Retro Reads discussion

Book Six, The Gulab Mahal.

Well, at least both versions of the book end the same!

Karlyne wrote: "Well, at least both versions of the book end the same!"

Good to know. Almost finished with dinner and in the home stretch.

I had forgotten how nasty and gruesome the Sepoy Mutiny was.

I apologize if I have any weird typos here. The Goodreads box isn't showing what I'm typing until I hit post. Weird!

Anyhow, what I wanted to say is that I don't think I could read SotM at night. I finished it this morning!

I finished last night and I've got sort of mixed feelings about it. Some parts were so well done and so exciting (the flight to the jungle, the bridge sabotage), but other parts dragged for me even though I know they were realistic (the long siege of Delhi, the lack of news from other areas).

I loved Alex as a hero though at times his prophetic wisdom was too close to something one would only realistically have with 20/20 hindsight. I also liked Winter's growth. IMO the republished story could have used a more exacting editorial effort, though not to the extent of cutting the book in half and excising all the history!

I just started The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857 William Dalrymple's history of the events in Delhi in 1857 using newly uncovered archival sources. It's a perfect companion read.

Hana wrote: "I finished last night and I've got sort of mixed feelings about it. Some parts were so well done and so exciting (the flight to the jungle, the bridge sabotage), but other parts dragged for me even..."

I agree, there are parts that slog on a bit, so some pruning could have been done, but not down to 300 or so pages. I did skim a bit on the second go-around.

The bits in the jungle - awesome. My nose was stuck in the pages the entire time.

You know, if I'd read the long version first, I probably would have not liked the edited one. But, since I didn't know what I was missing, it read beautifully to me. I wasn't aware at all of anything that didn't make sense or that felt chopped up or rushed. I really did enjoy it!

Finished! Liked it. Even the siege did not read as a slog for me.

Just finished a couple of days ago. Most of the time I couldn't put it down, though I did find the period in the Hirren Minar a bit slow.

Kaye mercifully omitted the details of Winter's revolting marriage, but certainly didn't spare us the horror of the mutiny. I'd forgotten how gruesome the book is.

Still really enjoyed it, and am glad I read the "full" version. Makes me want to re-read The Far Pavilions.

I can't believe it's over. I love this book so much. I've never read 800 pages so fast in my life. Plus...Alex! <3 No additional comment necessary. :)

Samanta wrote: "I can't believe it's over. I love this book so much. I've never read 800 pages so fast in my life. Plus...Alex! <3 No additional comment necessary. :)"

"Alex!" - a real hero.

I really enjoyed both this book and The Far Pavilions. I think TFP is the better book overall, although the war parts in this book were less of a slog for me than the last hundred pages or so of TFP, with its (overly, IMO) detailed description of the siege in Afghanistan.

I still have to read TFP so I don't have a ready opinion. I just read your review and I think you wrote that the ending was too abrupt. I have to agree with you. I would have loved an epilogue because I'm desperately in need of a closure. :D

Tadiana ✩ Night Owl☽ wrote: "I really enjoyed both this book and The Far Pavilions. I think TFP is the better book overall, although the war parts in this book were less of a slog for me than the last hundred pages or so of TF..."

I agree; I think TFP is a grander epic, and I even enjoyed the long siege scenes. It is long and drawn-out, and normally I would have gotten bored with it, but I don't know! I was so swept up in (view spoiler)[Wally's fight for survival that I was totally in it. I could visualize it all and was riveted. I was crushed at the end, although it was inevitable. (hide spoiler)] After I finished the book, it took me a while to"rejoin reality"--you know what I mean? Now that's a good book!

I think the last line 'It was Alex' is superb. Recalls the whole meaning of the book and sums up the readers sentiments in one sentence

Apologies for somehow reposting the same comment 3 times :S

Fareeha wrote: "Apologies for somehow reposting the same comment 3 times :S"

I exercised my super moderator powers and deleted the two extra posts for you. :) Actually you should be able to delete them yourself on most devices. It happens to all of us.

Also, thanks for pointing that out about the last line. I've been feeling a little dissatisfied with the way the book ended, and that helps to reconcile me to it.

If the book had to end, I agree that that was a perfect last line.

Sometimes I think authors just run out of steam and end it. A bit of an epilogue would have been nice.

Fareeha wrote: "I think the last line 'It was Alex' is superb. Recalls the whole meaning of the book and sums up the readers sentiments in one sentence " Yes, totally. That was a wonderful way to end the story even though the romantic in me would have loved an afterword.

Tadiana, thanks for that. I couldn't do it from my handheld device.

I still believe it was a perfect line to end on as it leaves us in no doubt about them being together and they'll be fine by tackling whatever comes up as they've done till then. By not spelling it out as to how and where they've settled, how many kids, how they go about their happily ever after, etc., Kaye has superbly forced the reader to think, made it into a meaningful reflection moment to savor and ponder -- a calculated pause to think about the whole story, what went into it and how it has come about to this ending. It leaves the reader/us satisfied and relieved with a happy ending while letting us conjure up the most suitable scenarios for them which might vary from person to person but there is no doubt that all will be well with them.

P.S: I would also like to mention that I've loved the comments you've all made along the way and I really enjoyed the insights. Just wanna say thankyou for that

Fareeha wrote: "Tadiana, thanks for that. I couldn't do it from my handheld device.

I still believe it was a perfect line to end on as it leaves us in no doubt about them being together and they'll be fine by tac..."

Yes, ma'am! I knew there were reasons why I loved that last line, but you just put them into words!