Before I get too far into this, you should know that this is probably my all-time favorite book. I read it for the first time when I was in my mid-teens, and I’ve read it every couple of years since then. It’s a long book – about 1200 pages – so by the time you finish reading it, you’re really invested. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that whenever I read the last page, I feel a little like I’ve lost a friend. I just finished it for probably the 10th time on Sunday.
The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye is an epic novel that tells the story of Ashton Pelham-Martyn, an Englishman born in British India in the early 1850s. His mother dies from complications shortly after his birth, and his father dies of cholera a few years later. Ashton is entrusted to his Hindu nanny, Sita, who is instructed to take Ashton to his uncle, a soldier with the Queen’s Own Corps of Guides in Mardan, so that Ashton can be sent to his father’s family in England. On their way to Mardan, Ashton and Sita find themselves in the middle of the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Sita, fearing that Ashton would be recognized as English and killed by the mutineers before they reach Mardan, decides it is safer to disguise him as her own child. They seek refuge and work in the fictional Indian kingdom of Gulkote, and as time passes, Ashton (now called Ashok) forgets that he is English, and soon comes to believe that he is Sita’s son.
Ashton finds favor with the young prince of the kingdom, and he and Sita are brought into the palace to live and work. The palace is full of intrigue, conspiracy, plotting, and corruption, but Ashton manages to find good people – he befriends Anjuli, the prince’s neglected and unloved younger sister, as well as the head of the King’s stables, Koda Dad Khan, and his son, Zarin. After spending several years in Gulkote, Ashton, now 11, uncovers a conspiracy against the young prince, and learns that the conspirators intend to kill him (Ashton) as well. Koda Dad and other friends help him and Sita escape Gulkote, but they are pursued by the conspirators, and eventually, Sita becomes too ill to continue on. Before she dies, she tells Ashton the truth about his parents, and tells him that he must get to Mardan so he can return to his people. Ashton makes his way to Mardan, and is sent to England for schooling. After he completes school, he returns to India to join the same Corps of Guides at Mardan.
Ashton’s unorthodox childhood helps set up one of the main themes of the novel. Having spent the first 11 years of his life believing himself to be a Hindu, Ashton never feels quite like he belongs among the British, nor does he feel completely at home among and accepted by the native Indians. The racism that pervades all of Indian British society completely baffles Ashton, and causes him no small amount of grief. No matter how hard he tries, he just can’t see things the way that his uncle does, nor can he see them exactly as Koda Dad does. Kaye manages to portray this struggle and the accompanying emotions without being too overt.
One of the things I like most about this novel is that Kaye portrays Ashton in a very human way, with human failings and frailties. He is intelligent and masters all the customs and languages of India, but his quick temper and tendency to act rashly stunt his progress in his career and get him into trouble in his personal life.
While the book itself is a work of fiction, many of the historical events that serve as the backdrop for the book actually happened. It’s an intriguing look into an interesting place and time. Toward the end of the book, the action moves to Afghanistan, and it is really interesting in light of the current U.S. commitment in that part of the world.
Kaye’s masterful descriptions of India and its people are another highlight of the book. The backdrop almost becomes another character – the colors are vivid, the aromas are pungent, and you find yourself wishing you could visit Kaye’s India.
I could go on, but this is already longer than I had intended, so I’ll wrap up by simply saying that this book is fantastic. Read it. You won’t regret it.
The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye is an epic novel that tells the story of Ashton Pelham-Martyn, an Englishman born in British India in the early 1850s. His mother dies from complications shortly after his birth, and his father dies of cholera a few years later. Ashton is entrusted to his Hindu nanny, Sita, who is instructed to take Ashton to his uncle, a soldier with the Queen’s Own Corps of Guides in Mardan, so that Ashton can be sent to his father’s family in England. On their way to Mardan, Ashton and Sita find themselves in the middle of the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Sita, fearing that Ashton would be recognized as English and killed by the mutineers before they reach Mardan, decides it is safer to disguise him as her own child. They seek refuge and work in the fictional Indian kingdom of Gulkote, and as time passes, Ashton (now called Ashok) forgets that he is English, and soon comes to believe that he is Sita’s son.
Ashton finds favor with the young prince of the kingdom, and he and Sita are brought into the palace to live and work. The palace is full of intrigue, conspiracy, plotting, and corruption, but Ashton manages to find good people – he befriends Anjuli, the prince’s neglected and unloved younger sister, as well as the head of the King’s stables, Koda Dad Khan, and his son, Zarin. After spending several years in Gulkote, Ashton, now 11, uncovers a conspiracy against the young prince, and learns that the conspirators intend to kill him (Ashton) as well. Koda Dad and other friends help him and Sita escape Gulkote, but they are pursued by the conspirators, and eventually, Sita becomes too ill to continue on. Before she dies, she tells Ashton the truth about his parents, and tells him that he must get to Mardan so he can return to his people. Ashton makes his way to Mardan, and is sent to England for schooling. After he completes school, he returns to India to join the same Corps of Guides at Mardan.
Ashton’s unorthodox childhood helps set up one of the main themes of the novel. Having spent the first 11 years of his life believing himself to be a Hindu, Ashton never feels quite like he belongs among the British, nor does he feel completely at home among and accepted by the native Indians. The racism that pervades all of Indian British society completely baffles Ashton, and causes him no small amount of grief. No matter how hard he tries, he just can’t see things the way that his uncle does, nor can he see them exactly as Koda Dad does. Kaye manages to portray this struggle and the accompanying emotions without being too overt.
One of the things I like most about this novel is that Kaye portrays Ashton in a very human way, with human failings and frailties. He is intelligent and masters all the customs and languages of India, but his quick temper and tendency to act rashly stunt his progress in his career and get him into trouble in his personal life.
While the book itself is a work of fiction, many of the historical events that serve as the backdrop for the book actually happened. It’s an intriguing look into an interesting place and time. Toward the end of the book, the action moves to Afghanistan, and it is really interesting in light of the current U.S. commitment in that part of the world.
Kaye’s masterful descriptions of India and its people are another highlight of the book. The backdrop almost becomes another character – the colors are vivid, the aromas are pungent, and you find yourself wishing you could visit Kaye’s India.
I could go on, but this is already longer than I had intended, so I’ll wrap up by simply saying that this book is fantastic. Read it. You won’t regret it.
1 comment:
I love this book, too!!! I also read it about every 2-3 years. It is like an old friend. When I read about it, I also remember the times in my life when I have read it before. It is definitely worth the while!
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