The Room on the Roof
 1987 edition cover | |
| Author | Ruskin Bond |
|---|---|
| Original title | The Room on the Roof |
| Country | India |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher |
Coward-McCann (original)[1] Penguin Books (current) |
Publication date | 1956 |
| Media type | Paperback |
| Pages | 160 pages (first edition)[1] |
| ISBN | 0140107835 |
| OCLC | 1579534 |
| Preceded by | N/A |
| Followed by | Vagrants in the Valley |
The Room on the Roof is a novel written by Ruskin Bond. It was Bond's first literary venture. The novel revolves around Rusty, an orphaned sixteen-year-old Anglo-Indian boy living in Dehradun. Due to his guardian, Mr. Harrison's strict ways, he runs away from his home to live with his Indian friends. Bond wrote the novel when he was seventeen[2] and won the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957.[2][3]
Summary
Rusty, a sixteen-year old Anglo-Indian boy, is orphaned and has to live with Mr. Harrison on the European area of Dehradun.He was Unhappy with Mr. Harrison's stern behaviour and constant efforts of turning Rusty into an Englishman, he runs away from his home. He meets a group of Indian kids (Somi, Ranbir and Suri) and is enchanted by the Indian customs, festivals and foods (golgappa and patties) .Soon he realizes that life on his own is not going to be as easy as he had perceived. Somi gets Rusty a job at Mr.Kapoor's house , to teach a boy - Kishen in the neighbourhood and in return is given a room of their attic for shelter. Later he develops a liking for Meena, Kishen’s mother. But because of a trip she dies then Rusty and Kishen live together happily .
Characters
- Rusty: The main protagonist of the book, a 16-year old Anglo-Indian. He ran from his house to India against Mr. John Harrison's wishes.
- Kishen : A boy living in Rusty's neighbourhood.
- Mrs. Meena Kapoor : Kishen's mother.
- Mr. Kapoor : Kishen's father.
- Somi : A Punjabi boy , Rusty's friend
- Ranbir : A muscular boy and the best wrestler in the bazaar.
- Suri : A bespectacled and bony boy and Somi's friend.
- Prickley Heat : Suri's dog
Critical reception
Upon release, the book received positive reviews. Santha Rama Rau of The New York Times commented "Like an Indian bazaar itself, the book is filled with the smells, sights, sounds, confusion and subtle organization of ordinary Indian life". Herald Tribune said that the book "has a special magic of its own". San Francisco Chronicle said that the book has "considerable charm and spontaneity". The Guardian called the book "very engaging". The Scotsman commented "Moving in its simplicity and underlying tenderness...a novel of marked originality". The New Statesman said that "Mr Bond is a writer of great gifts".[4] The Hindu said that "This story keeps you hooked with the many unexpected incidents... It’s a book worth reading! It will be enjoyed by readers greatly".[3]
References
- 1 2 The Room on the Roof - Google Books. Google. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
- 1 2 "The Room on the Roof - Amazon.in". Amazon.in. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
- 1 2 "THE ROOM ON THE ROOF by Ruskin Bond". The Hindu. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
- ↑ "The Room on the Roof and Vagrants in the Valley" by Ruskin Bond". AbeBooks. Retrieved 4 September 2013.