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Midnight's Children

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Midnight's Children

By: Salman Rushdie
Narrated by: Homer Todiwala
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About this listen

This Audible production expertly brings to life Salman Rushdie’s postcolonial masterpiece Midnight’s Children, available for the first time unabridged in audio. A magical tale of discovery and identity, Midnight’s Children explores the wonders and perils of India’s birth through the eyes and actions of a child blessed with extraordinary powers.

About the book

Salman Rushdie’s second novel, Midnight’s Children, was an immediate success following its publication in 1981. The winner of both the Booker Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize that year, it also went on to win the Booker best all-time prize in both 1993 and 2008.

Written in the magical-realist style that Rushdie is renowned for, Midnight’s Children follows Saleem Sinai - a child gifted with extraordinary powers after being born at the exact moment India becomes independent. The captivating events that unfold act as an allegory for India’s transition from colonialism to independence as Saleem finds himself 'handcuffed to history', with his fate entwined with that of his newly independent state.

Midnight’s Children is both comedy and tragedy, blending the real with the surreal as an enthralling family saga unwinds against the backdrop of a postcolonial India. A stunning story, rich with vibrant images and delightful characters, it thoroughly deserves its place as a modern masterpiece and an inspiration for a whole generation of future Indian writers.

About the author

One of the most celebrated and controversial authors in modern literature, Salman Rushdie is a multi-award-winning British Indian novelist whose writings on magical realism and postcolonialism have inspired and enchanted millions of people around the world. Born in Bombay in 1947, his early years were spent in India before moving to England and eventually reading history at King's College, University of Cambridge.

Rushdie first gained fame following the publication of his second novel, Midnight’s Children, but it was the publication of his fourth book, The Satanic Verses, that resulted in global notoriety. Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against him which resulted in death threats and the banning of the book in 13 countries. A winner of dozens of the highest awards in literature, Rushdie was also the recipient of a knighthood in the UK in 2007.

©1981 Salman Rushdie (P)2018 Audible, Ltd
Fantasy Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Magical Realism Science Fiction World Literature

What listeners say about Midnight's Children

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Rich with fantasy

I loved this book. So dense and complex and funny. So much craziness and wild imagery. I was sad when I arrived at the end.

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Brilliant!

After listening to Midnight's Children I resolved to read the book to relive the beauty of Rushdie's writing and storytelling, and to learn more about the history of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh from the period in which it's set.

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I read this book because it was voted the best of

I read this book because it was voted the best of the last thirty years. I was not disappointed and along with the Satanic verses is well worth the time and dedication required to truly appreciate.

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nothing short of brilliant 👏

in true sushdie style, this work is a triumph of storytelling. may we all live to see the blue Kashmir of his dreams.

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Best read in book format

I feel that this is probably better read in book format. I found the story and some of the characters hard to follow and ended up fading in and out of the story and losing interest. I enjoyed some parts and the vivid imagery and persevered to the end but overall this book was not for me.

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didnt have the attention span for it

this book and dune i both struggled to follow as audio books. not sure why, maybe the foreign names and places, surely its my fault not the author or narrator. i read the wikipedia on the book after finishing. it does sound interesting maybe I'll revisit as a tangible book one day.

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Beautifully written and performed

This book is profoundly poetic and paints a beautiful canvas of Indian society right before and after independence. Key historical events are presented in flow of interweaving fantasy and reality while convening it’s message in a symbolic way. Even if you can follow the plot. You’ll still get it in the end.

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Midnight’s Children

Amazing work enjoyed this audio so much it was read to us with the utmost imaginative expression
Like attending a monologue theatre production

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Audible stops working

Audible stops working in chapter 8

Have no idea how it ends

Bad experience unfortunately

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