The God of small things
Registered by BrdGrl of Adelaide, South Australia Australia on 4/26/2004
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
11 journalers for this copy...
Winner of the Booker Prize.
I read this book some time ago and memory of it is hazy. Did finish it!
The book ring started yesterday, posted to Readinator, since she was the one who suggested this as a ring in the first place.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Caught from Brdgrl in the mail. Thanks for sharing as part of a bookring! I look forward to reading this as I am a huge fan of Indian fiction. I have some bookrings to finish first, but should be able to start reading it next week. A Suitable Boy's 900-odd pages took me two weeks, so I don't expect God of Small Things to take me long at all :]
Just thought I would post the updated (18 Oct 04) list here:
1. Readinator- Australia
2. Hawkette- Australia
3. jackiea- Australia
4. jubby - Australia
5. LeafOfHumanTree - Australia
6. Luintaurien- USA
7. SCRAM33- USA
8. concertina8- Austria
9. SudoKris- Germany
10. lady-anglophile- Kuwait
1. Readinator- Australia
2. Hawkette- Australia
3. jackiea- Australia
4. jubby - Australia
5. LeafOfHumanTree - Australia
6. Luintaurien- USA
7. SCRAM33- USA
8. concertina8- Austria
9. SudoKris- Germany
10. lady-anglophile- Kuwait
Well, God of small things took me about a month to finish. Not that it's particularly long, but it is dense. It pays to devote yourself and your full concentration to it, and you reap the rewards of richly descriptive and evocative use of the language (what is it about Indian writers??), and a tragic story that's unfolded in layers. It was so wonderful (what a debut!) it will stay with me for a long time.
Thanks so much, Brdgrl for sharing this. Off to Hawkette!
Thanks so much, Brdgrl for sharing this. Off to Hawkette!
Sent to Hawkette today by ordinary parcel post. Enjoy!
Journal Entry 8 by Hawkette from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Has arrived with me today - next day delivery! Thanks!
Journal Entry 9 by Hawkette from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Wow! Stories from India are always of such hardship, heartbreak, but with the spirit of character and warmth of the people always shining through. But the authors who tell them seem to weave them with such warmth and compassion.
I like the way the story was weaved in around itself, although occasionally it did take awhile to work out where we were at. But the storytelling gained such momentum at times, I was totally hooked. The trick of planting the seed about what's going to happen will always have me reading flat out to find out how it all unfolded!
I loved the play on words throughout. Loved the twins, and poor Vethula... The oppressive family culture, the caste racism, the horror of how easily abuse can happen to a child, the love story!
Am sending this one on with another bookray, to the lovely jackiea.
I like the way the story was weaved in around itself, although occasionally it did take awhile to work out where we were at. But the storytelling gained such momentum at times, I was totally hooked. The trick of planting the seed about what's going to happen will always have me reading flat out to find out how it all unfolded!
I loved the play on words throughout. Loved the twins, and poor Vethula... The oppressive family culture, the caste racism, the horror of how easily abuse can happen to a child, the love story!
Am sending this one on with another bookray, to the lovely jackiea.
Thankyou, the equally lovely Hawkette! :o)
Arrived today and I really look forward to this one.
Arrived today and I really look forward to this one.
Thank you everyone for keeping this book moving along nicely. I am glad you all seem to be enjoying it!
Cheers, BrdGrl
Cheers, BrdGrl
I really looked forward to reading this book because I so enjoyed the previous work I read by the author, The Cost of Living.
I’m sorry to say, I just couldn’t get into this one at all. Tried several times but it just didn’t hold my interest.
Thanks for sharing, BrdGrl and I apologise for the negative comments.
I’m sorry to say, I just couldn’t get into this one at all. Tried several times but it just didn’t hold my interest.
Thanks for sharing, BrdGrl and I apologise for the negative comments.
No worries Jackiea, if we all liked all the same books wouldn't it be boring?!
Thanks for participating in this bookring, BrdGrl
Thanks for participating in this bookring, BrdGrl
Received in the post today.
Well, I can hold my head high, and now proudly say 'I have read The God of Small Things'.
Yes, it took me three attempts, but I finally made it. I think the problem was that I was not ready for the book. Being one of those stories that are not told in a linear/chronological fashion, the reader knows by page 30 that there is going to be a death of a child, and another will be molested. So, with a heavey heart, I struggled with this one.
The writing style was just brilliant though. Yes, it was, dum dum! Musical, playful and full of local character and colour (which I didn't always understand), I found that even when I struggled with the subject matter, the metaphors, adjectives and in-jokes and humour wooed me along.
Admittedly, I am completely in the dark as to what life in Karela is like (then or now), and this book afforded me a view, I don't think I would have otherwise had. For that I am most thankful.
For all the references to 'The heard of darkness', I think I had best move that one up my tbr too.
Thank you for including me in the bookring.
Posting to Leafofhumantree.
Yes, it took me three attempts, but I finally made it. I think the problem was that I was not ready for the book. Being one of those stories that are not told in a linear/chronological fashion, the reader knows by page 30 that there is going to be a death of a child, and another will be molested. So, with a heavey heart, I struggled with this one.
The writing style was just brilliant though. Yes, it was, dum dum! Musical, playful and full of local character and colour (which I didn't always understand), I found that even when I struggled with the subject matter, the metaphors, adjectives and in-jokes and humour wooed me along.
Admittedly, I am completely in the dark as to what life in Karela is like (then or now), and this book afforded me a view, I don't think I would have otherwise had. For that I am most thankful.
For all the references to 'The heard of darkness', I think I had best move that one up my tbr too.
Thank you for including me in the bookring.
Posting to Leafofhumantree.
Journal Entry 16 by jubby at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, April 23, 2005
Released 19 yrs ago (4/23/2005 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Posting to Leafofhumantree.
Posting to Leafofhumantree.
Journal Entry 17 by LeafOfHumanTree from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Received in the post today, thank you, jubby.
Journal Entry 18 by LeafOfHumanTree from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, May 7, 2005
The language of this novel is lovely, but I feel it needs a little pruning. There are too many similes, metaphors and invented words sprouting within nearly every sentence; they're getting in the way of my hold on the slippery narrative, which digresses into back-stories for each character. The eccentricities of the characters are also wearying. If I were in a better state of mind, I think I could let go and enjoy the ride, going along with the sensuous language and waiting for the story to unfold, treating this like a magic realist novel such as Like Water for Chocolate. I'm going to forward the book onto the next person, as the novel's charms are taking too long to work their spell. I'm not giving this a numbered rating, as I have not read enough of the novel to give it a fair 'score'. I have a feeling I'll read this novel at another time and love it.
Got it today. Thank you. Will read and pass on ASAP.
Getting sa good start on this now. So far I am enjoying it.
I can't seem to get into this book right now so will pass it on to the next person. Would love to read it closer to the end when I have more time to devote to it.
Journal Entry 22 by Luintaurien at -- By Hand Or Post, Ray/Ring, RABCK in York, Nebraska USA on Friday, July 22, 2005
Released 18 yrs ago (7/22/2005 UTC) at -- By Hand Or Post, Ray/Ring, RABCK in York, Nebraska USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Received in the mail today. Have one bookring book in front of it then it's next on the list! Thanks for sending this one on.
got this in the mail today. i am currently reading another bookring, which should not take to long.
unlike some other journalers i had no trouble getting into it and took only a few days to read. the story is very dense and you have to concentrate, as each chapter is taking place at a different time and also at a different point during the course of the story.
i found the book was beautifully written and the story incredibly sad. also made me realise how little i actually know about india, its history, the caste-system, the "way-of-life", the theatre, the traditions...
thx to brdgrl for sharing!
i have contacted sudokris for the next address.
i found the book was beautifully written and the story incredibly sad. also made me realise how little i actually know about india, its history, the caste-system, the "way-of-life", the theatre, the traditions...
thx to brdgrl for sharing!
i have contacted sudokris for the next address.
Journal Entry 26 by concertina8 at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, September 22, 2005
sudokris asked me to wait as she is just arriving at her new address in scotland....
Journal Entry 27 by concertina8 at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, September 22, 2005
Released 18 yrs ago (9/21/2005 UTC) at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
on its way to sudokris in scotland. on request, i stalled it for a week to give her time to settle...
on its way to sudokris in scotland. on request, i stalled it for a week to give her time to settle...
Got here today- thanks so much! Very much looking forward to reading this, 3rd in my TBR pile!
Update Dec 9
Ohmygod, it took me forever to read this - so sorry :-(... There was a lot more uni work than I expected, and it took me a really long time to get into this book, dunno why...
It was an interesting read - I'm not really into all that post-colonial stuff, I'm more of an 18th-century freak, but it was rewarding and enjoyable. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Update Dec 9
Ohmygod, it took me forever to read this - so sorry :-(... There was a lot more uni work than I expected, and it took me a really long time to get into this book, dunno why...
It was an interesting read - I'm not really into all that post-colonial stuff, I'm more of an 18th-century freak, but it was rewarding and enjoyable. Thanks a lot for sharing!
The book has made it home!
Thank you to all participants, I enjoyed reading your comments (and your postcard SudoKris - thank you!)
I think I have to re-read it now, to see the context of what you wrote.
Best wishes, BrdGrl.
Thank you to all participants, I enjoyed reading your comments (and your postcard SudoKris - thank you!)
I think I have to re-read it now, to see the context of what you wrote.
Best wishes, BrdGrl.
Handed to another bookcrosser
Journal Entry 31 by BrdGrl at Rundle Mall in Adelaide, South Australia Australia on Monday, September 3, 2012
Released 11 yrs ago (9/3/2012 UTC) at Rundle Mall in Adelaide, South Australia Australia
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Left in the Myer centre parents' room.
