Rating: 
Summary: Significance of Small Things
Review: This wonderful and outstanding book is a poem written in prose, a story of love and hate, of faithfulness and treachery. This is a novel about genuine affection and its price in the cruel world. Fourteen nights of love costed two immediate deaths and at least three distorted lives: does such a balance make any sense? An answer is etched even in composition of the novel. The last chapter of the book, its end and pinnacle, gives the answer: we see the fortnight through the eyes of a man and a woman who are in love, but who understand their doomed fate, and this makes every moment of their intimacy priceless. They discern the significance of the Small Things (even a life of a minute spider, a mute witness of their passion), they realize the meaning of Tomorrow. A cause of the tragical events is not the love that breaks all racial and social barriers but these barriers themselves and the hatred generated by them. Take care of Small Things of human delicate happiness in this still ruthless world, - tells us Ms Roy's beautiful novel, - and believe in Tomorrow despite everything. Influenced by William Faulkner, Ms Arundhati Roy's moving poetic style successfully supplements Salmon Rushdie's derisive 'magical realism', giving trustworthy picture of Indian life. 'The God of Small Things' is the first novel of the author and (undoubtedly) her great achievement. I wish her next book to be even better (though now I really do not know what can be better).
Rating: 
Summary: tragedy or kitch?
Review: This book lies somewhere between Greek tragedy and paintings of sad children with large round eyes. I don't think I've ever has such an ambiguous reaction to a novel. Reading it was agonizing - the circular plot kept hinting at the horrors ahead, and after a while I didn't want to know in any greater detail what was going to happen to these two unbearably lovable, underloved children. Maybe I'm a shallow Philistene, but there's no trace of redemption in this book - the events are basically a confluence of the evils of colonialism, racism, sexism, family dysfunction, human pettiness and bad breath. If the writing were not so ornate, it might seem didactic - which it doesn't. There's nothing tract-like about this book, but the prose is going to drive some people nuts. I of course had mixed feelings - sometimes it felt inventive, other times gimmicky and manipulative. I'm surprised that some people are most bothered by the incestuous coupling at the end - it's clearly the first moment of peace these two tragic figures have had since early childhood.
Rating:
Summary: I just didn't like it
Review: I agree that Roy's use of language is magical, poetic, etc., but I just didn't like the book. I read the whole book, and while at times I enjoyed the poetry in her writing, I thought the story was dark and disturbing. And, I can't help but mention this, she included so many discriptions of bodily secretions that I became nauseated.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful Tale: truly God of Small Things
Review: The power behind Roy's exquisit rhythm is massive, and her ability to manipulate the sound of words is itself a pure stroke of genius. Even if this book is not blessed with a strong storyline, the beauty of the language is certainly adequate for any thoughtful reader. A story of forbidden identities, God of Small Things tells a bittersweet tale of two fraternal twins: Etha and Rahel. Through the clear eyes of these children with vague sense of themselves, Roy captures an India finally free from Britain's rule. There remains a English shadow in their universe, however, as Etha and Rahel, along w/ their Rhodes scholar uncle, violin-playing grandma, ex-nun babygrandma, and their beautiful beautiful mother, Ammu strive to mend the shapeless hole in their universe. Things indeed change in a day as Etha and Rahel's English cousin is found dead... Taking place on the threshold of revolution, and staggering in the midst of the angry waves as a nation cries out for change, God of Small Things does a fabulous job patching together tiny fragments of a long forgotten dream in the hearts of two children, whose lives are changed forever by one fateful day. This is a romance of Ammu and the man "her children love by day", a coming-of age tale of twins that are forced to become unique, and at last, a tragedy of the spirit of a country pushed towards brutality and vengeance by the same force that brought about the so-called progress.
Rating:
Summary: Quality of writing outweighs weird end
Review: The language and dialogue of this book is beautiful. The metaphors are wonderful. I loved reading this book--up until the broken the "love laws." At first, I thought I hated what happened. But now (a day or two later), I feel manipulated. I'm going to reread and let the quality of the writing outweigh the weird end (which it does).
Rating: 
Summary: No redeeming value found here.
Review: I found this book to be of no redeeming literary value what-so-ever. No plot existed, the characters were lifeless. Also the literary style does not lend itself to a full length novel, only at best a short story. This book stirred no feelings of interest anywhere in me.
Rating:
Summary: Inspirational, but not for me
Review: It is impossible to be objective about a novel, especially one such as this - a highly personal experience. The experience is in the dialogue between the writer and the reader, and Roy, communicating (for most of the novel) through the vulnerable experiences and private jokes of children, reaches into your most personal areas (wherever they may be), and then channels into them her ideas and tales. For this reason, it is a (rewardingly) difficult novel, both in the content and style. It is also, for this reason, a very different experience for many people - more so than most novels. The consensus is, apparently, that this is an excellent novel; I bought it because it was a popular book. But I did not particularly enjoy it. I understand what she is trying to say. I do not in any way claim to know WHY, though she seems to me a painfully and beautifully constructed personality, with many things to say to a world that wishes to listen. That is great, and I can see why this novel is so inspirational to people - it offers, not a truth, but a vision of a world that has beauty and ugliness in equal measure...usually in the same place. Yet I struggled because...well, simply because it did not provoke me. It did not elicit much of an emotional response, and I began to find the style annoying after a while. That is, I believe, no one's fault. Then again, I think that Roy has the potential to write another novel which I would like - so though it is nothing to do with her, it is perhaps something to do with the novel...I sincerely doubt that the "style" here is her "style", and am sure she is pretty darn flexible. Reviews that complain about inaccessibility might well be coming from the same place as I am - but I hope that I did not miss the point, so much as did not see why the point needed to be got. The dialogue was not instructive, not inspirational for me...it was almost, if at times thrilling and moving, often quite boring and frustrating. If that seems to be a sign of a lazy reader, fine. But James Joyce's Portrait of a Young Artist is another novel where poetry and prose have no definable boundary...and THAT...well - that is not an inspiration so much as a life-experience. I look forward to Roy's next novel. mrovich1@hotmail.com
Rating:
Summary: Prose turned into Poetry
Review: This is a book which I have now read many times, each time finding something new to enjoy and ponder. Roy is that most rare of writers, a woman who can turn prose into pure poetry. I found myself reading over the same paragraph three or four times, savouring the text in the same way that you try to make your favourite dessert last longer by eating it slowly. I finished the book and wanted to read it over again - it haunted my mind for weeks. A book to buy and treasure.
Rating:
Summary: Memorable and haunting
Review: I first read this book when it was shrouded by controversy, and everyone had an opinion, especially in the Kerala community - and I couldn't get through the first chapter. Recently, I picked up the book again, and THIS time, I couldn't put it down until it was over. Being from Kerala, I was taken aback (and impressed) by Roy's honest assessment of the dark side of the Malayalee community. For those of you who haven't been able to finish the book, read it again when all your pre-conceived notions have faded, and you're not expecting anything. The book is excellent... and haunting. Its images stay in your mind long after you're done with the story.
Rating:
Summary: I believe this to be a work to remember.
Review: I read this book on January 13, 1998. I read it again just last month. I haven't changed my opinion. I have read the 460+ reviews that followed my first nearly two years ago. I was glad to read all of the comments harsh or heralding. This book is not ordinary and I think if placed side by side with most others, may prove to be disappointing to many. So don't compare it to anything and read it for what it is. It is as awkward as the minds of each and every character illustrated in the 321 pages of the book. Nothing is simple or clear cut. Life isn't that way so why should anyone expect this book be neat and clean? It's not. In fact it gets down right ugly and dirty. That is the beauty of it. I think the one thing that amazes me with readers is their lack of patience. Intertwined with all the jumping between time references and all the unfinished points trying to be made, it is telling a story. Like a child who tries to tell their impatient parent about the six million things that happened from minute one of their day, this story teller attempts to give you all the information with as much enthusiasm and self importance. As with any child, the story teller will digress an infinite number of times before the events have been completely accounted for. Step out of your own ego long enough to be able to receive it. And be patient! There may be some painfully vivid discription of events. There are moments you will laugh. You may want to cry in anger or frustration and even stop reading but you wont stay away for long. You can't. If you feel any of these things after reading the book then the efforts of Ms. Roy to convey her story will most certainly have been a success! I don't think the story was intended to make a statement about Communism or even the caste system. What does a child know of these things? In India I saw children playing side by side with each other with little or no regard for political affiliations. It's just a story people. Enjoy the courageuous effort it took to tell it.
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