Midnight's Children

I am a proud Indian

Well, no, not really. far from it actually. but ever since reading this book nearly a decade ago, at the age of 14, i keep a special place in my heart for Bombay. It has sent me on a never ending chase for every written word ever to emerge from under Rushdie's pen, and he has never let me down. But as enchanting as all of his titles are, non is as breathtaking as this one, and my sole regret is that I will never get to relive the experience of reading 'Midnight's Children' for the first time.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

A parallel story of the birth of a nation and that nation's children

"Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie won the Booker Prize in 1981 and was awarded in 1993 the honor of "best overall novel" of all Booker Prize winners since the prize was first awarded in 1975. In 2005 it made the 100 best English-language novels published since 1923. I agree that it is worthy of such accolades. It is basically a story of India's history immediately before independence from Great Britain and for its beginning years as a nation continuing on to Pakistan separation and ensuing wars between the two nations. The story is built on and parallels the lives of those children born at midnight on that day of independence, August 15, 1947, at the designated time of independence thus the title, Midnight's Children. The main character, Saleem Sinai, is one of those children and his life is linked to the 1000 other midnight's children all of whom have some type of magical powers or gifts. It is definitely a challenging and intellectual read, both thought-provoking and complex. I feel more knowledgeable about Indian history and the divisions within that nation that continue even into today's society there. * * *

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

The true picture of a newly born country

I really wonder if anyone else can paint such a true and beuatiful picture of a newly born country in the form of its children.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Unbelievably Long !!

It's very long and the characters aren't that interesting ,it's easy to forget what happened the last 20 pages when you're reading ! I didn't fall in Love with book , i didn't even like it a lot . to be fair it might have something to do with my lack of information about the history of India as the book is deeply connected with it .

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

WOW

If I wasn't completely convinced before that Salman Rushdie has a claim to be the most gifted writer on the planet, I am after reading this book. This novel is a generational saga along the lines of Gabriel Garcia-Marquez's 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' and Jeffrey Eugenides's 'Middlesex'. As those two novels reflect the history of their own respective nations, so does 'Midnight's Children.' It is the story of one family, and one person in particular, Saleem, who is born on the stroke of midnight on the exact day and time India achieved its independence from Britain. From that propitious birth onward, Saleem's life becomes a reflection and representation of the young Indian nation itself. The title refers to the 400 odd children who were born at or near this same midnight. Each one of them have magical skills which vary in strength and importance in direct relation to their birth's proximity to midnight. Since Saleem was born exactly at midnight, he has the most valuable skill, the skill to look into people's hearts, minds, and souls, and to commune with the other midnight children mentally. In this vein, he forms the Midnight Children's Conference, a meeting of these 400+ children who communicate through Saleem's telepathic mind and have the stated goal of reforming India. If this sounds unbelievable, it is not. It is the same sort of magical realism fans of Latin American authors will be familiar with, and adds to the strength, beauty, and ultimate brutality of the story without making the reader roll his eyes in incredulity. As is India, so is Saleem. He hears the multitudinous voices of India in his head, a mess of contradictions: peace and violence, forgiveness and revenge, progress and tradition. His family also reflects the indefinable character of India. They are by turns real and fantastical, living and dying, perservering and escaping. The amalgam of these voices and Saleem's family is an India that Rushdie seems to understand no better than anyone else, but his affection for and frustration with India could only come from a native. The reader also follows Saleem's physical life. His face mirrors a map of India, and his enormous nose is gifted at sensing emotions. From the life of a rich boy in Bombay, to a fighter in the India-Pakistan War, to a broken carnival traveller, and finally to an owner of a pickle company, Saleem's journey through life is expansive, human, and always entertaining. The side characters are just as engrossing, and all have a part to play in the tumolt of Indian history. To keep the earlier analogy going, I found this to be a slightly more difficult read than 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' but just as entertaining as 'Middlesex'. Rushdie writes with wit, style, anger, and absolute brilliance. He is generous with allusions, but I felt they were also extremely accessible. I recommend this book not only to India-philes, but also to fans of literature in general. This is a master in peak and rare form, and this is one of the finest novels written in a generation. Most highly recommended.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Good in the beginning... but too long

The start is very good... one cannot put it aside but as the story goes on it looses interest. I found the first half very good but after that it was hard to read as words were repetitive. I wish it was shorter.. would have conveyed the message better.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Art is long, life is short

This is a brilliant and incredibly difficult book. Call me selfish, but I don't have 2 months to read and re-read this book to fully appreciate its message.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A long journey through Indian history

I began reading Midnight's Children intimidated by the number of pages and the in-depth and tedious description Rushdie reveals. But eventually the pace began to quicken, and Midnight's Children transforms into a brilliant piece of literature, implementing characteristics of Indian history, and the loss of identity as a result of Indian independence. A great novel for the analytical type.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

hmmmmmmmmm.

it was a difficult book to read but satisfying. yes it addressed cultural issues, yes it had humour, but i felt confused and slightly put off when the narrator kept digressing.whether or not that was complimenting the theme of fragmentation, i certainly did not waarm to it. its not for the light hearted, but it really throws a light upon Post colonial India and i can say that i have learnt twice as much than i would have through a history book!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

didn't like it

It's the second book by Rushdie I've tried to read. I say 'tried' because I disliked them both so much I couldn't even finish the books. I won't be trying another.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

it's a challenge

Midnight's Children really challenged my reading. This is a book that is very confussing at times but in the end all comes together. I enjoyed reading the book but it was not my favorite book to read. I had a hard time understanding Rushdie's humor and how the book was organized. If you would like a challenge I would say this is a book to read.

WOW Great Book

This book is defiantly a good read. Rushide has laced this book with humor and if you get to caught up in the difficulty of the text you can easily miss the comedy. After rereading this book I finally realized that this book is a very hard but good book. I would recommend this and any of Rushide's books to any one who likes a challenge. Even though I didn¿t think that I would like this book I realized that half way through the book that it was very different than what I expected it to be, but it is a great book.

Interesting Book

A very interesting book. This book will make you laugh. The author is very creative but his sytle of writing can confuse you. You will learn about a different culture which is interesting to learn about. Saleem Sini doesn't know his real identity and takes you with him to find out. This book will make you addicted to reading it. The characters all have a good personality with makes this book special.

Wonderful Imagery!

Rushdie creates a wonderful panorama and guides us through post-1947 nehru's india toward indira's india as his characters move across the length and breadth of india , associating themselves with history, witnessing its events, and occasionally being a part of them. From the old Kashmir with the silent dal lake to the massacre at Jallianwalbagh, From the Streets and Forts of Delhi to the language riots of Bombay, From the military coups in pakistan, along the mysterious rann of kutch to the Mangroves of the Sunderbans, the story keeps turning while showing you all the nuances, sentiments, and personalities of the indian subcontinent. It's not a history book but presents history with stunning images in rushdie's wonderful hinglish. A good read!

My Instant Favorite

An astonishing blend of historical fiction and magical realism. Rushdie's command of language and myth allow for brilliant and inventive descriptions of the characters as personifications of India herself. I've been urging friends to read it ever since. My instant favorite.

exellent

The best ever...

Humor is the Hidden Quality in Midnight's Children

I found Midnight's Children very interesting and challenging. I sometimes got so caught in the challenge of the read that I forgot to appreciate the humor that is laced throughout the novel. A second read would undoubtly open this story up. Rushdie keeps the reader interested through out by teasing the reader. His humor is subtle and deeply woven in this story.

Incredible

Midnight's Children is the crown jewel in Salman Rushdie's consistently dazzling collection. Stumbling across this book by chance was one of the most fortunate events in my literary life. After completing the brilliant, complex and engaging Midnight's Children, I have become hopelessly addicted to everything Rushdie writes.

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