A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth (Harper Collins, 1993) *****

This is a huge novel of 1350 pages which I'd have been totally intimidated by if I saw it while browsing in a library or bookstore. Don't be. By the time you finish it, you'll wish the book were longer.

The story takes place in India, shortly after World War II, when India had finally gained its independence from Great Britain. Amidst this turbulence, the efforts of a mother to find her daughter a suitable husband are complicated by the daughter's coming of age among college students who no longer agree with many of the traditional Indian customs. There are further complications because of caste and religious differences among her various friends and suitors. You'll learn a great deal about India, its history and its people while enjoying this novel. I found myself totally immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of this country while becoming acquainted with the fascinating members of the several inter-related families whose college-age children are the focus of this novel. If you love a good story written extraordinarily well, don't miss this one. It's classic.