Brain Pain discussion

This discussion covers Book One, The Perforated Sheet thru Tick, tock, p. 1 - 161


Midnight Child numero uno, Saleem Sinai, takes us on an extended tour of the times and events leading up to his birth at the exact moment of Indian independence. Beginning with the story of his grandfather as a young doctor newly returned to Kashmir after finishing medical school in Germany, Saleem reveals character after character and event after event at a page-turning “tick tock” pace. With his wife and meta-fictional muse at his side, Saleem is taunted and poked at by his little dung-flower, Padma, as he unfurls his family history up to the hour of his birth.

There is a lot going on in this story of Saleem’s family with the background cacophony of a nation being freed and created at the same time. Much history to be learned here…


To avoid spoilers, please restrict your comments to page 1 - 161

I will say that I found this section (at least the first 100 pages or so) the toughest of the entire book. All I mean is that it takes a while to get off the ground, but when it does it's incredible!

Leo X. wrote: "I will say that I found this section (at least the first 100 pages or so) the toughest of the entire book. All I mean is that it takes a while to get off the ground, but when it does it's incredible!"

Padma, the dung-flower, was of the same opinion...

I'm enjoying the read so far but not making especially fast progress (partly because I'm reading far too many books-but they're all so good!). I love the voice and am having fun.

Jim, you are really my kind of hilarious.

Ellie wrote: "I'm enjoying the read so far but not making especially fast progress (partly because I'm reading far too many books-but they're all so good!). I love the voice and am having fun.

Jim, you are rea..."

I don't know how far you are into the book, but I can sense the influence of 100 Years of Solitude.

Somehow, maybe through repetition, Rushdie is able to unload boatloads of characters and information without totally swamping the reader. I'm finding myself able to keep track of the characters and their activities without too much wear and tear on the memory neurons...

Good news-my memory neurons are all tied up with work!

I finished book 1 today. I was reading this while also another book and during a very slow reading period (on family holiday - ironically, less time for reading!). I mention this because it took me ages to get through the first 70 pages or so. But then I was hooked and anticipate flying through the next section.

This is my first novel by Rushdie, and his writing style is like nothing else I've read. It demands my complete attention with it's multitude of characters, advanced vocabulary, historical and cultural references, etc.

One of the main reasons I love reading is to learn about worlds beyond my own and this is proving to be a hugely rewarding read. Just as well since at the rate I'm going I should be done by early 2014...

I'm surprised to not see more discussion here. I hope there will be more for later sections, this really is such a lush and complex story - I look forward to hearing others' impressions.

Jen wrote: "I finished book 1 today. I was reading this while also another book and during a very slow reading period (on family holiday - ironically, less time for reading!). I mention this because it took me..."

Glad you're enjoying this book. I just finished last night and will write my review today. It was a satisfying read from cover to cover, so stick with it no matter how long it takes.

I enjoy how he jumps around a bit, teasing us with tidbits of the coming story, then backtracking to the main narrative. I also enjoy the device of Padma - his "dung-lotus" - prodding and probing as he unwinds his story. She gives the telling of the tales a fun, in the moment quality that makes us a part of the story.

During the summer months, discussions tend to trail off a bit, as you can see. Keep reading and adding your thoughts to the threads and I'll definitely discuss with you.

Thanks Jim! We can always count on you (-:

Padma is fabulous. So cantankerous and impatient. And I agree, the movement between narratives is fun and keeps me on my toes. No dozing! I'm getting a lot out of it, including a much needed history lesson on the Raj / partition etc.

Is the slow unpacking of his birth a nod to The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman or is it merely coincidence? I haven't had a chance to read that one, but am having fun with Midnight's Children ( thankfully not named Children of Midnight, because that would be banal).

James wrote: "Is the slow unpacking of his birth a nod to The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman or is it merely coincidence? I haven't had a chance to read that one, but am having fun with Midnight..."

I haven't read Sterne either, but he's on my bookshelf waiting for a read...