A Haunting Tapestry of Love, Loss, and the Unforgiving Hand of History

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, published by Penguin Random House, is a searing, poetic novel that etches itself deep into the consciousness of its readers. Set in the lush, restless landscape of Kerala, the story unfolds through the fractured memories of Estha and Rahel—twin siblings whose childhood is marked by a single, tragic event that forever alters the course of their lives.

Roy’s prose is both lyrical and unflinching as she delicately exposes the caste politics, social hypocrisies, and familial tensions that simmer beneath the seemingly serene surface of their world. At the heart of the narrative lies the forbidden love between Ammu, the twins’ mother, and Velutha, a man of the “Untouchable” caste—a love that defies the rules of society and is punished with devastating cruelty.

Through a non-linear structure and language that pulses with invention, Arundhati Roy crafts a novel that is as much about the “big things”—history, politics, and fate—as it is about the “small things”—glances, silences, and the quiet devastation of childhood innocence. Winner of the Booker Prize, The God of Small Things is a modern classic—a spellbinding exploration of how the personal and the political intertwine, and how love, when crushed by the weight of societal expectations, leaves a silence that echoes across generations.