Tuesday 4 February 2014

Review: Under the Jeweled Sky - Alison McQueen

London 1957. In a bid to erase her past and build the family she yearns for, Sophie Schofield accepts a wedding proposal from ambitious British diplomat, Lucien Grainger. When he is posted to New Delhi, into the glittering circle of ex-pat high society, old wounds begin to break open as she is confronted with the memory of her first, forbidden love and its devastating consequences. 

The suffocating conformity of diplomatic life soon closes in on her. This is not the India she fell in love with ten years before when her father was a maharaja’s physician, the India of tigers and scorpions and palaces afloat on shimmering lakes; the India that ripped out her heart as Partition tore the country in two, separating her from her one true love. The past haunts her still, the guilt of her actions, the destruction it wreaked upon her fragile parents, and the boy with the tourmaline eyes. 

Sophie had never meant to come back, yet the moment she stepped onto India’s burning soil as a newlywed wife, she realised her return was inevitable. And so begins the unravelling of an ill-fated marriage, setting in motion a devastating chain of events that will bring her face to face with a past she tried so desperately to forget, and a future she must fight for. 

My thoughts:
This book takes place in 1947 and 1957. Sophie first comes with her mother and father to India as her father becomes a doctor for a maharajah. It's a small world, her mother suffocates her, but she finds a friend and her life is changed. India becomes a country and fast forward to 1957. This time Sophie comes to India with her new husband, it's a different country from what she remembers. Still again she feels suffocated. 

What to say about this book, what will I remember from it. Well, it made me cry. I can't even remember when a book last made me cry, maybe it happens once a year. It's a good thing, this book truly made me feel. And It's a bad thing, omg it made me cry, it was sad! Why!? It broke my heart.

But before that happened a lot of other things happened. Sophie was kind of quiet, first she followed her parents and then her husband. First in the end she followed herself. This was her journey and I am glad she found courage in the end. True courage. 

Some things happen that I wont get into too, spoilers. But now (-57) and then (-47) comes together.

Just as it is Sophie's story it is also a story about India. We see how India is formed, and broken apart. Hindu and Muslim countries, there is kidnappings, rape, murder, families torn apart. It was not a pretty break.

Conclusion: 
An interesting story.

Cover
eh

Paperback, 408 pages
Published January 21st 2014 by Sourcebooks Landmark (first published April 25th 2013)
Fiction
for review

47 comments:

  1. It's definitely a no for me, I avoid books that make me cry.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree that the cover isn't great but you've made the book sound terrific - full of heart and emotion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was and oh the emotion, very good and sad

      Delete
  3. wow it made you cry. I love intense books like that from time to time. I don't cry a lot but sometimes. And love the fact it is in India, I've never read a book like that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Like I said, I do not cry a lot but it came to a point here where I could not hold the tears anymore

      Delete
  4. I love books that make you FEEL. I need to be in the mood for these types of tears, but I added it to my list

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Most books I like, or really like but to really make me feel like this..that is different

      Delete
  5. It sounds like a beautiful story.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Like you, I can't remember the last time a book made me cry... much... but it's certainly a point in its favor. Plus, the cover is eye-catching!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It has been a while...nope, I just can't remember, I know Briggs made me cry but that was long ago

      Delete
  7. kidnapping rape and murder.. not exactly uplifting material, but I am glad it had a good impact on you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was all in the background, war is war

      Delete
  8. This sounds so good but cry? I hate to cry. Still, darn you, you make me want to read it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, I hate that too, but well yes I can't say anything more

      Delete
  9. I haven't read many books set in India so this sounds good just for that reason. And since it made you cry I'm tempted to try it to see if I will cry ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I really like the cover. I'm not sure the book is for me. I tend to get bored with history. I know that's bad but I glaze over. lol But this does sound very moving.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was not like history was all in my face, it was there, in the background

      Delete
  11. It sounds intense if it made you cry. I'll be reading this one as well.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ooh, I love novels that incorporate a lot of history into them as well, so I'll have to check this out for sure. Thanks for putting this on my radar!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wow, sounds like an emotional read!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Definitely not a book for me since I'm such a easy crier. I pretty much cry reading every book even when the scene isnt even that sad LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Then you would def cry more than once ;)

      Delete
  15. Wow, any book that made you cry has my attention immediately. It's not that I love to make myself cry, I just love reading books that can completely capture my emotions. This sounds wonderful! Lovely review :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol, yes I get it, who wants to sob all over a book. But I do love that it truly makes me feel something big

      Delete
  16. I'll be reading this one soon too. I like books that make me cry sometimes. You've made me curious about why though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You will see, you might think you are there but you will see ;)

      Delete
  17. Meh...the cover is ugly. lol. But I haven't read a book in a long time that has made me cry.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh wow, you cried. That's an awesome job on the authors behalf. Great.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wow. That sounds...intense! Not quite the type of read I pick up but glad it struck you so much and you enjoyed it!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Now I'm kicking myself for turning down a review copy. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  21. The cover does not invite me to read it at all, but your review makes me put it on my wishlist. I do love books about India in the past.

    ReplyDelete
  22. love books that make me cry, thanks B, this one's going straight on my wishlist :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh now I remember the last book that made me cry, though only almost made me cry. This one truly made me cry

      Delete
  23. I love books that make me cry too, and that's not easy to do! I remember reading Wildflower Hill...cried my eyes out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not easy at all, they truly have to move me

      Delete

Contributors

Copyright © 2008-2020 Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell All Rights Reserved. Proudly powered by Blogger

  © Blogger template Starry by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008 Modified by Lea

Back to TOP