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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Der junge Ash, Sohn britischer Eltern, wächst nach deren Tod in Britisch-Indien auf – in dem Glauben, ein Inder zu sein. Das Buch erzählt seinen Lebensweg, seinen Aufenthalt als Kind im Palast eines Rajas, seine Flucht von dort, die Entdeckung, dass er Engländer ist. Sein Aufenthalt in England als Schüler wird nur kurz umrissen. Schließlich kehrt er als Soldat nach Indien zurück, wo er gute Freunde und seine große Liebe, eine indische Prinzessin, trifft. Dabei hat er gefährliche Abenteuer zu bestehen.
Es fällt mir schwer, ein Urteil über dieses Buch abzugeben. Es hat mich über weite Strecken hervorragend unterhalten und mich in eine Welt versetzt, die es so nicht mehr gibt – die märchenhafte, aber gerade für Frauen auch schreckliche Welt der indischen Paläste. Die Beschreibungen von M. M. Kaye sind so gut, dass man diese Welt wirklich vor seinen Augen sieht. Und die Liebesgeschichte zwischen Ash und Anjuli ist wirklich mitreißend. Das Buch ist in in acht Bücher mit vielen Kapiteln unterteilt – und da liegt für mich der Knackpunkt, denn der Bruch zwischen Buch 6 und Buch 7 ist ziemlich groß. Ich habe es sogar so empfunden, dass die eigentlichen Hauptfiguren nicht mehr die Hauptrolle spielen. Außerdem dreht sich in Buch 7 und 8 alles um das Militär, den Krieg, Spionage und den Aufstand in Kabul, und ich muss gestehen, dass ich Beschreibungen von Kämpfen, des Lebens der britischen und einheimischen Soldaten in Indien und dem Glanz und Gloria drum herum, so realistisch sie sind, nicht viel abgewinnen kann. Es interessiert mich einfach nicht besonders. Der Evening Standard lobt das Buch folgendermaßen: “… not one of its 950 pages is a page too much”. Es tut mir leid, dem kann ich mich nicht anschließen. Buch 7 und 8 hätte man für meinen Geschmack ganz knapp zusammenfassen können. Das ist wohl der Hauptgrund, warum ich volle 2 Wochen an dem Buch gelesen habe (abgesehen von den eng und klein bedruckten 960 Seiten) und ich mich zum Schluss wirklich durchgequält habe, was mir leid tut, da mir Sprache und Thema des Buches ja größtenteils sehr gut gefallen haben.
Was mich zum Schluss noch sehr erstaunt hat, war M. M. Kayes Nachwort, denn bis auf die Hauptfiguren sind die meisten Charaktere und Ereignisse des Buchs nicht fiktiv, sondern historisch. Das hat dann noch mal für Gänsehaut bei mir gesorgt
Ich habe überlegt, dem Buch nur 3 von 5 Sternen zu geben, aber da mir ja der überwiegende Teil zugesagt hat, gebe ich doch 4.
Es fällt mir schwer, ein Urteil über dieses Buch abzugeben. Es hat mich über weite Strecken hervorragend unterhalten und mich in eine Welt versetzt, die es so nicht mehr gibt – die märchenhafte, aber gerade für Frauen auch schreckliche Welt der indischen Paläste. Die Beschreibungen von M. M. Kaye sind so gut, dass man diese Welt wirklich vor seinen Augen sieht. Und die Liebesgeschichte zwischen Ash und Anjuli ist wirklich mitreißend. Das Buch ist in in acht Bücher mit vielen Kapiteln unterteilt – und da liegt für mich der Knackpunkt, denn der Bruch zwischen Buch 6 und Buch 7 ist ziemlich groß. Ich habe es sogar so empfunden, dass die eigentlichen Hauptfiguren nicht mehr die Hauptrolle spielen. Außerdem dreht sich in Buch 7 und 8 alles um das Militär, den Krieg, Spionage und den Aufstand in Kabul, und ich muss gestehen, dass ich Beschreibungen von Kämpfen, des Lebens der britischen und einheimischen Soldaten in Indien und dem Glanz und Gloria drum herum, so realistisch sie sind, nicht viel abgewinnen kann. Es interessiert mich einfach nicht besonders. Der Evening Standard lobt das Buch folgendermaßen: “… not one of its 950 pages is a page too much”. Es tut mir leid, dem kann ich mich nicht anschließen. Buch 7 und 8 hätte man für meinen Geschmack ganz knapp zusammenfassen können. Das ist wohl der Hauptgrund, warum ich volle 2 Wochen an dem Buch gelesen habe (abgesehen von den eng und klein bedruckten 960 Seiten) und ich mich zum Schluss wirklich durchgequält habe, was mir leid tut, da mir Sprache und Thema des Buches ja größtenteils sehr gut gefallen haben.
Was mich zum Schluss noch sehr erstaunt hat, war M. M. Kayes Nachwort, denn bis auf die Hauptfiguren sind die meisten Charaktere und Ereignisse des Buchs nicht fiktiv, sondern historisch. Das hat dann noch mal für Gänsehaut bei mir gesorgt
Ich habe überlegt, dem Buch nur 3 von 5 Sternen zu geben, aber da mir ja der überwiegende Teil zugesagt hat, gebe ich doch 4.
I'd never even heard of this book till recently, but it is an instant favorite.
You will not believe how many THINGS happen in this book. It's almost 1000 pages and breathlessly exciting on every one.
You will not believe how many THINGS happen in this book. It's almost 1000 pages and breathlessly exciting on every one.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I have never felt more compelled to write a book review because I know that I will never be able to stop thinking about this book, and, in five years, I will want to remember exactly what I thought. I read and listened to the book on audio.
Here is that jumbled mess of thoughts:
Kaye treats every character like a human with a personality, a history, a family, etc. No matter how briefly mentioned, every character felt completely fleshed out. I loved so many of them. And then, she wrote them all into impossible situations, dire straights, and continually ripped my heart out. It would be Machiavellian if weren’t so masterfully done.
She mastered the art of crescendo to cliffhanger and I found myself saying, “There is no way he (the main character) can get out of this situation but he has to because there are still THIRTY-SEVEN HOURS OF AUDIO LEFT.
This happened more times than I can count in the book.
But it wasn’t just the way each character responded so perfectly in line with their personality in every situation. The feelings and thoughts the characters had were so real and so spot on that I am astounded any one author had the creative ability to transcend cultures, generations, continents, gender, and all other manner of divisions to write such whole, relatable characters.
She also took on enormous universal truths. But instead of bashing you over the head with them, she wove them, almost imperceptibly, into the novel like a wink you aren’t sure you actually saw. But you definitely did see it because you spend the next day contemplating it within the context of the book and then your own life and society. My brain feels like it ran six back-to-back marathons.
Like, seriously. Pick your poison–
> Self immolation and what women are expected to endure on behalf of their cultures
> War and the sacrifices that men endure on behalf of culture and honor and government (things I *never see mentioned are talked about in modern feminist circles, btw)
> Searching for identity when two separate and opposed parts of you are at war
> Understanding the sacrifice of duty over love or vice versa
> Honor vs duty vs family
> Powerful platonic friendships
> Tricky, relationship dynamics
> Tolerance when religions and cultures clash
> Imperialism from a foreign nation vs savagery from people within their own nations
The list goes on and on and on and on.
Kaye wrote a masterpiece of literature. Definitely one of my all time favorite novels.
Here is that jumbled mess of thoughts:
Kaye treats every character like a human with a personality, a history, a family, etc. No matter how briefly mentioned, every character felt completely fleshed out. I loved so many of them. And then, she wrote them all into impossible situations, dire straights, and continually ripped my heart out. It would be Machiavellian if weren’t so masterfully done.
She mastered the art of crescendo to cliffhanger and I found myself saying, “There is no way he (the main character) can get out of this situation but he has to because there are still THIRTY-SEVEN HOURS OF AUDIO LEFT.
This happened more times than I can count in the book.
But it wasn’t just the way each character responded so perfectly in line with their personality in every situation. The feelings and thoughts the characters had were so real and so spot on that I am astounded any one author had the creative ability to transcend cultures, generations, continents, gender, and all other manner of divisions to write such whole, relatable characters.
She also took on enormous universal truths. But instead of bashing you over the head with them, she wove them, almost imperceptibly, into the novel like a wink you aren’t sure you actually saw. But you definitely did see it because you spend the next day contemplating it within the context of the book and then your own life and society. My brain feels like it ran six back-to-back marathons.
Like, seriously. Pick your poison–
> Self immolation and what women are expected to endure on behalf of their cultures
> War and the sacrifices that men endure on behalf of culture and honor and government (things I *never see mentioned are talked about in modern feminist circles, btw)
> Searching for identity when two separate and opposed parts of you are at war
> Understanding the sacrifice of duty over love or vice versa
> Honor vs duty vs family
> Powerful platonic friendships
> Tricky, relationship dynamics
> Tolerance when religions and cultures clash
> Imperialism from a foreign nation vs savagery from people within their own nations
The list goes on and on and on and on.
Kaye wrote a masterpiece of literature. Definitely one of my all time favorite novels.
I have never felt more compelled to write a book review because I know that I will never be able to stop thinking about this book, and, in five years, I will want to remember exactly what I thought. I read and listened to the book on audio.
Here is that jumbled mess of thoughts:
Kaye treats every character like a human with a personality, a history, a family, etc. No matter how briefly mentioned, every character felt completely fleshed out. I loved so many of them. And then, she wrote them all into impossible situations, dire straights, and continually ripped my heart out. It would be Machiavellian if weren’t so masterfully done.
She mastered the art of crescendo to cliffhanger and I found myself saying, “There is no way he (the main character) can get out of this situation but he has to because there are still THIRTY-SEVEN HOURS OF AUDIO LEFT.
This happened more times than I can count in the book.
But it wasn’t just the way each character responded so perfectly in line with their personality in every situation. The feelings and thoughts the characters had were so real and so spot on that I am astounded any one author had the creative ability to transcend cultures, generations, continents, gender, and all other manner of divisions to write such whole, relatable characters.
She also took on enormous universal truths. But instead of bashing you over the head with them, she wove them, almost imperceptibly, into the novel like a wink you aren’t sure you actually saw. But you definitely did see it because you spend the next day contemplating it within the context of the book and then your own life and society. My brain feels like it ran six back-to-back marathons.
Like, seriously. Pick your poison–
> Self immolation and what women are expected to endure on behalf of their cultures
> War and the sacrifices that men endure on behalf of culture and honor and government (things I *never see mentioned are talked about in modern feminist circles, btw)
> Searching for identity when two separate and opposed parts of you are at war
> Understanding the sacrifice of duty over love or vice versa
> Honor vs duty vs family
> Powerful platonic friendships
> Tricky, relationship dynamics
> Tolerance when religions and cultures clash
> Imperialism from a foreign nation vs savagery from people within their own nations
The list goes on and on and on and on.
Kaye wrote a masterpiece of literature. Definitely one of my all time favorite novels.
Here is that jumbled mess of thoughts:
Kaye treats every character like a human with a personality, a history, a family, etc. No matter how briefly mentioned, every character felt completely fleshed out. I loved so many of them. And then, she wrote them all into impossible situations, dire straights, and continually ripped my heart out. It would be Machiavellian if weren’t so masterfully done.
She mastered the art of crescendo to cliffhanger and I found myself saying, “There is no way he (the main character) can get out of this situation but he has to because there are still THIRTY-SEVEN HOURS OF AUDIO LEFT.
This happened more times than I can count in the book.
But it wasn’t just the way each character responded so perfectly in line with their personality in every situation. The feelings and thoughts the characters had were so real and so spot on that I am astounded any one author had the creative ability to transcend cultures, generations, continents, gender, and all other manner of divisions to write such whole, relatable characters.
She also took on enormous universal truths. But instead of bashing you over the head with them, she wove them, almost imperceptibly, into the novel like a wink you aren’t sure you actually saw. But you definitely did see it because you spend the next day contemplating it within the context of the book and then your own life and society. My brain feels like it ran six back-to-back marathons.
Like, seriously. Pick your poison–
> Self immolation and what women are expected to endure on behalf of their cultures
> War and the sacrifices that men endure on behalf of culture and honor and government (things I *never see mentioned are talked about in modern feminist circles, btw)
> Searching for identity when two separate and opposed parts of you are at war
> Understanding the sacrifice of duty over love or vice versa
> Honor vs duty vs family
> Powerful platonic friendships
> Tricky, relationship dynamics
> Tolerance when religions and cultures clash
> Imperialism from a foreign nation vs savagery from people within their own nations
The list goes on and on and on and on.
Kaye wrote a masterpiece of literature. Definitely one of my all time favorite novels.
Around thirtyfive years ago, give or take a few, I watched the TV miniseries with Ben Cross. I am pretty sure I loved it. I think I read the book afterwards and liked it as well, so I will give this 4 stars for now.
Who knows, I might re-read it at some point...
What is your blast-from-the-past that you barely remember, but probably liked and are a little scared to pick up again?
Who knows, I might re-read it at some point...
What is your blast-from-the-past that you barely remember, but probably liked and are a little scared to pick up again?
Having originally read this tome of a novel five years ago, and loving it to pieces, I have just finished re-reading it for potential use in my Uni essay. Do I still love this book? Yes, in fact even more so than I remember after my first reading of it. Plus there are so many themes going on - identity, social class, imperialism just being a few of them. Love the language which ranges from a kind of Wordsworthian lyricism to dark, gothic sensationalism. I love the characters - although Juli still bugged me a bit - my favourite (aside from Ash) being Irish Wally, whose experiences in the Afghan uprising fill the final third of the book. It's just amazing. Would I change my rating after a second read-through? Yep - instead of five stars, could I give it six?
I've read this book more than 10 times! Definitely recommended!
Another book that came across my feed, reminding me that I read and enjoyed this book back in early 1980 after it was released the year before. One of the many reasons I love the GR feed so much is because it helps me to add books read long ago and add them to the list! I also enjoyed the miniseries that was made of the book in the early/mid-eighties featuring Amy Irving.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No