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kijesi's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
izzymunford's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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
4.5
filmcritic23's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Murder
lindsaypluger's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
oliviakur's review against another edition
3.0
Was hard to get into but the last 100 pages was great. An interesting historical fiction/mystery read
candacesiegle_greedyreader's review against another edition
5.0
Can't Sujata Massey write any faster? I've already had the pleasure of reading her second Perveen Mistry mystery (coming out in May) which means it's a long wait for the next book in the series. Dang.
"The Widows of Malabar Hill" introduced Perveen Mistry, Esq., a "lady lawyer" in 1920s Bombay. She attended Oxford and has joined her father's law firm. In the Widows, she was tasked with entering the zanana of a wealthy Muslim family to interview the widows of a wealthy man whose will was being disputed. Since no man can approach ladies in purdah, the job falls to one of the very few female attorneys in town, Perveen.
In "The Satapur Moonstone," her sex is again to her advantage as she is asked to meet with the widows and mother of the ruler of a small, remote princely state, where the Hindu women also live in purdah. The British entity in charge of this state has received letters from both the mother and grandmother of the 10-year-old maharajah asking for opposite solutions to his education. Perveen is placed in charge of deciding how the child will be educated. No fan of British rule, she sees this as an opportunity for an Indian to help a young Indian ruler. Oh, and there's also the suggestion that the child's life is in danger.
Massey effortlessly weaves in information about traditions of different Hindu castes, her place as a Parsi--a Zoroastrian--and the extraordinary wealth of these states. Their prejudice regarding different castes and how someone's caste is their fate. Not very flattering, but very, very interesting and true to the period.
Like The Widows, there's no slack in The Satapur Moonstone. Every page is full. And even though this is a satisfyingly big book, it could even be longer because I hated for it to be over.
So get cracking, Sujata. Perveen's fans are waiting for her third adventure.
"The Widows of Malabar Hill" introduced Perveen Mistry, Esq., a "lady lawyer" in 1920s Bombay. She attended Oxford and has joined her father's law firm. In the Widows, she was tasked with entering the zanana of a wealthy Muslim family to interview the widows of a wealthy man whose will was being disputed. Since no man can approach ladies in purdah, the job falls to one of the very few female attorneys in town, Perveen.
In "The Satapur Moonstone," her sex is again to her advantage as she is asked to meet with the widows and mother of the ruler of a small, remote princely state, where the Hindu women also live in purdah. The British entity in charge of this state has received letters from both the mother and grandmother of the 10-year-old maharajah asking for opposite solutions to his education. Perveen is placed in charge of deciding how the child will be educated. No fan of British rule, she sees this as an opportunity for an Indian to help a young Indian ruler. Oh, and there's also the suggestion that the child's life is in danger.
Massey effortlessly weaves in information about traditions of different Hindu castes, her place as a Parsi--a Zoroastrian--and the extraordinary wealth of these states. Their prejudice regarding different castes and how someone's caste is their fate. Not very flattering, but very, very interesting and true to the period.
Like The Widows, there's no slack in The Satapur Moonstone. Every page is full. And even though this is a satisfyingly big book, it could even be longer because I hated for it to be over.
So get cracking, Sujata. Perveen's fans are waiting for her third adventure.
laura_cs's review against another edition
5.0
I received a copy of this title through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Perveen Mistry, Esquire, is one of the few female lawyers in 1920s India. While this often makes people skeptical or rude towards her, she has an advantage none of the male lawyers have: she can discuss legal matters with women who observe purdah. The British government, who rule India, employ Perveen to go to the distant Indian kingdom of Satapur.
Located in a dense jungle and accessed by treacherous routes, Perveen is traveling to provide counsel regarding the education of a young maharaja. Satapur has undergone much strife in the last two years. First the maharaja dies, leaving behind his teenage son as his heir, only for the son to die in a tragic hunting accident shortly after. Now the two dowager maharanis bicker about how the new young maharaja will be educated. When Perveen arrives, she knows there is something afoot in the Satapur palace. Can she determine what dark forces lie in the shadows before another death can occur?
The second in the Perveen Mistry series, "The Satapur Moonstone" is a fascinating and intriguing mystery full of twists, turns, and secrets, with prose that contains lush descriptions, a wide array of remarkable characters, and a plethora of clues for the reader to find. Perfect for fans of Miss Fisher and Maggie Hope, "The Satapur Moonstone" does not disappoint and will keep you guessing until the very end.
Perveen Mistry, Esquire, is one of the few female lawyers in 1920s India. While this often makes people skeptical or rude towards her, she has an advantage none of the male lawyers have: she can discuss legal matters with women who observe purdah. The British government, who rule India, employ Perveen to go to the distant Indian kingdom of Satapur.
Located in a dense jungle and accessed by treacherous routes, Perveen is traveling to provide counsel regarding the education of a young maharaja. Satapur has undergone much strife in the last two years. First the maharaja dies, leaving behind his teenage son as his heir, only for the son to die in a tragic hunting accident shortly after. Now the two dowager maharanis bicker about how the new young maharaja will be educated. When Perveen arrives, she knows there is something afoot in the Satapur palace. Can she determine what dark forces lie in the shadows before another death can occur?
The second in the Perveen Mistry series, "The Satapur Moonstone" is a fascinating and intriguing mystery full of twists, turns, and secrets, with prose that contains lush descriptions, a wide array of remarkable characters, and a plethora of clues for the reader to find. Perfect for fans of Miss Fisher and Maggie Hope, "The Satapur Moonstone" does not disappoint and will keep you guessing until the very end.
rachelreads15's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lsparrow's review
4.0
i am loving this mystery series set in 1920's india. The main character is creative and smart and you can't help but be sucked into the mysteries that unfold.