You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
A review by sookieskipper
The Jewel in the Crown by Paul Scott
4.0
Unlike [b: Wide Saargasso Sea|481558|Wide Sargasso Sea|Jean Rhys|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348923924s/481558.jpg|142647], Paul scott casts a wider net to encompass not only social aspect of British reign in India but also explores class warfare within British Indians and the slowly brewing times of revolution.Set in a country on the brink of war and weary of colonial rule, gang rape of a young British woman associated with a young Indian man shakes the apparent stillness that seemed to have covered the vast lands. It stops being a case about a British and an Indian; the investigation takes a different turn when the British woman, Daphne, mentions possibility of a Muslim to be present during the heinous act. The case takes a completely different turn when he
mentions her attackers could very well be British. Using this very publicized case, Paul Scott ruthlessly tears down class structure within British living in India, the communal tension that had always been on back burner in many Indian states, non-sympathetic British rules for educated Indians and the general apathy that many characters have - irrespective of their race or color, towards another.
The event acts as a trigger to already engaging elements in the novel. It brings forth Ronald Merrick, the investigating police officer with internalized homophobia into the mix. A low ranking, lower middle class born Merrick finds at odds with British educated Indian Hari Kumar (who identifies as a British irrespective of his race) and sees him as his prime suspect. Though its a well known fact amidst many British women that Daphene and Hari were lovers, no one speaks out about it. Merrick sees Hari as an antagonist and an object of attraction which he takes out sadistically during Hari's interrogation. Merrick is representative of a tired class that wants nothing but to go home and live their life. This conflict doesn't exist in all the characters which is interesting because some of them - like Lady Crane, loves India in their own way. It's the only life they have known and its a way of life that's still untouched by changes that is happening in the rest of the world and England itself. [Hari isn't allowed in British Indian establishment in India while in England he was free to do so.]
Having several people tell the story gives an interesting dimension to the narration. Each character touches upon subjects they think are vital to explore and some times even digress from the subject at hand. This technique has given Scott to maintain vagueness about things that would otherwise difficult to do so. Thus the narration spends less time in tedious investigation and more on the characters themselves.
Its not a very easy book to read and nor its a book where I can say "I enjoyed it" as there is nothing entertaining about the story. It was a great read for the literature that it is and what it has carried in those pages.
My favorite quote from this book remains - Our so called independence was rather like a shot-gun wedding.
mentions her attackers could very well be British. Using this very publicized case, Paul Scott ruthlessly tears down class structure within British living in India, the communal tension that had always been on back burner in many Indian states, non-sympathetic British rules for educated Indians and the general apathy that many characters have - irrespective of their race or color, towards another.
The event acts as a trigger to already engaging elements in the novel. It brings forth Ronald Merrick, the investigating police officer with internalized homophobia into the mix. A low ranking, lower middle class born Merrick finds at odds with British educated Indian Hari Kumar (who identifies as a British irrespective of his race) and sees him as his prime suspect. Though its a well known fact amidst many British women that Daphene and Hari were lovers, no one speaks out about it. Merrick sees Hari as an antagonist and an object of attraction which he takes out sadistically during Hari's interrogation. Merrick is representative of a tired class that wants nothing but to go home and live their life. This conflict doesn't exist in all the characters which is interesting because some of them - like Lady Crane, loves India in their own way. It's the only life they have known and its a way of life that's still untouched by changes that is happening in the rest of the world and England itself. [Hari isn't allowed in British Indian establishment in India while in England he was free to do so.]
Having several people tell the story gives an interesting dimension to the narration. Each character touches upon subjects they think are vital to explore and some times even digress from the subject at hand. This technique has given Scott to maintain vagueness about things that would otherwise difficult to do so. Thus the narration spends less time in tedious investigation and more on the characters themselves.
Its not a very easy book to read and nor its a book where I can say "I enjoyed it" as there is nothing entertaining about the story. It was a great read for the literature that it is and what it has carried in those pages.
My favorite quote from this book remains - Our so called independence was rather like a shot-gun wedding.