I’m a bit of a slow reader to begin with. When I read I take my time and try to engage every page and every word. I don’t skim and will reread sections when I feel like I didn’t understand them. This led to trouble while reading Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children. Damn this book took me a long time to finish. First it is fairly lengthy at 500 plus pages. And then there is Rushdie’s writing style. His method of writing doesn’t lend to casual reading. He uses a combination of Indian and English termed “Babu English” that takes a fair amount concentration. Not mention his atypical use of grammar and often distended and laborious sentences. This book is complex. Make no mistake about it. It is a sturdy tangle of thick, and often, obscure words.
Despite its density, the novel was pretty good. It was well written, it was original, interesting and unpredictable and I enjoyed reading it. The setting and characters were exciting well-developed and interesting. The multilayered novel consists mostly of the life story Saleem Sinai. A boy born during the first hour of India’s independence, along with 1,001 other children of India, all of whom were blessed with magical abilities. The trial and tribulations of Saleem closely follow with the actual history of India, from Nehru’s India toward Indira’s India, as well as that of Pakistan and Bangladesh (some of the novel takes place pre-partition). The political reality of the book would be much more rewarding if you have an interest in, or knowledge of, Middle Eastern history and religion.
Rushdie’s story telling ability is definitely notable and his telling tales-within-tales is very enjoyable but also very much like Garcia Marquez, whom in my opinion is more a pleasurable and worthwhile read. The magical realism allows for a surreal and distorted sense of the novel’s people and places. Much of the novel is larger than life and many of the events seem more important than they really are or should be. Adding to Rushdie’s literary complexity are many twists and turns regarding the relationships between the characters. In addition, there are name changes, sub-plots, nick-names, false-starts, tons of symbolism (much of it I didn’t even pick up on) u-turns, and plot twists.
I paid the price of patience with this novel but felt I wasn’t truly rewarded and that’s always a bit of a bummer. The novel just didn’t do it for me. It is by no means a life-changing novel or even near my top 10 best books I’ve ever read. And although a second read would undoubtedly open this story up, that probably won’t be happening for me.
Reality is a question of perspective; the further you get from the past, the more concrete and plausible it seems – but as you approach the present, it inevitably seems more and more incredible. Suppose yourself in a large cinema, sitting at first in the back row, and gradually moving up, row by row, until your nose is almost pressed against the screen. Gradually the stars’ faces dissolve into dancing grain; tiny details assume grotesque proportions; the illusion dissolves – or rather, it becomes clear that the illusion itself is reality.
shouldnt this be over at iloveyoutoo.tk??
Yeah, Salman Rushdie’s books have always been a little too heavy-heavy for me. I started The Satanic Verses but never got past the first few pages. So more power to ya!
chevy – http://www.iloveyoutoo.tk is now pretty much defunct. i’m just keeping it up because i like the address. it still gets some hits, probably jr. high school kids stealing stuff for english class reports.
lotus – it was a challenge. but i get to knock another off my list now.
w00t! those look like my stars. 😀
but it wouldnt be defunct if instead of posting here you just posted the link and told the world to get over to the book site.
Try reading Paulo Coelho – The Alchemist or By the River Piedra I Wept. I think you’ll find his style easier to follow and the subject matter allegorical.
His stories are also much shorter than Rushdie’s.
For someone who claims to be a slow and meticulous
reader, this guy destroys his own credibility
because he cannot even spell the author’s name
correctly. Its “Salman” you idiot, not “Salmon”.
unfortunately krishna, being a slow reader has no bearing on my ability to spell. the correction was made. you idiot.
Salman Rushdie is quite heavy, but very interesting to read.
tallulah – yeah, Rushdie is a pretty interesting read and was a great introduction to an unfamiliar culture. much of this book was a pretty thick sludge to wade through.