The Story of a Goat

Perumal Murugan is an amazing writer. The story of the goat grips you, and keeps you interested till the end. It's about love, lots of it, and different kinds of love. It's about loss, about miracles, about suffering and joy, about life, and about death, about plenty and starvation. The goat is a vibrant character throughout the novel, so are the old couple, who nurture her like their own. The book takes you through rural Tamil Nadu and the life there.

This was the first book I read from this author. The book followed the life of a goat and yes their were some lessons to be learned but definitely not awe inspiring. Cute read and easy read.

I was looking for something light and fun. I found myself on an introspective journey though the eyes of a goat with emotions and feelings that I share. I met this goat many years ago on Notting Hill. As with that goat this one spoke to me, even more powerfully than it’s predecessor. More is revealed as the student matures with readiness and is done fiddling around with life. Full of powerful lessons if we’ll let ourselves learn them.

Easy read.

Very good short novel about a female goat in rural India. A bit of a tearjerker.

The world of literature is indeed fortunate to have a writer of the caliber of Perumal Murugan to enrich our lives in countless ways. His earlier books that I had read left me amazed at his understanding of the female psyche. This one goes a step further in exploring, among other issues, the one of gender through the life of a goat - a must read. Kudos to the translator too.

This fills the critical need for more goat stories. It is sort of a Candide for quadrapeds. I can't vouch for the original Tamil, but the translator renders it in spare, eloquent English. This is a sad story, not meant for children. I don't think goats would like it either.

An ok little book.