Review by fuzzy_patters (2006-05-12)
Shame is the first book that I have read by Salman Rushdie. As the title implies, Shame is the theme of this book that deals with an imperialized state that Rushdie says is "not quite Pakistan." The book is has well developed characters, and the book gives insight to western readers of the internal struggles of the citizens of Rushdie's fictional state.

Although the book skips around a lot, it is pretty easy to follow. Rushdie speaks in the first person to explain skips in time, and he also uses this device to explain the significance of occurances in the plot. This is effective as it serves to drive home his arguments, and it helps him achieve the arduos task of making a political statement in a work of fiction.

Overall, I found this to be a good book. Rushdie spent too much time on the setting and introduction of characters. He did not get around to beginning the main plot until the mid-point of the book. This made the book difficult to get into, but it was well worth the read once it was finished.