East of the Sun by Julia Gregson

[Janet]

 

East of the Sun by Julia Gregson

 

The

[happyanddandy]

Thanks Janet - I hate those kind of mistakes!

[Icecream]

I was looking at this yesterday. It would be good to read more about india, but it doesn't sound like such a good read now.

[madaboutbooks]

I was looking at this yesterday. It would be good to read more about india, but it doesn't sound like such a good read now.

I have just finished reading this book and really enjoyed it. I never look for any mistakes in the text, just enjoyed the story.

[Janet]

That's the thing though - I didn't look for them - they were so obvious!

[chesilbeach]

I was so disappointed by this book. I'd heard rave reviews on the radio and television, and I love books set in India, so I sat down expecting to enjoy a good read. Alas, it was not to be. The characters weren't engaging, and while I understand that the book was about the English in India, there was so little about India or the native population, it could have been set anywhere. At times the plot and character development were unconvincing, and I almost felt like some of the characters were contemporary women transported to the 1920's.

 

Like Janet, I spotted the mistake about the parlour game, which smacked of lazy editing, as even if the author had made a mistake, the editor should have picked this up.

 

Having said all that, it was a reasonably entertaining book and I did enjoy it enough to finish it, however, I was hoping for more.

 

If you want to read other books set in India, I would recommend Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's books, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, Eclipse of the Sun by Phil Whitaker or, finally, my favourite of all, A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

[Janet]

If you want to read other books set in India, I would recommend Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's books, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, Eclipse of the Sun by Phil Whitaker or, finally, my favourite of all, A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

Oooh, thanks for those - I was only saying the other day that I'd like to read more books set in India - I'll be sure to check them out.

[France]

I'm with Chesilbeach here - I was really disappointed in this book, it was curiously flat and seemed to lack a proper sense of place. Also being a historical pedant I foound that the main charecters simply didn't behave as women brought up then would have done. Sorry can't go into more detail as I got rid of the book almost immediately.

 

I loved A Suitable Boy, that's a book that paints such a vivid picture you can practically smell the surroundings. Anita Desai is another writer who writes fine books about India, I'd particularly reccomend Fire On The Mountain and for a wonderfully lush, rollercoaster of a read there's Sister Of My Heart by Chitra Banderavi Something or the other which everyone I've lent it to has adored.

 

And if you want a really good historical novel about India let's not forget The Far Pavillions.

[chesilbeach]

Ooo, Sister Of My Heart by Chitra Bannerjee Divakaruni is on my TBR - I might put that nearer the top of the pile and start on it soon. Thanks for the recommendation France

[Hermione Bennet]

Woah. . . mixed emotions here about the book. I bought it a while ago and never really got round to reading it. I like the India setting but as Chesilbeach points out; that setting was practically non-existent.

[Kate]

Amazon description:

Autumn 1928. Three young women are on their way to India, each with a new life in mind. Rose, a beautiful but na

[Janet]

I knew that Thomas Cook was the first 'package holiday company', but like you, I was surprised at the references to Debenhams, so I Googled it at the time and it was used as a name in its own right in 1905! (There had been previous incarnations of 'Something and Debenham' as early as 1813). :eek2:

 

I wouldn't have been surprised if it was inaccurate though as there were other mistakes that were easily researchable!

 

I do like it when a book makes me go and look up things on Wikipedia - it's amazing the things I've learned!!

[SueK]

I knew that Thomas Cook was the first 'package holiday company', but like you, I was surprised at the references to Debenhams, so I Googled it at the time and it was used as a name in its own right in 1905! (There had been previous incarnations of 'Something and Debenham' as early as 1813). :eek2:

 

 

I seem to remember hearing it being called Debenham and Freebody and I remember my Grandmother referring to the store with that name.

 

Good to read the reviews though, I had thought of picking up this book but I don't think I will now.

Edited October 13, 2009 by SueK
updating info

[Perky]

Just thought I'd add that I read this a while ago and I enjoyed the book although I would say that it wasn't as good as other books I have read since.

 

Perky

[Heffalumpi]

I too read this book a while ago, it was good although I felt a bit disappointed with the characters as I found it really hard to relate to any of them.