High in the Himalayas sits a dilapidated mansion, home to three people each dreaming of another time.
The judge, broken by a world too messy for justice, is haunted by his past. His orphaned granddaughter has fallen in love with her handsome tutor, despite their different backgrounds and ideals. The cook's heart is with his son, who is working in a New York restaurant, mingling with an underclass from all over the globe as he seeks somewhere to call home.
Around the house swirl the forces of revolution and change. Civil unrest is making itself felt, stirring up inner conflicts as powerful as those dividing the community, pitting the past against the present, nationalism against love, a small place against the troubles of a big world.

I'm afraid I didn't finish this book. I just couldn't engage with the characters and gave up about a third of the way through. I am now sending it to someone who has it on their wishlist and I sincerely hope they get more out of it than I did.

Mailed to another bookcrosser.

Thank you for the tag :-)

6 Feb 18 - I normally love a book based in India, and rate them quite highly, this book however I struggled with. The chapters have been split into sections, some only a few lines long, but these seem to skip backwards and forwards in time and if you loose concentration for a bit you can easily loose where you are in the book. I did appreciate the theme of making your way in a place that's not home but overall the book didn't really work for me.

Sent on as a RABCK

Book arrived safely. Thanks for sharing I look forward to reading it.

Much of the novel deals with the effects of colonialism in the wake of Britain's withdrawal from the sub-continent when many Indians were fascinated by the English way of life, which seemed to offer more opportunities to escape from the squalor in their own country. However, Britain's withdrawal has also caused problems. When Western powers decided where the borders should be many ethnic minorities found themselves outsiders in their own country. India’s own class system is in itself also a stumbling block to progress.

The book then looks at post-colonial expectations of differing generations and classes as they search for identity after independence. It is by no means all gloom and doom. There are a number of set piece comic episodes involving minor characters. So why didn't I enjoy it more? I'm not really sure. I usually enjoy post-colonial novels. I think that it may have something to do with the sheer scope of this novel. I found that I couldn't really connect with any of the characters and for that reason somehow it just didn't gel with me. An OK but not a great read.

" The journey once begun, has no end."

Going out as part of a Reading it/ Want it thread. Enjoy!

Thank you very much for the book. This is my first international book on BC. I'm curious about it - especially because most of you didn't like it.