Literary Fiction· India
The Satanic Verses
by Salman RushdieAggregate Editorial Score34/100
Kirkus Reviews
Published 1988560 pagesEnglish
Buy on Amazon → About This Book
Published in 1988, The Satanic Verses established Salman Rushdie as one of the defining voices in literary fiction. Saladin Chamcha and Gibreel Farishta survive the explosion of a hijacked aircraft and undergo miraculous transformations. Rushdie's novel—which prompted the Ayatollah Khomeini's fatwa—is a meditation on migration, religion, and the nature of good and evil. Themes of migration, religion, identity run through the work. The book has received recognition from Kirkus Reviews 1988.
Book Details
About the Category
📖 Literary Fiction
Character-driven fiction that prioritises style, theme, and psychological depth.
Explore all Literary Fiction books →Country of Origin
🇮🇳 India
This book is part of India's rich literary tradition.
Explore books from India →Editorial Assessment
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie sits within the tradition of literary fiction that treats language as seriously as plot. Published in 1988 in India, it engages with migration, religion, identity, Islam in ways that have earned it lasting critical attention.
Critics and institutions have consistently placed The Satanic Verses among the notable works of its period. Among its recognitions: Kirkus Reviews 1988. Our aggregate score of 34/100 is compiled from 1 editorial sources that range from Nobel and Booker committees to leading literary journals.
What distinguishes The Satanic Verses is how it handles its central concerns — migration, religion, identity, Islam — without reducing them to neat conclusions. The book invites close reading and holds up well to it.
The Satanic Verses reflects Salman Rushdie's place in a wider literary tradition. The book's concerns resonate with India's broader cultural preoccupations, even as they reach beyond any single national context.
About this assessment: Editorial scores are aggregated from 1 independent sources including major literary prizes, critical surveys, and leading publications. Our editorial team reviews and contextualises this data. Rankings reflect critical consensus, not personal opinion or popularity metrics. Learn about our methodology.
Awards & Recognition
Kirkus Reviews
notable · global
19887
Salman Rushdie is a celebrated author from India known for influential works of literary fiction.
What to Read Next
literary-fiction
Midnight's Children
Salman Rushdie· 1981
★Nobel Prize in Literature★Booker Prize
Editorial Score100/100
literary-fiction
The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy· 1997
★Nobel Prize in Literature★Booker Prize
Editorial Score100/100
literary-fiction
The Remains of the Day
Kazuo Ishiguro· 1989
★Nobel Prize in Literature★Booker Prize
Editorial Score100/100
literary-fiction
The White Tiger
Aravind Adiga· 2008
★Nobel Prize in Literature★Booker Prize
Editorial Score100/100
literary-fiction
The Road
Cormac McCarthy· 2007
★Pulitzer Prize★Hugo Award
Editorial Score100/100
historical-fiction
Wolf Hall
Hilary Mantel· 2009
★Booker Prize★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score100/100
Frequently Asked Questions
Popular on 50 Best Books
Best Science Fiction Books of All TimeScience FictionBooker Prize Winners — Complete List & GuideLiterary PrizesNobel Prize in Literature — Every Winner Since 1901Literary PrizesClassic Literature Reading List — 50 Essential BooksReading GuidesBest Books for Beginners — 20 Easy Reads for New BookloversReading Guides