Saleem was born at the midnight of India's independence, and found himself "handcuffed to history" by the coincidence. He is one of 1,001 children born that midnight, each of them endowed with an extraordinary talent. This novel won the 1981 Booker Prize.
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Saleem was born at the midnight of India's independence, and found himself "handcuffed to history" by the coincidence. He is one of 1,001 children born that midnight, each of them endowed with an extraordinary talent. This novel won the 1981 Booker Prize.
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This is probably the most brilliantly written book I've ever read. Rushdie is a literary genius. It's not easy reading, but it's completely engrossing and intriguing. It left me with two things: 1) a burning curiosity as to his writing process (the plot is so intertwined forward and backward, it almost seems as if he started in the middle and worked out both directions); 2) a desire to learn more about India's history since independence so I can better appreciate the book the next time I read it, which will be soon.
I almost don't dare read any of his other books for fear that they won't measure up to this one.