The Immortal King Rao by Vauhini Vara book review & why it was finalized for the Pulitzer Prize

[@greyemk]

I have read this, and I largely agree with you. I loved the dystopian aspects and the timeline of the narrator escaping isolation and joining the Exes. The thing I liked least was I felt a lack of continuity in King’s character. I’m not sure if this was because of the split timelines or the (spoilery) type of narration, but even though we had his whole life I never felt I had a strong sense of his motivations past the point of leaving his village. Thanks for the review!

[@SantReads]

YESSS. I agree. I felt like we got the most about him when he was in India. Then when he moved to the US, it was mostly just about the company and less about him.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I really like this proliferation of retelling of classics. Maybe some of us aspiring writers should try it out.

[@kartik3719]

Fun fact: one of the characters in Demon Copperhead is Dalit! Great representation in this year's awards

[@SantReads]

Ooooo that is interesting!!

[@AdyGrafovna]

I read all three finalists as well. The Immortal King Rao was my favorite of the three! It’s actually my favorite of the year so far!

[@SantReads]

Oh yayy! Wow I'm so glad you loved this book so much. What about it really got you? Would love to know.

[@AdyGrafovna]

@@SantReads I thought it was such a richly layered story and I just adored the structure. The combination of historical fiction and tech-dystopian was very interesting to me. And the ending really hit me in the gut. I know the ending did not work for a lot of people, but there was something cinematic about it that really worked for me.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Fun Fact: Bruce Dern (the actor Laura Dern’s father) had an ancestor who had a Pulitzer Prize winning poet.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Happy Pride Month! 🌈 Wishing everyone across the spectrum a great month and a great year ahead 👏🏽

[@SantReads]

Happy pride month ❤💙

[@PokhrajRoy.]

9:27 I just heard about this earlier in the day and he said he wouldn’t mind NeutraLinking his children.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Nice to see Dalit literature on the Pulitzer Prize level. 🥥

[@aamnainfebruary]

I keep seeing your comments across Booktube ✨✨

[@SantReads]

Lol he's everywhere!!!

[@josmith5992]

I wondered what the other book was that was in the final and felt bad for it, so stupid to have two winners 🙄. This sounds scarily prophetic if not actually talking about things going on now like social credit. Thanks for the review Smriti! 🥥

[@SantReads]

There's so much about it that's prophetic. You won't believe! As I said, she's a tech reporter so I bet she knows what people are working on as well. And used this as a way to work through what that mean for people and humanity as a whole.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Talking of Pulitzer Prize, I remember a Kashmiri journalist who was barred from attending the ceremony.

[@SantReads]

Yes, because she couldn't leave the country due to immigration issues. Not because the Pulitzer didn't want her to come.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

@@SantReads I should’ve added that. Sorry for the clumsy wording.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Have you seen the David Copperfield adaptation with Dev Patel?

[@SantReads]

No I have not. :(

[@kartik3719]

Can't wait for you to never pick up Demon Copperhead because it is Too. Damn. Long. 😂😂❤

[@SantReads]

Hahahhahaa it really is a thicc boy

[@pratgarg]

Oh god, this book started strong, ended with a whimper. Felt like a mix of Jhumpa Lahiri and Emily St. John Mandel. A grand concept for a debut, but a faltered execution. Could use a better editor. Also, the writer’s fascination of describing people’s breath (sour?) again and again was just too much.

[@SantReads]

Hahahaha wait the sour bit was on the boat right? I didn't realise it till you said it now. I agree with most of what you said though. But I have hopes. This is just her debut. Hoping her next one is even better. Will definitely be reading her here on out though.

[@pratgarg]

@@SantReads There was Pedda’s breath that was sour. Then China’s breath. Then King’s breath. Then Minnu’s breath. And Elemen’s breath was also sour. Then I think it was Abdul’s breath that was surprisingly honeydew.

[@SantReads]

@@pratgarg hahahahahaha omg i never noticed this as much

[@violetpagesss]

🥥🥥🥥

[@SantReads]

🩷💜🩷

[@neetupd8510]

🥥💚

[@SantReads]

🎉🎉

[@yashwantsingh2857]

😶‍🌫😶‍🌫😶‍🌫😶‍🌫😶‍🌫😶‍🌫😶‍🌫

[@SantReads]

😊😊😊