Midnight's Children
Midnight’s Children, August 2008, 9/10.
Written by Salman Rushdie. Published by Vintage.
Wow! This book was great – I can understand why it received so many of the accolades that it has. Although it took me a long time to get through I think that this was at least a little justified – it is not an easy read, and there was more flipping back than usual. Regardless, the character development and storyline were brilliant, and I was most impressed by the fact that through all the antics the same threads held everything together, and in a sense it was almost Wagnerish with his leitmotifs. Of the three books I enjoyed the first and second more than the third, which was a little too much in some parts.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: 9/10, Booker Prize, British, Fiction, India, Magical Realism, Salman Rushdie
The Remains Of The Day
The Remains Of The Day, August 2008, 7/10.
Written by Kazuo Ishiguro. Published by Alfred A. Knopf.
I know that this novel was tremendously popular and a favourite of many people, and while i did enjoy it I didn’t think that it was as special as everyone else seems to have thought. Disguised behind an apparently simple story was a lot of sadness and regret, and it was very interesting to see the way that the main character reflected on the past, but I am not sure that I was sold on the genuineness at all points – the book seemed very close to cliche at more than one junction. Regardless, at least the character stayed will in character throughout, ad in general it was very nicely written.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: 7/10, Booker Prize, British, Fiction, Japanese, Kazuo Ishiguro
