India Gray: Historical Fiction
Product ID: 39749878
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Travel to the Indian subcontinent with a new collection of Sujata Massey's suspenseful historical fiction. This boxed set includes four works described below: OUTNUMBERED AT OXFORD. When Perveen Mistry leaves Bombay to study law at St. Hilda's College in 1919 Oxford, England, she hopes to escape her troubled past and become a pioneering woman lawyer. Then an elderly don tasks her with locating an Indian servant who may have stolen an invaluable mathematics proof. Perveen is caught in a case that threatens her ladylike reputation--and her life. THE AYAH'S TALE. Menakshi Dutt, a teenaged nanny in 1920s Bengal, is a beloved caregiver of three lonely British children, but suffers from the cruelty of their bored mother. Will Menakshi ever fulfill her own dreams without betraying the children? INDIA GRAY. Kamala Lewes, a recently-married Bengali woman, travels to Assam during World War II to volunteer at a military hospital. There she discovers some patients with ties to the Indian independence movement. How far can she go to help them without betraying her British husband and the Allies? BITTER TEA. Shazia is fifteen and trapped in a remote village in Pakistan overtaken by religious fundamentalists. Her school has been closed, and women have lost freedom of movement. But when Shania learns a friend faces danger from the invaders, she decides to act. Four unforgettable heroines in one book rich with history, culture and intrigue. Review: India comes alive in these tales - INDIA GRAY by Sujata Massey This collection consists of two novellas and two short stories. Both novellas, Outnumbered at Oxford and The Ayah’s Tale are peopled by well formed characters and have detailed and nuanced plots with introduction, plot development and conclusion. Outnumbered at Oxford introduces characters found in the full length novel, THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL. The two short stories are quite brief and include only one incident with little characterization. India Gray is the much more satisfying story for both character and plot. Bitter Tea simply leaves one wanting more. Outnumbered at Oxford gives the reader of MALABAR HILL the back story of what transpired during Perveen’s banishment to England and introduces Alice, Perveen’s good friend, who has a role in MALABAR HILL. Both women find themselves bending the strict rules at St. Hilda’s College to solve the disappearance of a mathematical paper and a young man. The Ayah’s Tale is a treatise on social class, including the vast social differences between Indians (in their own country) and English colonists during a time of growing desire for Indian independence. It leaves the reader wanting another tale to fill in the gap between the story and the epilogue. The writing and research involved for all four tales is detailed and gives depth and interest to each story. A good introduction to an excellent writer. 5 of 5 stars Review: India Grey - This is a book of short stories, it's not a full length novel, but several stories in one book.I find it best to read a story, then something else, and then another story, and not the whole book at once. I found it interesting, but not as engaging as the 3 full length novels that she wrote.
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,187,502 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #1,475 in Mystery Anthologies (Books) #2,715 in 20th Century Historical Romance (Books) #20,487 in Short Stories & Anthologies |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 969 Reviews |
B**R
India comes alive in these tales
INDIA GRAY by Sujata Massey This collection consists of two novellas and two short stories. Both novellas, Outnumbered at Oxford and The Ayah’s Tale are peopled by well formed characters and have detailed and nuanced plots with introduction, plot development and conclusion. Outnumbered at Oxford introduces characters found in the full length novel, THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL. The two short stories are quite brief and include only one incident with little characterization. India Gray is the much more satisfying story for both character and plot. Bitter Tea simply leaves one wanting more. Outnumbered at Oxford gives the reader of MALABAR HILL the back story of what transpired during Perveen’s banishment to England and introduces Alice, Perveen’s good friend, who has a role in MALABAR HILL. Both women find themselves bending the strict rules at St. Hilda’s College to solve the disappearance of a mathematical paper and a young man. The Ayah’s Tale is a treatise on social class, including the vast social differences between Indians (in their own country) and English colonists during a time of growing desire for Indian independence. It leaves the reader wanting another tale to fill in the gap between the story and the epilogue. The writing and research involved for all four tales is detailed and gives depth and interest to each story. A good introduction to an excellent writer. 5 of 5 stars
A**R
India Grey
This is a book of short stories, it's not a full length novel, but several stories in one book.I find it best to read a story, then something else, and then another story, and not the whole book at once. I found it interesting, but not as engaging as the 3 full length novels that she wrote.
S**I
Tales from the Raj
Each of the short stories is completely different, in setting. Enjoyed them all. Although I am from India I was born at the tail end of the Raj and it was nice to get some insight into the lives of the British in India.
P**S
Very enjoyable book
This was a good book. I like reading about the cultures in foreign countries.
K**N
Marvelous
A real eye opener. I've read and loved Massey's work consistently but this collection was a new experience. Marvelously written.
H**L
I prefer her Shimura series. This novel was depressing ...
I prefer her Shimura series. This novel was depressing because of its description of India, its caste system, and the misuse of women.
E**G
Fun and thought-provoking tour of historical India
This collection of novellas was really fun to read. For me this was an introduction to a new author and I'm so glad I took the plunge. I liked the first mystery so much that I also bought the first book in the follow-up series. The author is a terrific storyteller who was able to thread the very compelling storylines into a tour of historical India. She didn't flinch at the misdeeds of the colonial era or other prickly pre-Independence issues. It was clear she spent a massive amount of time researching the times, places, and happenings, and the characters were well developed and believable - so much so that it was easy to imagine being in a character's sandals and speculate on "what would I do if that happened to me?" The endings had a twist to keep the reader guessing to the last page. I'm eager to read more of her work.
A**N
Most engaging stories that leave one wanting more.
I liked the variety of stories, each one about a slightly different time but all with an Indian or Asian flavor. For such short stories I think the character development is remarkable. I enjoyed reading more about situations I already was vaguely aware of. For instance, local resistance to jihadists, and info about the INA in Assam. I highly recommend Sujata Massey!
V**O
engrossing and uplifting read!
I really enjoyed this collection of storues all featuring strong but utterly real and rwalistic women characters. They are well written and thoroughly enjoyable. I appreciated the posotive, hopeful endings. We already live in a world of horrors and injustice, we don’t need it in fiction as well. Thank you Ms Massey for delighing us with your writing
S**P
India revisited
Had read The Widows of Malibar Hill and was introduced to Perveen Mistry character. Enjoyed the short mystery with her in Oxford and the other stories included in this book.
B**N
Exotic
Unusual setting for excellent stories.
K**N
India Gray
Stories kept me riveted to the end
U**S
I didn't know that radical muslim groups were activ in the newly buit Bangladesh.
I liked how the history of Banglades and India was told with the exemple of an INian family.
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