THE GOD OF SMALL THINGS

Title                          : THE GOD OF SMALL THINGS
Author                      : Arundhati Roy
Genre                       : Realistic Fiction
Main Characters     : Estha & Rahel



Quote from the Book: "It is after all so easy to shatter a story. To break a chain of thought. To ruin a fragment of a dream being carried around carefully like a piece of porcelain."


Description : A nostalgic tale of pure love and affection, of betrayal and of the social injustice that prevailed in the South-Indian state of Kerala. The story is set in Ayemenen, a village in the Kottyam district of Kerala where the author spend her childhood. The God of Small Things is the story of twins-Estha and Rahel- who due to some circumstances had to separate when they were kids. They meet again after 23 years and the story moves from one point of time to another, from the twins' childhood in the 1960s to the present time in the 1990s. 
The God of Small Things was Arundhathi Roy's first and last novel as of 2011. It won the Man Booker Prize in 1997.


Opinions : "A dazzling first novel, extraordinary." - THE NEW YORK TIMES
                    "A novel of poignancy and considerable sweep." - LOS ANGELES                         TIMES


Verdict     : Not for all readers. But definitely for someone who loves literature and can spend time in front of the reading desk. A slow, but strangely nostalgic and emotional novel. Don't be surprised if it makes you cry when the memories flood in.


Rating : A Man Booker Prize itself is the best rating it can get.

       

THE ALCHEMIST

Title                            : THE ALCHEMIST
Author                        : Paulo Coelho
Publisher                    : HarperCollins Publishers, first published by Editora Rocco in 1988.
Genre                         : Fiction, Inspirational
Main Character         : Santiago, the shepherd.
Quote from the book : "When you really want something, the universe always conspires in your    favour."


Description                : Every decade a book is published that changes the lives of its readers for ever.   Paulo Coleho's The Alchemist is such a book. With over 30 million copies sold worldwide and translated into 63 languages, The Alchemist has already achieved the status of a modern classic.
                                     This is the story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who dreams of travelling the world in search of a treasure as extravagant as any ever found. From his home in Spain he journeys to the exotic markets of Tangiers and then into the Egyptian desert, where a fateful encounter with the alchemist awaits him.
                                    The Alchemist is an unforgettable novel about the essential wisdom of listening to our heart and, above all, following our dreams.


Opinions : "The Alchemist is a beautiful book about magic, dreams and the treasures we seek elsewhere and then end on our doorstep." - MADONNA

Verdict : Not much to say. One of the smallest but the best novels I've ever read. It is inspiring and may change your life just by altering the way you believe in dreams.

RATING : 4.75/5.00