Declare Regarding Books A Division of the Spoils (The Raj Quartet #4)
Title | : | A Division of the Spoils (The Raj Quartet #4) |
Author | : | Paul Scott |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 608 pages |
Published | : | May 22nd 1998 by University of Chicago Press (first published 1975) |
Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Fiction. Cultural. India. Classics. Literature |
Paul Scott
Paperback | Pages: 608 pages Rating: 4.39 | 1124 Users | 74 Reviews
Commentary In Pursuance Of Books A Division of the Spoils (The Raj Quartet #4)
After exploiting India's divisions for years, the British depart in such haste that no one is prepared for the Hindu-Muslim riots of 1947. The twilight of the raj turns bloody. Against the backdrop of the violent partition of India and Pakistan, A Division of the Spoils illuminates one last bittersweet romance, revealing the divided loyalties of the British as they flee, retreat from, or cling to India.Present Books Supposing A Division of the Spoils (The Raj Quartet #4)
Original Title: | A Division of the Spoils |
ISBN: | 0226743446 (ISBN13: 9780226743448) |
Edition Language: | English |
Series: | The Raj Quartet #4 |
Characters: | Mohammed Ali Kasim, Count Bronowsky, Sarah Layton, Susan Layton, Ronald Merrick, Ahmed Kasim, Fenella Grace, Guy Perron, Leonard Purvis, Nigel Rowan, Sayed Kasim |
Setting: | India,1945 |
Rating Regarding Books A Division of the Spoils (The Raj Quartet #4)
Ratings: 4.39 From 1124 Users | 74 ReviewsDiscuss Regarding Books A Division of the Spoils (The Raj Quartet #4)
The final book of the quartet and the most bitter sweet I felt. The end of The Raj in India and a time of great upheaval and drastic change. It was interesting to find out the fate of some of the characters that made this quartet so compelling and addictive.Wonderfully atmospheric, complex and interesting characters amidst a fascinating time in history. This is a series that could be read again and again. Time and money well spent.Start with two major religions, Islam and Hinduism. To a history of one ruling the other, add the complication of a determinedly, in part evangelical Christian colonial administration that lords it over both and in recent memory has massacred innocents. Calls for independence are frequent, but the detail of from what remains negotiable. There is civil disobedience in a state whose imperial government can only function by virtue of local cooperation. But should independence lead to a unitary
Like my Mom, I now count The Raj Quartet as one of my all-time favorite series, and this, the concluding book of the series, was the most complex and possibly the best. I read it ahead of the History Book Club, and I'm looking forward to re-reading it more slowly with them because I know there are many subtleties I missed. Some may think it a silly comparison, but to me, The Quartet shares its best qualities with my other all-time favorite series, Harry Potter. Both feature immensely complex
This--The Raj Quartet--is an amazing series. I'm shocked, and a little embarrassed, that I only recently discovered it, thanks to watching the three-decades-old television series (The Jewel in the Crown, named after the first novel). So, generally late to the party! But what a party it is. A magnificent series of novels, matching the enormity of the topic--India, England, and the legacy of colonialism. When you think about it, how could England essentially rule India for several hundred years?
The Raj Quartet - this book had been on my to-read list for a very long time, because, the rating of each of the books was more than 4, and I just couldn't understand how that was possible. What was in it, that many other series don't? Ronald Merrick - the hideous villain is the only character that appears in all four volumes, and no character takes more than 20% of the total space, yet some characters leave behind a lasting impression, and one such character is Ahmed Kasim. If 'The Jewel in the
In 2013, I began Paul Scott's Raj Quartet, finally finishing the series today with A Division of the Spoils. If you read the other 3 books then it is inevitable that this one must be read and while it is weighted down with political philosophy, it is done appropriately. From Daphne Manners and Hari Kumar to Guy Perron and Sarah Layton, this story is exquisitely told from beginning to end. I love how the beginnings of the story so long ago are still affecting the end of the story. Yes, this is a
[More like 3.5 stars, really.]Having finished the Raj Quartet, I have to ask: was a quartet really necessary? The first book, "The Jewel in the Crown", was very good both as a book and as the kind of panoramic overview of British India that Scott is aiming for. It had the central crime to keep it moving while still providing room for the viewpoints of a wide variety of other characters, all of them interesting and at least a tiny bit sympathetic. Even the main villain, Ronald Merrick, was still
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.