A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

Advantages: well written and interesting..
Disadvantages: lenghty passages that could have been trimmed down

...novel, THE GOLDEN GATE : A NOVEL IN VERSE(1986), describes the experiences of a group of friends living in California.. His second novel A SUITABLE BOY, at 1347 pages ,is one of the longest novels ever published in a single volume in the English language...It won the prestigious Booker's award for 1994... Set in the post-indpendance India in the early 1950's, it deals with the efforts of a widowed mother looking for a SUITABLE BOY for her daughter...The ...
...is a very colorful novel with accounts of festivals,the exotic food and the rich and flashy lifestyles of the rich Indians.. A Suitable Boy is a superbly well-written book, and Vikram Seth's style of writing is simple, unpresuming , but eminently readable to the last page...With the enormous number of characters that pass through Vikram Seth manages to keep the plot interesting througout.. One gets to know the historical and political details of ... Read review

Advantages: gives you insight into Indian culture and society
Disadvantages: may be too long

...novel by Vikram Seth is a cool 1471 pages long. I didn't just pick it up at any old bookshop just because I thought I might actually want to put myself through the torture of reading something like that. It was actually school compulsory reading material. Still, it has to be the winner of the 1994 commonwealth writers prize for something. It is interesting because unlike the common tale of two lovers you get Seth trying to tell the tale of several ...
..."catching" a "suitable boy". There is the stage set for an India moving away from the colonialisation it had been subjected to, towards independence. All this seeks to distinguish the love drama from the usual norm, giving it an individuality in terms of culture and the social dynamics of India. ... Read review

Advantages: A stunning work!
Disadvantages: Even the paperback weighs a ton!

...the Disney thing. What a huge mistake I made packing "A Suitable Boy" as casual reading! I was champing at the bit to get back to the house we had rented for the four days it took me to read the thousand plus pages of this wonderful story. It is a grand novel: a true epic of culture , gender and creed. The over-riding storyline itself concerns a young woman whose matriarchal mother is becoming increasingly agitated to marry her off (the father ...
...happy to be taken down a route well away from the heroine (which is why the novel is so long!). Reviews on Ciao require 120 words minimum. A full review of "A Suitable Boy" would need 100 times that (and the rest!) When you read a book of this quality, one of your most pressing needs is to share it with someone. Read it! ... Read review

Advantages: Strong historical storyline
Disadvantages: COnfusing character names

...was given this book as a present and though I am a good reader I was daunted by the idea of reading such a long book, it is over 1000 pages long. But don't let this put you off, because it is well worth braving the length because at the end of it you will be pleased that you did. I think that the book is too long and that it would be just as good if it had been cut down a little bit. It can get a bit confusing because there are many different characters ... Read review

Advantages: The Ganges
Disadvantages: knowing it will all end

...how they all combine to a huge storyline into releasing the reader into utter pleasure. This magnificant book compels the reader to enter into an unreal world where some of the beginnings of art, literature and music can be truly appreciated at its most finest forms. As Seth usually does, he draws the reader into his literary trap and spits them out feeling dazed, confused and strangely satisfied yet longing to know what happens after everything ...
...sequels but if seth by chance did manage to do one to 'a Suitable Boy', i would definitely say that it would live to to the first, if not more so. A book that deserves a long line of happily married couple but even more importantly many suitable readers. ... Read review

Advantages: The characters
Disadvantages: Indian High court/parliament

...After recently reading Vikram Seth's novel I would definately recommend it to other readers. It does take some time to get into the storyline but once you get to grips with it it's very in depth and you almost feel as if you know the characters involved. If you are someone who has been in love you can understand Lata's feelings for the gorgeous and thrilling Kabir as well as sympathising with the lovestruck Maan. I found the only let down to the book was sometimes the overcomplicated references to India's court and government. Although it didn't stop the underlying story being gripping and full of emotion, there are parts to make you both laugh and cry. Overall a great novel. well worth the effort it sometimes takes to read.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful