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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
From the very beginning with its wonderfully Chandler-esque opening line, “At least he was well dressed. Black tie, tux, the works. If you’re going to get yourself killed, you may as well look your best,” I was totally in the thrall of this book from start to finish. Not only is the writing whip smart and intuitive with a clever and engaging plot, but the depth of the historical research to so vividly portray the teeming life of this beautiful, yet socially and racially torn, outpost of the former British Empire sings from every page. I always think that historically drawn fiction treads a difficult line between force feeding the reader too much factual detail, or being too sketchy on how well it integrates the historical aspect which then doesn’t draw the reader into the reality of the period. Not only does Mukherjee present Calcutta and its social and political tensions with such clarity of detail, and the heinous crimes perpetrated by the British at Amritsar, but he also weaves into the story the echoing resonance of the trauma of WWI in the characterisation of his main protagonist Captain Sam Wyndham.
I liked the way that these momentous moments in history were brought centre stage at times, but then also cleverly just playing out in the background against the murder investigation adding a sense of the ebb and flow to the story and keeping the reader’s interest throughout. I also enjoyed the way that the interactions between the main characters and their responses to one another added another dimension to the difference in their societal position or racial status again reflecting the tensions of the time. This is very much in evidence by not only Wyndham’s experience as an ‘incomer’ to India, and the barriers to his investigation that he experiences, but also in his own interactions with his fellow Englishman, the prickly Inspector Digby, and the delightful Sergeant Banerjee. The interplay between these three incredibly disparate men was a source of pleasure throughout the book, and the development of their differing relationships, both personally and professionally, gave a further emotional pull on the reader’s empathy to these characters. Wyndham is a particularly complex man with previous trauma, and the loss of the love of his life, placing its own unique strain on his psyche. However, despite his insomnia and wavering dependence on chemical pick-me-ups, what Mukherjee so assuredly shows is Wyndham’s singular integrity as a man, his open mindedness, and his ability to place himself apart from his compatriots in order to fully investigate this case, finding his way in an alien and corrupt society.
So, A Rising Man, bulging with beautifully controlled historical detail, the atmospheric backdrop of Calcutta, a twisting and dangerous murder investigation, and a wonderfully drawn cast of characters, did not disappoint in the slightest. A strong contender for my top 5 of the year, and a completely absorbing, and thoroughly enjoyable debut. Highly recommended.
I liked the way that these momentous moments in history were brought centre stage at times, but then also cleverly just playing out in the background against the murder investigation adding a sense of the ebb and flow to the story and keeping the reader’s interest throughout. I also enjoyed the way that the interactions between the main characters and their responses to one another added another dimension to the difference in their societal position or racial status again reflecting the tensions of the time. This is very much in evidence by not only Wyndham’s experience as an ‘incomer’ to India, and the barriers to his investigation that he experiences, but also in his own interactions with his fellow Englishman, the prickly Inspector Digby, and the delightful Sergeant Banerjee. The interplay between these three incredibly disparate men was a source of pleasure throughout the book, and the development of their differing relationships, both personally and professionally, gave a further emotional pull on the reader’s empathy to these characters. Wyndham is a particularly complex man with previous trauma, and the loss of the love of his life, placing its own unique strain on his psyche. However, despite his insomnia and wavering dependence on chemical pick-me-ups, what Mukherjee so assuredly shows is Wyndham’s singular integrity as a man, his open mindedness, and his ability to place himself apart from his compatriots in order to fully investigate this case, finding his way in an alien and corrupt society.
So, A Rising Man, bulging with beautifully controlled historical detail, the atmospheric backdrop of Calcutta, a twisting and dangerous murder investigation, and a wonderfully drawn cast of characters, did not disappoint in the slightest. A strong contender for my top 5 of the year, and a completely absorbing, and thoroughly enjoyable debut. Highly recommended.
It was so incredibly hard to read the first 60% of this book. I felt like every page was dragging. The introduction of multiple characters with personalities that only really became distinct halfway through the book meant that it was incredibly difficult to discern who was who and who was doing what throughout the book. Also I'm not a fan of historical fiction so that was my mistake for picking out this book. i felt like the entire stroyline didn't really begin until the 60% mark. I didn't understand why so much time was spent on the main character's addictive tendencies. As a black person there's something about reading about historical marginalization that really strikes me as a waste of my time, It's like reading a story over and over again of the last week of your life. The author is writing it to educate but you as an audience member not only live it everyday, you witness it everyday, and know the history of it's existence that affects you everyday. So I think if you are White then this book probably stands out to you more as eye-opening but that's my own stereotype and bias. For instance reading about the character's realizing their own oppression or their own indirect/direct support of an oppressive culture/system is not what I want to spend my time reading about. And the mystery aspect of the book didn't even end up being satisfying for me because it was occuring in a system and by people that are despicable. Finished the book, just not continung the series.
A thriller, a whodunit, a historical novel, with a damaged, often cynical, hero with a moral compass. Great dialogue, atmospheric writing. This is an enjoyable read at many levels.
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Good introduction to the characters in this well paced series
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed the setting, both in time and place, of this story - Calcutta just after the First World War. And the characters were well drawn. Sometimes it felt as though the 'history' was tacked on rather clumsily - but it was interesting, nevertheless.
The plot was a bit slow moving and there weren't any really exciting or tense moments.
Overall, a good read and I am inclined to read others in the series.
The plot was a bit slow moving and there weren't any really exciting or tense moments.
Overall, a good read and I am inclined to read others in the series.
Bof.... Alors, je n'ai pas détesté, c'est un policier assez bien construit, avec une belle ambiance exotique, on plonge complètement dans l'Inde de début XXeme siècle. Par contre je n'ai pas trop aimé le côté politique de l'enquête et j'ai trouvé qu'il y a trop de longueurs, de descriptions pas très utiles.... mais la chose qui m'a vraiment dérangée c'est la façon dont sont décrites et traitées les femmes dans ce roman. Peut-être je n'ai plus la capacité de lire des livres écrits par des hommes cis hétéro ? Toutes les femmes sont très stéréotypées, surtout Mademoiselle Grant qui m'a fait penser à une femme fatale d'autrefois. Et la façon dont les hommes parlent d'elles et se comportent m'a mise mal à l'aise plusieurs fois. Voilà. Après bon, si vous cherchez juste un policier historique un peu viré politique, je suis sûre que vous allez aimer.
Quant à moi, je ne pense pas que je lirai la suite !
Quant à moi, je ne pense pas que je lirai la suite !