Rating: 
Summary: A True Epic
Review: This epic novel fully deserves all of the praise that it has received. My only regret is that I did not read it earlier. It is the story of Lata Mehra's search for a suitable husband - or rather her mother's search for an acceptable match. It is set against the back-cloth of post independence India and the political turmoil of the early 1950s. Some readers have found the length of the novel daunting at about 1500 pages. But it is so well written that each page can be savoured. I actually found myself reading more slowly than usual; such was the sheer pleasure of getting to know the beautifully crafted characters.
The star of the show is certainly the manipulative but good intentioned mother Mrs Rupa Mehra - `You too will marry a boy of my choosing.' She is surely one of the great comic creations of modern literature as she will stop at nothing to ensure that she gets the son in law of her choice. And who will this be? The Lover? The Poet? Or the man with the very annoying shoes? Vikram Seth keeps us waiting until the very end before ending - or in my case extending - our agony!
The political setting is fascinating and interesting. The Hindu/Muslim tension is sensitively portrayed. But it is the wonderful array of characters that I really loved. The eccentric and brilliant Chatterji's whose children communicate in couplets. The Politician and former Independence hero Mahesh Kapoor and his troublesome younger son. And so it goes on.
This is one of the best books I have ever read and I would recommend anybody to set aside the time. It is a joy not to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: You too will marry a boy she chooses
Review: My love for this book is made all the more remarkable by the fact that it is not a style of book I would generally enjoy. But the many characters involved are so wonderfully likable that you are drawn in almost despite yourself. Beautifully written, entertainingly driven and heart-achingly resolved, I can't imagine anyone regretting choosing to read this novel.
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