Rating: 
Summary: This book exposes a truth about the human condition
Review: I don't usually take the trouble to review books I've read on the computer, but I decided to try to share my thoughts about this one. I think "The God of small things" is a masterpiece. Not because of Roy's use of language. Not because of the plot. It's a masterpiece because she succeeds in showing us a truth about the human condition: Its not the "big" and "important" things that give the color and texture and meaning to our lives. Its the little moments, the small and seemingly unimportant incedents and feelings that make our lives what they are. If you live in a place and a society that sees social norms and structure as all important, then the individual's "trivial" needs are considered meaningless, and can be trampled on for the "greater good". I think the book is truly written from a women's perspective about the world. Women (and children) have always had to sacrafice the way they see the world and what they think is really important for some "Greater Social Good". I think this comes across really clearly in the book. The structure of the book seems to support this idea. The last chapter of the book describes the love scene with Amu and Velutha. The last word of the book is "tommorow". We as readers know that this "tommorow" holds the seeds of thier destruction, and yet Roy chooses to leave as our last impression of the book this moment of hope and anticipation. Why ? Because this small moment has so much importance in both of thier miserable lives. It is the reason for the destruction of the family, yet for them, it stands out as the single moment in which they were able to ignore convetion and be true to themselves. Roy feels that the "small things" aren't really so small. On the contrary, they are monumental in our lives, and the "Big" things are nothing more than an unpleasant backdrop which the weak and powerless (and perhaps all of us) have to structure our lives around. In playing out this idea in her book, Ms. Roy is showing us an essetial truth about our lives.
Rating: 
Summary: Good - but flawed - book
Review: I enjoyed The God of Small Things. The characters are brillantly drawn, particularly Baby Kochamma, the atmosphere and flavour of India feel real and the observations on politics, religion and human behaviour are perceptive.I did find the writing somewhat overdone and I feel the author tries to cover too many issues. Read this book and you will enjoy an excellent first novel - but don't expect a masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: lessons in poetic writing
Review: This book is an endless poem of the little things in life as we experience them in the grand scheme of things. I found myself re-reading certain lines because I was amazed at how well Roy poeticized simple things. By this I mean the sound of a trunk closing, the actual physical feeling of a heart ache. At times, I did get a bit lost and confused due to the names and the unfamiliarity of Indian culture. The disturbing behavior of the characters in the book did not surprise me, instead it just reminded me how cruel and strange people can be. It's a different sort of read and I recommend trying it out.
Rating:
Summary: This is pure gold!
Review: I cannot begin to describe how much I LOVED this book! Its definately a masterpiece! I hadn't read anything as exquisitevely written in ages, this is a gold mine waiting to be discovered. I guess the people who didn't seem to like this work felt kind of overwhelmed by the explicity and cruel reality expressed here, and many of us still are somewhat governed by taboos, but Ms. Roy tells life as it is, no pretty flowers to make it mild, but that's life and it gave me an entirely diferent point of view, something, actually a lot of things to think about. And the characters, which I believe is a very strong point in a book, are presented just perfectly. It is as if you actually knew these people, shared their pain, joy, sadness, I actually felt I knew them my entire life! Books that make you feel these thing are the ones that trascend and become inmortal. I truly belive this one will become one of them.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: The moment I picked up this book the outer world around me no longer existed as I was outliving the lives of every character in it. The story telling is outright real with the lives of a certain family narrating the reality that is as fearfully real as the air that we breath. Roy's description of the characters in Kerala, India's communist ruled state's figurines movements and descriptions are breathtakingly marvellous. Never have I read a book this real and hope to read more of Roys' books in her upcoming attempts!
Rating: 
Summary: Metaphor Heaven
Review: When is a chair not a chair? In this book. When is a sky not a sky? In this book. Pure mataphor. Even the metaphors are metaphors. If you can slop your way through this book, then I commend you. They say there's a wonderful story in here -- but to arrive at this story (which at page 70 still hasn't come to light) one has to drag oneself through a muddy lake of mataphors.
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put it down!
Review: This book was absolutely magnificent! Beautifully written, and provoked emotion. However, it's sad that the one book about KERALA that receives international acclaim seems to focus on the bad parts of culture, which exist in a lot of societies anyways. I just hope people don't read this book and think all Keralites are incestuous or something...
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: This book moved me like no other work has. Miss Roy creates an imaginative, pleasing language which is simple, yet complex, and easily appreciated. I read the lsat two chapters every night and with each reading, I am equally moved. I reccomend this to anyone who wants to feel better about being a part of the human race.
Rating:
Summary: Disobeying the Laws Of Law
Review: Incredibly beautiful, sad. Unbelievable that this is a first novel. The language is beautiful, the characters unforgettable and the structure really clever: When the book starts, 23 years have past since the tragic events took place. We return to various stages in the past, and slowly, like a jigsaw puzzle, assemble the whole sad and tragic story. It's a very emotional, very vibrant book. I can understand that readers who prefer a bit more distance, might find this a bit too full on. I loved it!
Rating:
Summary: writing talent / 7 stars!!!!
Review: As soon as I had read the last word, I felt a strong sense of nostalgia. I lived Ammu's life, Felt Velutha's pain, and I watched the innocence of the twins lead their lives into unexpected territory. I wanted to walk up to them and warn them, save them. It would be unfair to only praise Roy's marvelous plot. I strongly believe that she is the biggest new writing talent. From start to finish the book reads like a poem, spiraling towards a certain date with fate. Compelling to the end and a definate masterpiece.
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