As Rushdie’s Midnight's Children plays around the foreboding nature of destiny, similarly it was in my destiny to read this book at the turn of my 24th year. Somewhere in 2008, I was gifted a marvel called “Midnights Children”, little did the person know that I might be reading it exactly after four years.
Midnight's Children, tells the tale of Saleem Sinai, one of the twin born on the midnight of 15th august 1947, the other being a cataclysmic nation gripped by a plague of conflicts. It skilfully critiques the infant nations (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) in the teething phase of finding its sovereignty.
A panoramic narrative, with lots of chutney, love, conviction, denial, nose and knees, sorcery, ghosts, innuendos on the exploits of the government, language riots, gods, snake charmers, and curious characters.
The language is complicated, and the multiplicity of ideas certainly makes it more difficult to explain the book to others, there is something for every reader. This allegorical narrative is further embellished by lush imagery.
A book that will never cease!
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2 comments:
Hi Bijin!
your write-up is crisp and emotional. you have quite simply and beautifully described the crux of the book without any spoilers! thanks for sharing your take on this celebrated book.
i'd picked up this book up in my late teens and couldn't grapple with the magic realism or Rushdie's prose. i put the book down without finishing it and that saddened me quite a bit.
in the past few months, it has often come to my mind to pick the book up again and read. being the same age as you, i have a feeling that i'll be able to understand and enjoy it now. your review has cemented this thought and i'll soon be reading this book. :)
Ra, thank you so much,I am humbled.
Please do read it whenever you find time, It has turned me into a Rushdie fan. I am sure you will be delighted by the intricacy of the narrative and the mirthful subversion of India's glorious history into a legendary art of work.
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