Critical Reception of Arundhati Roy: The Unsuitable Girl

In the swirling landscape of contemporary literature, Arundhati Roy stands as the monsoon rains, equally loved and disparaged. This book delves into the kaleidoscope of reactions to Roy's writings that mediate her identity as a writer, activist and celebrity in the public sphere. Her life in slums, job as an aerobics instructor, huge publishing advance, Booker win, sedition charges, silver jewellery, choice to go to Dantewada forests, and decision to refuse to model for Gap continue to mediate how her writings are viewed and read by the reading public. Understanding the cultural politics of this sense-making allows the scope to see how a wide variety of factors prompt the circulation, reception and contextualisation of literary writings in the public sphere.