The god of small things

The God of Small Things offers a keen insight into human nature with sensuous prose and dreamlike style. It is set in Kerala, India, during the late 60s where communism rattled the ancient caste system. The story starts off with the funeral of young Sophie Mol, who is the cousin of the protagonists - the twins, Rahel and Estha. In a serpentine and suspenseful narrative, Arundhati Roy unveils local politics, social taboos and historical aspects that lie underneath family tensions which leave the relationships irrevocably shattered. In this poignant novel, Roy captures the children’s candid observations, while showing an adult’s clouded understanding and complex emotional life.