March Group Read:The Raj Quartet 1 - The Jewel in the Crown

The Jewel in the Crown - Paul Scott



According to Wikipedia: The Raj Quartet begins in 1942. World War II is at its zenith, and in South East Asia, the Allied forces have suffered great losses. Burma has fallen, and the Japanese invasion of the Indian subcontinent from the east appears imminent. The year 1942 is also marked by Indian nationalist leader Mahatma Gandhi’s call for the Quit India movement to the British rulers of India.

I personally read the series shortly after seeing the Masterpiece Theatre presentation and fell in love with the series. I've been wanting to re-read the series for some time.

We'll be reading the rest of the quartet on this schedule:

Book 2: Day of the Scorpion : MAY
Book 3: The Towers of Silence: JULY
Book 4: A Division of the Spoils: SEPTEMBER

I'm hoping a lot of folks will join us in this group read.

I have the first book in the series on order at the library.

I've been really looking forward to reading these books!

I have been looking forward to this too and have all the books lined up ready to go:-)

I couldn't wait, so I started last night. This will be the second re-reading for me, I think, and I'm relieved that I fell right into the book again. I was thinking that it couldn't be as good as I remembered, but maybe it can be!

I'll happily join in. I got a nice Everyman's Library edition which includes The Jewel in the Crown and Day of the Scorpion. A first for me and I look forward to it, having heard many good things about it.

#5 by @LizzieD> oh I'm glad to hear that. It has been a long time since I read it so I am hoping it will hold up and be as good as I remember too.

I'm about halfway through this, an audio version. At first the reader's voice annoyed me, but I've come to appreciate listening to it, giving me a bit of colour to imagine the tales as they are told and helping me to picture the events and locations described.

I'd forgotten how oddly it is written, and how so very different it is from the Masterpiece Theatre production.

I've almost finished Part Four, An Evening at the Club. My first reading of Paul Scott and I find him quite gripping.

>8 majkia: It's a real study in how to make varying points of view the major structural element, isn't it? I don't think there's any way to capture that in a movie. That said, I loved the series too - my first experience with Charles Dance, and isn't it a shame that we all have to age?

I started The Jewel in the Crown at the beginning of the month and am trying to read 25 pages a day because I only have it for 21 days from the library. I am a little confused by all the characters and the way it jumps around so much but am catching on. Love the writing!

I have just started The Jewel in the Crown and this is my first reading. Only 25 pages in but it is drawing me in already.

My reading slowed down from my needed 25 pages a day but I was just able to renew the book for another 21 days. I can take it a little easier now. I am liking it very much. The writing is beautiful.

I just started and am only a few pages in but I am completely engaged by the narrative. That said, my reading lately has slowed to an absolute crawl so I can see myself taking the rest of the month to finish.

Take your time and savor it. :)

I just finished it, and I loved it all over again. As I have said somewhere, this is actually my least favorite of the quartet, so I'm looking forward to *Scorpion* soon. There's a lot to discuss too, but somehow, I don't have any need to say anything. I'll check back soon though.

I personally love how we see the same events from the differing viewpoints, and we see how clearly expectation and prejudice colors our perceptions of events and how we interpret the 'facts' as a result.

I enjoyed how the author was able to draw such an detailed picture of India and impart so much information within the framework of the story.

Almost done. Renewed the book twice so I have had it out for 6 weeks. Due back today. Will post a review once I am done. Really like it but I have had to take it in smaller 'chunks'.

good for you for staying with it!

My review for the book can be found here.

It's great to see your view of things. Will you join us in May on the next book? Or are you in need of a rest from it?

>22 majkia: Thanks, I have some other books lined up for March, will continue with the next in the series, The Day of the Scorpion, in June.

I enjoyed your review Piyush, you get a thumb from me. Interesting to get a perspective on it from someone who is from there.

Thanks Ilana :)

I finished it.

I loved it.

The writing itself is beautiful. The history of India fascinating.

I really liked the way the story builds with multiple points of view.

And, I appreciated that the author was not 'preachy'.

Although fiction, from what I understand, it was pretty historically accurate.

The story of the same event from each person's personal experience allowed the understanding of the times from multiple British perspectives and multiple Indian perspectives.

I won't be reading Day of the Scorpion until June because I am off to Spain in 10 days for 2 weeks. I don't have the kindle or audio version so the book from the library is too heavy to carry with me.

>21 PiyushC: I appreciated your very articulate review. Thanks!

What did the rest of you think?

Finally finished re-reading this (after about thirty years) and it was just as powerfully and beautifully written this time around. In a way it is structured like a labyrinth, with the narratives circling around in ever-tightening arcs until the center--Daphne's narrative--is reached. I've jumped right into The Day of the Scorpion and will be reading the last two as well.

When you are ready the thread for The Day of the Scorpion is HERE

I'm a bit behind - still only about 120 pages into it (I find it is not a quick read, with those long sentences) but am finding it very interesting to begin to see how it is structured (I like the description in >27 Marissa_Doyle:), having seen the TV adaptation which was told in a linear fashion.