Vikram Seth's novel is, at its core, a love story: the tale of Lata's--and her mother, Mrs. Rupa Mehra's--attempts to find a suitable boy for Lata, through love or through exacting maternal appraisal. Set in the early 1950s in an India newly independent and struggling through a time of crisis, A Suitable Boy takes us into the richly imagined world of four large extended families and spins a compulsively readable tale of their lives and loves. A sweeping panoramic portrait of a complex, multiethnic society in flux, A Suitable Boy remains the story of ordinary people caught up in a web of love and ambition, humor and sadness, prejudice and reconciliation, the most delicate social etiquette and the most appalling violence.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Seth previously made a splash with his 1986 novel in verse, The Golden Gate . Here he abandons the compression of poetry to produce an enormous novel that will enthrall most readers; those who are fazed by a marathon read, however, may gasp for mercy. Set in the post-colonial India of the 1950s, this sprawling saga involves four families--the Mehras, the Kapoors, the Chatterjis and the Khans--whose domestic crises illuminate the historical and social events of the era. Like an old-fashioned soap opera (or a Bombay talkie), the multi-charactered plot pits mothers against daughters, fathers against sons, Hindus against Muslims and small farmers against greedy landowners facing government-ordered dispossession. The story revolves around independent-minded Lata Mehra: Will she defy the stern order of her widowed upper-caste Hindu mother by marrying the Muslim youth she loves? The search for Lata's husband expands into a richly detailed and exotically vivid narrative that crisscrosses the fabric of India. Seth's panoramic scenes take the reader into law courts, religious processions, bloody riots, academia--even the shoe trade. Portraits of actual figures are incisive; the cameo of Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, for example, captures his high-minded, well-meaning indecision. Seth's point of view is both wry and affectionate, and his voluble, palpably atmospheric narrative teems with chaotic, irrepressible life. 100,000 first printing; $200,000 ad/promo; BOMC main selection; QPB alternate; author tour.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Opening and closing with a wedding, this novel is ostensibly the story of a Hindu family trying to find a suitable husband for their younger daughter, Lata. Who will the suitable boy turn out to be? The dashing Kabir, with whom Lata falls in love? The ambitious businessman whom Lata's mother favors? Or the sophisticated poet her relatives choose? The interwoven stories of four families linked by marriage form the background for this marital quest. It proves slow-moving at first, but the patient reader will inevitably be caught up in the compelling rhythms of a richly complex tale. The setting--India in the 1950s--is vividly realized: the enormity of the subcontinent, its overpowering heat, lush gardens, colorful festivals, and exotic foods. Memorable characters abound; not since Dickens has there been such a lively and idiosyncratic cast crowded into one novel. Drama is provided by the simmering conflict between Hindu and Muslim, which breaks out unexpectedly throughout the novel. This is old-fashioned storytelling at its best; highly recommended. BOMC and Quality Paperback alternates; previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 1/93.
- Beth Ann Mills, New Rochelle P.L., N.Y.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Beth Ann Mills, New Rochelle P.L., N.Y.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
217 of 234 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I will be brief and merely add some comments to the many reviews already written on this book. First of all, I think it is a very good book, but definitely not for everyone. If you're thinking about reading it, you're probably wondering if it's worth the effort of investing in such a long undertaking. Here are some suggestions:
If you are yourself Indian and/or interested in India, especially early post-independence Indian history, then you will probably find this a very interesting read. Vikram Seth manages to pack an extraordinary amount of historical, economic, social and cultural detail in his novel, which is, after all, essentially a love story. But it is also a story about -- not just set in -- India. If you have no interest in India or Indian culture (or Pakistan and sub-continental Muslim culture), you will likely be confused by many words and references, and you should keep away from this book.
Likewise, if you are interested in Hindu-Muslim relations, Seth does a good job at highlighting some of the key issues and the different ways some Hindus and Muslims look at the same issues. In this, it is amazing to compare what he wrote about the 1950s with the situation in India today. You can't understand what's going on in India today without a good dose of history, and Seth knows that.
Well, what if you're not really one way or the other as regards Indian history and culture, but you like big family dramas? This book is also for you. Seth has so much compassion for his characters, that you will find it very hard not to empathize with at least several of them. Moreover, he injects a great deal of humor into the book. It is a book about people, about life -- in all its aspects, about death, about family, and more.
However, on the down side, Seth's writing style leaves a bit to be desired. He is no James Joyce, no Faulkner. Although at times his prose does achieve something close to poetry (Seth is originally a poet), these instances are very rare indeed. Usually at dramatic moments, I felt he was trying too hard. At other times, I found his prose simply pedantic -- not awful, just not very good. So ask yourself, how much do you care about really good writing? Most people don't care. For me, it matters a great deal, and proved a slight obstacle in enjoying this book.
However, on the whole for me, the good outweighed the bad. For many people, this will be a highly enjoyable and heart-warming read. But don't take my word for it -- you can read the first 20 pages and see for yourself. You'll get the tone and style of the book right away. It doesn't change after that.
44 of 45 people found the following review helpful
By Gail Moore
Format:Paperback
Just finished my second reading of "A Suitable Boy", it will always be one of my favorite books. Looking over some of the other reviews here I see that this 1474 page novel has been called "just" an Indian soap opera, and while I think soap-opera may be an apt description, it is one of the best books I have ever read. This novel reminded me of an old fashioned English novel in the style of Dickens or Trollope or Eliot, with a large cast of characters, a thick tome with many divergent plot lines that are eventually tied together by the ending, an incredible journey for a reader. They just don't write them this way any more.
The title story of the novel is the one of Lata Mehra and her search (or rather her mother's search) for a suitable boy to marry. The novel opens at the wedding of Savita & Pran and introduces many of the characters we will be seeing more of later. Lata is struck by the fact that her sister is marrying a total stranger, accepting passively a marriage arranged by the family, later she will choose between passion and an arranged marriage for herself. Maan Kapoor is another central character that we get to know in depth following him through his obsession for Saeeda Bai, exile from the city and the dramatic scene involving Firoz. There's far more though than the stories of only Lata and Maan, both of whom are sometimes almost forgotten for several chapters, so many other unforgettable characters amongst the Mehra family, Kapoors, Chatterjis, Rasheed & his family, the Nawab Sahib & his family, Saeeda Bai's establishment. I found Arun & his wife Meenakshi, the anglophile snobs absolutely hilarious.
Besides being "just a soap opera" revolving around the lives of half a dozen families of Bramphur, this is an ultimate book about India following the years after the death of Gandhi and independence from the British. Partition and ever increasing tension between Hindus and Muslims are ongoing themes and the continuing more subtle influences of the British on Indian culture. Every walk of life is covered from the untouchables of the Rudhia district to the Raja of Marh and his son.
Don't let the size of this book discourage you, I found it easy to read over a period of time; each of the 19 sections is like a mini story in itself, with many short chapters in each section. I took several breaks in reading this, always drawn back the way one is drawn back to a family and old friends to see what's become of them now. Long as it is, I wished it could go on forever.
77 of 83 people found the following review helpful
By WhatNow
Format:Paperback
A contemporary critic reacted to War and Peace with the exclamation, "It's not a book, but an elephant!" A Suitable Boy is a lengthier book of similar scope (although more tightly-structured, I think). Tolstoy is a genius because He Did It First, but that does not take away from the fact that with A Suitable Boy, Seth has earned his place in the Canon alongside War and Peace, Anna Karenina and other nineteenth-century greats, for every reason one can name.
Let me get it over with. Yes, this is a big book. It is a very long book. It is 1,488 pages long. Yes, let us all say it again: That makes it a Very Long Book. Those readers whose attention spans have been permanently shrunken by 30-second commercials and 50-minute TV programs will have a hard time with this book. There are also lots of important characters, too, just as in Anna Karenina, where you have three families closely depicted. So there are lots of people to keep straight. The good news is that Seth's characterizations are such that you can tell who's speaking, often, merely with the dialogue. You very often don't need the tags, "Arun said," or "Kakoli said." But yes, there are lots of characters, lots of things happening, and it takes a long time to read because it's yes, Very Long. To those whose major complaint is the length: Don't be afraid -- it won't bite. Open it up and read it, one page at a time.
And let us get this out of the way, too: No, this is not a Sweeping Tumutuous Saga. If you loved Kristin Lavransdatter, you will not like A Suitable Boy. It is not a romance novel, even though it begins and ends with weddings. It has a similar feel to Anna Karenina, but with a little more hilarity and a lot less heartbreaking tragedy (in the literary sense). There are political speeches in it, just like in War and Peace, and Vikram Seth takes the trouble to quote speeches and Parliamentary minutes verbatim. He has done his homework. But no bodices are ripped.
The book is a snapshot of life in India in the 1950's. The chronicling of the lives of the Mehra, Kapoor, Chatterji, families is a feast because of delectable prose, excellent characterization, delicious Indian food, and the exciting life of newly-Independent India on the heels of the partition of India and Pakistan. The writing within is nothing if not versatile: Seth does write poetry, but even his novel in verse, The Golden Gate, while equally delicious and fragrant, does contain stanzas of the merest doggerel. Similarly, in A Suitable Boy, the couplets that the Chatterjis fling back and forth are frequently funny, but will not be appearing in any anthologies any time soon. Still, anyone who has been to poetry readings will appreciate the poetry reading scene that Lata attends at the beginning of the book, and one doesn't have to be an expert in 1950's Indian poetry to find Seth's parodies very entertaining. The poems of the character Amit Chatterji are striking, but I admit it will take me a fourth reading to truly appreciate them.
The only complaint I have is an observation: Seth needs a glossary. While most readers won't have trouble with food-related terms like "gulab jamun" or "nimbu pani," they may not precisely know what a khatri is (although they may guess it has something to do with caste), or a Pathan. And with regard to one vocabulary word, the knowledge of it has the potential to affect the reader's perception of Lata and Haresh.
From the first, as soon as Lata meets Haresh, she dislikes his "co-respondent shoes." She makes other observations about his dress, as well. And about his English. But throughout the rest of the book, Lata goes back to those co-respondent shoes. The reference is repeated so it seems to be important -- at least to Lata. But what are co-respondent shoes? They are a flashy kind of two-toned shoe worn by swingers during the 1930s. They're called "co-respondent" shoes because, a co-respondent in a British divorce case is the man who has committed adultery with one's wife. What is more, in a time when no-fault divorces were illegal, a man might put his distinctive "co-respondent shoes" outside of the hotel room door to be cleaned...and he might be identified by his shoes, later.
So Haresh's shoes were flashy bordering on vulgar but they were also twenty years out of fashion, so the shoes were a lot to overcome.
A reader shouldn't have to resort to a search engine in order to learn such a pivotal point. Please,Vikram Seth, the book is a delightful jewel, so please, help out your readers with a glossary!
The book is delightful in every way, and it is one of those books where you close the book with regret that the book is over. But if you reread this memorable book again, you will keep making new discoveries.
The remainder of this review is devoted to the ending. Please do not proceed any further unless you have read the book.
SPOILER ALERT. SPOILER ALERT. SPOILER ALERT.
Some observations about Lata's ultimate choice: The first time I read this book I thought that Lata had made a terrible mistake, and that her choice was inconsistent with her character, and I felt that Seth had forced the choice against the will of the character to make some kind of heavy-handed point. However, upon re-reading the book, I re-read Haresh's letters, and re-thought the time-line of her romance with Kabir, and her decision makes perfect sense. Lata picked a good man for precisely the right reasons. Kabir is a decent guy, and handsome and witty. But Lata and Kabir really don't develop the friendship that is essential for a good marriage. He's handsome, and he and Lata are intellectually compatible, but for all of that, their romance is an infatuation. In contrast, Haresh grows on Lata, and his fundamental decency and flexibility are more important than what is clearly an infatuation.
Mrs. Rupa Mehra's objection to Lata's relationship with Kabir is that Kabir is a Muslim and Lata is a Hindu. On the surface, the basis for this objection might be considered to be flawed - based on bigotry or stereotyping, but Lata has friends who are in purdah, so her mother's worries are not academic. And one must consider the violence that had just afflicted Hindu and Muslim alike in the time surrounding the Partition - wounds are still raw. In fact, Kedarnath Tandon bears the scars of it on his hands. However, it is clear on a close reading that Mrs. Rupa Mehra is not just indulging in mindless prejudice, but approaches marriage as most likely to be successful when it is a union of two people who have a lot in common. She doesn't just want Lata to marry a Hindu, she wants Lata to marry a khatri boy. She is just as horrified to hear that the brahmin Amit Chatterji is courting Lata, and has the impulse to remove Lata to another town, but realizes that it is not realistic to reduce Lata to an intinerant state because she attracts some unsuitable boys. Reasonable people might debate whether marrying someone who is like you is a good thing or a bad thing, but attributing Lata's family's objections to bigotry or religious closed-mindedness or some other bad trait is simplistic and disingenuous.
More to the point, Lata does not acquiesce to her mother's wishes, she follows her own. Haresh Khanna's misunderstanding of the word "mean," his reaction to it, his apology, and his wish for future guidance from Lata, immediately precede Lata's decision to marry him. Yes, he wears "co-respondent shoes" and doesn't seem to be as handsome as Kabir, speaks thickly-accented English and not well, but looks and shoes are not a good basis for choosing a life partner. Since Lata and Haresh speak several languages, his lack of total fluency in English is not as relevant here. And Lata wants to marry him anyway. This shows her growth, as well. Lata is depicted throughout as an independent-minded, intelligent girl, and the basis for her decision is consistent with her character, for all on first reading it might be tempting to root for Lata-and- Kabir. Furthermore, the outcome demonstrates Seth's ability to write plots and not cliches.
Let me get it over with. Yes, this is a big book. It is a very long book. It is 1,488 pages long. Yes, let us all say it again: That makes it a Very Long Book. Those readers whose attention spans have been permanently shrunken by 30-second commercials and 50-minute TV programs will have a hard time with this book. There are also lots of important characters, too, just as in Anna Karenina, where you have three families closely depicted. So there are lots of people to keep straight. The good news is that Seth's characterizations are such that you can tell who's speaking, often, merely with the dialogue. You very often don't need the tags, "Arun said," or "Kakoli said." But yes, there are lots of characters, lots of things happening, and it takes a long time to read because it's yes, Very Long. To those whose major complaint is the length: Don't be afraid -- it won't bite. Open it up and read it, one page at a time.
And let us get this out of the way, too: No, this is not a Sweeping Tumutuous Saga. If you loved Kristin Lavransdatter, you will not like A Suitable Boy. It is not a romance novel, even though it begins and ends with weddings. It has a similar feel to Anna Karenina, but with a little more hilarity and a lot less heartbreaking tragedy (in the literary sense). There are political speeches in it, just like in War and Peace, and Vikram Seth takes the trouble to quote speeches and Parliamentary minutes verbatim. He has done his homework. But no bodices are ripped.
The book is a snapshot of life in India in the 1950's. The chronicling of the lives of the Mehra, Kapoor, Chatterji, families is a feast because of delectable prose, excellent characterization, delicious Indian food, and the exciting life of newly-Independent India on the heels of the partition of India and Pakistan. The writing within is nothing if not versatile: Seth does write poetry, but even his novel in verse, The Golden Gate, while equally delicious and fragrant, does contain stanzas of the merest doggerel. Similarly, in A Suitable Boy, the couplets that the Chatterjis fling back and forth are frequently funny, but will not be appearing in any anthologies any time soon. Still, anyone who has been to poetry readings will appreciate the poetry reading scene that Lata attends at the beginning of the book, and one doesn't have to be an expert in 1950's Indian poetry to find Seth's parodies very entertaining. The poems of the character Amit Chatterji are striking, but I admit it will take me a fourth reading to truly appreciate them.
The only complaint I have is an observation: Seth needs a glossary. While most readers won't have trouble with food-related terms like "gulab jamun" or "nimbu pani," they may not precisely know what a khatri is (although they may guess it has something to do with caste), or a Pathan. And with regard to one vocabulary word, the knowledge of it has the potential to affect the reader's perception of Lata and Haresh.
From the first, as soon as Lata meets Haresh, she dislikes his "co-respondent shoes." She makes other observations about his dress, as well. And about his English. But throughout the rest of the book, Lata goes back to those co-respondent shoes. The reference is repeated so it seems to be important -- at least to Lata. But what are co-respondent shoes? They are a flashy kind of two-toned shoe worn by swingers during the 1930s. They're called "co-respondent" shoes because, a co-respondent in a British divorce case is the man who has committed adultery with one's wife. What is more, in a time when no-fault divorces were illegal, a man might put his distinctive "co-respondent shoes" outside of the hotel room door to be cleaned...and he might be identified by his shoes, later.
So Haresh's shoes were flashy bordering on vulgar but they were also twenty years out of fashion, so the shoes were a lot to overcome.
A reader shouldn't have to resort to a search engine in order to learn such a pivotal point. Please,Vikram Seth, the book is a delightful jewel, so please, help out your readers with a glossary!
The book is delightful in every way, and it is one of those books where you close the book with regret that the book is over. But if you reread this memorable book again, you will keep making new discoveries.
The remainder of this review is devoted to the ending. Please do not proceed any further unless you have read the book.
SPOILER ALERT. SPOILER ALERT. SPOILER ALERT.
Some observations about Lata's ultimate choice: The first time I read this book I thought that Lata had made a terrible mistake, and that her choice was inconsistent with her character, and I felt that Seth had forced the choice against the will of the character to make some kind of heavy-handed point. However, upon re-reading the book, I re-read Haresh's letters, and re-thought the time-line of her romance with Kabir, and her decision makes perfect sense. Lata picked a good man for precisely the right reasons. Kabir is a decent guy, and handsome and witty. But Lata and Kabir really don't develop the friendship that is essential for a good marriage. He's handsome, and he and Lata are intellectually compatible, but for all of that, their romance is an infatuation. In contrast, Haresh grows on Lata, and his fundamental decency and flexibility are more important than what is clearly an infatuation.
Mrs. Rupa Mehra's objection to Lata's relationship with Kabir is that Kabir is a Muslim and Lata is a Hindu. On the surface, the basis for this objection might be considered to be flawed - based on bigotry or stereotyping, but Lata has friends who are in purdah, so her mother's worries are not academic. And one must consider the violence that had just afflicted Hindu and Muslim alike in the time surrounding the Partition - wounds are still raw. In fact, Kedarnath Tandon bears the scars of it on his hands. However, it is clear on a close reading that Mrs. Rupa Mehra is not just indulging in mindless prejudice, but approaches marriage as most likely to be successful when it is a union of two people who have a lot in common. She doesn't just want Lata to marry a Hindu, she wants Lata to marry a khatri boy. She is just as horrified to hear that the brahmin Amit Chatterji is courting Lata, and has the impulse to remove Lata to another town, but realizes that it is not realistic to reduce Lata to an intinerant state because she attracts some unsuitable boys. Reasonable people might debate whether marrying someone who is like you is a good thing or a bad thing, but attributing Lata's family's objections to bigotry or religious closed-mindedness or some other bad trait is simplistic and disingenuous.
More to the point, Lata does not acquiesce to her mother's wishes, she follows her own. Haresh Khanna's misunderstanding of the word "mean," his reaction to it, his apology, and his wish for future guidance from Lata, immediately precede Lata's decision to marry him. Yes, he wears "co-respondent shoes" and doesn't seem to be as handsome as Kabir, speaks thickly-accented English and not well, but looks and shoes are not a good basis for choosing a life partner. Since Lata and Haresh speak several languages, his lack of total fluency in English is not as relevant here. And Lata wants to marry him anyway. This shows her growth, as well. Lata is depicted throughout as an independent-minded, intelligent girl, and the basis for her decision is consistent with her character, for all on first reading it might be tempting to root for Lata-and- Kabir. Furthermore, the outcome demonstrates Seth's ability to write plots and not cliches.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Did not read.
It is probably a great book, but the print in this edition was too light for me to read easily. So gave it away.
Published 1 month ago by Judith H Walling
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life, in a Book
Just today, at a junk shop, I bought a hardbound copy of this book, which I read maybe five years ago in soft cover, a task sort of like trying to eat a spiral-cut cantaloupe:... Read more
Published 3 months ago by S Hackman,S Hackman
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth the time
This very large book is well worth the time it took me to read it ( almost two weeks). I enjoyed the characters relationships with each other and the descriptive settings of the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ma'am
5.0 out of 5 stars
A work of art and utterly enjoyable
This is a very long book for sure and some have criticized Vikram Seth for having the audacity to take over 1,400 pages to write what in a nutshell is a long Indian soap opera. Read more
Published 4 months ago by NFR
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful, wonderful!
I read "A Suitable Boy" when it first came out and declared it one of my favorite books ever. I just reread it, and it is still one of my favorite books ever. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader
3.0 out of 5 stars
A SUITABLE BOY
I had a hard time getting through this novel.
First it was way too long. Second, and --that's the main reason--there were too many foreign words to understand. Read more
First it was way too long. Second, and --that's the main reason--there were too many foreign words to understand. Read more
Published 5 months ago by William H. Bartsch
5.0 out of 5 stars
Why isn't this book available on Kindle!!!
I read this book originally when I checked it out from the library in hardcover when it was new. It is such a great book that I wanted to read it again. Read more
Published 6 months ago by N. Charest
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing
This is an amazing story with rich characters and so intricately woven - once you have finished, you will be in absolute awe. Read more
Published 6 months ago by YR
4.0 out of 5 stars
On Par with Hugo?
A book equal to Hugo in quotable quotes. My favorite quote among many to choose from: `Do not let the bee enter the garden that the moth may not be unjustly killed. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Paul M. Murphy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Plagiarism?
I read and re read Seth because very few can use the English the language as beautifully as he does and its probably because he writes prose with a poet's mind. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Shehlah
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