This is at least my third, perhaps fourth read of this book(s). I glanced at some of the reviews before starting it again, and have to acknowledge the negative reviews make some valid points.

But I don’t care. I love this book. I will read it again. And probably again. And then again.

Do I skim some of political speeches? Sure. But I really enjoyed reading them the first time. I love the scope of this book, I love all the characters, and it never feels long to me.

I find it completely immersive. Once I start reading I feel like I’m there, where the story is taking place. The characters are all so well drawn, I feel like I’m in conversation with them. Do I love Pran best of all? Of course, but it is a little like picking a favourite child.

And with a world full of war and death and hardship and just everything shitty, I was really ready for a read that takes me away from all that. That said, part of why I love this book so, is that it isn’t escapism. There’s no escaping hardship, and the fallout from partition, Muslim- Hindu strife, the cruelty of caste, the pain of loss, they are all there in the book.

So read it. Just read it. Read it with Firefox open beside you (it turns out Bramho is not another name from Brahmin, see? So much to learn, with every read) in case you need help figuring out where or what everything is. And like someone said about LeGuin, visit an imaginary world, and then return to our own, with your heart eased.

I LOVED IT! And I miss it already! This book was 1535 pages long and I still wished it had gone longer!!

(A more coherent review to come)

I think, it's one of the longest book I have ever read in my life!
Amazing epic story about India couple of years after the Independence.

Wow.
This took me 2 years to finish and I can definitely say this is book which we can just randomly open any page and read at any time.

The poems, the different religion outlook, the politics everything is very detailed.
Obviously would have loved to see the love being a success but the ending was very realistic.

I really enjoyed this book and liked the way it told a year of history in India from the point of view of a couple of families.
It is a bit too lengthy at times though, hence only four stars.

After reading some of his others, I had to read this one. It did not disappoint. Set in India right before its independence, you not only get a history lesson you never learned in school, but got the stories of several families and how they adjusted to the change in their homeland and how they coped through the next several decades. Memorable characters and a great setting.