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    The God of Small Things
    The God of Small Things
    The God of Small Things
    Audiobook12 hours

    The God of Small Things

    Written by Arundhati Roy

    Narrated by Aysha Kala

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Winner of the 1997 Booker Prize. The richly exotic story of the childhood the twins Esthappen and Rahel craft for themselves amongst India’s vats of banana jam and mountains of peppercorns.

    Here, perhaps, is the greatest Indian novel by a woman. Arundhati Roy’s ‘The God of Small Things’ is an astonishingly rich, fertile novel, teeming with life, colour, heart-stopping language, wry comedy and a hint of magical realism.

    Set against a background of political turbulence in Kerala, Southern India, ‘The God of Small Things’ tells the story of twins Esthappen and Rahel. Amongst the vats of banana jam and heaps of peppercorns in their grandmother’s factory, they try to craft a childhood for themselves amidst what constitutes their family – their lonely, lovely mother, their beloved Uncle Chacko (pickle baron, radical Marxist and bottom-pincher) and their avowed enemy Baby Kochamma (ex-nun and incumbent grand-aunt).

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins Publishers
    Release dateDec 15, 2016
    ISBN9780008235819
    Author

    Arundhati Roy

    Arundhati Roy is an award-winning film-maker and a trained architect. She is the author of ‘The God of Small Things’ which won the 1997 Booker prize.

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    Reviews for The God of Small Things

    4.5/5

    105 ratings10 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be a literary masterpiece, beautifully crafted and deeply moving. It is a wonderful novel that evokes a range of emotions, from sadness to joy. The language is sensitive and poetic, and the story-telling is skillful in building up the tragedy of the characters' lives. The book also offers a powerful rumination on justice, caste, love, and intimacy. Overall, it is a powerful and elegant exploration of trauma.

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      First, the language that hovers between literal and transcendental; between children’s and adults’; between merely human and the gods ‘of small things’, which the downtrodden humans cling to. Then, the story-telling, skipping between moments of time in building up the tragedy of these people’s lives. Finally, the social and historical range that educates at the same time that it evokes feelings.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      What a beautifully harrowing story, giving us a glimpse of the Indian caste society through the eyes and feelings of two young children. The constant back-and-forth between several time periods takes some getting used to but fits flawlessly with the terrible weight of the past and of culture imprisoning the characters
    • 5/5
      A literary masterpiece that takes you in a poetical journey into the innermost depths of the human nature.
    • 5/5
      The story is written with such piercing precision, poise and elegance. I love how it spirals in on itself and a nuanced and powerful way it deals with trauma.
    • 5/5
      Everytime finish this book, I want to read it again. And everytime I read it again, it breaks my heart into brittle, tiny pieces???
    • 5/5
      Sensitive, sensuous use of language. Porous prose , poetic imagination.
    • 5/5
      Artful, beautifully crafted deeply moving. A wonderful novel. Must read.
    • 5/5
      I did love it. Great book and the reading by Aysha Kala was just perfect. My favourite talking book yet.
    • 5/5
      Thank you! Beautifully read. Flowing calm pros. Heart wrenching story.
    • 5/5
      Wonderful book full of emotion, precise and creative word play, sadness, joy, loss and rebirth. A powerful rumination on the meaning of justice, caste, love for family and for lover, and intimacy. Masterfully read as well.

      1 person found this helpful