February 3, 2009
A review of The God of Small Things in the style of the same novel:
When historical circumstances of intricate inevitability converge upon Small Places like Ayemenem, Bad Things Happen.
Circumstances include things like:
a) Caste Systems
b) Family Pride
c) Marxist Politics
d) Oppressed Female Sex-shoo-a-lee-tee.
a) Caste Systems
b) Family Pride
c) Marxist Politics
d) Oppressed Female Sex-shoo-a-lee-tee.
This novel is an abruptly poetic account of Some Bad Things That Happened. The Things made lots of noises and occurred amongst creatively named shades of green. The abruptness comes from questionable. Sentence structure. That is a little overdone. But the poetry emerges too, irreverently, impressionistically, villanelle-ly. Contrary to Expectations, though, this book does not simply give up its secrets in a hyperelegant manner.
Instead it is an eventually comprehensive compilation of Brittle Historical Chips, the gradual introduction of which may initially have you searching for An Arrative Thread. Be consoled that everything comes together, tessellated, like the release of a long-held breath.
One thing is for sure in Roy’s vision: when History has you in its sights, it never lets go. Also, History can be just another name or excuse for Not Doing the Right and Hard Thing. There is talk of Putting One’s Hand into History’s Waiting Glove, etc. It took me a little while and a little context (Roy’s fierce activism) not to read this novel as simply fatalistic, a dirge sung over bodies lacking the wherewithal to defy inevitable decline. But that would be a Nincomplete Reading of this book. Consider Roy’s opinion of Choices as historically paramount even in Unwinnable Battles.
I didn’t mind it. But quite slow at the start.
