The Last Queen, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The Last Queen, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
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The Last Queen
A Novel of Courage and Resistance

Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Narrator: Sneha Mathan

Unabridged: 13 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 05/10/2022


Synopsis

WINNER of the 2022 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WORKING WOMEN AWARD for BEST FICTION OF THE YEAR!LONGLISTED for 2022 DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD!She rose from commoner to become the last reigning queen of India’s Sikh Empire. In this dazzling novel, based on true-life events, bestselling author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni presents the unforgettable story of Jindan, who transformed herself from daughter of the royal kennel keeper to powerful monarch. Sharp-eyed, stubborn, and passionate, Jindan was known for her beauty. When she caught the eye of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, she was elevated to royalty, becoming his youngest and last queen—and his favorite. And when her son, barely six years old, unexpectedly inherited the throne, Jindan assumed the regency. She transformed herself from pampered wife to warrior ruler, determined to protect her people and her son’s birthright from the encroaching British Empire.Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil, and conducted state business in public, inspiring her subjects in two wars. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, but nothing crushed her indomitable will.An exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child, and an inspiration for our times, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s novel brings alive one of the most fearless women of the nineteenth century, one whose story cries out to be told. 

About Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an award-winning and bestselling author, poet, activist, and teacher of writing. Her work has been published in over 50 magazines, including the Atlantic Monthly and The New Yorker, and her writing has been included in over 50 anthologies, including The Best American Short Stories, the O. Henry Prize Stories, and the Pushcart Prize Anthology. Her books have been translated into 29 languages, including Dutch, Hebrew, Bengali, Russian, and Japanese; many have been used for campus-wide and city-wide reads. Several have been made into films and plays. She lives in Houston, where she teaches Creative Writing at the University of Houston.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Richa on January 24, 2021

'Your kismet has already spoken. You are not only a wife and a mother, but a queen as well. And a queen who is a mother must play the royal game more skillfully because she has more to lose.' ⁣ Rani Jindan, the queen of Punjab is a symbol of grace, wit and honour. The Last Queen is a book that showcas......more

Goodreads review by Smriti on January 31, 2021

3.5 stars. Felt a little lack lustre though it was a great story overall.......more

Goodreads review by Maahi on February 09, 2021

This review may contain SPOILERS. 2.5 stars (Please note that this review is ONLY for the book and the characters contained within the book, NOT for actual historical figures) My only reaction is, what the hell did I just read? Having loved The Palace of Illusions, I’m shocked at how badly this is wri......more

Goodreads review by Avani ✨ on February 07, 2021

The last queen by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is the story of the last queen of Lahore, Jindan Kaur. The story starts in Lahore, 1839 where Maharaja Ranjit Singh is sick and Jindan and his other Queen's are worried. Jindan has recently given birth to a son who is not even a year old yet. The book talk......more

Goodreads review by Tanaya on January 26, 2021

Such a poignant tale of Rani Jindan who had to go through so much. I did not know her story earlier, thanks to Chitra I now am also aware of how our Kohinoor was snatched from us by the Britishers. The book is extremely intriguing and I did not feel like keeping it down. A must read for everyone. Th......more