blood from his mouth

[aquandrian]

So since I was brave enough to try Meredith Duran's Raj novel, I figured I may as well get Sherry Thomas' Raj novel and have done with it. Also, it was the only one I hadn't yet read of hers. Too. Heh. I did wonder if they'd planned it, seeing as how they're friends. But no, not true.

Not Quite A Husband gave me a case of the comedown blues. Liek

Comments

[boojumlol]

Out of curiosity, what's your position on M. M. Kaye?

[aquandrian]

Heh. Turns out I don't have a position on M. M. Kaye cos I had no idea who she was or what she'd written until you asked. :p

And now I can tell you it's very likely I will never be touching anything she's written. So not interested in anything to do with colonial India which is why Duran and Thomas are so hugely an exception. Oddly enough, I'm more likely to watch a Bollywood film about colonial India than read a novel. Hmm. Not exactly sure why that is, Lol, but I suspect it has a whole lot to do with cultural exploitation and commodification ... or at least, what my own paranoid writer self perceives as such.

Aren't you glad you asked? :D

Have you read her, btw?

[boojumlol]

I just remembered this comment for some reason, sorry for belated reply. Her books are sweeping romantic epics, perfect if you're the right age and inclination. I read The Far Pavilions when I was 14 or so, and omg was totally swept away by it - the romance, the history, the drama... I think it was the first thing I'd read set in India. I was completely uncritical - I don't know what I'd make of it now. The Shadow of the Moon is similar, but vastly inferior, though the first half of the Duran romance did remind me of it a lot, as it is during the rebellion. The third I've read by her is called Trade Wind, set in Zimbabwe, and is in some ways the most interesting, as it features very flawed protagonists. She is a self-righteous prig, he is a general scoundrel and sometimes slave trader. He also rapes her at one point, using the excuse of getting revenge on her fiance. Very old skool. This scene didn't disturb me nearly as much at 15 as it would now

[aquandrian]

I know, man ... it's so just amazing the stuff we accepted when we were young ... :p And heh, it totally doesn't surprise me that M M Kaye hasn't been popular since the 70s. Judging from what you say, thank fuck for that! :D

What did you think of the Meredith Duran Raj book?! *bounces*