Finished: 5/1/22
Grade: A+
This tragic novel, set in southern India, follows the lives of fraternal twins Estha and Rahel, who are raised separately after a traumatic event in their childhood.
The narrative rocks back and forth in time like a newtons cradle. We see the twins as innocent children before the event and then snap into the future where the bleak ramifications of the event have come to fruition. Back and forth from past to present, all the while inching closer and closer to the horrifying pivot point. We watch all the pieces fall into place until they explode in a violence that is still shocking even though we knew it was coming.
This is a book about how the important little things in life often get overtaken by larger forces beyond our control. How history, and societal structures can make something as simple as two people who love each other being together
extremely complicated. The prose is vivid and pulls no punches.
A brutal and beautiful book.