What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy · Book · 2008
If you loved The God of Small Things, start with Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle, 2008) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The God of Small Things across media.
You were drawn to The God of Small Things by the way systemic social barriers cruelly distort the most intimate family connections.
Films on the same thread
Slumdog Millionaire
Danny Boyle · Film · 2008
Shares a thread with The God of Small Things: Childhood Trauma.
Like The God of Small Things, this film explores how childhood trauma and rigid social stratification shape a life, showing the lasting impact of early experiences on adult identity.
Pather Panchali
Satyajit Ray · Film · 1955
Explores: Poverty, Rural Life, Family Relationships.
If you appreciated the lyrical observation of rural life in The God of Small Things, you will find a similar emotional depth in this portrait of family struggle and resilience.
City of God
Fernando Meirelles · Film · 2002
Explores: Poverty and Violence, Cycle of Crime, Lost Innocence.
This film mirrors the visceral exploration of lost innocence found in The God of Small Things, examining how violence and environment dictate the diverging paths of children in poverty.
The Godfather
Francis Ford Coppola · Film · 1972
Explores: Power, Family Loyalty, Corruption.
The God of Small Things captures the weight of family legacy, a theme mirrored here as the complex power dynamics of a dynasty determine the fate of its individual members.
Series on the same thread
Game of Thrones
David Benioff · Series · 2011
Explores: Power Struggles, Moral Ambiguity, War and Politics.
Much like the intricate social hierarchies in The God of Small Things, this series depicts how sweeping political conflicts and power struggles inevitably dismantle the lives of private families.
Gossip Girl
Stephanie Savage · Series · 2007
Explores: Privilege, Social Status, Secrets.
While tonally different from The God of Small Things, this series shares a focus on how rigid social status and secrets dictate the boundaries of personal relationships and behavior.
Boys Over Flowers
Yoon Ji-ryun · Series · 2009
Shares a thread with The God of Small Things: Forbidden Love.
The forbidden love and class conflict that drive the tragedy of The God of Small Things are central to this story about defying social expectations and rigid status hierarchies.
Good Omens
Neil Gaiman · Series · 2019
Explores: The Antichrist, End of the World, Unlikely Friendship.
If the surreal, fate-driven atmosphere of The God of Small Things resonated with you, this story offers a similarly intricate look at forces beyond human control shaping our world.
Podcasts on the same thread
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
This podcast provides the historical context for the systemic inequality that Arundhati Roy critiques in The God of Small Things, grounding the narrative of personal loss in structural reality.
The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit Varma
Podcast
Explores: public policy, unintended consequences, economic analysis.
The God of Small Things highlights the unintended consequences of social rigidity, a theme this podcast explores by analyzing how public policy impacts the lives of ordinary individuals.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The God of Small Things a Booker Prize winner?
Yes, The God of Small Things is a Booker Prize winner. It is also a New York Times bestseller that follows an affluent Indian family whose lives are forever changed by a single fateful day in 1969.
Who is the author of The God of Small Things?
The God of Small Things was written by Arundhati Roy. She is also the author of other notable works including The Ministry of Utmost Happiness and Mother Mary Comes to Me.
What is the primary setting or timeframe of The God of Small Things?
The narrative of The God of Small Things centers on an affluent Indian family and is significantly shaped by one fateful day in 1969 that alters their lives forever.
Is The God of Small Things worth reading more than once?
Readers have described The God of Small Things as offering such magic, mystery, and sadness that they have decided to reread the book immediately after turning the last page.