I hope you have enjoyed this month's selection, The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye. For me this was a very engaging read. It is historical fiction set in India starting in the mid 1800's. Being a fan of The Jewel in the Crown series on PBS, it was interesting to look at the time before when the East India Company was ruling the country and subsequently, when the British "Raj" took over.
What an enigmatic character Ms. Kaye created in Ashton.
Because so much was required of him as a young boy, I felt that he almost grew
up backwards. His heartfelt attempts at making the life around him
"fair" gave us a glimpse that despite that he was experienced in many
things, he had a naïve expectation for the world he lived in. He is a
worthy hero who straddles two cultures and more as the book progresses.
Stamina is a word that comes to mind. Both for the characters in the book
and for the reader. This nearly 1,000 page saga has engagingly occupied
many of my hours. Learning about some of the cultural traditions was at
times very shocking. But I am glad for the experience and even more glad
that we live in America in the 21st century!
I was also impressed by Ms. Kaye's breadth of research for this
book. She showed an understanding of the history and culture, but also
she created battle scenes and political intrigue that added dimension to our
experience.
Lana will be leading the group for this discussion. It should
be another great meeting.
COMING UP:
May 28th - Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt at Barbecue Barn at Noon
This is a fast read with a likeable hero, Andy
Carpenter. Like Andy, I also enjoyed the company of a wonderful golden
retriever, So immediately, I was drawn into the book. After reading
The Far Pavilions, this selection gives us a 21st century American tale
of courtroom antics and mysteries to solve. It is a fun book for
Spring.
June 25th - Maloka'i by Alan Brennert at Bugsy's at Noon
This book came highly recommended to me and is my selection this
year. It is set in Hawaii beginning in the late 1800's and follows the
story of Hawaians who contracted leprosy from contact with the outside
world. The book earned 4.5 stars out of 5 from the Amazon.com web
site on nearly 500 reviews, and a 4.11 rating on Good Reads on over 4,500
reviews. Words I read about this book included poignant, richly imagined
and a wonderful, powerful read. As a fan of Mitchner's Hawaii, I
look forward to revisiting the islands.
--Susan
--Susan
Posts
