The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy

I started reading this book many years ago and probally got a few chapters into it before putting it down. I don't know why I didn't like it but it put me off the book for years. I have a copy on my shelf back in Canada but decided to tackle it again after I saw a copy on a friends shelf here in Turkey. It was also a book that I could choose for my 1% Reading Challenge, as well as the Diversity Rocks Challenge. I found this book an easy read and really interesting. The story is set in India in the late 1960's and looks at how the lives of two twins, Rahel and Estha, are affected after a horrible incident happens to their British cousin Sophie Mol (which they call The Terror). The story deals with issues of class, gender and poverty. I found it horrific some of the things people do (and the people they destroy) to save the reputation of their family. The story is beautifully written and I believe should be read a few times to really understand what it is about. There were parts of it that were a little confusing because the story jumps from time period to time period. But when you get to the end, everything comes together. I really like books on India. There is a harsh reality of poverty and class and gender inequality that can never fully be realized by people who have never been there. But by reading some wonderful Indian novels, at least we can get a glimpse of another world.