by Salman Rushdie
The iconic masterpiece of India that introduced the world to “a glittering novelist—one with startling imaginative and intellectual resources, a master of perpetual storytelling” (The New Yorker)
WINNER OF THE BEST OF THE BOOKERS • SOON TO BE A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
This novel is at once a fascinating family saga and an astonishing evocation of a vast land and its people–a brilliant incarnation of the universal human comedy. Forty years after its publication, Midnight’s Children stands apart as both an epochal work of fiction and a brilliant performance by one of the great literary voices of our time.
Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time • The fortieth anniversary edition, featuring a new introduction by the author
Janet Dore –
“I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done, of everything done to me. I am everyone everything who is being in the world affected was affected by mine. I am anything that happens after I’ve gone, which would not have happened if I had not come.”
This is the life story of a man born at midnight on the day India gained independence from Britain.
First, I would like to give my respect to anyone else who made it through this book. This is NOT an easy read!
Here’s what made it extremely challenging for me:
1) Not knowing enough about India’s history to understand much of what I was reading. As it’s written in an allegorical style without clear explanations, in my opinion, this book is best read with solid knowledge in place.
2) The storytelling is a bit manic and tough to follow.
3) Salman isn’t a fan of commas.
4) It’s not a book that creates any sort of emotional attachment with any of the characters.
While I understand it’s inclusion in 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die as it is quite brilliant, I’m not so sure about Modern Library’s choice to include it their top 100 books. The inclusion in the former is why I pushed myself through to the end. I feel like I should get some sort of achievement ribbon or something 😁
Despite the unusual writing style, I am smarter now than I was when I started and I might be able to have a 10 minute conversation about India, which I wouldn’t have been able to do before!