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Customer Reviews of A Passage to India

The book revolves around what may be termed the secret understanding of the heart. This is an understanding of people, their feelings and their interaction with other humans.

In a story which is not primarily political, Forster makes a political comment on what was happening in India at that time.

The issue of the Marabar caves is not really an issue at all because even Forster says that it doesn't really matter what if anything happened in the caves, because it is the repercussions of what did of didn't happen that are important. I believe that the expedition into the Marabar caves merely amplified the emotions already inherent in the characters, for example Adela Quested tells us that she felt unwell since the teaparty with Fielding which took place long before the journey to the caves.

Forster also presents us with well rounded characters except in the case of the Anglo-Indians, who are presented as tyrannical oppressors, and yet even they aren't all bad as they stand for values like honour and chivalry. What really annoys me about the Anglo-Indians is their high and mighty attitude, and pompous ways.

I feel Forster uses character like Fielding, Moore, Godbole and Aziz to show us about true humanity.

He doesn't pretend to understand India, it is a 'muddle' but through India he brings universal quandries and boundries to light.

I recommend you read and reread this book as it is undoubtedly one of the best in english literature.

Extraordinary Classic
I've read and enjoyed several Forster books, but "A Passage to India" tops them all. The plot concerns the arrival in Chandrapore, India of Ms. Quested and her potential mother-in-law, Mrs. Moore. They come to visit Mrs. Moore's son, Ronny, who is engaged to Ms. Quested. Ms. Quested and Mrs. Moore are the typical new arrivals, and they desire to see more of the "real" India than they can see with their fellow Brits, who tend to gather in the state Club and socialize only with each other. They become involved with Dr. Aziz, a local Indian physician, who promises to show them the famous, nearby Marabar caves. Dr. Aziz is solicitous toward the Brits and craves their friendship, but he clearly has negative feelings toward them also.

At the Marabar caves, an incident occurs (or does not occur) to Ms. Quested that alters all of the characters and their town inextricably. There is a trial and a bit of a mystery, but the focus is always on the characters and their conflicts. In particular, the tension between the English and the people of Inida is beautifully portrayed. The characters are multi-dimensional, as are their motives, which makes for a fascinating read. I found the book to be quite moving and sad - a true classic.

Disappointing
This book never grabbed me the way I had hoped it would. None of the characters is particularly engaging, and indeed some are barely tolerable. This is a 360 page book that reads like a 600 page book. I'm not what you'd call a plot-junky, but this book was just too slow and too boring. There are only three or four memorable scenes in the whole book, and only one of them possesses any dramatic tension. I think Forster set out to make a statement about relations between colonial power and colonized people. Certainly he accomplished that, but then again he could have done it in a page or two. Instead he threw together a mediocre work of literature to demonstrate his point.