Raj

I'm giving it 3 stars because of the quality of writing and the immense research that went into the book. It really did bring Royal and British India to life. However, I wish the main character had been a stronger woman. Throughout the story she kept on going from one man to another for advice. When......more

RAJ is a novel about colonialism, a saga of the British Raj in India. It covers half a century of British-Indian history using a great deal of factual information. One of its most important aspects is the relationship that existed between royal India and the Raj. In the novel, feudal India has been l......more

This book would've been better if it were 200 pages shorter. Mehra does a good job describing Royal India and outlining the dissolution of both the Raj and the British rule, but man, does she get stuck in loops! Discussing Pratap's "long eyes," for example--what the heck are long eyes? And why does......more

A dense, fascinating and wonderful book telling the story of the British Raj from the point of view of an Indian princess in one of the Royal Indian states. Moving from desert to northwestern frontier, and revealing a life spent both within zenana walls and in purdah, which then moves out to public......more

Ik twijfelde tussen 3 of 4 sterren. 3,5 dus eigenlijk. Ik moest me af en toe wel door het boek heen worstelen. Al die rituelen, al die details, veel namen. Vooral moeilijk om je in te leven in de personen. Maar ook heel boeiend en interessant. Ik wist helemaal niets van die bijzondere positie van de......more