Rating: 
Summary: interesting read, but not "best of breed"
Review: Midnight's Children is a fantasy voyage into the world (and underworld) of modern Indian life. Rushdie seems to relish in introducing whimsical characters and side-stories to balance the rather disturbing elements of Indian(/Pakistani) society.Unlike other reviewers, I didn't find Midnight's Children to be a masterpiece. It often becomes a tedious read as Rushdie seems to elaborate on his characters into needless detail. And the fantastical elements of the story are, well, a bit over the top. Having said this, this book is a must read for people who are fascinated with modern India (..such as myself). While comparing novels is a dangerous (and unfair) game, I have to recommend Son of a Circus by John Irving over Midnight's Children. Both share the same overall theme (story on modern India without taking itself too seriously), with Irving's novel being a much better read (funnier, less fussy on details, generally easier to read).
Rating: 
Summary: Easy to read, hard to stop reading!
Review: This book is much easier to read than other works of Rushdie (eg, The Satanic Verses). In fact, the problem is the opposite: the book is totally unputdownable. It's funny and thought-provoking: the sort of book you just want to make all your friends read.
Rating:
Summary: Sheer Brilliance!
Review: This book has been written by an extraordinary being, whose linguistic arsenal of celestial creativity manifested through impeccable writing skills... have founded my No. 1 author; with Midnight's Children being my personal favourite. Rushdie's magnificent narrative style coupled with a richly-textured storyline all added up to the substance of this best seller; which is beyond my humble words to describe. One of the best fictions that I have read so far. Sheer brilliance!
Rating:
Summary: Another Rushdie masterpiece.
Review: I am biased, and there is no two ways about that. I believe Rushdie is the greatest mordern writer in history, hence if he wrote the eqivalent of 'Amsterdam' I would probably rave about. If I had to name a favourite of Rushdie's written work, I would always name 'Satanic Verses' as my perfered, due to it's sheer brilliance and busyness, however it is closely followed by 'Midnight's Children.' I read it a couple of months ago, and my message remained unposted, hence my recollection is a bit blurry, however I remember raving in that review immediately after reading it. I think that Salman Rushdie, along with the 1997 Booker prize winner and the likes of Rohiston Mistry and the novel 'Flower Boy' have created a standard of writing that the rest of the world should to aim to match. I absolutely love Indian literature, much of it being as many have mentioned, being in the little known, but highly interesting genre of magic realism, along with the fabulous Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Love in Times of Chlorea. I plead for people to give this style of writing, and 'Midnight's Children' a chance. The later is an interesting, consistant and busy novel, which I enjoyed from every aspect, and will remember for much of my reading life.
Rating:
Summary: Empty Pickle Jar of Hope
Review: Previously, during a scandal with 'The Satanic Verses' and Salmon Rushdie's death sentence, I tried to read his 'Shame' but was absolutely disappointed and stopped reading after first 100-150 pages. Now I discern at least two of my mistakes: I read Rushdie in Russian translation and not up to the end. 'Midnight's Children' was my second attempt to understand Rushdie, I was attracted by its Booker and Booker of Bookers. The book consists of three parts: at first I was tired with author's derisive style, then I became interested in the fate of its protagonist, only at the end I appraised author's intention and mastery of its realization. An undeniable strong point of the novel is its excellent language, a wonderful gallimaufry of indigenous words and such an amazing gamut of English that can do credit to every unabridged dictionary. Rushdie masterly wields his skillful pen, a reading of his phrases is a pure pleasure for a literary gourmet. His style is influenced by the Arabian tales of 1001 nights and - among modern writers- by famous 'magical realism' of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The novel is an expression of author's genuine love to his native India. Rushdie weaves into the intricate lace of his story all important events in political, social and spiritual life of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh since the beginning of the century. But some of his interpretations are rather disputable (the reviews of readers from Eastern countries confirm this). In depiction of Indira Gandhi author's sharp mockery turns into blind hate, and the Prime Minister of India transforms into a real devil incarnate, a fiend that sterelizes midnight's children depriving them not only of their magical gifts but the hope itself. It is hard to understand such undisguised selective rage. The third part of the novel is the best one. Relating about the innumarable sufferings of his people in Indo-Pakistan conflicts and during formation of Bangladesh, Salman Rushdie reaches the highest and culminating point of his story. The novel is full of interesting images such as 'the perforated sheet', 'snakes and ladders' and - first and foremost - 'midnight's children'. All countries, that had passed through social disturbances and collisions, have known their midnight's children, a quixotic generation bestowed with their wonderful gifts but deprived of any possibility of their realization. Midnight's children dream that they are inseparably linked with the future of their beloved country, that they are its part and parcel with all its misfortunes and joys. They will be overcome by the persons without illusions but with hard elbows (or knees?) and jaws longing for power and money. The last chapter of the book gives the joyless and distressing picture of 'new' India after defeat of midnight children (one more image - "Abracadabra'). But the protagonist, ending his story, leaves one empty pickle jar - a symbol of hope: the children of the vanquished are alive, they differ from their parents but nevertheless they ARE their children.
Rating:
Summary: Wow! I am rendered speechless.
Review: I love Salman Rushdie, so any review I may write will be biased simply because I value everything Salman has to say. I love his bitting sense of humour particularly when looking at despondent issues such as poverty, I love his vivid descriptions and his almost obsessive love of small details, when describing even the most inconsquencal of his characters. But what I love most is the gross ironies he presents in his novels. Midnight's Children is no exception to Rushdie's favourite fable method, and if full of hilariously detailed paradoxes. The idea of swapped births, rich to poor and poor to rich, but still ending up in the manner which they were born, to me, is ingenius. While I did not enjoy this one quite as much as Satanic Verses, I believe Salman's writing is something you begin to appericate after you give his novel's considerable thought. They are somewhat hard to digest at the beginning, but once thought over; the links, the hidden messages and abundent symbols make it all much clearer why Salman has earned the praise he recieves. A busy, beautiful and saddening novel, andd one which I will remember forever.
Rating:
Summary: Best book I have ever read!
Review: This magical, lyrical book will captivate you from the start. The language, the images and the prose are simply breathless. Though it takes about 150 pages to get into, the investment is worthwhile. I'll read this book in ten years time: again!
Rating: 
Summary: Facinating stuff!
Review: I bought the book some 4 years ago but left it in the book shelf until now: and why didn't I read it earlier! Being from the asian continent myself (with particular interest in the history and culture both of India and Pakistan) I found little difficulty in relating to the novel; its rich word play, bollywood like plots, surprises and twists,urging one to blaze "FULL-TILT" through the pages. Rushdie's style was inimitable and witty, demonstrating a razor sharp mind yet one that ozzes (in liberal degree) compassion and warm humanity. A robust view on life with all its "snakes and ladders" along the way, with each of us the unconscious player.
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't do it for me
Review: I guess you have to be a historian on India and its culture because if you are not (like myself), the book was confusing. I could not distinguish the fantasy from the reality - which may have been the intent. Although I fell short on understanding, I feel that Rushdie is an artist in the literary sense.
Rating:
Summary: Best novel i have ever read!
Review: Best novel i have ever read
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