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sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
3.0
R.K. Narayan is one of India’s most celebrated author - probably most beloved in India, of all Indians writers writing in English. More than Salman Rushdie or Arundhati Roy. And rightly so. I don't think any other writer has written this much variety - novels, children books, short stories and scriptural retellings.
The book is written in typical Narayan style – simple, lightly humored and well paced. The book draws you a picture of India in its true color – in vivid details. For a person not familiar with rural India landscape, Narayan is the man to go to. On the other, the same thing may distract someone who is too familiar with rural India. The writer doesn't use strong language to derive the message like many of India’s best authors do – you are not left by saddened by the book; instead book comes with a really light satire.
Although, book is as good for a casual reader but you have got to be able to read between the lines to understand its true literary greatness. The narrative comes around the tragedy of Raju - who despite having been opportunist all his life – more of a villain than a hero end up finding himself having to and playing the role of a spiritual guide. He is able to live through many a falls without remorse - including his jail term. The only time he feels sad is, in fact, in the end - when no one is accusing him of anything.
If anything book may seem to be a bit tasteless for a casual reader. For its music is not to be heard but felt. In that case, the movie Guide (1965) may be enjoyed.
The book is written in typical Narayan style – simple, lightly humored and well paced. The book draws you a picture of India in its true color – in vivid details. For a person not familiar with rural India landscape, Narayan is the man to go to. On the other, the same thing may distract someone who is too familiar with rural India. The writer doesn't use strong language to derive the message like many of India’s best authors do – you are not left by saddened by the book; instead book comes with a really light satire.
Although, book is as good for a casual reader but you have got to be able to read between the lines to understand its true literary greatness. The narrative comes around the tragedy of Raju - who despite having been opportunist all his life – more of a villain than a hero end up finding himself having to and playing the role of a spiritual guide. He is able to live through many a falls without remorse - including his jail term. The only time he feels sad is, in fact, in the end - when no one is accusing him of anything.
If anything book may seem to be a bit tasteless for a casual reader. For its music is not to be heard but felt. In that case, the movie Guide (1965) may be enjoyed.
aaditya_jain482's review against another edition
4.0
The Guide is a great clasic with its protagonists Raju a man blessed with the ability of captivating, mesmerising, manipulating people with his eloquence and the ability of deduction that leaves them spellbound and leads them to develop a great deal of faith in him.
His particular set of skills lead him to a successful career as a tour guide in the renowned fictional town of Malgudi created by R. K. Narayan, Raju becomes a well-reputed tour guide as his clients spread the word of his excellence, despite this life had someother plans for him.
Raju's life takes sever unanticipated turns sometimes leaving him on the cusps of total collapse of the life as he knows it but he somehow manages to redeem himself most of the time. From a tour guide falling in love with a married women to landing in jail and starting life once again only to be mistaken as a holly-man difficulties keeps on rolling in.
The story constantly shifts from third person narrative of current scenario to Raju's narration of his life from the beginning to a disciple and concludes with an ambiguous ending, it's writen in a sense of timelessness and agelessness with the only exception of the slight mentions of famous people and technology of that time.
Overall an enjoyable reading experience.
His particular set of skills lead him to a successful career as a tour guide in the renowned fictional town of Malgudi created by R. K. Narayan, Raju becomes a well-reputed tour guide as his clients spread the word of his excellence, despite this life had someother plans for him.
Raju's life takes sever unanticipated turns sometimes leaving him on the cusps of total collapse of the life as he knows it but he somehow manages to redeem himself most of the time. From a tour guide falling in love with a married women to landing in jail and starting life once again only to be mistaken as a holly-man difficulties keeps on rolling in.
The story constantly shifts from third person narrative of current scenario to Raju's narration of his life from the beginning to a disciple and concludes with an ambiguous ending, it's writen in a sense of timelessness and agelessness with the only exception of the slight mentions of famous people and technology of that time.
Overall an enjoyable reading experience.
sushree's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sindri_inn_arsaeli's review against another edition
3.0
As the story of a man who thrives by fitting himself to the expectations of those around him, this was an interesting short novel (just under 200 pages) about the complexities of ethics and truth. To the right reader it will go well recommended, if not highly. But I did find Raju to be a tough character to sympathize with, especially after he changed Rosie into Nalini and took charge of her affairs. Honestly, Rosie didn't deserve either of the men she got stuck with, but her husband at the very least seemed to like her and treat her as an adult, even if he refused to support her passion, while Raju treated her as a tool. I almost said like a child, but that's not a good description. He certainly gave her no agency of her own, but it was not that he believed she was incapable, it was that he needed her to depend on him, and so he directly fostered her detachment from self sufficiency.
Now that I have put that into words, it actually forms a nice parallel to the position he fills for Velan and his village. So I've come back to, structurally, the book is masterfully composed, and worth the read. Just be prepared that you may despise the main character at several points especially through the middle!
Now that I have put that into words, it actually forms a nice parallel to the position he fills for Velan and his village. So I've come back to, structurally, the book is masterfully composed, and worth the read. Just be prepared that you may despise the main character at several points especially through the middle!
jaivardhan04's review against another edition
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
michael5000's review against another edition
3.0
The critical introduction describes Narayan as "easy to read, hard to understand," and I think there's something to that. The novel has the kind of placeless, low-context setting that you associate with parables in fables; it might nearly as well be in Indiana as India. I don't doubt that this was an intentional effect, but on the other hand I'm not sure it's necessarily an achievement to celebrate. I thought that the elasticity of time through the story -- sometimes it's moving very slowly, and sometime months and years are going by with no change of tone -- was interesting. As a comic novel, it is both wry and dry; not a laugh riot by any means.
atireads's review against another edition
not gonna rate because it was for a class. XD
adrianlarose's review against another edition
4.0
A lovely fabilistic story of one (very selfish) man's life. Very focused on a central narrator and a few supporting characters. Is he reliable?