Friday, October 17, 2008
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai.
This book won the Man Booker Prize in 2006 and I read all 324 pages. I did not like this book at all and I fail to see just what the judges saw in it. I only read it all because I had paid for the book, if I had got this novel for free then I would have aborted reading it within the first 8 pages. Only the odd little bit made me smile like on Page 34...
"Well," he said to his granddaughter, "one must not disturb one another. One's had to hire a tutor for you - a lady down the hill, can't afford a convent school - why should one be in the business of fattening the church...? Too far, anyway, and one doesn't have the luxury of transport anymore, does one? Can't send you to a government school, I suppose... you'd come out speaking with the wrong accent and picking your nose...."
I took nothing away from this book, it did not inspire me and I will not buy another of Kiran's books. This novel is set in England, India and New York with the story chopping from location to location. The story also flashes back in time and reading it is a chore. There is nothing thrilling about this novel, it is just a drab story set mostly in a run down house in the Himalayas featuring a retired judge, who is the grandfather of an orphaned teenager, his pet dog and his cook. At the end of this book you feel as though you have been stuck at home with visitors who were too slow to leave. Ah! thank goodness they have gone!
NEXT book please!
This book won the Man Booker Prize in 2006 and I read all 324 pages. I did not like this book at all and I fail to see just what the judges saw in it. I only read it all because I had paid for the book, if I had got this novel for free then I would have aborted reading it within the first 8 pages. Only the odd little bit made me smile like on Page 34...
"Well," he said to his granddaughter, "one must not disturb one another. One's had to hire a tutor for you - a lady down the hill, can't afford a convent school - why should one be in the business of fattening the church...? Too far, anyway, and one doesn't have the luxury of transport anymore, does one? Can't send you to a government school, I suppose... you'd come out speaking with the wrong accent and picking your nose...."
I took nothing away from this book, it did not inspire me and I will not buy another of Kiran's books. This novel is set in England, India and New York with the story chopping from location to location. The story also flashes back in time and reading it is a chore. There is nothing thrilling about this novel, it is just a drab story set mostly in a run down house in the Himalayas featuring a retired judge, who is the grandfather of an orphaned teenager, his pet dog and his cook. At the end of this book you feel as though you have been stuck at home with visitors who were too slow to leave. Ah! thank goodness they have gone!
NEXT book please!
Comments:
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I wonder at all the so called great films being made that when you get down to it are disappointing or even crap. It seems some of the highly recommended novels you have read lately stray towards the disappointing at least. Of course this isnt surprising in a world of hype, be it films, books, or holidays. I for one though get frustrated by books that disappoint because of the amount of time you have to invest in them.
# posted by 
: 19 October 2008 at 18:49
: 19 October 2008 at 18:49
I totally agree with you here, it is a gamble and there is a lot of hype. Generally I am pleased with the books I buy and read. Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart was brilliant but the last 3 books have been disappointing. My current book is simple genius by David Baldacci, this is great, you know it is great straight from the start - just like when your favourite rock band come on stage.
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