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maketeaa's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
the thing is, i think i'm always going to love the way tagore uses symbolism. it just itches a part of my brain like nothing else. and it's literally for that reason ONLY that i am giving this four stars, because otherwise it probably would've been much lower.
i think my main issue with this book is that it read less like a novel and more like an essay, or a speech, or a manifesto of sorts -- which does make sense, considering many of its lines were lifted from tagore's own existing lectures on nationalism. set during the swadeshi movement, the story follows the characters nikhil, bimala, and sandip through their journal entries, and their conflicting relationships to to the concept of indian nationalism. nikhil and sandip represent the opposing ideas -- the arrogant, fiery swadeshi activist sandip, and the peace-spreading nikhil, who despises the violence behind the protests. bimala is caught in between the two men. while aware of how purely her husband adores her and takes care of her, she is chagrined by his lack of fire, his incapacity to fight back, and is attracted to sandip's irresistible tenacity and leadership of his swadeshi followers. the story is evidently supposed to be a treatise against violent nationalism, framing it as a seductive, deceptive thing, seemingly liberated by its dismissal of morals while dragging those that are vulnerable under its own form of oppression. but i feel like, regarding the swadeshi movement and the fight for indian independence, this kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth. i think the analogy used in this story misses a lot of important factors that should be considered in the context of british rule in india before it can be considered a successful parable. this story was kind of a miss for me
but like, im bengali, we have a framed photo of tagore in our house, so still, four stars.
i think my main issue with this book is that it read less like a novel and more like an essay, or a speech, or a manifesto of sorts -- which does make sense, considering many of its lines were lifted from tagore's own existing lectures on nationalism. set during the swadeshi movement, the story follows the characters nikhil, bimala, and sandip through their journal entries, and their conflicting relationships to to the concept of indian nationalism. nikhil and sandip represent the opposing ideas -- the arrogant, fiery swadeshi activist sandip, and the peace-spreading nikhil, who despises the violence behind the protests. bimala is caught in between the two men. while aware of how purely her husband adores her and takes care of her, she is chagrined by his lack of fire, his incapacity to fight back, and is attracted to sandip's irresistible tenacity and leadership of his swadeshi followers. the story is evidently supposed to be a treatise against violent nationalism, framing it as a seductive, deceptive thing, seemingly liberated by its dismissal of morals while dragging those that are vulnerable under its own form of oppression. but i feel like, regarding the swadeshi movement and the fight for indian independence, this kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth. i think the analogy used in this story misses a lot of important factors that should be considered in the context of british rule in india before it can be considered a successful parable. this story was kind of a miss for me
but like, im bengali, we have a framed photo of tagore in our house, so still, four stars.
sarahgarlicnan's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Beautiful prose and a creative story with so many beautiful (and sad) layers of politics, betrayal, and de colonization
itskowkx's review
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
irreverentreader's review
2.0
I understand why this book is important, but in the end, it just wasn't for me.
The only two things I could really appreciate were the fact that the writer's poetic prose still came through in the translation, and the struggle that people in India during this time of Nationalism and upheaval felt. Other than that, it was completely flat for me.
It was the second time in two book that the synopsis on the back of the book was more entirely interesting than the story itself. It promised betrayal, awakening, passion, and fervor. But instead of reading like the novel that it proclaimed itself to be, it read more like a manifesto, a conscious continual stream of thought with little in the way of actual storytelling. While there was flowery language, it lacked a well-laid out narrative and character development. Good in concept, poor in execution.
I hated Sandip and, especially, Bimala throughout, and when you have two of three POV's you cannot stand, that leads to bad reading. I, personally, could not relate to either of them. I couldn't grasp how Bimala couldn't appreciate her wise, kind, forward-thinking, pacifist husband, how she instead gravitated towards the vulgar, self-absorbed Sandip. And then I also couldn't understand her very abrupt shift away from Sandip either. The human emotions in this story were not well-fleshed out to me, and that made it unbelievable and frustrating.
It was honestly very dull overall, and I'm not ashamed to say I was eagerly wishing the second-half of it away.
The only two things I could really appreciate were the fact that the writer's poetic prose still came through in the translation, and the struggle that people in India during this time of Nationalism and upheaval felt. Other than that, it was completely flat for me.
It was the second time in two book that the synopsis on the back of the book was more entirely interesting than the story itself. It promised betrayal, awakening, passion, and fervor. But instead of reading like the novel that it proclaimed itself to be, it read more like a manifesto, a conscious continual stream of thought with little in the way of actual storytelling. While there was flowery language, it lacked a well-laid out narrative and character development. Good in concept, poor in execution.
I hated Sandip and, especially, Bimala throughout, and when you have two of three POV's you cannot stand, that leads to bad reading. I, personally, could not relate to either of them. I couldn't grasp how Bimala couldn't appreciate her wise, kind, forward-thinking, pacifist husband, how she instead gravitated towards the vulgar, self-absorbed Sandip. And then I also couldn't understand her very abrupt shift away from Sandip either. The human emotions in this story were not well-fleshed out to me, and that made it unbelievable and frustrating.
It was honestly very dull overall, and I'm not ashamed to say I was eagerly wishing the second-half of it away.
saqib_292's review
4.0
The first word that comes to my mind in regard to this book is conflicting.
The whole novel and my response to it felt like a interminable conflict. Nikhil and Sandip's entire life ideologies conflict with one another. Bimala's conflicted about her feelings towards Nikhil and Sandip, in addition to her inner conflict and negotiation with femininity and sexuality. Presenting three perspectives in the same book brings with it conflicting accounts of events that transpire. In terms of my own conflict while reading this book, I couldn't decide whether it was feminist (through its giving Bimala a voice) or a misogynistic product of its time (the fact that Bimala is very much treated like an object, pushed and pulled by Nikhil and Sandip throughout the novel).
One thing is certain though; the book is beautifully written and translated. I'm so glad his nephew managed to keep the vividness and innate poetry of the Bengali language even in English. The metaphors are so luminous, instantly visible in my mind -- and so unique too! It feels so philosophical, and I suppose that's the point, what with the allegorical nature of Nikhil as "the Home", Sandip as "the World", and Birmala as "Bharat Mata/Mother India".
From my point of view, the book serves as a warning to maintain equilibrium between "the Home" and "the World", and all the notions and aesthetics (whether positive or negative) that accompany them. Considering the modern-day Indian political and societal landscapes, I think this particular gleaning needs to be heeded.
The whole novel and my response to it felt like a interminable conflict. Nikhil and Sandip's entire life ideologies conflict with one another. Bimala's conflicted about her feelings towards Nikhil and Sandip, in addition to her inner conflict and negotiation with femininity and sexuality. Presenting three perspectives in the same book brings with it conflicting accounts of events that transpire. In terms of my own conflict while reading this book, I couldn't decide whether it was feminist (through its giving Bimala a voice) or a misogynistic product of its time (the fact that Bimala is very much treated like an object, pushed and pulled by Nikhil and Sandip throughout the novel).
One thing is certain though; the book is beautifully written and translated. I'm so glad his nephew managed to keep the vividness and innate poetry of the Bengali language even in English. The metaphors are so luminous, instantly visible in my mind -- and so unique too! It feels so philosophical, and I suppose that's the point, what with the allegorical nature of Nikhil as "the Home", Sandip as "the World", and Birmala as "Bharat Mata/Mother India".
From my point of view, the book serves as a warning to maintain equilibrium between "the Home" and "the World", and all the notions and aesthetics (whether positive or negative) that accompany them. Considering the modern-day Indian political and societal landscapes, I think this particular gleaning needs to be heeded.
samripley1963's review
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
potterpav's review
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
felt bad giving this book 1.5 but i had a miserable time reading it and hated every character except nikhil who i just felt bad for. SAD! oh well there’s other books
awilderm23's review
3.0
2.75
man is so much bigger than what he loses in this life
love is a vagabond who can make his flowers bloom in the wayside dust better than in the crystal jars kept in the drawing room
and the angel of death hovered for a moment in the cool shadows of the office and flew out again through the window leaving a trail of feathers fluttering in his wake but the boy did not see them
everything is rippling and waving with the flood of august
i am your country i am your sandip i am more to you than anything else of yours. bande mataram an with folded hands i had responded you are my religion you are my heaven whatever else is mine will be swept away before my love for you bande mataram
If my heart is breaking—let it break! That will not make the world bankrupt—nor even me; for man is so much greater than the things he loses in this life. The very ocean of tears has its other shore, else none would have ever wept.
she should never have looked at me if she meant i should not love her
there are plenty, men you call such
i suppose she may discover
all her soul to if she pleases
and yet leave much as she found them
but i’m not so and she knew it
when she fixed me glancing round them - browning
man is so much bigger than what he loses in this life
love is a vagabond who can make his flowers bloom in the wayside dust better than in the crystal jars kept in the drawing room
and the angel of death hovered for a moment in the cool shadows of the office and flew out again through the window leaving a trail of feathers fluttering in his wake but the boy did not see them
everything is rippling and waving with the flood of august
i am your country i am your sandip i am more to you than anything else of yours. bande mataram an with folded hands i had responded you are my religion you are my heaven whatever else is mine will be swept away before my love for you bande mataram
If my heart is breaking—let it break! That will not make the world bankrupt—nor even me; for man is so much greater than the things he loses in this life. The very ocean of tears has its other shore, else none would have ever wept.
she should never have looked at me if she meant i should not love her
there are plenty, men you call such
i suppose she may discover
all her soul to if she pleases
and yet leave much as she found them
but i’m not so and she knew it
when she fixed me glancing round them - browning