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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
DNF.
Alrighty… made it to the 50% mark and I objectively just can’t do it anymore.
I picked up Meet Me in Bombay from my library based solely on the cover and the description. I was looking for a historical fiction during a time period I wasn’t super familiar with and with the promise of detailed descriptions of the Indian landscape, a strong love story, and the impacts of WWI, Meet Me in Bombay seemed interesting.
Lesson learned - I’m an idiot who needs to double check the Goodreads reviews and brush up on my history lessons moving forward.
There is no sugarcoating it, this is a book hardcore romanticizing the British colonization of India. The characters are white, the love story is between two white people, there are zero Indian or POC leads, it is heavy in white saviorism, and the people of India are treated merely as dispensable pawns to be used as stereotypical background characters to grovel under the white leads, expendable soldiers to be killed off in the war, or animals who don’t deserve basic respect or decency. I’m not even over-exaggerating here.
Admittedly, I did start off enjoying the love story a bit. Of course it is your typical, predictable historical fiction approach (boy meets girl, girl is promised to another, they fall in love anyways, bad event happens separating them, and so on and so forth), but that kind of love story was what I was expecting.
That being said, the more I tried to read and see if they would ever reunite, the grosser and more guilty I felt. Meet Me in Bombay did not only try to romanticize this time period as a whole, it also just felt incredibly and blatantly disrespectful towards Indian people. The more the white characters spoke about Indian people/soldiers like they were some kind of lesser human (the white female lead suggesting that the white military leaders wear turbans to “connect” with their troops, the white characters criticizing the Indian soldiers speaking in their native language and taking it upon themselves to teach the children English in schools, setting up the Indian people to be pushy and almost dangerous to the white female lead at the markets) the more disgusted I felt.
I feel really awful for picking this book up but it definitely helped me learn a really important lesson in doing research and educating myself prior to supporting an author or subject I may not be as familiar with.
Alrighty… made it to the 50% mark and I objectively just can’t do it anymore.
I picked up Meet Me in Bombay from my library based solely on the cover and the description. I was looking for a historical fiction during a time period I wasn’t super familiar with and with the promise of detailed descriptions of the Indian landscape, a strong love story, and the impacts of WWI, Meet Me in Bombay seemed interesting.
Lesson learned - I’m an idiot who needs to double check the Goodreads reviews and brush up on my history lessons moving forward.
There is no sugarcoating it, this is a book hardcore romanticizing the British colonization of India. The characters are white, the love story is between two white people, there are zero Indian or POC leads, it is heavy in white saviorism, and the people of India are treated merely as dispensable pawns to be used as stereotypical background characters to grovel under the white leads, expendable soldiers to be killed off in the war, or animals who don’t deserve basic respect or decency. I’m not even over-exaggerating here.
Admittedly, I did start off enjoying the love story a bit. Of course it is your typical, predictable historical fiction approach (boy meets girl, girl is promised to another, they fall in love anyways, bad event happens separating them, and so on and so forth), but that kind of love story was what I was expecting.
That being said, the more I tried to read and see if they would ever reunite, the grosser and more guilty I felt. Meet Me in Bombay did not only try to romanticize this time period as a whole, it also just felt incredibly and blatantly disrespectful towards Indian people. The more the white characters spoke about Indian people/soldiers like they were some kind of lesser human (the white female lead suggesting that the white military leaders wear turbans to “connect” with their troops, the white characters criticizing the Indian soldiers speaking in their native language and taking it upon themselves to teach the children English in schools, setting up the Indian people to be pushy and almost dangerous to the white female lead at the markets) the more disgusted I felt.
I feel really awful for picking this book up but it definitely helped me learn a really important lesson in doing research and educating myself prior to supporting an author or subject I may not be as familiar with.
Meet me in Bombay by Jenny Ashcroft is a historical fiction romance, set in colonial Bombay during the period of 1914 and thereafter covering the major World War 1 events elaborately. This book is perfect for people who like Love at first sight or Star Crossed lovers or even if you have a thing for tragedies.
The Female MC, maddy visit her family in Bombay for short period of time from London. She longs to be back there soon. The first few days in India, all she or anyone else has to talk about was how "baking" Indian temperature is. It gets repeated over and over again to the point of annoyance (Because come on! Its a well established fact after all!)
When she runs into male MC Like, it is love at first sight for either of them and just because Luke doesn't want her to feel homesick but enjoy what Bombay has to offer, she is suddenly appreciative of the city and it's lifestyle.
Soon both of their lives get tangled and when world war 1 looms over everyone, Luke had to lead Indian Troops in Western front line. There after the whole world comes between Maddy and Luke.
This book is unbearably sad and dragging but the thing that kept me from abandoning it is the parallel timeline story set in future. It gives the glimpse of what is about to happen and only the anticipation of how the events will play out kept me going.
I must say that am rather impressed by the climax though. It was so fitting and I did not anticipate it which made this entire reading experience better in the end. Like any historical fiction, this book has done total justice telling the story of common people against the extraordinary world events. It is only because of the climax am giving it 4 ⭐
The Female MC, maddy visit her family in Bombay for short period of time from London. She longs to be back there soon. The first few days in India, all she or anyone else has to talk about was how "baking" Indian temperature is. It gets repeated over and over again to the point of annoyance (Because come on! Its a well established fact after all!)
When she runs into male MC Like, it is love at first sight for either of them and just because Luke doesn't want her to feel homesick but enjoy what Bombay has to offer, she is suddenly appreciative of the city and it's lifestyle.
Soon both of their lives get tangled and when world war 1 looms over everyone, Luke had to lead Indian Troops in Western front line. There after the whole world comes between Maddy and Luke.
This book is unbearably sad and dragging but the thing that kept me from abandoning it is the parallel timeline story set in future. It gives the glimpse of what is about to happen and only the anticipation of how the events will play out kept me going.
I must say that am rather impressed by the climax though. It was so fitting and I did not anticipate it which made this entire reading experience better in the end. Like any historical fiction, this book has done total justice telling the story of common people against the extraordinary world events. It is only because of the climax am giving it 4 ⭐
Maddy Bright is searching for something, and she finds it when she meets Luke Devereaux on New Year's Eve 1913 in Bombay. Luke helps Maddy discover the real Bombay, and the two fall deeply in love. But their magical story is cut short when Luke is called to the battlefields of World War I. Will Maddy and Luke meet again in Bombay?
This book is the closest I'll get to India (or any foreign country during COVID), and it was a wonderful escape from real life!
What I loved:
Maddy and Luke - I loved Maddy's character and determination to be more than just a happily married housewife. Her love for and loyalty to Luke made me really connect with them as a couple and root for them. Theirs is a tale of love at first sight that deepened due to their wonderful connection. I'm not usually a romance fan, but I so enjoyed reading their story. Luke's kindness and loyalty toward his men were also inspiring.
The beautiful setting - Ashcroft made Bombay come alive to me! I could smell the spices in the market, see the rickshaws, and imagine the sights and sounds of the bustling city.
The multiple timelines - No spoilers, but the narrative switches between a few different timelines, and the intertwined narratives moved the plot forward well, with a few key surprises!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is the closest I'll get to India (or any foreign country during COVID), and it was a wonderful escape from real life!
What I loved:
Maddy and Luke - I loved Maddy's character and determination to be more than just a happily married housewife. Her love for and loyalty to Luke made me really connect with them as a couple and root for them. Theirs is a tale of love at first sight that deepened due to their wonderful connection. I'm not usually a romance fan, but I so enjoyed reading their story. Luke's kindness and loyalty toward his men were also inspiring.
The beautiful setting - Ashcroft made Bombay come alive to me! I could smell the spices in the market, see the rickshaws, and imagine the sights and sounds of the bustling city.
The multiple timelines - No spoilers, but the narrative switches between a few different timelines, and the intertwined narratives moved the plot forward well, with a few key surprises!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don't read too much historical fiction, but when I do read it I love it and that was definitely the case with [b:Meet Me in Bombay|53138132|Meet Me in Bombay|Jenny Ashcroft|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1589256831l/53138132._SY75_.jpg|60802871] by [a:Jenny Ashcroft|10790332|Jenny Ashcroft|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1594368988p2/10790332.jpg]. This was a stunning novel that spans the course of many years, and it was incredibly emotional as well as vivid and gripping. I had not yet read a book set in Bombay and I love the way Ashcroft brought it to life through this romantic and heart-wrenching tale. We start with Maddy meeting Luke and falling in love, and then get into WWI where the trouble starts. I went into this not knowing what to expect, and when I got into the story and found out where it was going I literally gasped out loud. There is deception in the novel as well, and it broke my heart how long it took for Maddy to find out exactly what had happened to Luke.
I am pretty sure that nothing I can say will actually do this book justice and describe just quite how much I loved it. I listened to the audiobook and it was a real stunner, narrated by Aysha Kala. I have listened to another book she has narrated, and I loved that she was the choice for this one. The audio is long at just over 14 hours, but man is it worth it, and it goes pretty quickly. It added so much to the story for me and made me even more emotional than I would have been reading it. The descriptions of the war were hard to read but so important, and I thought they were done very well. Ashcroft has the romance aspect, yes, but also gives you a taste of what the war was like and just how it affected families and the soldiers out fighting. A great read if you love historical fiction and want something that tugs at your heart.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I am pretty sure that nothing I can say will actually do this book justice and describe just quite how much I loved it. I listened to the audiobook and it was a real stunner, narrated by Aysha Kala. I have listened to another book she has narrated, and I loved that she was the choice for this one. The audio is long at just over 14 hours, but man is it worth it, and it goes pretty quickly. It added so much to the story for me and made me even more emotional than I would have been reading it. The descriptions of the war were hard to read but so important, and I thought they were done very well. Ashcroft has the romance aspect, yes, but also gives you a taste of what the war was like and just how it affected families and the soldiers out fighting. A great read if you love historical fiction and want something that tugs at your heart.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Non ho ancora finito il libro ma lo farò sicuramente. Ma mi premeva scrivere una recensione. All'inizio pensavo sarebbe stata una storia d'amore tra una ragazza indiana o un ragazzo indiano, ed una ragazza bianca o ragazzo bianco. Dato che siamo durante la prima guerra mondiale avrebbe potuto essere un vero capolavoro, e cosa mi trovo invece? Due bianchi che si innamorano. Due persone comunque agiate, che vivono nei villoni che tutti gli inglesi avevano all'epoca del colonialismo. Lui parte per la guerra portandosi un sacco di poveri ragazzi indiani che rimarranno uccisi mentre lui finirà in un ospedale senza memoria (circondato da infermiere un po' **cc**e) e la moglie (perché poi se la sposa) con la figlia, dopo sei anni vanno a vivere con quel Guy che ha 20 anni in più della ragazza solo perché lei non può stare da sola? Capisco tutto, ma mi ha molto delusa la storia. Non ci siamo. Forse non è chiaro cosa è davvero successo a quel tempo. Studiare un po' di storia, grazie. E parlo da italiana fidanzata con un ragazzo indiano.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the free book.
I have super mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I was completely invested in Maddy and Luke’s love story. I enjoyed how this was set during WWI. I had to know how it ended for them. But it should’ve been set somewhere else.
Setting a novel in colonial India for the ‘exotic’ location and nothing else is super problematic. If you don’t know about British colonial rule in India, take some time to do some research. This book is only about white officers whose job it was to train Indian soldiers for the use in Britain’s army, even though they weren’t given anything from Britain in return.
I have super mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I was completely invested in Maddy and Luke’s love story. I enjoyed how this was set during WWI. I had to know how it ended for them. But it should’ve been set somewhere else.
Setting a novel in colonial India for the ‘exotic’ location and nothing else is super problematic. If you don’t know about British colonial rule in India, take some time to do some research. This book is only about white officers whose job it was to train Indian soldiers for the use in Britain’s army, even though they weren’t given anything from Britain in return.
I feel I can’t leave this review without first talking about the romanticism of colonial India written within it. This book centers around white British colonizers in Bombay, while the native Indian characters are all regulated to the background & to mostly subservient roles. From the beginning this really rubbed me the wrong way & colored my feelings of the book the entire time I was reading.
With that in mind, I do want to leave a review of the story itself. I was drawn to this book originally because of the beautiful cover & because I love historical fiction. However, I didn’t love this book. The main male character had a very interesting story arc - I did find myself rooting for him as he was one of the only characters I didn’t find infuriating. There were some good twists I wasn’t expecting (& others I did) & while I do think there were some strong sections in this book, ultimately I really think it should have been shorter.
Also, I hated how the female lead was portrayed - she was always making decisions based on how a man would feel about them (one of my biggest peeves). In fact a lot of characters were very unlikeable. At the end it was wrapped up nicely, if not a bit unbelievably, & I was left questioning how I felt about this book. Ultimately I decided on 3 stars.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
With that in mind, I do want to leave a review of the story itself. I was drawn to this book originally because of the beautiful cover & because I love historical fiction. However, I didn’t love this book. The main male character had a very interesting story arc - I did find myself rooting for him as he was one of the only characters I didn’t find infuriating. There were some good twists I wasn’t expecting (& others I did) & while I do think there were some strong sections in this book, ultimately I really think it should have been shorter.
Also, I hated how the female lead was portrayed - she was always making decisions based on how a man would feel about them (one of my biggest peeves). In fact a lot of characters were very unlikeable. At the end it was wrapped up nicely, if not a bit unbelievably, & I was left questioning how I felt about this book. Ultimately I decided on 3 stars.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Historical inaccuracies are found within the first 30 pages of this work of historical fiction, which really surprises me coming from an author who graduated from Oxford University.
Aside from that, I couldnt really get into the characters. I didnt feel a connection with any of them and the manipulation that abounds from all sides male and female is rather astounding.
I had such higher hopes for this novel but sadly, it did not deliver for me.
Aside from that, I couldnt really get into the characters. I didnt feel a connection with any of them and the manipulation that abounds from all sides male and female is rather astounding.
I had such higher hopes for this novel but sadly, it did not deliver for me.
Don’t let this pretty cover fool you, this book is problematic in so many ways. A romance novel written by a white author with the backdrop of the British Raj in India is not acceptable. India is not merely an exotic location convenient for a story of colonists falling in love to be told.
There were SO MANY inaccuracies throughout this novel. To correct a few in the first 30 pages:
- Hindis are not people. The language is called Hindi and the people who practice the religion Hinduism are called Hindus.
- Mosques are not where Jain monks pray, but are places of worship for Muslims. A Jain place of worship is called a Derasar.
- Many times this novel refers to the native language in Bombay as Urdu. Urdu is the language spoken in Pakistan. Marathi is spoken in Bombay (now Mumbai). While some individuals in the British Raj may have learnt Urdu, more than likely those in Bombay would not have.
This novel really needed to not be published, but in the least should have been fact-checked. Overall, this was an atrocious novel that emphasized colonialism and the white savior complex. I read this one so you don’t have to.
A huge thank you to Goodreads and St. Martin’s Press for the giveaway ARC win, and NetGalley for the e-book in exchange for my honest opinion!
There were SO MANY inaccuracies throughout this novel. To correct a few in the first 30 pages:
- Hindis are not people. The language is called Hindi and the people who practice the religion Hinduism are called Hindus.
- Mosques are not where Jain monks pray, but are places of worship for Muslims. A Jain place of worship is called a Derasar.
- Many times this novel refers to the native language in Bombay as Urdu. Urdu is the language spoken in Pakistan. Marathi is spoken in Bombay (now Mumbai). While some individuals in the British Raj may have learnt Urdu, more than likely those in Bombay would not have.
This novel really needed to not be published, but in the least should have been fact-checked. Overall, this was an atrocious novel that emphasized colonialism and the white savior complex. I read this one so you don’t have to.
A huge thank you to Goodreads and St. Martin’s Press for the giveaway ARC win, and NetGalley for the e-book in exchange for my honest opinion!