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100onbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the two main characters. They were so charged, both of them, and they made for memorable characters from a certain time in India.
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kirstyjuliette's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
mr4du1's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: This book bites the unsuspecting reader
This book is awesome. Not as a drama or tragedy or even as an outright comedy. This book is the one of the most subtle books I have ever read, in the way it evokes emotions. In the initial part of the book, I identified with the lead character and his rationale and later I was sucked into his emotional state and as the plot approached climax I was as dumbfounded, vexed and perplexed as the lead character himself and I finished the book with an impulsive reaction of throwing it away. It was only later I realized that the lead character too had a similar reaction in the end. This is how awesome this subtle book is.
The style
- RK writes in the most Indian style possible: with simplistic sentence structures juxtaposed with
heavy words here and there that would cause most native speakers to feign. Reading this book made me feel like listening to a narration by some paternal figure.
The Plot
This books tell the story of a rational boy whose rationality aligns with the reader int the starting and the story keeps rolling and then, with a few turn of events the character is cajoled amidst impossible circumstance, unable to make any sense of how did those happen much like the reader. The phrase "painter of signs" will mildly irritate you forever after reading this book. And obviously the book would be more relatable to Indians than to others.
It was claimed on some corner of goodreads that his simplistic narration lacks punch for the matter written. Well, that is not entirely true. The book is written in a light-hearted manner and not a tragedy or a drama. There were ample spots where the writing evokes laughter. Similarly, the book will irritate you when it wishes to do so. You might not think so, but RK is always in control and he will get the intended response out of the reader without the reader noticing.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a tragedy or drama look for another book. Though, if you are looking for a light-hearted, mildly-funny, Indian fiction short read, I couldn't recommend it enough.
This book is awesome. Not as a drama or tragedy or even as an outright comedy. This book is the one of the most subtle books I have ever read, in the way it evokes emotions. In the initial part of the book, I identified with the lead character and his rationale and later I was sucked into his emotional state and as the plot approached climax I was as dumbfounded, vexed and perplexed as the lead character himself and I finished the book with an impulsive reaction of throwing it away. It was only later I realized that the lead character too had a similar reaction in the end. This is how awesome this subtle book is.
The style
- RK writes in the most Indian style possible: with simplistic sentence structures juxtaposed with
heavy words here and there that would cause most native speakers to feign. Reading this book made me feel like listening to a narration by some paternal figure.
The Plot
This books tell the story of a rational boy whose rationality aligns with the reader int the starting and the story keeps rolling and then, with a few turn of events the character is cajoled amidst impossible circumstance, unable to make any sense of how did those happen much like the reader. The phrase "painter of signs" will mildly irritate you forever after reading this book. And obviously the book would be more relatable to Indians than to others.
It was claimed on some corner of goodreads that his simplistic narration lacks punch for the matter written. Well, that is not entirely true. The book is written in a light-hearted manner and not a tragedy or a drama. There were ample spots where the writing evokes laughter. Similarly, the book will irritate you when it wishes to do so. You might not think so, but RK is always in control and he will get the intended response out of the reader without the reader noticing.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a tragedy or drama look for another book. Though, if you are looking for a light-hearted, mildly-funny, Indian fiction short read, I couldn't recommend it enough.
shreyathakur's review against another edition
emotional
medium-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
4.0
I love daisy so much
nickc777's review against another edition
emotional
funny
slow-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
2.75
medha66's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not sure how to feel about this book. It was difficult to read because of its disturbing portrayal of the extremely misogynistic main character. But this was also effectively countered by the female character's ruthlessness and independence. The author never overtly passes any judgement but I suppose the moral ambiguity is what makes the book interesting (but also painful). He paints an unbiased picture of Indian society in the 1970s and allows us to glimpse into the lives of two complex characters. As we observe the clash between their opposing ideologies, and the eventual outcome, he leaves the task of interpreting the message of the story to us. Although it takes some effort to read this book without judgement, it can be quite thought provoking.
waterbended's review
- Loveable characters? No
1.5
fine, maybe i'm harsh on it because my school thought it would be a good book to get 13 year olds interested in literature. needless to say it did not work. i'll admit i haven't read it since (but that's also why i gave it an extra .5 stars, as a little compromise).
what i do remember is texting my friends furiously about how much i hated raman every lit class, though. i don't think i liked daisy much more. the book was a chore.
what i do remember is texting my friends furiously about how much i hated raman every lit class, though. i don't think i liked daisy much more. the book was a chore.
laurielorry's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mahimabh's review against another edition
1.0
R.K. Narayan is a good writer, I admit. I quite liked his Swami and Friends. But here's the thing. What he writes, though in beautiful words, is very simplistic. In the case of Swami and Friends that was fine because simplistic writing worked with its subject matter. But this book - its idea and concept was superb, so much so that it could've been a brilliant book had the idea been executed properly - but, really, this book required much more depth. As simplistic as it was, the idea behind it completely lost ground. It really lacked substance.
More than that, as far as the characters are concerned, Raman is a dick. That's all. He's a big stupid jerk. He's obsessed with somehow making Daisy dependent on him. Daisy is definitely an empowered woman and that's something the jerk cannot handle. He wants to be a modern man and wants the world around him to change its ways but he himself, especially when it comes to women, is not. He's deeply misogynistic. Also while Daisy is an empowered woman to us she is not exactly presented in a positive light as it is through Raman's eyes that we see her.
The only thing I liked about the book was that Daisy, resolute in what she wanted and completely sure of herself, didn't stay with Raman. But that's not nearly enough to make this a good book. Besides, it didn't feel like this book was presenting a critique of the condition of Indian women even though that might have been the author's intention. I don't know if (and how) people see it as a critique; I just couldn't.
So, yes, I really did not like this book. I'll find it hard to pick up R.K. Narayan again, but maybe he's at his best when the characters are kids? I don't know, and I'm not sure I'm willing to find out.
More than that, as far as the characters are concerned, Raman is a dick. That's all. He's a big stupid jerk. He's obsessed with somehow making Daisy dependent on him. Daisy is definitely an empowered woman and that's something the jerk cannot handle. He wants to be a modern man and wants the world around him to change its ways but he himself, especially when it comes to women, is not. He's deeply misogynistic. Also while Daisy is an empowered woman to us she is not exactly presented in a positive light as it is through Raman's eyes that we see her.
The only thing I liked about the book was that Daisy, resolute in what she wanted and completely sure of herself, didn't stay with Raman. But that's not nearly enough to make this a good book. Besides, it didn't feel like this book was presenting a critique of the condition of Indian women even though that might have been the author's intention. I don't know if (and how) people see it as a critique; I just couldn't.
So, yes, I really did not like this book. I'll find it hard to pick up R.K. Narayan again, but maybe he's at his best when the characters are kids? I don't know, and I'm not sure I'm willing to find out.