February '12 / Man Booker Reading: Midnight's Children

[Scheherazade]

In February, we will be reading Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdi.

Please post your thoughts and questions in this thread.

[Scheherazade]

Since some of you might be reading the book still, I will not go into detail not to spoil the story but when I finished reading it, I was surprised that I was not as impressed as I had thought I would have been.

It was a good story, kept me reading... Funny at places, intriguing at others; however, for some reason, I did not feel that Rushdi did it all for the right reasons (yes, a lot of judgement on my behalf, but since I paid for the book and read it patiently, I am entitled to that much judgement, right? ).

[TheFifthElement]

I just started reading this this morning. So far so good. I like the conversational, slightly rambly, slightly story-tellery style. Not sure where it's going but there's a good 600+ pages yet to figure that out.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Starting it today.

[Dark Muse]

I just started reading this this morning. So far so good. I like the conversational, slightly rambly, slightly story-tellery style. Not sure where it's going but there's a good 600+ pages yet to figure that out.

I loved the narrative style of this book. I have to say from the very first page it had grasped my attention. There is something that I found very easy to read about it. It does keep my interesting, and I like the strangeness of it, and the touches of humor.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

I'm at about 60 pages into the book at the point the "Hummingbird" is introduced. I'm enjoying it so far. It is appearnt that Saleem's nose is key to the story given the number of references to it.

[Dark Muse]

I'm at about 60 pages into the book at the point the "Hummingbird" is introduced. I'm enjoying it so far. It is appearnt that Saleem's nose is key to the story given the number of references to it.

Haha whenever I read about that I could not help but to picture this cartoonishly large nose.

[iamnobody]

I'm about 300 pages in and I love it so far. The narrative style, the characters, the chain of events unfolding, all have me hooked.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I'm About two thirds if the way through, and while I couldn't get into it at first, ever since it began focusing solely on Sakeem's life story, I've enjoyed it much more. It seemed, up until that point, it really lacked cohesiveness, and even had me going to Sparknotes to make sure I actually understood the actions of what I just read.

I like the surreal aspect of the book--although I haven't read a ton of it, I really do like the genre of "magical realism."

One thing confuses me, and maybe some of you would like to flex your cloe-reading muscles, but I've noticed the narrator on occasion switch from referring to his pasr self as "I" to using third person references like "he," "him," and even using his name, "Saleem." I'm wondering why he does that. It conveys a distance between the narrator's present self and his last self, as if he doesn't want to acknowledge that it was actually him. He only does it every once in a while, though. I'm think maybe he does it only during negative aspects of the story, such as things he'd be ashamed if, but I haven't payed enough attention to them times he uses this technique to confirm it.

I did not feel that Rushdi did it all for the right reasons (yes, a lot of judgement on my behalf, but since I paid for the book and read it patiently, I am entitled to that much judgement, right? ).

Interesting. Maybe you could explain this a bit more? Just make sure to add a spoiler tag if need be.

[TheFifthElement]

Hmm, I'm having similar problems to the problems I have reading Don Quixote; I enjoy it, but its an effort to pick it up and keep going. So I enjoy it but I'm not enjoying it. I know that doesn't make a lot of sense. I find myself wanting to read something else. Not a good sign. I think I'm finding it self indulgent. Rushdie comes across as an arrogant writer.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I think I'm finding it self indulgent. Rushdie comes across as an arrogant writer.

How so?

[Dark Muse]

I'm About two thirds if the way through, and while I couldn't get into it at first, ever since it began focusing solely on Sakeem's life story, I've enjoyed it much more. It seemed, up until that point, it really lacked cohesiveness, and even had me going to Sparknotes to make sure I actually understood the actions of what I just read.

Yes I can see your point about that. It is true that I did find the story seemed to pick up a bit more once it began speaking of Sakeem's story, and the back story, about the history of his grandfather, and mother father, felt like a really long lead in to get to his actual story. I agree that it was a bit confusing at first and there were moments I found hard to follow and was uncertain as to what was happening.

I also have to say one of the things which I found quite interesting when we finally go to Sakeem's own story, was learning of the various different gifts and abilities that the other midnight's children had.

I like the surreal aspect of the book--although I haven't read a ton of it, I really do like the genre of "magical realism."

I love surrealism. I find anything that questions and challenges are perceptions of reality, or bends reality to be fascinating, and I love reading books of this nature, they always entrance me. I am usually always up for anything of the bizarre nature.

One thing confuses me, and maybe some of you would like to flex your cloe-reading muscles, but I've noticed the narrator on occasion switch from referring to his pasr self as "I" to using third person references like "he," "him," and even using his name, "Saleem." I'm wondering why he does that. It conveys a distance between the narrator's present self and his last self, as if he doesn't want to acknowledge that it was actually him. He only does it every once in a while, though. I'm think maybe he does it only during negative aspects of the story, such as things he'd be ashamed if, but I haven't payed enough attention to them times he uses this technique to confirm it.

That is interesting, I have to admit that I never actually noticed that but now that you bring it up I will have to pay attention to look for those occasions. I do rather like the idea of his trying to distance himself from the negative aspects of the story.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I also have to say one of the things which I found quite interesting when we finally go to Sakeem's own story, was learning of the various different gifts and abilities that the other midnight's children had

I can't help but wonder if Rushdie got some inspiration from the X-Men.

I love surrealism. I find anything that questions and challenges are perceptions of reality, or bends reality to be fascinating, and I love reading books of this nature, they always entrance me. I am usually always up for anything of the bizarre nature.

I agree, and what I like a lot a out magical realism is how it blends surrealism with reality (of course, making the genre name quite apt). I like the subtlety, where it really makes you wonder about the narrator and how much he is to be trusted.

[Dark Muse]

I can't help but wonder if Rushdie got some inspiration from the X-Men.

Now that is an interesting thought, though in a way it actually makes a sort of crazy sense. Now you are going to have my picturing Saleem as Doctor Xavier.

The one thing of which I was left confused about, and maybe it is not supposed to make sense, of maybe I just missed something, but how is it that they made this big point of Saleem inheriting his grandfather's nose, only for the reader to discover that in fact Dr. Aziz was not in fact his real grandfather.

Also I find the Padma character and her relationship to Saleem to be interesting. I do find those little interlude to be quite amusing.

I agree, and what I like a lot a out magical realism is how it blends surrealism with reality (of course, making the genre name quite apt). I like the subtlety, where it really makes you wonder about the narrator and how much he is to be trusted.

Yes, I agree with you. I myself love the subtly of it as well. And I myself love evaluating the question of the unreliable narrator, so I do like the extra challenge that this genre of writing gives the reader in considering that. While on the one hand the reader is supposed to bend the rules of reality a bit and accept certain things which defy logic and reason (we are not intended I do not think to simply believe that Saleem is altogether delusional) and yet on the other hand when put in that situation it does leave the door open for more questions of just how much can truly be trusted and taken at face value.

It kind of makes me think of this book I recently finished in which while on the one hand one could easily view the ending as having been nothing but a dream or that the character could have truly just become delusional, but on the other hand it leaves the impression that the author intends the reader to perceive the event as having actually happened but it is still open enough where the reader can come to their own interpretation.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I love the padma interludes. I'm wondering as I enter the last hundred pages or so if she will be a part of some sort of "twist," or shown to be more integral to the plot. I suspect not, but you never know, especially in a novel like this.

I too wondered about the nose, and also wondered if maybe I too misinterpreted something. It seems like a pretty glaring inconsisitency for Rushdie to make, and on top of that keep referring to. Maybe that will also become clear in the later pages of the story.