A suitable boy is one of the longest novels in English literature with 1535 pages and 19 parts. This amazing fiction novel was published in 1993. Vikram Seth got the inspiration to write such an extensive work from the 18th century Chinese novel “The Story of the Stone by Cao Xueqin” which has five-volumes.
Initially I was hesitant to read such a massive and magnificent book but then I decided to give it a try. It took me around 15 days to finish this book. It definitely requires a lot of patience but once you start reading, you are going to enjoy it. The main story revolves around a 19-year-old college going girl “Lata Mehra” and her mother “Mrs. Rupa Mehra”. Mrs. Mehra is a widow who is leaving no stone unturned to find a suitable boy for her youngest daughter “Lata”. Lata has to choose between the three admirers, Kabir, Haresh, and Amit. The author has kept the suspense till the end. There are about more than 100 characters in this book. All these characters are elaborately explained, and they have their own stories. The characters are written in such a way that they become part of your life. There are four families linked together in this book, the Mehras, the Kapoors, the Chatterjis and The Nawabs. There are few more characters playing a significant role in the story. Vikram Seth starts this story in the fictional town called Brahmpur which is located on the banks of Ganga. The story also has a backdrop of cities like Kanpur, Delhi, Kolkata, Banaras and other Indian places as well.
The story is set in early 1950s where India has just got freedom and the people are still struggling to settle down and dealing with post partition trauma. It also focuses on various political, legal, cultural and social issues present in that era. The Hindu-Muslim riots, Zamindari Abolition Bill, conflicts in Congress, the difference of opinion between the traditional and modern society, everything is portrayed convincingly. The impact of British culture on the lives of Indians can be experienced throughout the book. There are some parts which I felt quite long and boring especially the election campaigns and parliament sessions. But those who are keen in politics will enjoy that too.
The appealing writing style of the author compels you to get involved in the captivating journey of Lata. If you are curious to know more about post-independence Indian social history, then this book is a perfect option for you. It is a novel which stays with the reader for a long time. The language is pretty easy to understand. It has also got novel words which can help you to improve your vocabulary. The book is also adapted into a mini-series with the same name on BBC and it is directed by Mira Nair.