Waheed Rabbani

Nearing the end of his medical stay in Delhi in the 1960’s, soon to return to America, Dr. Sharif is approached by hospital staff to return an old sea chest that has been left abandoned for over one hundred years. When Dr. Sharif agrees, so opens up a story full of intrigue, struggle, romance, betrayal, history and much, much more. The sea chest belonged to a Margaret Wallace, an American female doctor working as a missionary in India during India’s revolution in the mid-1800’s. Among show more other things, a diary is found inside, documenting the story of her life.

Doctor Margaret proves an intriguing and well-developed character, way ahead of her time; from a little girl she is set on becoming a doctor and working in India. To help her family out, employed as a cleaning girl at a local clinic, she is thrilled to learn about a Medical College for Women in Philadelphia. She says in her diary, “I dreamt of studying in classrooms with floors and walls of polished mahogany hardwood and performing and experimenting in the laboratories, wearing those white coats.” Breaking all social rules of the 1800’s, Margaret’s determination helps her realize her dreams, making her a pioneer in the women’s movement. But the novel is also a story of romance, as Margaret falls in love with and marries her Canadian cousin Robert, and follows him to the Crimea, where he is serving in the war.

The book moves rapidly and in two timelines, from the mid 1800’s to the 1960’s. It covers much territory, from Delhi, to the Niagara region, to London, and includes events such as the Crimean War, the Underground Railroad, and India’s struggle for independence from the Raj. It is obvious Waheed Rabbani did a lot of research, only to skilfully interweave his findings with intrigue and drama.

A bit on the formal side (but in a good way, adding to the authenticity), the writing is rich with dialogue and description. Some of my favorite lines are right near the beginning. Dr. Sharif describes driving in Delhi, where he finds himself “…overtaking an overcrowded bus, with passengers hanging on for dear life from the doors and even poised on rear bumpers …” He adds, “Bicyclists weaved in and around the moving cars, buses, taxis and rickshaws.”

A debut novel and the first of a trilogy, Doctor Margaret’s Sea Chest is as much entertaining as it is educational. An most intriguing read. Am looking forward to the second installment. show less

"Doctor Margaret's Sea Chest" is the first book in a sprawling epic trilogy by Waheed Rabbani. The story in this debut novel spans over a hundred years and half the world; from mid-1960's India to pre-Civil War America. But the story always returns to the themes of freedom—national, personal, and gender. We have national struggles for independence, slaves being transported along the "Underground Railroad" from the U.S. to Canada, and the struggle of one young woman to fulfill her destiny show more and become a doctor.

It starts with the story of Dr. Walidad Sharif, an American doctor living in Delhi for a year—"giving back" to his family's country for his good fortune. The reader gets a beautiful evocation of the city—its architecture, culture, history, poverty, and diversity—through Dr. Sharif's encounters with staff and his extended family. I loved the intimate details of different cultures: greetings, clothes, food. I could smell the curry and see the dancing girl at a family gathering. Dr Sharif learns of his own families' involvement in the famous Indian "Mutiny" of 1857 (also known as India's First War of Independence) through his grandfather's journal.

But at the heart of this visit is a mystery: an unopened sea chest belonging to an American lady doctor (it's unknown whether she's from the US or Canada) who was a missionary in India during the rebellion. She disappeared and no one knows her fate. Dr. Sharif is tasked with finding her heirs (if they exist) and returning the sea chest to them when he returns home. But the existence of the artifact has caught the attention of the Soviet KGB who attempt to steal it. And when he accomplishes his mission, Dr. Sharif gets a visit from the CIA.

The historical action then turns to the owner of the sea chest: Dr. Margaret Wallace. Through her diaries we follow her yearning as a girl and young woman to become a physician (against the wishes of her family and society), her romance with her handsome Canadian cousin (against the wishes of both their families), and her subsequent trip to India via the Crimea War and the Charge of the Light Brigade. By the end, some questions are answered, but not all, setting the reader up for the second book in the trilogy.

Waheed Rabbani brings his own international experience to this sweeping story: born in India; educated in Pakistan, England and Canada; he grew up reading Victorian and Edwardian literature; drawn to the stories of the British Raj and India's struggle for independence. His take on this story from India's point of view is refreshing and entertaining. show less

This book was outstanding! Truly a delight to read ... A fast paced historically authentic story that almost played 1850s in front of my eyes.

Doctor Margaret in Delhi is a gripping tale of the struggle of an American female doctor who was posted in a hospital in Delhi in 1850's--during the sunsetting times of last Mughal emperor of India, Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Margaret Wallace arrives in India—but as she finishes one long journey, she embarks on a much longer one—that of her loneliness show more and endurance—through an extremely political and manipulative surroundings. On one hand, she is trying to busy herself with innocent people and her newborn child in order to cope up with the loss of her husband, while on the other, she faces monstrous men who just wouldn’t let any chance go of seducing her forcefully. At times when her loneliness gets better of her, she even contemplates if the lust of these men may actually be their love for her—but she overcomes her emotional vulnerability each time as her good sense prevails in the end, thus saving her from getting trapped. Despite only a little hope of getting help from anyone, for the men involved are one of the most influential ones around, she manages to maneuver herself through every situation.

It was after a long time that I have read such an amazing historic fiction. The character development is amazing, the language wonderful, and the plot couldn’t have been better. Waheed comes across as a gifted storyteller who can handle complex and sophisticated plots with such an ease! I highly recommend this book to everyone who is familiar with Mughal history of India, and feels, like I do, mesmerized about the era. The book will take you as close to the day to day experience of the era as it can get! show less

Doctor Margaret's Sea chest is historical fiction, set in the mid 1800’s in North America, England, Crimea and India. The saga covers India's struggle for freedom. This rather long tale is but one third of a more massive saga, yet it is nicely paced. There is a nice balance between drama, romance, and suspense which serves to keep the story consistently interesting, but it is mainly focused on the action rather than too much description.

The characters are well-developed enough that I show more could feel Margaret's despair when her family disapproved of her desire to marry her cousin, her jubilation at finally becoming a doctor as she wanted, despite the disapproval of her parents, and her other emotions as the story progressed. As I finished the last pages of this book, I felt as if I were leaving friends behind. In fact, I am so hooked on the story that the cliff-hanger ending has me sitting on the edge of my chair while awaiting Book II of The Azadi Trilogy: The Rani's Doctor.

Almost as interesting as the novel, there is a glossary at the end of the story which defines the unfamiliar words used so that the reader can get more from the novel than would be the case if he/she were just skipping over the unfamilar words without understanding them.

Recommended reading for those who love reading historical fiction and also for those looking for something refreshingly different. Mobi format file received free from author in exchange for this review. This review is simultaneously published on Dragon Views, LibraryThing, Amazon.com and YA Books Central. show less