Review: Meet Me in Bombay

Title: Meet Me in Bombay

Author: Jenny Ashcroft

Publisher: 26th November 2019 by Hachette

Pages: 370 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: India, historical fiction, historical romance, world war II

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

Bombay, 1913

Madeleine Bright is spending New Year's Eve wishing she were somewhere else. Her voyage to India to visit her parents should have been a great adventure, but that was before she had no choice except to stay.

Then at the stroke of midnight Maddy meets Luke Devereaux, and as the year changes so do their lives - forever. Bold and charismatic, Luke opens her eyes to the wonders of Bombay, while Maddy's beauty and vivacity captures his heart. Only her mother disapproves, preferring the devoted Guy Bowen as a match for her daughter.

But while Maddy and Luke are falling in love, the world is falling apart. War is on the horizon, and soon it's a question of when Luke will be called to fight, not if. They'll be continents apart, separated by danger and fear of the unknown, but bound by Luke's promise that they will meet again in Bombay...

MEET ME IN BOMBAY is a story of fierce love set against the exotic and colourful world of colonial Bombay and the tragedy of the First World War.

My Thoughts

Jenny Ashcroft ... thank you! Three for three! I have had the privilege of reading all of Jenny’s books and cannot recommend them highly enough to lovers of historical fiction. Each read has been evocative, transporting the reader to some distant and exotic time and place. This time, British India and Bombay of the early 20th century. 

"Are you waiting for me though, as l am waiting for you?

Are you thinking of me, in this moment?                           

He set down his pen, and sank his aching head in his hands.     

Are you even there at all?"

Meet Me in Bombay is superb historical fiction as Jenny is the master at moulding together place, time and feeling. At the heart of this story is the love of a lifetime between Maddy and Luke but of course, all of this is sadly at the start of 1914. So unfolding over a lifetime is their journey set against the background of war and the backdrop of Bombay.  The bulk of the read is sequential from their initial meeting with small jumps in the timeline to soldiers recovering from amnesia or shell shock, or in many instances, not recovering at all. This is a wonderful story of love and separation that, even though you may know where it is going, you will be compelled to follow along to the inevitable conclusion. 

Once again Jenny has written a tale that ticks all the boxes for me: exquisite writing, complex characters, a beautiful love story in an exotic, tropical setting. Filled to the brim with everything from the brutality of war, to passionate soul connections, to tragedy, heartbreak and finally hope - this is such a compelling read that it will stay with you long after you have turned the final page. 

"I want to sleep. When I sleep, I dream. And my dreams are all I have left of that other world. The one I know I once belonged to, with you.”  

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher Hachette Australia.

Review: The Girl in the Painting

Title: The Girl in the Painting

Author: Renita D'Silva

Publisher: 11th April 2019 by Bookouture

Pages: 495 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: historical fiction, India

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Before she goes, there’s something she must do. She fingers the letter in her pocket. She thinks of the painting that was created beside the stream. A painting of a girl, with sadness in her eyes.

Emma’s beloved grandmother, Margaret, is dying, and she has one last wish before she says goodbye. When she gives Emma a mysterious painting and the deeds to a house in India, Emma is shocked. Margaret has rarely spoken of a link to India before – she has been unwilling to ever speak of her past at all.

But now Margaret has a request for her granddaughter: Find Archana. Margaret asks Emma to give Archana the painting and – most important of all – to tell her that she forgives her.

With her grandmother on her deathbed, Emma travels deep into the heart of the Indian hills in search of answers, to a crumbling house overgrown with vines. And when she finds Archana, the secret Margaret has been keeping for over seventy years will finally be revealed – the story of a day spent painting by a stream full of water lilies, where a betrayal tore three lives apart forever

My Thoughts

‘The girl in the painting … at first glance she looks happy. But her eyes, they are sad. She is young, but she has lived, suffered. And she is … what is that word I learned with you … oh yes, she’s conflicted, I think. Afraid to be happy, perhaps?’

I was excited to finally read a Renita D'Silva book and this one proved a wonderful introduction. Told in alternating time periods between three main character voices, it slowly unveils a beautiful story, one full of tragedy and grief.  How much is one bound by duty or to feel a sense of recompense when perhaps it only brings heartache? How far are you willing to go to forgive?

There is much to love about this tale. Firstly, the location in India is presented here in all its glory from sights and smells, to cuisine and culture, from Bombay and further afield in rural villages. There is a huge spotlight on the age old custom of ‘sati’ and as horrifying as it may seem to modern eyes, it’s the mental aspect pertaining to it that holds the real story and the author unravels this so well.  Secondly, the two main historic characters are outstanding - one Indian, one English - and both, individually and together, create a realistic portrayal of what life in times now passed. The impact of their respective upbringings, provides a clash of cultures in a truly illuminating way.

At times this book is a little slow and there is some repetition, particularly in the current day timeline. I found modern day Emma to be a rather weak but necessary link in providing the satisfactory closure at the end of this momentous tale. Overall this is a really well written story with the highlight being the two women in 1920s Bombay. The switch in voice is smooth and I found the historic tale to be more enticing which, thankfully, is where the majority of our time is spent. These characters are well developed and their individual stories will sit with you for some time afterwards.

The Girl In The Painting presents a compelling story made up of many parts - culture, family obligation, custom - all wrapped in the shroud of love and tragedy. This is a book I would most definitely recommend, particularly for those interested in Indo-British relations.

‘By not letting go of my past, being haunted by it, I have lost my present, maimed my future.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Secrets of the Tea Garden

Title: The Secrets of the Tea Garden (The India Tea Book 4)

Author: Janet MacLeod Trotter

Publisher: 22nd November 2018 by Amazon Publishing UK Lake Union Publishing

Pages: 574 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, womens fiction, romance, cultural India

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

She’s gone in search of happy memories. But was her idyllic childhood in India an illusion?

After the Second World War, Libby Robson leaves chilly England for India, and the childhood home where she left her heart—and her beloved father, James—fourteen years ago.

At first Libby is intoxicated by India’s vibrant beauty: the bustle of Calcutta, the lush tea gardens of Assam. But beneath the surface a rebellion is simmering: India is on the brink of Independence, and the days of British rule are numbered. As the owner of a tea plantation, James embodies the hated colonial regime, and Libby finds herself questioning her idealised memories—particularly when she meets the dashing freedom fighter Ghulam Khan.

As Independence looms, life in India becomes precarious for Libby, James and even Ghulam. And when James reveals a shameful family secret, Libby is forced to question her past—and her future.

My Thoughts

“Libby watched the golden liquid being poured into the china cups which she helped hand around. She picked up hers and inhaled the steamy scent. The tea smelled of mango and papaya. Libby closed her eyes and sipped. Instantly, the heat and vivid colours of the tea garden were conjured up...”

I thoroughly enjoyed this sojourn to India - wonderful historical fiction. Although listed as part of a series, I have not previously read any and found it to be fine as a standalone read. Of course, some characters are carried over and many other reviewers enjoyed visiting ‘old’ friends, so it may be worth investigating. The series involves families who were either born in India or had roots back in England. This particular volume revolves around the partition of India in 1947.

In the dying days of colonial rule, this book portrays the vestiges of the British Empire in India with a small smattering of white opinions set against the new and revolutionary thoughts and actions for independence. This, I found, to be the strongest aspect of the book, the turbulent political situation, was well researched, being rich in historical detail.

The writing provides in depth accounts of place and people - sometimes a little too much detail. In my opinion, there are certain passages that went on for too long and became repetitive - there was definite room for more editing with regards to personal character plotlines and development. That being said, the larger overarching themes of Anglo-Indian relations was well done, particularly those of mixed heritage who found themselves not really belonging to either side. Even those ex-pats who had spent the majority of their life living and working in India - their struggles were likewise well portrayed.

The exotic settings were definitely well captured and presented, particularly Calcutta and the tea growing regions of Assam. Tied in with this is a study of the type of person who could adjust to such remote living. There is an array of characters that you will have to get your head around - who belongs to which family (this may be perhaps where reading previous books in the series would be an advantage). Overall, I enjoyed the historical background of this period, the time leading up to separation and independence.

‘What’s a real Indian, Ghulam?’ she demanded hotly. ‘Shouldn’t that include all the minorities here? Or don’t you want to think about the inconvenient ones –the Anglo-Indians like Flowers or my cousin Adela –or even the Indian-born Europeans like myself? Are we not pure enough for the new India?’

‘That’s not what I meant—’

‘’Cause if that’s your attitude then you are no better than the Hindu extremists who want to rid India of the Muslims and Sikhs. Because once you start excluding one group then where do you stop?’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Before the Rains

Title: Before the Rains

Author: Dinah Jefferies

Publisher: 23 February 2017 by Penguin Books (UK) Viking

Pages: 416 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: women’s fiction, historical fiction, romance, cultural-India

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

A romantic, heart-wrenching tale of love against the odds from the Number One Sunday Times bestselling author Dinah Jefferies

1930, Rajputana, India. Since her husband's death, 28-year-old photojournalist Eliza's only companion has been her camera. When the British Government send her to an Indian princely state to photograph the royal family, she's determined to make a name for herself.

But when Eliza arrives at the palace she meets Jay, the Prince's handsome, brooding brother. While Eliza awakens Jay to the poverty of his people, he awakens her to the injustices of British rule. Soon Jay and Eliza find they have more in common than they think. But their families - and society - think otherwise. Eventually they will have to make a choice between doing what's expected, or following their hearts. . .

My Thoughts

‘She had come to India uncertain about herself and nervous of her abilities as a photographer. She had come not really knowing who she was.’

Having seen the inviting covers of Dinah Jeffries books, I was excited to finally delve into one. I was not disappointed. This is historical fiction at its best -  rich in detail and oh so interesting,  I learnt so much, this book literally being brushed with Indian spices, both real and figurative, as we journey along with Eliza. Tradition is the foundation of this society and Jeffries presents it in a most intriguing and captivating way. Her writing is so very descriptive, as you find yourself walking through the palace, feeling the searing heat, smelling the scents of India.

‘Hidden beneath the rituals and customs of his life lay something important, something that glued it all together.’

Before the Rains is set in  India during the 1920s, and thanks to Jeffries skill as a writer,  one can easily either marvel at the decadent royal families and British high society, so much in contrast with the abject poverty of so many of the people. This is a tale about Eliza, a photographer commissioned to spend a year photographing the royal family for British archives, reportedly, although spying might also play a part. Eliza is familiar with India, having spent her childhood there until her father's horrific death, so she feels a strong connection, going to great lengths to understand and showcase this through her photography - the real face of the people, their customs and traditions. Add to this a forbidden love story between Eliza and Jay, a younger brother of the Indian prince, and you have a recipe for a winning tale.

‘More and more she’d become aware that the British should get out of India. Her only hope was that the Nationalist movement would gain control without too much bloodshed.’

Aside from a captivating story, Jeffries brings forth so much of the colours of India - customs, traditions, beliefs at the time of British rule - it is as if you were there. With a declining British rule, you are witness to the effect on the people and the consequences that fall out from that.  Everything from euphoric ‘Holi’ celebrations to the horrific ‘sati’ (widow burning). Then there are the settings ranging from palatial royal homes to mud huts in remote villages. You will be transported to another place and time and feel for Eliza and all she endeavours to become in recreating herself.

‘Eliza hardly dared admit that she had come to rediscover something within herself.’

Before the Rains is historical fiction at it’s best overflowing with culture, forbidden love, longed for happiness, heartbreaking grief and finally hope – I thoroughly enjoyed this tale and highly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction.

‘She really wanted to capture something of the rains themselves. Everyone spoke of them in such reverent tones that she wanted to see for herself.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final rel