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This book solidified my passion for drama and historical fiction.

What a formidable storytelling!

What a sweeping saga about a family in the Kerala Estate of India, from 1900 to 1977!

The audiobook, which I listened simultaneously while reading, is narrated by the author, and I thought that he did a phenomenal job, although I had to increase the speed to at least 1.25, because he was too slow for me. His narration brought the book to life.

There are so many heartbreaking and uplifting moments.

I really thought that this was extraordinary.

Even though the storyline may be considered a slow burn, I was immediately hooked and I did not want to take my eyes off the pages (or my noise cancelling headphones).

There are also some good humour inserted in the dialogues (some made me laugh out loud in public).
There are plenty of descriptions of surgical procedures that may not please everyone.

As I’m kind of speechless I want to repeat what Joan Frank wrote so perfectly in “The Washington Post: “the author writes sex scenes with striking tenderness, as well as stunning accounts of birth and death struggles, graphic surgeries, mouthwatering food, and keen depictions of class and caste divisions in Glasgow and India��.

I know that it’s too early, but I think it’s going to be hard for another book to take the crown off this one as the best book I have read this year (but I thought the same about “Funny Boy��, by Shyam Selvadurai, which until now was holding the title as my favourite book of this year - out of 66).

Hardcover: 776 pages (10 parts, 84 chapters)

Audiobook narrated by the author: 31.1 hours (normal speed)