placing all the characters (only a handful but still I was halfway through the book before they all started to fall into place) and keeping up with the chronology, but, as they say, I couldnt put it down. A crazy yet methodical, merciless, disarmingly different and huglely memorable piece. More!

I am surprised to see that other people did not enjoy the captivating and utterly enthralling way that Roy enlightens the reader to the unjust manner of the caste system, and the trials and tribulations of finding

<< 'Infinnate joy' >>

I think that this novel, told through the innocent eyes of the twin protaganists Estha and Rahel is a very enjoyable read, and Roy tackles issues of a sensitive nature in a manner that provokes strong reactions from the reader.

I am 17 years old and discovered this whilst doing my comparitive coursework for english literature at A-level, and am extremely glad that I read such an amazing novel, which has far more depth than it has perceived to have, on its first read.

This emperor has no clothes. While Roy tells many small snippets of story in this novel, she fails utterly to tie them into a narrative whole. I was recommended this book by a friend. She had read it for a class, and apparently they 'had to be built up' to where they could appreciate the novel. Unless you have an instructor or friend helping to describe the 'clothes' to you, or you enjoy unearthing the mundane, minimal plot Roy has buried beneath lush strata of setting and mood, you will not like this book. The reader has to do far too much work that the writer should have done, and the insistent reaching for the next metaphor or stylistic transition between segments becomes highly irritating.

This book is an insult to intelligent readers, and is recommended as a caution to intelligent writers. Style is necessary, but cannot replace substance.

When the most entertaining element of a book is its testicular imagery, there is something wrong.

I am 24 years old.

I have spent the last ten weeks studying Roys novel. The first time i read it i thought it was wonderful, all the imagery and descriptions! the second time i read the book it became tedious. there are so many pointless descriptions "earthworms frolicked purple.." has any one else noticed that the entire story is told in the first two chapters? The God Of Small Things might have been interesting if she wasnt trying so hard, maybe if the book wasnt so up its self i would have liked it better. i read an interview with her and she says she never edits a word she writes, because thats what she was feeling at the time. well maybe she should. maybe she should edit bits out to make it more readable, i mean how many of u forgot who mammachi was by the fourth chapter?

angela age 15