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clarek19's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
amslersf's review against another edition
5.0
It took me a bit to buy into this book, but eventually I realized that this was indeed a great piece of post colonial literature. I especially appreciated the stories concerning the Second World War. Ghosh goes deep into the role and thinking of Indian soldiers within the British army and the dilemmas of soldiers when some decided to fight for themselves and their own sense of nationhood by fighting against the British during the retreat from Burma and down through Malaysia. I appreciated learning a non-European centric story of the Second World War and it also reminded me that Burma (and other's countries) struggles for self sufficient independence post WWII were also hampered by the devastation of that war. There was no Marshall plan in Asia. Burma was first pillaged by colonialism, then left bombed to the ground as colonial empires fought each other.
susanlawson's review against another edition
5.0
An epic saga focussed on Burma though the 20th century and specifically the fortunes of Rajkumar, a poor boy who becomes a successful businessman working between India, Burma and Malaya under British colonial rule. He meets Dolly, a servant of the Burmese king when the royal family is evacuated to India from Mandalay and tracks her down and marries her years later. We follow the fortunes of their children as the Japanese invade Malaya and work their way north through Burma and the story ends with their grand-daughter, Jaya, tracking down her uncle Dinu, in Rangoon.
blearywitch's review against another edition
5.0
There is a strange, beautiful feeling that wraps itself around your heart when you read a book with familiarity - the places you have been, the places you have lived, the history, the food, the language, the people. This story is about the fall of royalty, of love across the sea, of memories, and of war, destitute, and deaths. It's lovely, and it's sad.
Oh Burma. Beautiful, and mystical as if it's heaven on Earth which you'll find out if you visit Bagan, and full of surprises. All its people want is to be left alone to devote themselves to the Buddhist ways and to attain Nirvana. It is unfortunate that the world does not account for that and the more ruthless of nations will always ravage the meek and humble and win the wars. Internally, the royal family of Burma entered a decline when faced with a harder world. There seems to be a lack of intelligence gleaned from the telling of history so the royal family should not be expected to stand for their people much less plan strategic wars. The fate of their land is sad. There is also the fact that the fate of Burma was left in the hands of a Queen Supayalat, whose greed and selfishness only serves herself and in the end even she is destroyed. There were many great women leaders in history but she failed to grasp the rungs.
It is depressing to read of trampled thrones and looted treasures. Who would have thought that the loss of a nation is a loss to history and preservation of its people, and riches. The British brought much to us in Asia but nevertheless, they stole more than they gave. Among the gems stolen they have the Kohinoor from India, and they have the Ngamauk from Burma. I fail to understand how King Thibaw was so trusting, so naive.
"In Burma no one ever starved, everyone knew how to read and write, and land was to be had for the asking: why should they pull rickshaws and carry nightsoil?"
"What vast, what incomprehensible power, to move people in such huge numbers from one place to another - emperors, kings, farmers, dockworkers, soldiers, coolies, policemen. Why? Why this furious movement - people taken from one place to another, to pull rickshaws, to sit blind in exile?"
Oh Burma. Beautiful, and mystical as if it's heaven on Earth which you'll find out if you visit Bagan, and full of surprises. All its people want is to be left alone to devote themselves to the Buddhist ways and to attain Nirvana. It is unfortunate that the world does not account for that and the more ruthless of nations will always ravage the meek and humble and win the wars. Internally, the royal family of Burma entered a decline when faced with a harder world. There seems to be a lack of intelligence gleaned from the telling of history so the royal family should not be expected to stand for their people much less plan strategic wars. The fate of their land is sad. There is also the fact that the fate of Burma was left in the hands of a Queen Supayalat, whose greed and selfishness only serves herself and in the end even she is destroyed. There were many great women leaders in history but she failed to grasp the rungs.
It is depressing to read of trampled thrones and looted treasures. Who would have thought that the loss of a nation is a loss to history and preservation of its people, and riches. The British brought much to us in Asia but nevertheless, they stole more than they gave. Among the gems stolen they have the Kohinoor from India, and they have the Ngamauk from Burma. I fail to understand how King Thibaw was so trusting, so naive.
"In Burma no one ever starved, everyone knew how to read and write, and land was to be had for the asking: why should they pull rickshaws and carry nightsoil?"
"What vast, what incomprehensible power, to move people in such huge numbers from one place to another - emperors, kings, farmers, dockworkers, soldiers, coolies, policemen. Why? Why this furious movement - people taken from one place to another, to pull rickshaws, to sit blind in exile?"
robd52's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mroznere's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
eidolem's review against another edition
3.0
Book was too slow for my liking. It had its gems and the storyline was good, but it was written too passively to captivate me. I wasn't a fan of the ending.
salve58's review against another edition
4.0
This was just amazing. I actually cried at the end. A great story, lots of interesting things to learn and some big issues to go away and think about.
elsiebrady's review against another edition
4.0
extraordinary epic. Part way through I didn't think I'd enjoy the "epic" part but it turned out very enlightening. So much history I feel so ignorant of.
mazza57's review against another edition
2.0
At first i really enjoyed this book, Ghosh's writing was alive with description that hummed. I get as if i was right in the middle of the marketplace, thrust into its daily life. However this book took too long to tell its tale, too much detail and not enough of the story line to maintain my interest. There are huge parts where i just wanted to be done with it.