The Room on the Roof and Vagrants in the Valley- Two Novels of Adolescence

by Ruskin Bond

Room on the Vagrants in the Valley

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, India

223 pages, Paperback

Published October 14, 2000

About the author

Ruskin Bond is an Indian author of British descent. He is considered to be an icon among Indian writers and children's authors and a top novelist. He wrote his first novel, The Room on the Roof, when he was seventeen which won John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Since then he has written several novellas, over 500 short stories, as well as various essays and poems, all of which have established him as one of the best-loved and most admired chroniclers of contemporary India. In 1992 he received the Sahitya Akademi award for English writing, for his short stories collection, "Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra", by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters in India. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 for contributions to children's literature. He now lives with his adopted family in Landour near Mussoorie.

Reviews

[Arsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book! , Brings nostalgia to the reader, shows what India like back in those days, more specifically what dehra was like in the days of his youth, the way he describes everything makes the reader feel happy.

[Book'd Hitu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A note to every avid reader: Come and dive into this magical book by Ruskin bond.

Definitely, Ruskin Bond is a master story teller. His writing and story weaving skills will create a whole new world around the reader, difficult to escape from. And this book was also not an exception. Wonderfully woven story of an Anglo Indian boy Rusty who is in search of right path for his life. The narrations of surroundings, situations and deep insights into the smallest of details makes this book a perfect read.

I loved every bit of this book and I would strongly recommend it to every reader

[Tushita Kataria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The essence of adolescence and fragrance of friendship best expressed in the beautiful scenic Dehra, the home of the author. It is a fun ride with ups and down and a humdrum of emotions suffused with laughs and tears for anyone who is a Ruskin Bond fan.

[Viju · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - 4 stars for the amazingly written first part called The Room on the Roof and 3 stars for the second part Vagrants in the Valley.

I picked this up to get some light reading done on a Saturday night and I was pleasantly surprised. The onset of adulthood in a few teenagers depicted so well in Bond’s own world which doesn’t have too many bad people. I quite liked how the Rusty character evolved in book 1 and in book 2 as well. And Bond was 17 year old when he wrote the first book!

Much recommended!

[TINA MUKHERJEE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruskin Bond has always 'Bond-ed' with his authors time and again by his subtlety and this novel is no exception. With the warmth of the mountain soil , smeared with its magnificent shades , every page seems to make a new connection with Rusty, Sudhir, Goonga and many other. Be ready to fall in love with the friendships, moments of laughter as this novel brings to you a breath of fresh air.

[Priya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruskin's touch :)

[Shamya · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐

[Poonam Saha · Rating 5 out of 5]

best book and the writer Ruskin bond is a best writer for beginners who just start to read books.

[Karuna Sinh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A journey to achieve success in life through jungle, hills, rivers, villages of Dehra, Hrishikesh, Haridwar. The book is written by Ruskin Bond at his young age. Hence the book is full of youth energy, experiences & self introspection.
Do read it.

[Tejas Gotavade · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Mystique Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

🛤Synopsis🛤
17 year old. Rusty ran off from his bitter English guardian, after exploring the magic of India’s bazaar. He met his lots of favourite best friends. He fell in love with Meena, Kishen’s mother. But she died in an accident and Kishen moved to Hardwar. And later Rusty follows them. But love for Dehradun bound them to come back. They lack both place to live and job. Then Rusty met his father’s friend Mr Pettigrew and he told him about his aunt who lived on the hills. Going through lots of ups and downs, befriended with lots of young boys like Devinder orphan like him and Sudheer. They accompanied him for a shorter period but stays with him in his hardest times. Lastly he decided to leave India for England for a better off writing career.
🛤Review🛤
Being vagrant and yet lonely all the time is the theme of the book. Ruskin underlined that a person cannot spend life alone, one needs someone for company and haggling. It is a great book. There are loads of story spoken through various characters. Ruskin Bond style of writing makes the reader up and fascinated.

[Ashish Taneja · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect blend capturing both the human nature and the mother nature!

This is the story of an Anglo-Indian teenager who discovers himself throughout the course of his journey. He leaves behind the comforts & boredom of his residence for the uncertain & eventful life of a vagrant. He is always accompanied by one friend or another in each of his carefree endeavors.

Bond's love affair with morning sunshine, winter dew, river streams, tall trees and his life in the hills makes you slow down and observe the often ignored natural processes around you!

The book also makes you question the fast-paced life in the cities, the value of money that is earned and at what expense? Like author says through one of the characters:
You can't have both - time and money.

[Shalini M · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a beautiful novel of adolescence and coming-of-age, of youthful innocence and friendship. The story is warm and endearing, and flows at an easy, constant pace. It is tinged with a subtle sadness, borne out of loneliness and hardships of living in small villages in the hills. I was almost sorry when Rusty has to end his carefree adventures and move towards adulthood, realizing the inevitable business of growing-up.
This is also written in Ruskin Bond's own special style - in first person narrative, simple yet charming language, and with vivid descriptions of people and places. In fact, it is difficult to believe that it was his first novel written at the age of 17!

[Lokesh Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

the writer in his writing has poured all the emotions on a lonely canvass. The beauty of this novel is how ordinary a story can be and how extraordinary its narration has to be. The situation on the exterior are ordinary but that string of gold that has been weaved in between, is just marvellous. The emotion of uncertainty, the pleasure of the eyes, the smell of chaat , to the mud of medan . The rage , the emptiness , the tragedy of love and at last the comfort of a friend's company, in restless commotion of endless hollowness of the heart. May be the story is not ordinary only it seems to be. As it can be a verse or a chapter from our lives.

[TIYASH PAUL · Rating 5 out of 5]

My father had presented this book to me on my 13th birthday, perhaps the perfect time to get such a gift. It felt as if Rusty and me were growing up together into our adolescence, experiencing the same emotions and looking at the world in exact the same way.

These two novels about coming of age - one picking up from where the other ends - remain two of my all time favourite pieces of writing by Ruskin Bond, who happens to be one of my favourite authors too :)

[Vinay Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple tales of adolescence, told with all the innocence that needs to come with it, but also a lot of maturity which must be developing at that age as well. A read to bring a smile to your face, not that it is a humor novel, but the characters with their life will make you smile just thinking at times, "If only life was like that".

From my blog: http://wp.me/p2J8yh-29K

[Wajid Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruskin Bond was my childhood favourite. as a boy who grew up in dehradoon and frequented mussoorie on family trips i could personally connect to this book and have really fond memories of it. this book is one concoction of all the adolescence emotions and like all his works takes no time or patience to get immersed

[Agnes Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

My copy of this only included the first book. In the introduction the author explains he wrote this when he was seventeen but when he returned to it in later years he decided against re writing. It a story of adolescence by an adolescent. It is a delightful short novel which seems to my western eyes capture the essence of India. The description of the bicycle trip at the beginning is wonderful.

[Razi Shaikh · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child, my favourite writer was Ruskin Bond. The Room on the Roof was his first book that I read. I fell in love with the story, the easy-to-understand writing style and the narratives Mr. Bond drew from the heart of India. Years and years later, Ruskin Bond remains my favourite writer.

[Ankita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This work is full of innocence and interesting twists and turns. There is never a dull moment and the plot keeps the reader hooked. The life in a small hill town is very beautifully described. I loved this book!

[Shyama Purnima · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, partly because its set in India and I could relate to it well.
Written simply, this is a treat if you are looking to go back in time to the age when India was just reborn, post Independence.

[Anant · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a good book for beginners it has everything a emotional indian story should have.the story follows a story of rusty when I first read it I was astonished.It think this is the book I would recommend everyone who is giving a try to muslim bond's books

[Love Bopparai · Rating 5 out of 5]

nothing is possible

[Inrisrini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Refreshing teen journey on Indian soil.......

[Aumogh Sengupta]

it was very nice.

[Abhishek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and light read yet beautiful.

[Readerbug]

225

[Cheshta Dhawan · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are the kind which stay with you always.

[Arun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful story. Interesting,Nostalgic...

[Preeti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical and purely nostalgic!