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Amazon.co.uk Review
Mistry does something that only the really natural writers can do: without apparent effort, manipulation or contrivance, he creates characters you like instantly and will gladly follow for as long as the novel leads. The book is about an Indian family during the years of Indira Ghandi's rule; it's also a study of the times, its politics and corruption, and was especially interesting for me, knowing so little about life in the rest of the world. It had to be a good book: after I read Such a Long Journey, I wanted to go right out and buy a plane ticket and see India for myself.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"'One of India's finest living novelists.' Observer"
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the second Rohinton Mistry novel I have read ( also Family Matters) and I cannot recommend them too highly. In this novel ( which is about a bank clerk and his family; the doctor mentioned in the above synopsis is a minor character.)Mistry creates a group of characters and describes their interaction in an absorbing and convincing way. In some ways this is like a traditional 19th century English novel of family life, though set in India in the 1970s. When I read 'Family Matters', I had never been to India, but Mistry's descriptions enabled me to visualise it in a way few previous 'Indian' novels I had read had succeeded in doing. 'Such a long journey' I read during my first visit to India and I can now vouch for its authenticity and humour. The novel however is no travelogue; the characters are interesting because of their human nature. The ending was genuinely moving. A great writer.
48 of 50 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Sometimes compared to Dickens or Victor Hugo for the strength of his descriptions, Rohinton Mistry uses "ordinary" men and women as his protagonists and fills his novels with the sights, sounds, smells, and color of India. Depicting his characters as neither saints nor sinners, he involves the reader in their lives as they try to survive the complexities of their culture.
In this novel, Gustad Noble and his wife Dilnavaz, living in a congested apartment building in Bombay, try to lead good lives and inspire their children during Indira Gandhi's rule in the 1970s, with all its political, professional, and social upheaval. India is on the verge of war with the Muslims of Pakistan, and though Gustad, a Parsi, is aware of political chicanery, he is far more pre-occupied with having his son accepted at a school of technology, doing his job as a bank supervisor, and supporting his family. Constant blackouts and continually deteriorating conditions on the street add to the frustrations of Gustad's life.
Then Jimmy Bilimoria, an old friend, asks Gustad for help, claiming that he is training freedom fighters in Bangladesh to act on behalf of the Indian government against Pakistani "butchers." Gustad reluctantly agrees to use his position at the bank to deposit money to a secret account, but he soon finds himself enmeshed in a spiral from which he cannot break out, his life turned upside down.
Throughout the novel, the wall outside Gustad's apartment building symbolizes the larger world of Bombay and parallels some aspects of Gustad's own life. At the outset, it is used as a latrine, breeding illness in the neighborhood but keeping the noise and tumult of the street out of the apartment house. When Gustad persuades a sidewalk artist to paint it, he depicts scenes from all the religions of India, and the wall becomes a shrine--until the government decides to widen the road and tear it down. Gustad's personal crisis and the fate of the wall intersect in a conclusion both moving and profound.
Though this novel lacks the grand scale of A Fine Balance, it is a beautifully constructed and emotionally involving story of a small family trying to live meaningful lives against almost overwhelming odds. The characters are finely drawn, and the plot, though not "exciting," reflects the traumas of an ordinary man and his wife caught up in events and crises not of their own making. Wry and often humorous in its observations of people and circumstances, this early novel by Mistry has all the ingredients which make his later novels so memorable. Mary Whipple
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Such a Long Journey is the first book I have had the pleasure of readingby Mistry and it has been a wonderful experience from start to finish! The culture and traditions are so alive in the book that they seem to jumpout at you and teach you something about life in India as a whole. A mostcaptivating book that I will definitely be reading again and again.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Another great book from Mistry
I read (and reviewed) A Fine Balance and thought it fantastic. On the strength of that I read this.
Another great book. Read more
Another great book. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mysay
Brilliant book but 'A Fine Balance' was even better
Having read 'A Fine Balance' a fair while ago and still talking about it today as the best book I've ever read, I was very excited to see another book by the same author. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Royston Vazey
Such a good read
Cannot add much to all the other excellent reviews. If you enjoy excellence then read this book along with the authors other brilliant works of art "A fine Balance" and "Family... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Josie-Jo
Just read
I have read author's previous books so knew what to expect - but you can be surprised. Really enjoyed the saga of Indian family life. Very good read if you're into family sagas. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Toddy
A delightful and descriptive story of a Bombay family in the 1970's
This is a delightful story of Gustad Noble and his family living in Bombay in the 1970's under Indira Ghandi as Prime Minister. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Tony Buckley
A great read from a great writer
Gustad Noble lives a frugal life as a bank worker in Bombay. It is the 1970s and India is ruled by Indira Ghandi and the Congress Party. Read more
Published on 6 Mar 2010 by Wynne Kelly
Well crafted novel
This is a good read from a talented author, although not quite in the same league as A Fine Balance. Read more
Published on 22 Nov 2009 by Top Banana
Interesting book
Very interesting book- recommended by a book club I belong to, as part of Indian authors theme. It gives a good account of life in India for an ordinary family.
Published on 21 July 2009 by Mrs. J. M. Boyce
such a good read
Very prompt delivery and in excellent condition and the book is such a good read!!
Published on 28 April 2009 by Maj-Britt Sharkey
Excellent - fantastic characterisation
Rohinton Mistry is a wonderful writer and 'Such a Long Journey' is another great example of his skill. Read more
Published on 25 April 2009 by BookWorm
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