Customer Reviews

Q & A: A Novel

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After seeing Slumdog Millionaire, I told myself that I had to read the book. The book is wonderfully written and brings the same emotional energy from the film into writing, however most of the stories are extremely different. It is very clear to see how the book influenced the movie, but just don't be surprised on how different it really is. All and all, it was a fantastic read with a great ending that keeps you on your toes.

I decided to read this book after seeing Slumdog Millionaire. I enjoyed the film so much I rushed out to get the book, but I have to say (and this has only been said once before about Forrest Gump book vs movie) that I enjoyed the movie more. The author has told a wonderful story about this young boy Ram and all the extensive trials and tribulations he has gone through in life. As is in the movie they jump back and forth between the past and present circumstances to determine if this boy did indeed know the answers to the questions on the gameshow. What the book has that the movie didn't was better background stories. I knew more about Ram, Ismail, and the people in their lives. There were several parts of the movie that, although not at the time, were better explained in the book. I did find at times it was difficult to pinpoint what time period in Ram's life that he was referring when he flashed back. It didn't follow an order and unless you have really good Indian knowledge you had to refer back several times. What the movie had that the book didn't was better descriptive elements, probably due to director's and screenwriters collaborative visions. I would have loved to read the screenplay too! All in all I would recommend reading the book then seeing the movie not the other way around. I found it was a little hard keeping it straight in the first few chapters not referrring back to the film. I would definitely recommend buying the book. Enjoy!

...and the movie won god damned Best Picture of the year!

This book is unlike any other. Unlike the film, the characters in Q&A are believable, placed in an unflinching environment, pitted against very real circumstances. Whats more is that the character is easy to relate to, smart, and strong willed, while still affected by the daunting effects of emotion and acts accordingly to whatever outstanding circumstance (None of which are far fetched, considering the location) Swarup creates.

The story will not only borrow your heart during the time that will fly by while Ram Mohammad Thomas tells you about his hardships, but it will give you a real insight into the culture of Mumbai, India.

This is a must read! You will not be displeased!

Everyone loves the movie slumdog but the book is so great in its own. It has such inspiration in it and is quite funny too. I would say if you have seen slumdog read this book and if you read the book watch the movie. They are quite different and in a good way. Read.

After I saw Slumdog for the 2nd time, I noticed the "based upon the novel" in the credits, so the next time I went to the library, I scored. (The librarian didn't even know they had the book. I knocked the book out in less than a day, literally could not put it down. It's outstanding, and would have made a great, great movie.
Slumdog Millionaire is "based" upon Vikas Swarup's debut novel, "Q&A". BTW, Amazon know-it-alls, the title is Q&A, NOT Q & A!!
Both the film and the book have to do with a young Mumbai orphan who is snagged by a scumbag named Maman(who cripples orphans to make them be able to beg more effectively), who eventually works as an unofficial guide at the Taj Mahald, and who eventually wins on a TV game show(partly by answering a question about the Colt revolver). That's pretty much all the movie has in common with the book.
Much like "Forrest Gump", the general plot of the book was taken, adapted, and adapted well. The book "Forrest Gump" was OK, nothing special. The movie was beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed "Slumdog". I loved "Q&A"!!.
Again, some adjustments were done simply for dramatic effect. Look at "The Natural" and "On The Waterfront": both movies end happily, while both books end dismally.
For what I think is the most glaring and cheesy ending change, check out "Midnight Express": the real escape, stealing a boat at night then drifting ashore only to have to(unowingly)cross a minefield was changed to a brutal killing for no good reason, and Billy Hayes(author of Midnight Express) has totally distanced himself from the movie.
I don't see why the gun violence was in Slumdog, when in the book, it was just good old-fashioned blunt instruments & knives, excepting a fine scene on a train that would have been well included in the film.

I'll wait until the DVD of Slumdog gets down to $5. I scored a copy of Q&A last night for $11.49. COOL!!

The book is not the same story as the movie; all the events are different. However, it's still a good read.

Book is so much better than the film. If you did not read before seeing the film slumdog, then it's fine, but after reading, the film is a bit deceiving. So even before or after the film READ the book.

Q & A was the basis of Slumdog Millionaire. I have still not seen the movie, but I loved the book. The premise is brilliant and simple: a poor waiter in Mumbai lands on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and he wins. The producers are convinced he cheated; how could this uneducated young man possibly know the answers to all these questions? The book takes us through his life, question by question. The chapters go in the order of the game show, so it's not chronological in Ram's life.

The book was an absolute joy to read. It was a beautifully haunting look at the unglamorous realities of life in India. As I love to say about great novels, the plot is not truly what it's about. Aren't we all representations of our collective knowledge from surprisingly and usual places? I love to ask the question, "how do you know that?" because it so often leads to great stories of happenstance. I'm eagerly awaiting Swarup's next book, Six Suspects, set to be published on July 7, 2009, according to Books in Print. If anyone at MacMillan St.Martin's is listening, I'd love an ARC!

I read this book 2 years ago, from the New BOOKS shelf of the Arcadia library. I generally love to read anything by authors of Indian heritage just because myself growing up in the former USSR which was a great friend of India at the time, I was in love with the soap operas of the Bollywood (30-25 years ago). So I am kinda familiar with the social differences of their society and understand where all this come from - casts,poverty,etc.
The book is absolutely the best in describing all of the differences in a matter of the few pages, at the same time following the plot and all.

Mr. Swarup - kudos to you and regret that I did not write this earlier!

While this book led to the excellent movie Slum Dog Millionaire, it is somewhat different in it's composition. It is equally outstanding. It was surprising to me that with different characters and stories, it was a great read. It goes quickly. I have bought several copies to give to others.I highly recommend this book.