The Moor's Last Sigh: Costa Novel Award (Vintage International)

“The Moor’s Last Sigh” tells the tale of three generations of an Indian family that built its fortune in the spice trade. This isn’t the type of book that would usually float to the top of my stack. I read it because I was traveling to Kochi (Cochin), and it came recommended because much of the first part of the book is set there. (The same recommendation might be received by someone traveling to Mumbai because the latter half of the book is set in that city; granted, there are a lot more stories set in Mumbai [Bombay] than Kochi.) Ultimately, I was pleasantly surprised by this book, despite its soap opera like tone.The book does read like a soap opera, at least until it gets into the narrating character’s story. There are strong women characters in this male-dominated environment of an Indian family business, though they tend to fall into the categories of “petty bitch” or “prima donna” or both. In the first generation there is a matriarchal character who dominates the family by manipulation and cruelty. In the second generation, the female lead—a strong-spirited, independent artist—falls in love with a Jewish employee of the family. Those familiar with marriage as practiced by the Indian elite will recognize how this inter-sect wedding with an underling might result in no small grief. The resulting marriage produces two female children and a boy. The latter would be nothing but a source of bliss, but for a birth defect that results in a malformed arm. While his mother smothers him with love and attempts to display a progressive spirit that’s beyond biases against such infirmities, under the surface there is the need to come to grips with the fact that handicapped children aren’t supposed to happen in high-caste families. The man with the infirmity is the narrator and overall protagonist of the book. He—as seems inevitable—will eventually fall for a woman of which his mother does not approve.Beyond the soap opera pettiness, there are genuine intrigues that unfold in the latter half of the book. However, the pettiness of narcissistic people is the root of the protagonist’s ultimate trial.While Rushdie builds characters in the manner we expect of literary fiction, he doesn’t abandon story. There is a narrative arc that unfolds over the course of the novel. Surprises are revealed and twists unfold.This is the first Rushdie novel I’ve read. I’ve always intended to read “The Satanic Verses” to see what all the hullaballoo was about, and the readability of this work makes me even more interested in following through. You know a writer has to be good to inspire a country to take out a hit on him.I’d recommend this for more than just people visiting Kochi or Mumbai—though it will be particularly interesting for those who are. If you’re interested in the lifestyles of the rich and famous in India more generally, you’ll find this work enlightening. In general, it will appeal to those who like their literary fiction with a bit of a storyline—and if you like the low drama of bitchiness, all the more so.

A typical Salman Rushdie constant change of time, dramatic personae and geographical location. One has to have a good memoryand a long time span in order to follow the various strands of the story. A most gorgeous narrative spanning time and space.A wonderful, unique author who allows one to savor history, society and humanity in all its aspects.

I read and loved this book years ago. Since retirement and covid has given me time, I am mixing my old faves in with the new. This is a marvel. And I don’t plan to wait for another pandemic to read it again. Pepper Love For Ever

Rushdie is clearly brilliant, and The Moor's Last Sigh is the work of a genius. I freely admit to having missed a substantial portion of the book; it simply went over my head. I enjoyed the talent of the writer and the thousands of clever connections and tricks of the book. Nevertheless, I found myself absolutely unable to develop true fondness for any of the characters; I really cared very little what happened to them. Most of the time, this included the protagonist, though occasionally I did feel sympathy or slight affection for him. Finally, I found the plot a bit weak. There were one to many twists thrown in until I found myself asking what, exactly, is the point of this whole book?

I LOVED this book! Rushdie's writing is incredibly detailed, which made the novel a slower read, but the amount of time/effort it took to work through the novel did not make it any less enjoyable. The Moor's Last Sigh is beatifully written and full of the intricate history of a family through multiple generations. Not to mention the novel deals with the complex effects of the British on India through the effects on the characters.

I have slowly been working my way through Rushdie novels and the book provided an interesting, though rather strange story. The book had its challenging moments but I am happy enough to have read it. The characters were quite intereting though the main character was strangest of all. I wouldn't reread it but will keep working though his novels.

Extraordinarily romantic, Salman Rushdie' s novel of a powerful dynasty living through the 20th century in India is so poetic and full of passion, he evokes a world lost to us now, but thankfully preserved through his brilliant descriptions and scintillating prose. There are few living writers with Rushdie' s literary ease of style. I didn't want this book to end..

I have enjoyed all of Salman Rushdie's novels that I have read. This is a beautifully written and enchanting novel. There is literature that you will come back to time and time again and will contain themes that will remain with you. Rushdie's novels are a great example.The writing is a joy to read and the journey is as enjoyable as the final destination.

Rushdie never fails to astound me with his fantastic realism or realistic fantasies. In the guise of a family epic taking the reader through three distinct locations, from Kochi to Mumbai to Spain, the author unveils not only the secrets of four consecutive generations in India but also that country's ethnic, religious, and social clashes and contradictions.Particularly in the part of the story that plays out in Mumbai/Bombay you can sense Rushdie's burning nostalgia for a home lost. The way he dissects the rule and collaboration of crime, business and politics in post-independence India is ingenious. As Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Jewish cultures converge in the family of the narrator, the liberal republican promise of the early years of Indian independence "unity in diversity" is increasingly threatened by communal intrigues and strife - almost to the point of abolition by Hindu extremists.Apart from such story lines, however, this is yet another great Rushdie narration, fairy tale, fictional orgy that makes for magnificent reading.

I read this for my English Literature course and was surprised by how much I liked it.It’s definitely a long read, and can be pretty dense for anyone who wouldn’t consider themselves an avid reader. There are also a lot of inter textual references so beware- you’ll be checking things a lot.I’d still recommend this for people who like reading about messy family histories and wild adventures with a touch of the fantastical.

Really a different kind of book! The language is scintillating and the use of language to create an effect also appears to be at an altogether different level. Re. the story itself, as stated in the descriptions, it is about “moor” and his family history with asides about the coming of the Jews to India and about the role of pepper in getting the Portuguese to India, along with comments on various historical events and political personalities, though I really didn’t get the character of Vasco Miranda at the end. Overall, it is like a very spicy dish.

Magnífica novela. Como la mayoría de Rushdie gran historia narrada de forma magistral con un uso brillante del lenguaje.El envío en tiempo y el libro en perfectas condiciones.

this is close to "magic" not for our down to earth selves this is close to "magic" not for our down to earth selves