From the acclaimed author of Arresting God in Kathmandu, The Guru of Love is the engrossing story of a fevered love triangle set in contemporary Ne...
read full description
reviews
Jul 19, 2011
Lizzy
rated it: 
Through page 84: I have learned a lot of interesting facts about Nepal through this book already. One I found really interesting is how obsessed people are with their social standing. If you are upper class you show it, and if you are lower class you do what you can to hide it. The main character, Ramchandra, is conflicted by the affair he is having with one of his students. It is taking a toll on his life and his teaching as well. Everytime he is with his wife he can't stop thinking about Malat
More...
Apr 27, 2010
Jill
rated it: 
Upadhyay has constructed an incredibly emotionally complex novel about the love between husband and wife, and the impact changes in this relationship have on the whole family. He is a master of illustrating for the reader the interconnectedness of not just family, but also larger political events as they relate to the individual. Throughout the book he ties in the political struggles of the monarchy vs. democracy in Nepal, bringing to climax of those events simultaneously with the climax of pe
More...
Apr 16, 2010
Meaghan
rated it:
I really enjoyed this. The premise is intriguing: rather than break up the family, a Nepalese man's wife invites his mistress to come and stay in their apartment. All the characters were fully drawn and their actions understandable, and I could feel sympathy for each one. Most impressively, the author is able to seamlessly integrate the culture and conflict of Nepal in the nineties into the story. That's a difficult task and many writers can't manage it and their books wind up sounding more like
More...
Jan 21, 2010
Endah
rated it:
Seusai menamatkan novel ini, saya sempat tertegun. Benarkah ada cinta demikian mulia, seperti cinta yang dimiliki Goma, di dunia ini? Cinta yang memaafkan. Cinta dengan segala kebesaran jiwa.
Goma, anak gadis dari Tuan Pandey, seorang kaya raya di Kathmandu, memilih menikahi Ramchandra, lelaki miskin yang bekerja sebagai guru matematika di sebuah sekolah kampung yang (juga) miskin daripada harus menikah dengan seorang dokter pilihan orang tuanya. Ia mengancam tidak akan menikah selam More...
Goma, anak gadis dari Tuan Pandey, seorang kaya raya di Kathmandu, memilih menikahi Ramchandra, lelaki miskin yang bekerja sebagai guru matematika di sebuah sekolah kampung yang (juga) miskin daripada harus menikah dengan seorang dokter pilihan orang tuanya. Ia mengancam tidak akan menikah selam More...
Jun 06, 2008
Milan/zzz
rated it:
he Guru of Love is the first Nepalese novel I have read and it was an interesting experience indeed. It was even more interesting because I was constantly picturing my friend Shanti on the streets and temples of Kathmandu. Namely she sent me this novel straight from the top of the world :)
This was an easy read. Description of local religious customs, arranged marriages, matching between the castes (and consequences if the match fails) … were very interesting. It was a glimpse into anot More...
This was an easy read. Description of local religious customs, arranged marriages, matching between the castes (and consequences if the match fails) … were very interesting. It was a glimpse into anot More...
Nov 23, 2010
Fré
rated it: 
Very readable, but little style, weak storyline, weak story.
One of my impressions on Nepali novel writers is that they don't really know what they want: write a novel or write about the (political) evolutions in their country. (Even if they don't live there anymore as is the case with Samrat Upadhyay)
One of my impressions on Nepali novel writers is that they don't really know what they want: write a novel or write about the (political) evolutions in their country. (Even if they don't live there anymore as is the case with Samrat Upadhyay)
May 18, 2011
Biswadeep
rated it:
The author deals with a complex web of emotions, and does justice to the plot. This is not a regular love-triangle, the poverty-ridden characters and the Kathmandu backdrop sets this novel apart.
Aug 22, 2007
Mark
rated it:
This is not a particularly original story, yet another story of an older man who has an affair with a younger woman--but thanks to its writing and in part its unusual setting in Nepal, it worked for me. The main character is great, a teacher who can never quite live up to expectations and seems to stumble into the decisions he makes. He tutors a poor girl so she can pass his exams and one thing lead to another; at one point in the novel his wife invites him and this down-on-her luck waif into
More...
Oct 11, 2010
Anne
rated it:
Sort of a "chick lit" written by a young Nepali man. Set in Kathmandu, the story is basically a love triangle within the whirling democracy/monarchy struggles of the 1990's.
Dec 27, 2008
Becky
rated it:
This book was just okay. It was just an interesting story of a love triangle. If it weren't for the fact that it was set it Nepal amidst political struggle, I don't know how interested I would have been. But it was still good and a quick read.
Jan 21, 2011
Caroline Alicia
rated it:
Not quite what i expected from the book synopsis, much better than what i imagined. Reminds me of the saying 'don't let the green grass fool you'. Despite the 'main' character being a man, a man who has an affair, this book has a strange feminist overtone. Goma is a very... strong-willed, capable woman as a result of the affair. Or maybe she always had it in her, and it just needed a catalyst.
A big plus was, this book much like A Fine Balance, was also a bit of a history lesson. Nep More...
A big plus was, this book much like A Fine Balance, was also a bit of a history lesson. Nep More...
Dec 03, 2008
heidi
rated it:
meh...it was all right. not too exciting. the best part about the book was that i recognized and have been to some of the kathmandu sights mentioned.
Jan 06, 2010
Wanda
rated it:
Learned more about eastern lifestyle. Enjoyed reading for pleasure over my holidays!
Jan 15, 2009
Aley
rated it: 
A must if you've been to Nepal - and just a great novel if you have not.
Mar 13, 2008
Joanna
rated it:
The text is deceptively simple. So much so that I almost stopped reading after the first 50 pages or so. But then the descriptions grabbed me and I became immersed in the foreign setting and characters. The book traces the story of a marriage tested by the husband's infidelity. Though the specific reactions of the characters did not fit my own expectations for what people would do in the same situation, the emotional power was real.
Mar 30, 2008
Paul
rated it:
A novel about Kathmandu by an IU creative writing prof from Kathmandu. The book cuts across class lines, and takes place before the Cultural Revolution. Gentle. Nuanced. The characters are generally rounded. If one wants to experience this culture, then this is a good entre. Not a life changing read by any means, and there are some moments of lack of motivation.
Sep 25, 2010
Andrea
rated it:
With very limited knowledge of the customs and cultures of Nepal I was more interested in that side of the book then the story. The story was also pretty interesting with a few weird twist, but a lot of it was pretty predictable. The writing was simple and easy to read. A good book, but not something I would pass on to a friend unless they were interesting in Nepal.
Aug 05, 2008
Sopnia
rated it:
I would definitely recommend this. I really liked all the imagery of Nepal and this was a fast-paced read! (Boy did I feel sorry for Goma, though).I've heard some beautiful Nepali lullabies and love songs and these were running through my head as I read the book.
Apr 24, 2008
Julie
rated it:
Interesting. I learned a little about life in Nepal. I did want to slap the main character, but enjoyed the book.
Jan 24, 2012
Jan 22, 2012
