Magical realism and historical fiction can often effectively complement each other. The mythical and irrational aspects of magical realism seem to strike a happy balance with the veracity of modern history. Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children is no exception to this rule. Rushdie beautifully blends a magical, almost Harry Potter-like tale into the larger context of twentieth-century Indian history.

Salman Rushdie has audaciously and consistently challenged convention in his novels. Both the story in Midnight’s Children and the formal stylistic techniques are radical and unique. Throughout the book, the narrator randomly interjects thoughts and regrets. The effect of this is not all that different from the stream of consciousness style employed by many notable authors. Although much less painful than Faulkner, the form takes some getting used to. Nevertheless, readers should ultimately enjoy the idiosyncrasies of Rushdie’s writing and learn more about the main character, Saleem, in the meantime.

Rushdie’s propensity to controversy, in fact, forced him into hiding for a significant period of time. After Midnight’s Children, Rushdie wrote and published Satanic Verses—a book that many Muslims consider blasphemous. In addition to his book being banned in India and many Islamic countries, Rushdie was issued a fatwa, or death sentence, by the former Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran . A 3 million dollar bounty was placed on his head.

Religion plays a much smaller role in Midnight’s Children. Instead, self-identity, Indian history, and citizenship are all themes in the 533-page novel. It begins with anecdotes from the life of the narrator’s grandfather, though most of the book concerns the life of Saleem, a child born at midnight on August 15, 1947—the exact moment that India gained its independence from the British Empire . Along with 1,000 other children born within an hour of India ’s independence, Saleem possesses supernatural powers.

With these powers, Saleem encounters various experiences, challenges, and people. He finds himself in the middle of many important historical events in both India and Pakistan — including wars, coups, protests, and political events. Although Saleem is physically involved in much of history, his life also symbolically parallels that of India . One can’t help but see the similarities between Saleem’s struggles and India ’s trials and tribulations.

Midnight’s Children is not an easy read by any measure. Rushdie’s prose, overbearing symbolism, and multifaceted plot can frequently frustrate readers. Keeping track of the sequential order of events and character identities often proves difficult. Like many modern novels, Midnight’s Children jumps back and forth in time. There are numerous references to the present. In order to give each page justice, readers must allot a significant period of time. However, Rushdie is very poetic, creating effective symbolism and insightful plots—and the effort is certainly worthwhile.

An acquaintance with Indian culture and history can enhance the reading experience. A frequently cited criticism of Satanic Verses is that most of the jokes, hypocrisies, and critiques that Rushdie offers are not always recognizable to a reader without substantial knowledge of Islam. To a lesser extent, the same can be said about Midnight’s Children. Rushdie spends very little time explaining the background or implications of many figures and events that the reader encounters in the novel.

Without a familiarity with the Indian independence movement and modern politics, many political leaders and events depicted in the novel might not seem as significant as they would to the properly informed reader. Thus, a short primer on modern Indian history before reading this book would be advisable. Nevertheless, the story is comprehensible and worth reading even for those without any back- ground.

Rushdie draws many of aspects of the novel from his own life. Born in Bombay and later an immigrant to Pakistan , Rushdie dealt with many of the same struggles that Saleem encounters in Midnight’s Children. This becomes readily apparent from Rushdie’s vivid descriptions of many of the settings in the novel. A 3-page physical and historical description of the city of Bombay is particularly prominent. Extremely eloquently, Rushdie sums-up the history, culture, and topography of his birthplace in around a thousand words—a feat that typifies his brilliance with the pen.

Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children would be a great read for anyone remotely interested in Indian history and culture. It is also a great example of magical realism and exposes readers to a unique style of writing. An involved read, Midnight’s Children is pleasantly entertaining throughout.