for years i have followed arundhati roy’s political writings – her moral courage and eloquence are a constant inspiration. i finally finished reading her only book of fiction “the god of small things” and once again i am inspired. the book has been called dazzling. i think it’s astonishing in how it’s structured (non linear, organic, rich with leitmotifs), in the musicality and inventive use of language, in the breadth and width of its small and colossal themes (life and death, love and loss, childhood and old age, caste and patriarchy, violence, sadness and infinite joy) and in how vividly, how lovingly she paints kerala. a staggering work of art…
here’s arundhati’s interview about the book on the bbc and a loose transcript of that conversation.