Scan barcode
alexandre_rl's review against another edition
5.0
Il est difficile de s'imaginer la quantité de travail nécessaire à l'écriture d'un roman comme "Un garçon convenable". Il en impose non seulement par sa longueur (593 674 mots dans l'édition originale), mais aussi par la qualité de son écriture, délicate, raffinée, précise et poétique à la fois. Que Vikram Seth ait pu donner vie à près d'une centaine de personnages est en soi un tour de force, mais qu'ils soient tous aussi vivants, aussi authentiques et complexes relève du pur génie.
Depuis trois mois et demi, j'ai l'impression de voyager chaque jour dans l'Inde des années 50, de mieux comprendre ses traditions, la complexité de sa mosaïque sociale, les méandres de son système politique... "Un garçon convenable" est si riche, si foisonnant, si entier qu'on en sort transformé. On s'attache aux personnages comme à de bons amis qu'on ne veut jamais quitter. Même les plus détestables d'entre eux. Personne dans ce livre n'est banal ou inintéressant.
Il y a certainement ce que l'on pourrait appeler des longueurs; des pages et des pages de politique indienne post-séparation qui testeront la patience de bien des lecteurs. Mais au final ces quelques moments de relatif ennui n'ont aucun poids dans la balance. On quitte le roman de Vikram Seth avec la certitude d'avoir lu un chef-d'oeuvre intemporel.
Depuis trois mois et demi, j'ai l'impression de voyager chaque jour dans l'Inde des années 50, de mieux comprendre ses traditions, la complexité de sa mosaïque sociale, les méandres de son système politique... "Un garçon convenable" est si riche, si foisonnant, si entier qu'on en sort transformé. On s'attache aux personnages comme à de bons amis qu'on ne veut jamais quitter. Même les plus détestables d'entre eux. Personne dans ce livre n'est banal ou inintéressant.
Il y a certainement ce que l'on pourrait appeler des longueurs; des pages et des pages de politique indienne post-séparation qui testeront la patience de bien des lecteurs. Mais au final ces quelques moments de relatif ennui n'ont aucun poids dans la balance. On quitte le roman de Vikram Seth avec la certitude d'avoir lu un chef-d'oeuvre intemporel.
enbylievable's review
4.0
This was a really special and unique experience and I'm glad I read this, even if it took me a couple years to get over my intimidation at the 1400+ page count. I did get quite a bit burnt out from reading this -- if I could do it again, I'd have taken a couple breaks partway through to read something else and come back (but we're also watching the 6-episode TV series to supplement). What an amazing slow-burn of a love story, and sooo immersive too. I feel like I learned a lot about India and Hindu culture. I didn't get the resolution I wanted from the ending but I'm really happy I gave this book a shot
jess_mango's review
5.0
THIS. This is the book that made me fall in love with Indian literature. It is a massive tome but VERY much worth the read. Highly recommended!
amallard's review
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Kabir <3
Wow, I do not like how that rendered.
This was dense. There were pages in the law courts where my eyes filmed over. I didn't care much for what's-his-name the prodigal son.
But. But. As a woman with South Asian heritage raised in a White country - third generation, utterly divided from my history, ashamed of my ethnicity and hesitant to disclose it - this was the book that made me fall in love with myself. I was proud. I was fascinated. I could not be parted from these pages and I would read them in the gym. I realised in bittersweet surprise that this might be how White people felt all the time, when they read. These people felt like my people. This was the first book that gave my history humanity and feeling.
I do wish he'd made more of the love story. I wouldn't have minded an additional fifty pages of fluff. The missing 1/4 star is for that, and not the legal talk.
Wow, I do not like how that rendered.
This was dense. There were pages in the law courts where my eyes filmed over. I didn't care much for what's-his-name the prodigal son.
But. But. As a woman with South Asian heritage raised in a White country - third generation, utterly divided from my history, ashamed of my ethnicity and hesitant to disclose it - this was the book that made me fall in love with myself. I was proud. I was fascinated. I could not be parted from these pages and I would read them in the gym. I realised in bittersweet surprise that this might be how White people felt all the time, when they read. These people felt like my people. This was the first book that gave my history humanity and feeling.
I do wish he'd made more of the love story. I wouldn't have minded an additional fifty pages of fluff. The missing 1/4 star is for that, and not the legal talk.
paristexas's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
5.0
mmhj's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
If you read this book thinking it's a love story, you'll be disappointed because the book will keep getting in your way. The book is a realism (the book genre) exploration of what happened to Indians after their independence frrom UK. The independence happened in 1947, and this book is set in 1951/52. The book talks about everything from the politicians and laws, to changes between parent and children. Absolutely brilliant book, assuming you don't want a love story.
whimsyreader's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
all_piss_and_vinegar's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to explain why I loved this book so much - I just know it was 100% with the time commitment
lostgwennel's review
Though I loved some of the characters, the cultural authenticity, historical setting, style, and romance, after 500 pages the story felt stagnant and like nothing was really progressing - it wasn’t holding my interest enough to justify another 1000 pages.
mcgovnhm's review
4.0
This book… was well written. I will say that. The characters had a lot of weight behind them, and were woven together well. But that ending….I was just not a fan. And it took a very long time to get to that ending which I was not a fan of. Maybe that’s realistic, or a great metaphor for the way that real life happens. But for me, I was disappointed in the choices of the main characters. There was nothing inherently WRONG with the ending I suppose, it just wasn’t at all what I had hoped would happen. The whole of reading this novel was enjoyable, but I think the destination is almost as important as the journey when it comes to novels, particularly novels of this size.