SuitableBoy2024

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Thank you so much to Lindy for hosting this Suitable Boy #buddyread, and I really appreciate everyone‘s insights and comments that truly enhance my reading of the book.

It‘s been on my shelf for years and years and was just too daunting. Even though, once I started, I loved it I still think that, without the #buddyread I‘d have been tempted to rush through in my usual manner and I wouldn‘t have had the same experience.

#suitableboy2024

Lindy, azulaco, Leftcoastzen, KathyR, bekakins, RebelReader, jlhammar, RaeLovesToRead, kassandrik

Lindy Helen, it‘s been a great pleasure. 5mo

jlhammar I agree, reading it this way turned out to be so rewarding! 5mo

JuniperWilde It‘s a great book from my memory of the experience. 5mo

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bekakins It‘s been so great, and completely agree, this challenge has really forced me to show down which I think has enhanced the reading experience! I still have 2 chapters to go tomorrow morning! 5mo

BarbaraBB Loved this book so much when i read it ages ago! 5mo

squirrelbrain @bekakins - enjoy your last few pages! ❤️ 5mo

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jlhammar

Suitable Boy | Vikram Seth

pick

Finished a bit early since I‘ve got a busy week ahead. I so enjoyed my time with this novel. Such a rich reading experience. Kind of sad to say goodbye to these characters after 1349 pages. Tackling one part each week was just perfect. Thanks so much to @Lindy for hosting and the rest of the #SuitableBoy2024 gang!

azulaco, Leftcoastzen, KathyR, bekakins, squirrelbrain, RebelReader, RaeLovesToRead, kassandrik

squirrelbrain I finished early too! (We go away later this week and I definitely didn‘t want to take it with me. 🤣) 5mo

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Lindy

Suitable Boy | Vikram Seth

I was beginning to think it would never happen, that Lata would never choose and so be single for the rest of her life (and her mother‘s tears would never stop as a result.) But Seth is a master of reversals, so things may yet change. But we have only 25 pages yet before the end! 🎉 #SuitableBoy2024

azulaco, Leftcoastzen, KathyR, bekakins, squirrelbrain, RebelReader, jlhammar, RaeLovesToRead, kassandrik

jlhammar Here I was thinking it was looking good for Amit (my favorite)! Oh well. I‘m so eager to finish. 5mo

Lindy @jlhammar Amit was my favourite candidate too. I‘m really glad about Pran‘s promotion, and in regards to his father‘s electoral upset, it seems to be not such a bad thing. 5mo

jlhammar Haresh was well-casted in the adaptation. That‘s just how I pictured him! I‘m going to have to give it a watch sometime. 5mo

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squirrelbrain Haresh looks lovely doesn‘t he?! I‘m not going to comment too much as I finished early (I go away later this week) and I can‘t remember what was in the penultimate chapter and what remained in the last few pages. 🤐😜 5mo

KathyR @Lindy I think Mahesh's electoral defeat was a sad outcome, both for him and the political system. He was a dedicated & principled politician who had lots to give to a new India; he was defeated by yet another unprincipled corrupt candidate. Mahesh lost a calling and purpose and has only his regrets over his wife now. Truly sad. 5mo

Lindy @KathyR I was thinking that Mahesh‘s defeat wasn‘t such a bad thing for him personally, for his health; he won‘t be working so hard. I agree that it‘s sad for the people who would have been his constituents. 5mo

KathyR I was referring to him personally as well. He was a healthy fellow. Being busy and feeling useful would have been better for him mentally & physically than moping and regretting in his garden. 5mo

bekakins Eeek only one more week! I‘m kind of expecting a bit of a twist in the last part… it‘s not over till it‘s over!! 5mo

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Lindy

Suitable Boy | Vikram Seth

“I‘ve always felt that the performance of a raag resembles a novel—or at least the kind of novel I‘m attempting to write. You know,” he continued, extemporizing as he went along, “first you take one note & explore it for a while, then another to discover its possibilities, then perhaps you get to the dominant & pause for a bit & it‘s only gradually that the phrases begin to form & the tabla joins in with the beat… & then the more brilliant 👇

Lindy improvisations & diversions begin, with the main theme returning from time to time, & finally it all speeds up & the excitement increases to a climax.” #SuitableBoy2024 6mo

Cuilin Well I have to read it now. That‘s beautiful. 6mo

Lindy @Cuilin It‘s an amazing novel. Our readalong is coming to an end: we are on the penultimate chapter. 6mo

KathyR Lindy, thanks for posting that quote from Amit from much earlier in the novel. It turns out that Seth was telling us what the structure of "A Suitable Boy" would be. 6mo

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Lindy

Suitable Boy | Vikram Seth

The jeep, which was meant to accommodate two passengers in front and at most four in the back, was often crammed with ten or a dozen people, food, megaphones, posters, and all sorts of paraphernalia besides. Its horn blew unceasingly and it trailed impressive clouds of dust and glory. Once, when the radiator began to leak, the driver scolded it and mixed some turmeric into the water. This sealed the leak miraculously. #SuitableBoy2024

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Lindy

Suitable Boy | Vikram Seth

“…sudden and devastating events […] involved Maan; and as a result of them the family was never the same again.” Is this foreshadowing from 17.1 placed at the start of a slightly longer chapter in order to sharpen our interest in the saga that unfolds against the monumental undertaking of India‘s first general election? It worked for me.
#SuitableBoy2024

azulaco, Leftcoastzen, KathyR, bekakins, squirrelbrain, RebelReader, jlhammar, RaeLovesToRead, kassandrik

squirrelbrain This chapter was certainly a page-turner! 6mo

jlhammar Worked for me as well! Gripping. Firoz received quite the revelation. Maan can be so charming, but his behavior in this section was inexcusable (and so disappointing). His poor mother. And I didn‘t like Saeeda Bai blaming herself and realizing her love for Maan after he had assaulted/injured her like that. Not okay. 6mo

Lindy @jlhammar Saaeda Bai isn‘t to blame for Maan‘s drunken obsession and anger, but her lack of communication—protecting her big secret—has contributed to major misunderstandings. 6mo

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Lindy @squirrelbrain Agreed! 6mo

jlhammar @Lindy For sure! 6mo

bekakins Loved this part! Maan‘s arc has been really interesting - all this secrecy is so sad that it‘s led to him attacking his friend… and poor Mrs Kapoor! Although I was worried it was going to be Firoz that perished 😬 6mo

Lindy @bekakins Even though Firoz has pulled through, I am very curious about what happens next for him, and what‘s next for Maan and the Kapoor family. This novel continues to draw me onward. (edited) 6mo

KathyR I am curious about whether Seth means the Kapoor family or the entire extended family when he tells us that "the family" would never be the same. Will the Maan scandal affect Lata's suitability as a wife? 6mo

KathyR Although most of the action centred on Maan & the election, I found Mrs Kapoor's death & funeral to be the emotional centre of this part. Although she was always in the novel, (without even a first name), most of her non-family activities and kindneses were absent until remembered at her funeral. 6mo

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Lindy

Suitable Boy | Vikram Seth

“Calcutta lights festoon Park Street;
And at a cricket match three suitors meet.”

I felt a readerly thrill when Kabir, Amit and Haresh sat down together. Also pleased that Savita took Arun to task about his rudeness towards Haresh. Poor Haresh, though: his chances with Lata don‘t look good.

#SuitableBoy2024

azulaco, KathyR, bekakins, squirrelbrain, RebelReader, jlhammar, RaeLovesToRead, kassandrik

squirrelbrain Yes, they‘re all drawing closer together now, aren‘t they? I still can‘t call it though…. Who is it going to be?! 6mo

Lindy @squirrelbrain Seth maintains the suspense! 6mo

jlhammar It really was thrilling to have them all together. And I can‘t call it either @squirrelbrain ! At this point it seems like none of them are quite right. She obviously has a passion and yearning for Kabir, more of an intellectual (and brotherly?) sort of connection with Amit and Haresh more a safe and comfortable fondness (yet also annoyance). 🤔 6mo

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KathyR I thought that Seth managed to create a section, near the end of the novel, full of misunderstandings and chance encounters and missed opportunities (it reminded me of watching a classic comedic play) that ruled out all 3 suitors: Kabir from false info, Amit from a kiss that didn't feel romantic and Haresh from misunderstandings and a sense that they had nothing in common. 6mo

azulaco I got bogged down in part 14 and now I‘m so behind 😩 6mo

Lindy @azulaco Don‘t stress! Parts 15 and 16 are quicker reads. 6mo

Lindy @KathyR That sums this section up nicely 😊 6mo

KathyR @azulaco I agree with Lindy - Parts 15 and especially 16 are much quicker reads. Don't despair! 6mo

bekakins The scene at the cricket match was so funny! And totally agree with @KathyR - it was almost Shakespearean in its set up with no one having the full picture & lots of crossed wires. I‘m rooting for Kabir (as long as Melati‘s news is just a misunderstanding!) or Amit - I really don‘t want Lata to end up with Haresh, although I do feel sorry for him. Only 3 weeks to go! 6mo

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Lindy

Suitable Boy | Vikram Seth

So many different kinds of clashes in this section! The brutal murder of the 18-year-old Dalit when he returned to his village, the cricket match, the ideological clash & political manoeuvres within the Congress Party, the Hindu re-enactment of the battle over Sita‘s abduction, the Muslim observance of the battle of Karbala, the riots in the streets of Brahmpur, & the Raja of Marh‘s threat to Pran & the entire Kapoor family. 😳 #SuitableBoy2024

azulaco, Leftcoastzen, KathyR, bekakins, squirrelbrain, RebelReader, jlhammar, RaeLovesToRead, kassandrik

jlhammar Not to mention Meenakshi having “the miscarriage of her dreams.” I guess that takes care of that problem. The riots were terrifying. Maan was quite brave. And that threatening call to Pran! Very worrisome. It seems like Lata‘s heart may still be with Kabir. 6mo

Lindy @jlhammar Oh yes! I forgot about the miscarriage. So much happened in this chapter. And we only have four more to go. 6mo

KathyR I didn't really see this section as series of clashes but as a continuation or culmination of conflicts that have been going on from the beginning of the novel: conservatives/Agarwal vs Mahesh/secularists conflict in which the latter have been outmanoevered by the former; ongoing Hindu/Muslim conflict culminating in riots, etc. I saw the cricket match as only a venue in which we could see what characters were thinking about. 6mo

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squirrelbrain @jlhammar - Meenakshi is so awful isn‘t she? 6mo

squirrelbrain Only 4 more chapters to go, Lindy, but we seem no nearer the ‘suitable boy‘. I‘m beginning to wonder if there will even be one…. 🤔 6mo

bekakins I struggled a bit with this section as I‘ve been poorly this week so concentrating has been a struggle! The riots were really scary, I loved the tension built when Maan & Firoz were trying to get to safety! And Meenakshi is terrible (although the sections with her in are some of my favourites) - I liked how the short, direct delivery of the miscarriage echoed her callousness rather than it been dwelled on. 6mo

Lindy @squirrelbrain I‘m hoping there will be a suitable boy arranged, and that the final chapter will bookend the first with another wedding. But maybe it won‘t be Lata‘s wedding. 🤔 6mo

Lindy @bekakins I hope you feel better soon 🌻 6mo

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Lindy

Suitable Boy | Vikram Seth

Well, I learned waaaay more about India‘s early politics and governmental structure in Part 14 than I expected (coupled with internet research to supplement my big knowledge gaps). The will-he-or-won‘t-he aspects of Nehru, India‘s enigmatic first Prime Minister, added some welcome tension to this chapter. I cheered confirmation of my suspicion that Maan is bisexual; also pleased that his father has recognized his good qualities. #SuitableBoy2024

azulaco, Leftcoastzen, KathyR, bekakins, squirrelbrain, RebelReader, jlhammar, RaeLovesToRead, kassandrik

squirrelbrain I have to say I found the politics a bit much in this part - not my favourite chapter so far. But, yes, I loved that Maan was revealed as bi-sexual. 6mo

jlhammar Yes, such a politics-heavy section this week! I confess to feeling somewhat less invested. And we‘ve passed the 1000-page mark - wow! 6mo

Lindy @squirrelbrain I was reminded of a few earlier hints about Maan‘s sexual orientation, one in a conversation with Firoz when Maan had just returned from a month in the village, and the other when he gently rejected the rajkumar‘s advances. 6mo

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Lindy @jlhammar Only 320 more pages to go (in my edition)! 😊 6mo

KathyR I see this novel as much a social/political history of India's beginning as an independent country as I see it as the story of the search for a suitable boy so I think I enjoyed it more than others. The fight for independence was difficult but pales in the effort needed to build the united secular country that was envisioned. I think Seth does a good job of making the Hindu/Muslim divide real, both in political issues and at a personal level. 6mo

Lindy @KathyR Your comments have really helped me appreciate those aspects of the novel. 😘 6mo

bekakins Like @squirrelbrain I too struggled a bit with the politics in this part… I can‘t believe how far we‘ve come though! 6mo

squirrelbrain I know @bekakins - we‘re on the home straight now! 6mo

Lindy @bekakins @squirrelbrain 💪🎉 (edited) 6mo

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Lindy

Suitable Boy | Vikram Seth

“A child is born; wise women come to look.” [Is Seth talking about Meenakshi & Kakoli? 😂]
“A cobbler writes. A poet mails his book.” — talk about understatement! Haresh & Amit seem to be the major players in Lata‘s love story so I was glad to see a lot of both in this chapter. Kabir is there too. Also glad we didn‘t have to wait to hear about Pran‘s health. In baby news, what will happen with Meenakshi‘s accidental pregnancy? #SuitableBoy2024

azulaco, Leftcoastzen, KathyR, bekakins, squirrelbrain, RebelReader, jlhammar, RaeLovesToRead, kassandrik

bekakins Drama drama with Meenakshi‘s pregnancy - she is awful but also one of my favourite characters! Also good to see the tension heating up with Kabir, Haresh & Amit - I wonder which one (if any!) Lata will end up with… 7mo

Lindy @bekakins “the tension heating up” — that‘s a good way to put it. I like the way that in this chapter we got more of a sense of competition for Lata‘s affection. And I also like that there continues to be new plot elements; Savita‘s desire to enter law; the robbery; and of course the drama surrounding Meenakshi‘s pregnancy. 7mo

jlhammar Substantial section this week. Welcome Lady Baby Uma! Love your wise women speculation 😂 That poor mother monkey 😢 I‘m not sure Haresh is the right match for Lata. I liked Kuku‘s argument for Amit “[He] has a lovely nature. Why, Cuddles bites him less often than anyone else.”😆 Glad Pran is okay for the time being and following doctor‘s orders. 7mo

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Lindy @jlhammar Lady Baby! Thanks for reminding me how funny I found that section. 😅 7mo

KathyR Can there be any doubt that the robbery is part of the story of Varun's mess of a life? Varun's drunk and blabs about the jewelry to his sketchy friends, and then turns pale when Arun tells him about the robbery, doesn't bother to talk back to him when he's yelled, just slinks into his bedroom. 7mo

squirrelbrain Oh yes, I agree @KathyR and there was a fair bit of ‘turning pale‘ in this section, with Billy hearing about Meenakshi‘s pregnancy too. 7mo

squirrelbrain @jlhammar I‘m not sure about Haresh either. He seems like a nice guy, but maybe not sophisticated or book-smart enough for her, as snobbish as that sounds. It does feel like Amit is re-entering the fray now. 7mo

Lindy @bekakins @jlhammar @KathyR @squirrelbrain Haresh seems like the safe pick (but boring for Lata); Kabir is the most dangerous pick in regards to Lata falling out with her family (but he‘s the most romantic pick); and Amit falls in the middle between them. An interesting field of candidates! 7mo

KathyR Are there actually 3 suitable candidates? Given how much Lata has changed her views on the importance of family and her new-found respect for her mother's matchmaking (section 13.12) are Kabir & Amit really in the running? I think not. Amit has sent Lata a poem and book but he doesn't plan to do anything else till Xmas - not exactly a keen suitor. And Menakshi & Kuku's visit probably sealed the family's view of Chatterji unsuitability. 7mo

Lindy @KathyR I‘m not ruling out Kabir, even though Rupa doesn‘t consider him suitable. She doesn‘t think Amit is suitable either, but this is fiction and Lata might end up with an unsuitable boy. 7mo

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