The Wedding: A Novel

By Imraan Coovadia

Book Overview

Drawn from the story of his grandparents and his own childhood in Durban, South Africa, the author presents a touching and humorous novel, set in India and South Africa, that follows Ismet Nassin, a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312306121
• ISBN13: 9780312306120
• Release Date: December 2002
• Publisher: Picador
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.4" x 0.8" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Laugh out loud dialogue

I picked this book up on a whim at the library. The endless circular tirades between the hapless bridegroom and his wife were hysterical. I read some of it out loud because the rhythms of the language were so inviting. I did begin to flag near the end of the book, but over all, a funny funny story.

A delightful discovery

Caught up in coovadia's web of words, I couldn't put the book down. The wedding was funny and moving, which is rare. But rarer still the story is inventive

charming & funny

a very enjoyable and funny read, at times quite touching and charming. wonderful sense of humour: mostly when i read it i was smiling inside.

a gender battle on two continents

The first indication that this is a comic novel comes on page one. An angle whacks Nissin, a burly clerk from Bombay, on the head as he's traveling on a train through India, and directs his attention to a beautiful woman on the platform. Smitten, Nissin gets off and buys her from her parents. The chapters detailing the amorous transaction often get you laughing despite yourself. There is an indisputably unflattering way to how Khateja, Nissin's wife, is portrayed, but the exaggeration works, and we walk away believing that of the two she is the more interesting character. The comic romp survives continent switches, and Ismet Nissin and Khateja Haveri arrive in Durban, South Africa, to make their fortune in the fruit and vegetable business. Essentially, it is a novel about the exaggerations we make about life, the indignant and inappropriate responses that our culture often offers in place of compassion. It's a fast and rewarding read and of particular interest for the window it offers on South African Indian life. It colorfully captures local idioms and way of life. An armchair traveler will revel in the details of far away life, and a reader keen on style will appreciate its animated scenes.

A Refreshing and Well Needed Return to Simplicity

Not many authors can accomplish what Coovadia has in "The Wedding" with such poise and subtelty. He has woven together a tapestry of relevant social commentary from the fundamental threads of familial affection and unity. With insights that are universal but gentle, his message is more profound than those who would prefer to rhetoricize.This novel comes at a time when many have grown estranged from the simple pleasures of life. Coovadia reminds us to be grateful, loving and most importantly, patient. Virtue is a quality that can be hard to come by (or find reason to convey) these days; that can be a source of infinite anxiety. So indulge yourself in the simple pleasure of reading this book. You may find that you had forgotten why we possess a sense of humor.