Midnight's Children - post V

I've been listening to a Guardian podcast of Salman Rushdie talking about Midnight’s Children. Although it has helped a little bit put his motivation in context I’m starting to understand that perhaps when people say they don’t like his books they actually mean they don’t like him. Perhaps in the context of discussing your own work it is always going to make you sound slightly arrogant but there was a side to his personality that I didn’t find particularly endearing.

Still back in the world of his writing this book is starting to progress and at the half way stage there are plenty of indications that dramatic events are waiting to unfold. The first is the moment when Sinai loses a finger and the fact does not have the blood group of his mother and father is revealed leading his parents to argue over that conundrum.

The second development is the communion with the midnight children that Sinai conducts every night at the witching hour and the different talents that are revealed from those that were born in the magic first hour of independence.

Finally there is a suggestion that through his dream Sinai has the ability to kill those he dreams have died. The first to go is a classmate with a weak heart but he sets his sights on the studio boss who has used and then abused his aunt.

More tomorrow…