Born at the stroke of midnight, at the precise moment of India’s independence, Saleem Sinai is destined from birth to be special. He is one of 1001 children born at the midnight hour who all have special gifts and are telepathically linked. After a mix-up at birth, his life takes some unexpected twists and turns. He learns the ominous consequences of his gift-the course of his life is inseparably tied to that of his motherland, and his every act is mirrored and magnified by events that shape the newborn nation of India. It is a great gift but also a terrible burden.
What the book club thought: We split the book over two months, as Christmas is such a busy time for all of us, and it was a slightly longer read than usual!
A real ‘Marmite’ choice; love it or hate it! Most of us who were able to finish it found it a challenging but enjoyable read, very evocative of Indian culture.