How I will miss the Mehras, Kapoors, Chatterjis and Khans! After almost a full month of reading this mammoth book, I feel as if these families are not only real, but close friends of mine. "A Suitable Boy" delves deeply into the lives of the four aforementioned families along with providing interesting details about India's political and social situations during the post-WWII era. The title refers to the overriding theme of finding a husband for Lata Mehra, a task undertaken by Lata's ever-loving and long-suffering mother, Mrs. Rupa Mehra.
The reader will encounter unfamiliar words and phrases from that country and/or culture, but the context will make the meanings clear, so it won't be a problem (for me, at least, it did not detract from the enjoyment of the book). The end result is that you will learn quite a bit about India and Pakistan, Partition, the varying religions and cultures, the castes, the gender roles, and the politics of that particular era.
The author, Vikram Seth, writes in such an intelligent manner and has such wit that he keeps the reader completely engaged in the book no matter what the topic in any given section. I found I was just as interested in Mrs. Mehras' musings as I was about the political campaigning or the shoe-making industry or the shenanigans of Maan and Firoz. I couldn't help but conclude that the character of Amit Chatterji was representative of the author, himself. I wonder if other readers will agree.
Overall, one of the best books I've read since "The Time Traveler's Wife". Take it with you on a long vacation. You'll be glad you did.
The reader will encounter unfamiliar words and phrases from that country and/or culture, but the context will make the meanings clear, so it won't be a problem (for me, at least, it did not detract from the enjoyment of the book). The end result is that you will learn quite a bit about India and Pakistan, Partition, the varying religions and cultures, the castes, the gender roles, and the politics of that particular era.
The author, Vikram Seth, writes in such an intelligent manner and has such wit that he keeps the reader completely engaged in the book no matter what the topic in any given section. I found I was just as interested in Mrs. Mehras' musings as I was about the political campaigning or the shoe-making industry or the shenanigans of Maan and Firoz. I couldn't help but conclude that the character of Amit Chatterji was representative of the author, himself. I wonder if other readers will agree.
Overall, one of the best books I've read since "The Time Traveler's Wife". Take it with you on a long vacation. You'll be glad you did.
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