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"Grimus is one of those novels some people will say is too good to be science fiction, even though it contains other universes, dimensional doorways, alien creatures and more than one madman.... A book to be read twice...Grimus is science fiction in the best sense of the word. It is literate, it is fun, it is meaningful and perhaps most important, it pushes the boundaries of the form outward." -- "The Los Angeles Times"
"A fireworks of a book: beautiful, funny and endlessly surprising." -- Ursula Le Guin
"Ambitious, strikingly confident." -- "The Times Literary Supplement"
"A mixture of science fiction and folktale, past and future, primitive and present-day... Grimus is a parallel form of life, and conjuring of an alternative society.... Thunderous and touching." -- "Financial Times"
"A fireworks of a book: beautiful, funny and endlessly surprising." -- Ursula Le Guin
"Ambitious, strikingly confident." -- "The Times Literary Supplement"
"A mixture of science fiction and folktale, past and future, primitive and present-day... Grimus is a parallel form of life, and conjuring of an alternative society.... Thunderous and touching." -- "Financial Times"
Book Description
Salman Rushdie's first novel - reissued with a stunning new jacket
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Apparently Grimus was a flop when it was published. It shouldn't have been: maybe it was a cult hit, I don't know. It's Rushdie's first novel and about the only one that isn't about India, but it's still definitely a Rushdie book. It's an adult fairy tale about immortality and identity with a vivid plot and setting silhouetting some of the best fictional/mythological characters ever created:for example, a Russian aristocrat who was pregnant when she was made immortal, a brothel-full of prostitutes all with their own specialities, and the ugly, pathetic, heroic Virgil Jones. And the Gorf, an alien from a planet of game-obsessed rock-type things.
"The sands of time are steeped in new Beginnings."
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Betraying the probability of Rushdie having had something of a post 60's 'hippy-dippy' British studenthood , this novel took me by somehow by surprise , with chief influences seemingly being Carlos Castaneda , parallel dimension theory (often associated with 'Quantum Physics' ) , Buddhism and a hint of Graham Greene in the literary style ( particularly the characterisation ) .
In this ,his first novel ,written while he was still in his 20's , Rushdie has seemingly parodied his own 'outsider experience' by casting his protagonist as a Red Indian ( 'Native American') who travels to a bizzare Island inhabited by improbable characters ; a world which contrasts strongly with his 'homeland' ( in this case , the 'ordinary world') , though admittedly the book is too surreal to be seen simply as a literal metaphor for anybody's real life .
In some respects the book teeters precariously between 'teen fiction' and 'real literature' ; which possibly implies that Rushdie was aiming it at a fairly wide potential audience ; as such it would very possibly be suitable for use in an 'A-level' curriculum , but some might feel it lacking in 'maturity' .
I recently saw an interview on TV in which Rushdie virtually disowned this book , as if he now regards it as an embarassment . Considering he was so young when it was published I think he is perhaps being too hard on himself . I was struck by the open-mindedness and non-ethnicity of this work , and I feel that perhaps it's a shame that now he focuses almost entirely on work concerning India , when this book seems to imply that he could comfortably be less limited in his subject matter.
In this ,his first novel ,written while he was still in his 20's , Rushdie has seemingly parodied his own 'outsider experience' by casting his protagonist as a Red Indian ( 'Native American') who travels to a bizzare Island inhabited by improbable characters ; a world which contrasts strongly with his 'homeland' ( in this case , the 'ordinary world') , though admittedly the book is too surreal to be seen simply as a literal metaphor for anybody's real life .
In some respects the book teeters precariously between 'teen fiction' and 'real literature' ; which possibly implies that Rushdie was aiming it at a fairly wide potential audience ; as such it would very possibly be suitable for use in an 'A-level' curriculum , but some might feel it lacking in 'maturity' .
I recently saw an interview on TV in which Rushdie virtually disowned this book , as if he now regards it as an embarassment . Considering he was so young when it was published I think he is perhaps being too hard on himself . I was struck by the open-mindedness and non-ethnicity of this work , and I feel that perhaps it's a shame that now he focuses almost entirely on work concerning India , when this book seems to imply that he could comfortably be less limited in his subject matter.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I had no idea what I was getting into when I started Grimus. I'd never read a book by Salman Rushdie before, worried about hearing how politically aware and metaphorical his stories are I approached this story with some caution. I realise now that this first novel by Rushdie differs to his later, more popular works.
Grimus follows Flapping-Eagle as he searches for his sister after becoming immortal (as she has). His journey is a long one and along the way he meets a variety of great characters. There is love, violence and friendship admist the harships and fears he must face. I really enjoyed following Flapping-Eagle on his epic quest to find his sister.
Calf Island, the setting for most of the novel isn't what it appears to be however, and Flapping-Eagle soon finds out that there is much more at stake than finding his sister. His entire future and the destiny of those around him is suddenly revealed to be dangling from a thread. Does Flapping-Eagle have the determination to face his fate and save the world? You'll have to read it to find out!!
I was glad the book was so creative, it was refreshing to read something with such an explosion of imagination on every page. There are some wonderful ideas in Grimus. I did find however that some of the concepts were drawn out and over-complicated themselves. Rushdie simply doesn't need to go into the detail with some theories that he did and as a result of doing so, I struggled slightly. I'd advise the reader to not feel put off by some of the more complicated philosophical aspects of the book, it is an enjoyable read no matter how deeply you read between the lines.
Imagine Donnie Darko crossed with The Legend of Zelda and you're almost there. It's a great read, something that everyone should have a go at, just for the sheer creativity it will awaken in you. I'm about to read 'Midnight's Children' and hoping I will enjoy it as much.
Grimus follows Flapping-Eagle as he searches for his sister after becoming immortal (as she has). His journey is a long one and along the way he meets a variety of great characters. There is love, violence and friendship admist the harships and fears he must face. I really enjoyed following Flapping-Eagle on his epic quest to find his sister.
Calf Island, the setting for most of the novel isn't what it appears to be however, and Flapping-Eagle soon finds out that there is much more at stake than finding his sister. His entire future and the destiny of those around him is suddenly revealed to be dangling from a thread. Does Flapping-Eagle have the determination to face his fate and save the world? You'll have to read it to find out!!
I was glad the book was so creative, it was refreshing to read something with such an explosion of imagination on every page. There are some wonderful ideas in Grimus. I did find however that some of the concepts were drawn out and over-complicated themselves. Rushdie simply doesn't need to go into the detail with some theories that he did and as a result of doing so, I struggled slightly. I'd advise the reader to not feel put off by some of the more complicated philosophical aspects of the book, it is an enjoyable read no matter how deeply you read between the lines.
Imagine Donnie Darko crossed with The Legend of Zelda and you're almost there. It's a great read, something that everyone should have a go at, just for the sheer creativity it will awaken in you. I'm about to read 'Midnight's Children' and hoping I will enjoy it as much.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
early Rushdie
Grimus is the first novel by Salman Rushdie and it has been described as a science fiction/fantasy novel. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Cloggie Downunder
Thumping Good Read
This is such a surprising and engrossing book. It was my first Rushdie read and wiped away any preconceptions I had of him. Read more
Published on 16 July 2008 by Ms. A. R. Richardson
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