A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

This book is very, very long, so it requires a large time commitment.  Be prepared!  It's 1400 pages of rather small print.  I surpassed the library's renewal limit (twice!) and had to check it out again and again.  Luckily, it is also extremely well-written and quite interesting.  And the story really picks up around page 600-something and you may not want to put it down!

This story takes place in India in the early 1950's, an interesting time period politically.  The country is still feeling implications from the division with Pakistan.  The feudal farming system is being ended.  Religious strife is rampant.  It's an exciting setting.

It begins at an arranged wedding, where the mother tells her younger daughter that the next thing they will do is find a suitable boy for her.  The book follows the two families who are connected in the marriage along with all the prospects for Lata's (the main character) groom.  Lata is an enjoyable character and easily likable.  Some of my other favorite characters are the Chatterji family.  They are irreverent and funny, so they're enjoyable to read about.  Kuku, the younger sister, writes many spontaneous rhyming couplets that are rather funny.  The talented shoemaker with his determination and skills is also interesting. 

This book is worth the time, but isn't an easy or quick read and takes a great deal of effort and determination.  It is clean and appropriate for all readers, but I can't imagine most young readers would want to put in the time!