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Vikram Seth: A Suitable Boy
- Thread starter Darren
- Start date
Litany
Active Member
It's very fat indeed. I've got it waiting to be read, so I'll join in in a week or so. Got to finish the one I'm on first, and I'm going away tomorrow so I won't get much reading done. But I shall certainly join in before the month is out. Whether I manage to finish before the month is out is another matter entirely.
Richard Rahl
New Member
kool! my first book for the forums!!!!!! ... but before i tell my mom to buy it, i dont want her saying that its some incredibly adult book or something. what's it about basically? i can handle length, complications, and violence, and scenes similar to those in angels and demons and the soT series- but id want to avoi those being to graphic in fear of the mbarrasing conversation that would explain that i didn't know that was in the book! 
magemanda said:
I struggled rather early on and decided to call it a day with this one. I know this may be an unpopular opinion but I found it heavy going and rather unnecessarily long. I am sure alot of you will disagree (most of my friends do) but it would be boring if we all liked the same.
Litany
Active Member
I'm only about 160 pages in, and I haven't hit any of the political bits I've been warned about,but so far I'm finding it quite an enjoyable and easy read. It's not the best book in the world yet, and I can only assume that the comment on the cover 'It will keep you company for the rest of life' refers to the fact that it'll be incredible if I finish it before I die, but I've hardly made a dent in it yet, so there is hope that it will grow on me. I do like Lata though. All the little poems and songs annoy me, but poems and songs in novels always do, so I'm just skipping them.
Litany
Active Member
I finally finished! And I'm left with two questions. Firstly, why was it so bloody long? And second, was I the only person to bother?
It was an easy read at least, though all the political arguments and the court case were very dull indeed. I just don't see that it really needed to be so very long. And I'm of the opinion she made the wrong decision anyway. She shouldn't have married any of them. She should have run away to join the circus, or failing that stuck with her original decision to become a nun.
I think the main reason the book was proclaimed as great was so that people could be terribly smug about having read it. If it was half the length it would be twice as good.
It was an easy read at least, though all the political arguments and the court case were very dull indeed. I just don't see that it really needed to be so very long. And I'm of the opinion she made the wrong decision anyway. She shouldn't have married any of them. She should have run away to join the circus, or failing that stuck with her original decision to become a nun.
I think the main reason the book was proclaimed as great was so that people could be terribly smug about having read it. If it was half the length it would be twice as good.
But now I'm not going to bother, cheers Litany
Litany
Active Member
I kept thinking that all the politics was going to turn out to be really important for some big twist near the end. But it really was completely irrelevant to the story. I appreciate that he wanted to set it against a political backdrop of the time, but was it necessary to have so many arguments?
And the number of religious riots made me awfully glad to be living in a secular country. They were bonkers. They'd kill you over anything. 'No! You must not eat a custard cream by biting off the top biscuit first. I will kill you infidel!'
And what exactly are co-respondant shoes? Was I snoozing through the explanation of that? The book needs a glossary.
And the number of religious riots made me awfully glad to be living in a secular country. They were bonkers. They'd kill you over anything. 'No! You must not eat a custard cream by biting off the top biscuit first. I will kill you infidel!'
And what exactly are co-respondant shoes? Was I snoozing through the explanation of that? The book needs a glossary.
The co-respondent shoes foiled me too.
I must admit, I kept waiting for the heroine (memory lapse on her name) to say she'd refuse to marry anyone and live happily ever after on her own. Or that she'd marry for love or something. I didn't like that she was dutiful etc, but I expect that was part of the point of getting across the culture.
I must admit, I kept waiting for the heroine (memory lapse on her name) to say she'd refuse to marry anyone and live happily ever after on her own. Or that she'd marry for love or something. I didn't like that she was dutiful etc, but I expect that was part of the point of getting across the culture.
Litany
Active Member
I thought she was going to stay single too. I thought she was going to take her inspiration from that Ila Chatopadhyay (or however you spell it). I can understand that she didn't marry for love, it wouldn't have worked out with Kabir. But Haresh was awful. I wouldn't marry any man whose main priority was that I got along with his ex. Amit wasn't perfect, but he was the best out of the three on offer.
I thought the whole point of the storyline with Maan was that he would eventually settle down and get together with Lata. But I was obviously very wrong indeed on that score.
It's like all the different storylines kept hinting that they would eventually converge into this great overlapping ending, but then never did. And then I was just left wondering what was the point of serveral parts of it. Like why bother having Maan spend all that time in the village so he could make friends with Rasheed if Rasheed was just going to disappear off and die? And what was the point in the zamindari legislation without the story including any real conclusion to it?
It was an ok book, it's just that it kept hinting at being something more. All the while I was reading it I was getting these suggestions that it was building up to something really impressive. But it never did. With some careful editing it could easily be pared down to a Jane Austen style novel, along the lines of Mansfield Park or Sense and Sensibility, where people end up getting married for practical reasons, rather than love.
I thought the whole point of the storyline with Maan was that he would eventually settle down and get together with Lata. But I was obviously very wrong indeed on that score.
It's like all the different storylines kept hinting that they would eventually converge into this great overlapping ending, but then never did. And then I was just left wondering what was the point of serveral parts of it. Like why bother having Maan spend all that time in the village so he could make friends with Rasheed if Rasheed was just going to disappear off and die? And what was the point in the zamindari legislation without the story including any real conclusion to it?
It was an ok book, it's just that it kept hinting at being something more. All the while I was reading it I was getting these suggestions that it was building up to something really impressive. But it never did. With some careful editing it could easily be pared down to a Jane Austen style novel, along the lines of Mansfield Park or Sense and Sensibility, where people end up getting married for practical reasons, rather than love.
novella
Active Member
Having read this thread I gather that two people read the book and the discussion is basically petering out. Correct me if I'm mistaken please.
Litany and magemanda, are you planning to agree on another book for August? Just wondering, as you seem to be ready or perhaps already reading something else.
I know there is a discussion thread about whether to choose a book for August, but on that it was suggested that A Suitable Boy might need more time. What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Novella
Litany and magemanda, are you planning to agree on another book for August? Just wondering, as you seem to be ready or perhaps already reading something else.
I know there is a discussion thread about whether to choose a book for August, but on that it was suggested that A Suitable Boy might need more time. What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Novella
Litany
Active Member
Well I finished reading it on Thursday I think, and I'm already on my third book since then. So I think that counts as being ready for another book. I don't know if I'll be joining with next month's read. I already had A Suitable Boy on my pile, and was just plucking up the courage to read it. So when it came up as book of the month I figured the time had come.
I don't know if anybody else is reading it, there hasn't been much activity in the thread. And I don't know how quickly other people read. I think it took me about two and a half weeks. It would be useful to know if anyone else is actually reading it. Otherwise it would be a bit silly to give an additional month for it not to be read in. But then, August is already here, so you'd need to decide what to read pretty sharpish.
I don't know if I'll be joining with next month's read. I already had A Suitable Boy on my pile, and was just plucking up the courage to read it. So when it came up as book of the month I figured the time had come.I don't know if anybody else is reading it, there hasn't been much activity in the thread. And I don't know how quickly other people read. I think it took me about two and a half weeks. It would be useful to know if anyone else is actually reading it. Otherwise it would be a bit silly to give an additional month for it not to be read in. But then, August is already here, so you'd need to decide what to read pretty sharpish.
I didn't read it for August - I read it a while ago. And I've so far read two books in August (bearing in mind it's only the second day!)
I reckon that if other people were reading it, they'd have mentioned it at least. Probably worth moving onto another book. This one is pretty daunting in size and slow going.
I reckon that if other people were reading it, they'd have mentioned it at least. Probably worth moving onto another book. This one is pretty daunting in size and slow going.
Suitable Boy by Vickram Seth
How can one begin to describe a novel as vast almost as India itself? At nearly 1500 pages it enormous sweep attempts to take in the whole Indian subcontinent experience and in my view succeeds. A fantastic vivid picture is painted in the pages of people, food, religion, culture, music, caste, war, politics; taking in arranged marriages, Law courts, local elections, university life and India's industrial shoe making industry from the highest to the lowest level!. Superbly gripping entertainment but wondrously interesting as well the shattering intricate detail from a lowly peasant ploughing to the Chief Minister of the state mean that no part of the picture is left un explained by Seth. Flowers, plants and animals in a garden are explained beautifully as are meals, clothes and huge magnificent street scenes. I don't think Seth left a literal Indian stone unturned when writing this massive book and that is the real beauty of this book - I read it on holiday and it took the full two weeks yet I was sad that it had to end. I did wonder at the lack of a literary prize for this book though it did pick up the obscure Commonwealth writers prize, this was really ideal Booker prize materiel ( Roddy Doyle won that year with Paddy Clarke Ha ha ha ). The huge size of the work may have seemed off putting to the judges but it really did deserve recognition.
The main theme running though the work like the Ganges running through India is the search for a "Suitable Boy" or a really a suitable Hindu boy for a young upper class Indian Hindu woman from a good background. The girls mother uses the huge extended family to try an make a suitable match but the girl herself meets and begins to fall for a Muslim boy of good character. But mixed marriages in post partition 1950 India are out of the question. The extended families of the Mehras, Khans, Kapoors and Chatterjis with their children and uncles and friends and servants build into a huge and complex though surprisingly easy to follow story of love, betrayal and everyday life in 50's India after the British have left. There is a family tree at the beginning of the book that helps in the first chapters but once one is used to the different characters it just flows easily and I didn't need to refer to it again. The minute detail that goes into even the most basic part of each chapter is a joy to read - how much to pay a Ganges Boatman for instance after haggling or what native birds come to the extensive gardens of the characters houses after monsoon rains. The Indian back street shoe industry is part of the story and the awful toil of the poor low caste peasants who make the shoes then have to try and sell them to dealers so they and their families can eat is covered in vast and emotive detail. The toil of landless peasants under Zamindari Landlords (Muslim landowners who, for generations have owned the land and the peasants that work it) in the broiling Indian sun, the backbreaking labours vivid in detail make uncomfortable reading (especially if one is reading it whilst sitting in a 100 degree sun oneself!). The twists and turns of local and national politics as the political characters in the story attempt to force through a bill to reclaim land from the landowners to supposedly re distribute it to the peasants is played out in parliaments and in the Indian High court - the high court scenes are particularly interesting and gripping. University life with its internal politics of whether to teach Joyce or not are covered as is how to make a pair of leather brogue shoes!. The religious festivals involving biblical numbers of people bathing in the holy river Ganges and Shia Muslim festivals are featured but are explained too, you get a real understanding of Hindu and Muslim rites.
This detail serves to keep the reader fully enthralled with the characters and their lives; I can only think the thing that would make this better is to read it in India itself. To be fair a little knowledge of India's history makes this book a feast, before writing this I tested the theory with a small internet search and found simple sites with a chronological breakdown of modern post - war Indian history. I already had a fair knowledge so had no problems, the foods, clothes, street life etc has been well written about by authors such as Paul Scott, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and of course Salman Rushdie. That said the very explanations give the novel accessibility and ease of reading I have not found before, the smooth dialogue flowing easily not getting bogged down with metaphor. The simplicity of the plot coupled with the vastness of the background detail make for such a reading pleasure that I cannot think of a better book for a holiday read - it size alone means you may not need to take several books on holiday!.
This book has given me two weeks of unexpected pleasure, I had heard mixed reviews but I have found the book to be outstanding in every way possible - I didn't want it to end. Its sheer size may put some off but they should not be, it is never slow and thrills the reader with something new in every one of its many short chapters. A Suitable Boy is going into my all time top ten books and I thoroughly recommend it to all readers young or old.
How can one begin to describe a novel as vast almost as India itself? At nearly 1500 pages it enormous sweep attempts to take in the whole Indian subcontinent experience and in my view succeeds. A fantastic vivid picture is painted in the pages of people, food, religion, culture, music, caste, war, politics; taking in arranged marriages, Law courts, local elections, university life and India's industrial shoe making industry from the highest to the lowest level!. Superbly gripping entertainment but wondrously interesting as well the shattering intricate detail from a lowly peasant ploughing to the Chief Minister of the state mean that no part of the picture is left un explained by Seth. Flowers, plants and animals in a garden are explained beautifully as are meals, clothes and huge magnificent street scenes. I don't think Seth left a literal Indian stone unturned when writing this massive book and that is the real beauty of this book - I read it on holiday and it took the full two weeks yet I was sad that it had to end. I did wonder at the lack of a literary prize for this book though it did pick up the obscure Commonwealth writers prize, this was really ideal Booker prize materiel ( Roddy Doyle won that year with Paddy Clarke Ha ha ha ). The huge size of the work may have seemed off putting to the judges but it really did deserve recognition.
The main theme running though the work like the Ganges running through India is the search for a "Suitable Boy" or a really a suitable Hindu boy for a young upper class Indian Hindu woman from a good background. The girls mother uses the huge extended family to try an make a suitable match but the girl herself meets and begins to fall for a Muslim boy of good character. But mixed marriages in post partition 1950 India are out of the question. The extended families of the Mehras, Khans, Kapoors and Chatterjis with their children and uncles and friends and servants build into a huge and complex though surprisingly easy to follow story of love, betrayal and everyday life in 50's India after the British have left. There is a family tree at the beginning of the book that helps in the first chapters but once one is used to the different characters it just flows easily and I didn't need to refer to it again. The minute detail that goes into even the most basic part of each chapter is a joy to read - how much to pay a Ganges Boatman for instance after haggling or what native birds come to the extensive gardens of the characters houses after monsoon rains. The Indian back street shoe industry is part of the story and the awful toil of the poor low caste peasants who make the shoes then have to try and sell them to dealers so they and their families can eat is covered in vast and emotive detail. The toil of landless peasants under Zamindari Landlords (Muslim landowners who, for generations have owned the land and the peasants that work it) in the broiling Indian sun, the backbreaking labours vivid in detail make uncomfortable reading (especially if one is reading it whilst sitting in a 100 degree sun oneself!). The twists and turns of local and national politics as the political characters in the story attempt to force through a bill to reclaim land from the landowners to supposedly re distribute it to the peasants is played out in parliaments and in the Indian High court - the high court scenes are particularly interesting and gripping. University life with its internal politics of whether to teach Joyce or not are covered as is how to make a pair of leather brogue shoes!. The religious festivals involving biblical numbers of people bathing in the holy river Ganges and Shia Muslim festivals are featured but are explained too, you get a real understanding of Hindu and Muslim rites.
This detail serves to keep the reader fully enthralled with the characters and their lives; I can only think the thing that would make this better is to read it in India itself. To be fair a little knowledge of India's history makes this book a feast, before writing this I tested the theory with a small internet search and found simple sites with a chronological breakdown of modern post - war Indian history. I already had a fair knowledge so had no problems, the foods, clothes, street life etc has been well written about by authors such as Paul Scott, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and of course Salman Rushdie. That said the very explanations give the novel accessibility and ease of reading I have not found before, the smooth dialogue flowing easily not getting bogged down with metaphor. The simplicity of the plot coupled with the vastness of the background detail make for such a reading pleasure that I cannot think of a better book for a holiday read - it size alone means you may not need to take several books on holiday!.
This book has given me two weeks of unexpected pleasure, I had heard mixed reviews but I have found the book to be outstanding in every way possible - I didn't want it to end. Its sheer size may put some off but they should not be, it is never slow and thrills the reader with something new in every one of its many short chapters. A Suitable Boy is going into my all time top ten books and I thoroughly recommend it to all readers young or old.
I have to disagree Litany - the length was great as it gave all the great detail needed to really paint the picture for the reader. It gave a superb view of the "layers" in Indian society from the Politics right down in a spiral to the peasant tilling the soil. If anything had been left out it would have been noticed straight away. As for smugness about the length that is a little simplistic it wasn't shortlisted for the Booker probably because of its length - it is well known nowadays that many people have short attention spans so they didn't enter it bacause it might have put people off. The quality of the narrative especially with its short sub chapters mean the story flies along, a real page turner for me and as I have said in my review an ideal holiday read.
I have read much shorter books that get so bogged down with endless metaphor and repetition that have been half as accessable.
I have read much shorter books that get so bogged down with endless metaphor and repetition that have been half as accessable.