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A review by shrrawat
The Last Kashmiri Rose by Barbara Cleverly
4.0
The Last Kashmiri Rose is a tale of murder and mystery set during the decline of the British Raj.
When I found that this book was the author's debut novel, I was really surprised. The style of writing, the complex and intricate plot, the round characters, all of this seemed like the work of a seasoned veteran to the literary world. I have seen very few books that captivate you so suddenly and keep you in that state until the very end. And yet this one seemed to do the trick. While I could suspect who the perpetrator was, I was constantly questioning myself as to whether my assumptions were correct. But it wasn't just the mystery that intrigued me. The drama aspect of the book was also interesting, with one hidden history after another, serving to advance the plot. The final edition of drama near the end was also startling, as it played a major role in the mystery section as well, in a way that I feel very few would suspect.
The only thing that keeps me from turning my rating of 4.5 into a perfect 5 (curse Goodread's rating system and it's not allowing half a star), is some of the Hindustani terms used to enhance the tone and setting. Being Indian myself, I can understand these terms, but I think that without a glossary, it might be a little daunting to one not used to the language.
When I found that this book was the author's debut novel, I was really surprised. The style of writing, the complex and intricate plot, the round characters, all of this seemed like the work of a seasoned veteran to the literary world. I have seen very few books that captivate you so suddenly and keep you in that state until the very end. And yet this one seemed to do the trick. While I could suspect who the perpetrator was, I was constantly questioning myself as to whether my assumptions were correct. But it wasn't just the mystery that intrigued me. The drama aspect of the book was also interesting, with one hidden history after another, serving to advance the plot. The final edition of drama near the end was also startling, as it played a major role in the mystery section as well, in a way that I feel very few would suspect.
The only thing that keeps me from turning my rating of 4.5 into a perfect 5 (curse Goodread's rating system and it's not allowing half a star), is some of the Hindustani terms used to enhance the tone and setting. Being Indian myself, I can understand these terms, but I think that without a glossary, it might be a little daunting to one not used to the language.