The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy · b. 1961 · India
Why it matters
Twins in Kerala, a drowned cousin, and a forbidden love punished by the 'Love Laws', told in backwards loops and invented words. A Booker-winning debut of ferocious originality; caste as the machinery of heartbreak.
At a glance
family sagatragedypostmodern
Difficulty 7/10slow pace340 pagesNonlinear timeline and invented, child's-eye language require careful piecing-together.
Deep dive
Why Arundhati Roy tells you exactly how the story ends in her opening pages, and what that foreknowledge does to the grief that follows.
Where to go next
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William Faulkner · 1930As I Lay DyingLvl 9Medium pace