Midnight's Children tells a series of tragedies that befall a boy who was born with magical powers at the stroke of midnight on the day of India's independence. It was an incredible read, but there were a few things I didn't like about it. It was sad, pessimistic, and very crammed, but the concept was exceptional and so was the witty humor. Though it seemed like all the side stories were trivial, their intention was to add to the cumulative tumult of the narrator's life. These short stories were interesting enough to keep me reading, but several parts really stand out, cementing this novel as one of the best of its time (apparently it won the prestigious Best of the Bookers award, and I can see why). The chapter titled Tick Tock is incredibly executed, counting down his special birth. That passage should be famous! (Maybe it already it is in India). Prior to reading that I was considering abandoning the book, but it’s a good thing I didn't, because there was another unforgettable chapter called In the Sandarbans. It's a downright disturbing, yet breathtaking adventure on the fringe of reality. Also, his dream of the widow is just plain mental- because of that I find myself thinking in greens and blacks now and then.
Salman is now one of my favorite writers. Midnight's Children was great, but I've also read The Satanic Verses and The Enchantress of Florence and thought they were both better. His books can really make you shake your head at humanity.
No comments:
Post a Comment