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prakruthi's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kdominey's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
samdalefox's review
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Ok ok I've said it a few times now, I'm tired of reading classics from the middle class perspective. I've drawn the line in the sand for British writers, American writers, Nigerian writers, and Russian writers, however I haven't read any Indian classics so despite me feeling exasperated at that aspect I made an exception for 'Clear Light of Day'. It's one of those stories that doesn't really have a plot, it's a character study. Only in this story, it's a character study of four siblings and their relationship to their wider family, friends, and neighbours. Despite focussing on the four siblings (Raja, Bimla, Tara, and Baba), the narrative is told in third person only from three perspectives; the two daughters Bimla, Tara, and their Aunt Mira. Published in 1980, but set in the lifetimes of those who lived through the 1947 India Partition in Old Dehli, I suspect focusing the voices of the women of the household was a concious and bold choice. I certainly recognised and appreciated the feminist aspects highlighting everyday sexism and misogyny and the highly gendered culture of acceptable dos and don'ts and especially the care taking roles and invisible labour. I identified with many of their struggles, though most accutely with Bim, the eldest daughter. I believe more India-specific references were made to patriarchy, caste, colourism, and perhaps even commentary on Hindu far right-nationalism, but I'm not familiar enough with India culture and politics to know for sure. I did see, though did not fully understand the significance of, references to the impact of the British Empire and the historic relationship between Hindus and Muslims through the various poetry references e.g., T.S. Eliot and Iqbal respectively.
The story moves between present day and the past, and steadily builds a picture of each of the characters. Although nothing really happens and the story gently ebbs and flows, there a definitely moments more poignant or startling than others. I didn't feel bored reading it, but I didn't feel convinced by 'the clear light of day' revelation at the end either. This is a story about imperfect familial love, of feeling stuck and trapped, about how people respond and develop to challenges, and the ending felt a little too neat.
Favourite quotes:
The story moves between present day and the past, and steadily builds a picture of each of the characters. Although nothing really happens and the story gently ebbs and flows, there a definitely moments more poignant or startling than others. I didn't feel bored reading it, but I didn't feel convinced by 'the clear light of day' revelation at the end either. This is a story about imperfect familial love, of feeling stuck and trapped, about how people respond and develop to challenges, and the ending felt a little too neat.
Favourite quotes:
"They pranced around in their trousers, feeling grotesquely changed by them, not only in their appearance, but in their movements, their abilities. Great possibilities unexpectedly opened up now thye had their legs covered so sensibly and practically and no longer needed to worry about what lay bare beneath ballooning frocks and what was so imperfectly concealed by them. Why did girls have to wear frocks? Suddenly they saw why they were so different to their brother, so inferior and negligible in comparison: it was because they did not wear trousers. Now they thrust their hands into their pockets and felt even more suprior - what a sense of possession, of confidence it gave one to have pockets, to shove one's fists into them, as if by simply owning pockets one owned riches, owned independence."
"Isn't strange how life won't flow, like a river, but moves in jumps, as if it were held back by locks that are opened now and then to let it jump forwards in a kind of flood? There are these long still stretches - nothing happens - each day is exactly like the other - plodding, uneventful - and then suddenly there is a crash - mighty deeds take place - momentous events - even if one doesn't know it at the time - then life subsides."
Content Warnings
Minor: Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Violence, Classism, Chronic illness, Animal death, Misogyny, Car accident, Colonisation, and Death of parent
child neglect, India Partitionraulbime's review
4.0
A wonderful book set in 20th century India, about family, loss, grief and realisation. Raised by a doting poor aunt and neglected by their parents, Bimla, Tara, Raja and Baba grow up in the backdrop of political conflict, their lives filled with poetry and play. As they grow older and as life drifts them apart, their house in Old Delhi becomes a monument of times past as the main characters Tara and Bimla struggle to bridge past and present while confronting their failures and disappointments. Although a slow read, especially the first half of the story, it is filled with so many beautiful passages that I loved.
adrikav's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
esqzme's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book for many reasons, but mostly for Desai's remarkable story-telling ability. Its a beautifully written tale about imperfect love within families and how forgiveness can stamp out even the brightest burning fires of resentment.
slrsmith's review
3.0
A beautifully written book, crammed full of layers of meaning. If I had been reading this for a highschool book report I would have gone way over the required word-count with all the opportunities for analyzing word choices and symbolism and so forth. Unfortunately, the characters didn't grip me so I cannot award more than three stars.
Basically, this book is about two adult sisters going through an internal process of understanding their childhood in a house in Old Delhi. That is the backdrop on which all the glorious writing hangs.
Basically, this book is about two adult sisters going through an internal process of understanding their childhood in a house in Old Delhi. That is the backdrop on which all the glorious writing hangs.
jgwc54e5's review against another edition
4.0
A beautifully written story about family, resentments between brothers and sisters that have festered over many years. The main character Bim has found herself still in the family home in Old Delhi as the carer for her younger brother Baba. Much of her life she has found herself in caring roles. In the second part which is set in 1947 she nurses older brother Raja when he had TB and also their Aunt Mira who pretty much brought them up (their parents are distant although living in the house!) now after a hard life succumbing to alcoholism. Bim and Raja after being close are estranged and the ending of the novel is a little unsatisfying as there is no resolution in their relationship. An enjoyable read.
gyeranbbang's review against another edition
3.0
*3.5
Clear Light of Day it's a beautifully written story about a family impacted by political turmoils and civil wars, but it's also - and most importantly - about taking care of one another, mental health, forgiveness, love, and loyalty. I feel this book is perfect for those who like writing over plot (I cannot stress this enough, the writing is just gorgeous). Nothing that happens is obvious nor thrilling, rather, it's the type of book that you look back at the first pages and see how far the characters have gone.
Clear Light of Day it's a beautifully written story about a family impacted by political turmoils and civil wars, but it's also - and most importantly - about taking care of one another, mental health, forgiveness, love, and loyalty. I feel this book is perfect for those who like writing over plot (I cannot stress this enough, the writing is just gorgeous). Nothing that happens is obvious nor thrilling, rather, it's the type of book that you look back at the first pages and see how far the characters have gone.
thefauxwriter's review
4.0
This year I vowed to add more books by Indian authors on my list and hence picked up the novel by Anita Desai. When it comes to Literary Fiction it is an unprecedented acceptance that the plot is secondary to the writing and Clear Light of the Day (CLD) is no different.
At the crux the novel is a story of the Das family woven around the lives of the four Das children told in a time-independent format all through their childhood, youth and adulthood. Although the book is based in India, Old Delhi to be exact, I fear I wasn't able to relate much with the experiences that the characters go through. I am so used to reading foreign authors that it didn't faze me, but I was again reminded how culturally and historically diverse India is.
The novel is divided into four parts, not chronologically. Desai uses time as a story-telling technique in such a fluid way that you never get confused or hung up on something that was shared in the past or the future. Stream of Consciousness is a predominant technique used. I was impressed especially by how time is almost a character in the third part of the novel. The event line up one after the other as though beckoned from the Das sister's memories and paint a fragmented picture of their neglected childhood, giving you a glimpse of what makes the bedrock of their psyche.
It is clear that the novel is balanced on the relationship between Bim and Tara, the two sisters of the family. Bim, the independent, outspoken women pitched constantly against the relatively weak, dependent and feminine Tara, to show us a contrast not only in their character but in the coping of their shared childhood traumas. I could write an essay on the complexity of Bim/Tara relationship that is psychologically deep, heavy in context and unfolds in an unpredictable manner. They do follow a conventional stereotypical journey but break free from the confines of their character traits often to lend a dramatic pause or push in the narrative. As an elder sister myself, I could see my relationship with my sister reflected often and could also see a foreshadowing of how we might end up that both scared and calmed me.
I had very few qualms with the novel, it was clearly written by a well-versed writer who has mastered the art of weaving a story around individual experiences, opinions and biases.
In the third part of the novel, where we go furthest back in the Das family's history, I felt that since time and experiences were given so much importance, dialogue and discourse were the obvious victims of neglect and I struggled to read through it since no event or consequence waited for me at the other end. It felt like traversing a long rode with no destination in mind adorned by very mundane scenery along the way. Or I could also propose an alternative and say that since this part of the story was so rich in subtext and so different from the rest of the novel, it took some time for my mind to adjust to the new lens that the author wants you to don while reading this. I will take either of the explanation because I did cherish reading it no matter the struggle.
The novel is filled with imagery. Every description of the weather, the Das house, the surroundings, the places they visit has a direct shadow impact on what is currently happening in the story. There are repeating phrases throughout each part that adds value to it. The writing being so simple yet so filled with nuances, that you could miss if you blink, surprised me.
Coming from Rushdie's magical realism in The Midnight Children, CLD seems almost an uneventful story in its plot made heavy and explorative by its beautiful writing.
At the crux the novel is a story of the Das family woven around the lives of the four Das children told in a time-independent format all through their childhood, youth and adulthood. Although the book is based in India, Old Delhi to be exact, I fear I wasn't able to relate much with the experiences that the characters go through. I am so used to reading foreign authors that it didn't faze me, but I was again reminded how culturally and historically diverse India is.
The novel is divided into four parts, not chronologically. Desai uses time as a story-telling technique in such a fluid way that you never get confused or hung up on something that was shared in the past or the future. Stream of Consciousness is a predominant technique used. I was impressed especially by how time is almost a character in the third part of the novel. The event line up one after the other as though beckoned from the Das sister's memories and paint a fragmented picture of their neglected childhood, giving you a glimpse of what makes the bedrock of their psyche.
It is clear that the novel is balanced on the relationship between Bim and Tara, the two sisters of the family. Bim, the independent, outspoken women pitched constantly against the relatively weak, dependent and feminine Tara, to show us a contrast not only in their character but in the coping of their shared childhood traumas. I could write an essay on the complexity of Bim/Tara relationship that is psychologically deep, heavy in context and unfolds in an unpredictable manner. They do follow a conventional stereotypical journey but break free from the confines of their character traits often to lend a dramatic pause or push in the narrative. As an elder sister myself, I could see my relationship with my sister reflected often and could also see a foreshadowing of how we might end up that both scared and calmed me.
I had very few qualms with the novel, it was clearly written by a well-versed writer who has mastered the art of weaving a story around individual experiences, opinions and biases.
In the third part of the novel, where we go furthest back in the Das family's history, I felt that since time and experiences were given so much importance, dialogue and discourse were the obvious victims of neglect and I struggled to read through it since no event or consequence waited for me at the other end. It felt like traversing a long rode with no destination in mind adorned by very mundane scenery along the way. Or I could also propose an alternative and say that since this part of the story was so rich in subtext and so different from the rest of the novel, it took some time for my mind to adjust to the new lens that the author wants you to don while reading this. I will take either of the explanation because I did cherish reading it no matter the struggle.
The novel is filled with imagery. Every description of the weather, the Das house, the surroundings, the places they visit has a direct shadow impact on what is currently happening in the story. There are repeating phrases throughout each part that adds value to it. The writing being so simple yet so filled with nuances, that you could miss if you blink, surprised me.
Coming from Rushdie's magical realism in The Midnight Children, CLD seems almost an uneventful story in its plot made heavy and explorative by its beautiful writing.