Full Book Review: A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

An in-depth analysis of the book I've been reading for most of 2023!

Those who follow me on IG (@oddreads) have already seen a summary of my thoughts on this novel a few weeks ago. I decided to push through to the end of the book before I finished writing this review. Read on to see all the reasons why I’ve enjoyed it so much!

A Suitable Boy: Synopsis

This is a multi-generational family saga, following the lives of 4 families across 18 months. While the character list is long, there is no shortage of activity and intrigue between them. The story is set in early 1950s India (Dehli, Kanpur, Kolkata, Brahmapur), which was also newly independent from British rule. At the heart of the story, Ms.Rupa Mehra (one of our dear matriarchs) is searching for a suitable boy to marry her youngest daughter Lata. Additionally, there are lots of side characters and “quests” that make this epic novel a true adventure. Depending on where you look, some may describe it as historical fiction, historical romance, or simply as a classic. Technically, it is all 3! Honestly, I would describe this as a historical fiction classic with a romance subplot.

My Thoughts: An Overview

I found this book to be very comforting to read, especially as I got more familiar with all the characters, their personalities and their personal/professional struggles. There were no flat characters, even the ones that were mentioned briefly. I appreciated the depth Vikram afforded his characters; many of us readers have read both short and long books that struggle to give characters depth, and it can really make or break a story. As far as characters go, Lata was our female MC, with 4 major suitors: Maan Kapoor, Kabir Durrani, Amit Chatterji, and Haresh Khanna. I truly enjoyed this romantic undercurrent, not only because the banter was witty and there was so much pining *swoon*, but also because it was the glue kept all 4 families (the Kapoors, the Mehras, the Chatterjis, and the Khans) stories connected together across 1349 pages.

While my favorite character was Lata— for her dry wit and sarcasm— I identified a lot with Haresh. Haresh was a true young professional and really was the most mature about his feelings/prospects (see section: “What About The Romance Subplot?”). I was a bit surprised to find out that he was the winning suitor, because Lata was so undecided toward the end, at one point I thought she would deny them all! But I think the match (out of the other 3 options) did end up being the “most suitable” for her future happiness.

I appreciated how Seth’s novel uses Lata’s suitors to open the discussion about what or who a “suitable boy” looks like. I’m sure you could name a few traits/characteristics that someone who you think is “suitable” for you must have or be working towards having. But the discourse from A Suitable Boy on who would produce “black” or “dark” grandchildren, the emphasis on whose career would carry the most prestige… all of that made me think about how in 2023 there’s still a fine line between “preference” and discriminatory/bigoted opinions. Especially when it comes to dating. We all joke about our standards being so high because of fictional characters and other media, but is there any real risk in the picking and choosing- deciding who to discard? The secret to avoid this pitfall (that is actually not-so-secret) is to read/consume diversely. Especially reading stories about people from all walks of life and with varying characteristics. But you already knew that! 💕

Seth provided us with a wide variety of characters in this book; both young and old. People who were hungry for power, people who were stewards of the arts, people who were infatuated enough to murder (Maan I’m looking at you 👀 crazy tail), and some who went crazy from the pressures of measuring up spiritually and emotionally (poor Rasheed 😔). There were those who were sensitive, but there were also those who were hardened by greed and hatred. I really enjoyed meeting all those people in their journeys (especially Tasneem, Rasheed, and Mahesh Kapoor), and ultimately I can’t fault some readers for not being able to let them go (some reviewers were really upset that Seth introduced us to alllll those characters and didn’t tie each and every storyline up neatly with a bow 🤷🏾‍♀️). The point of Seth introducing us to all those characters, (by my thinking at least) was to give us an assortment of vehicles to travel through the times and places where the story takes place. At 1349 pages, I would probably have dnf’d if it was just 2 or 3 people going back and forth. There’s no way!

I also appreciated the cultural/political commentary (even though following the politics was a task for me, it wasn't impossible- and that's a credit to Seth's writing style), because I learned SO much about religious/feudal disputes that are still going on today. Whenever I found my lids getting heavy I just took a pause until my next session. It actually helps if you try to follow who says what and why they are saying it 😂

Things I Didn’t Like

Obviously I didn’t like the mentions of colorism, but Seth didn’t use it in a way that I felt was excessive or out-of-pocket. I think he addresses it in the beginning to bring it to the forefront; the types of colorism that the women culturally have to face at the hands of their families. Throughout the book he also touches on how colorism affects men; especially with regard to their prospects and offspring. Meenakshi Chatterji/Mehra and her sister Kakoli Chatterji were definitely the main pot-stirrers here🙄

I also didn’t like the religious intolerance, but that had less to do with Seth’s writing and more to do with the fact that it was and still is happening all because of British colonization pitting the faiths against each other. 😤

But What About the Romance Subplot?

For the ✨romance girlies✨ I’ll just say there is no smut or spice. 💔 There are still many sweet, funny, emotionally intense, and awkwardly cute moments between Lata and her suitors.

This all started because Lata’s mother- Ms. Rupa Mehra- married off her eldest daughter (Savita), and felt that her duty was to turn her efforts toward getting Lata married off. She worried that Lata was getting too old, focusing too much on academics/her career, and wouldn’t have many options because she wasn’t as fair-skinned as others in the family. 😒 Because Ms. Rupa Mehra was a widow, I can sympathize with some of her worries about her children (Varun was the baby, so she also worried about him too and by the end she devoted herself to finding him a “suitable girl"— is this the follow-up Seth is working on?! *tears hair out*). She was well-meaning but very overbearing. By the end, I had a deeper appreciation of her matriarchal powers, because that’s how she showed her love. The passing of the Kapoor matriarch (Mrs. Kapoor was far more meek and sweet than Mrs. Mehra BUT I digress) made me realize that back in these times the mothers’ role culminated in the marrying off of all their children. Yes, the matriarchs were all in a frenzy during these times, out of fear and worry for their children’s’ futures. That was a bittersweet realization, having a helicopter mother myself who is also emotionally immature in many ways.

NOW FOR THE LOVE NEST

Well, let me briefly describe the 4 suitors: Haresh (most dedicated), Kabir (most romantic), Amit (most creative), Maan (the hot mess).

Haresh wasn’t a perfect guy by any means- he poured his all into his work footwear product design career and he’d already met and confessed his one true love (Simran- although they agreed they couldn’t be together because of Simran’s parents’ refusal of him since he wasn’t Sikh). Haresh did actually blow up at Lata over a seemingly small misunderstanding— his English wasn’t as good as hers, so it’s possible he thought she meant something far worse— she suggested he was being “mean” when he disagreed about her leaving sooner than they’d agreed (to meet another suitor 👀). He practically snapped over it! Apparently he hated to be called mean, but he was also rightfully emotional over how flippantly she was treating him despite all his efforts. He wrote a really sweet letter apologizing to Lata and her mother for overreacting, which won us all over in the end. 🥰

Kabir was definitely a moment, but it was clear that they were just infatuated with each other. Every time they met or interacted it really unsettled Lata (even though she would make excuses for it). Kabir was also a student, they actually met at a bookstore 😍and then later at Brahmapur University. The “trouble” was that Kabir was Muslim, and despite his attempts to convince her otherwise, she felt that was one thing her mother (and the rest of her family) would never accept: a mixed faith marriage. I hated that for them, and honestly thought that Kabir would be the winning suitor because he had a hold on her heart— she was really going crazy over him, even after accepting Haresh’s proposal!

Maan was a mess. He was our flagrant womanizer. All to turn around and caress his best friend Firoz in the sheets. *rips more hair out* But Seth refused to spill more tea on their past, so I can’t speak confidently on Maan’s sexuality but that’s not the point. Maan finds himself infatuated with courtesan Saeeda Bai and basically loses himself (and his arranged mariage in Kolkata, and almost his business that his father helped him start in Kolkata) at her whims. I won’t speak about “the situation” he gets himself into, but just know he stabs Firoz for this woman. Only THEN does Saeeda realize she actually loves Maan when he’s sitting in jail about to get 20+ years 😗 It becomes clear by the end that Maan isn’t even into Lata like that.

Amit is the published writer. He takes Lata out a few times (casual stuff: walks in the cemetery 🥰) and falls for her wit and intellect. He writes her these coochie-shaking poems that are personalized and intimate. They write to each other (but let’s be real, everyone is writing to everyone, it’s the 1950s) about their feelings and desires. He takes her and her brother-in-law Pran (he was a professor of literature) to a poetry reading as a distinguished guest, and can’t keep his eyes off of her even though he is the brightest star in the room to everyone else (Kabir was there and he took it all very personally).

Me 🤝🏾 those passages 👁👄👁

Final Thoughts

Many reviews said that the book dragged on, but to me that sounds like they weren't in it for the details to begin with (or at least so many of them). So I can't recommend this generational epic to those easily lost in details or long passages based on history/political standing. Now I can confidently identify a dupatta, or a kurta pyjama. I’ve had my ideas about paan from the movies but I’ve been able to confirm that too. I’ve learned that India is made up of many states, with even more languages and belief systems. If A Suitable Boy is the tip of the iceberg, and it feels very much so, then I can’t wait to learn more about South Asia: including it’s rich history and making connections to events happening today. I need book two! 😭💗