Such a Long Journey
Ratings5
Average rating4
It is Bombay in 1971, the year India went to war over what was to become Bangladesh. A hard-working bank clerk, Gustad Noble is a devoted family man who gradually sees his modest life unravelling. His young daughter falls ill; his promising son defies his father's ambitions for him. He is the one reasonable voice amidst the ongoing dramas of his neighbours. One day, he receives a letter from an old friend, asking him to help in what at first seems like an heroic mission. But he soon finds himself unwittingly drawn into a dangerous network of deception. Compassionate, and rich in details of character and place, this unforgettable novel charts the journey of a moral heart in a turbulent world of change. "From the Trade Paperback edition."
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This was a beautifully written book highlighting journeys both physical and emotional. I liked the interactions between Gustad and his friends and family, as even when things were rough, I knew that Gustad cared. I also liked the ways political and religious news affected Gustad and his neighbors.
Set in Bombay in 1971, as India prepares for a war with Pakistan over what becomes Bangladesh, it tells the story of the family of Gustad Noble. Noble is a hard working bank clerk and devoted family man.
The book touches on many themes, political corruption, long term friendships, loss of loved ones, alternative medicine, and the mentally ill. It is a well woven story, but as a first novel, perhaps does not go deep enough into some themes, and includes a few too many.
The characters are likeable, the story unfolds well enough, but it perhaps didn't draw me in as much as I might have expected.
Mistry's second and third novels receive high praise, and for that reason I opted to read this book first. Hard to go back to earlier writing without a level of disappointment, so I look forward to those in due course.
Three and a half stars, rounded up.
