bridgewidge's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
rachana's review
5.0
*This review was originally posted on Spun!
I don't usually read historical fiction but I borrowed Flame Tree Road from the library because I was intrigued by the premise. As an Indian girl living abroad, I don't know as much about Indian culture as I'd like to so I embraced this opportunity to learn a few things about India in 1870s.
I like the style in which the author addressed issues like the caste system and discrimination against women through the main character's perspective. Although Biren's efforts to effect change are often thwarted (sometimes the people he works with don't care enough about educating girls or there's resistance from the traditional), he remains hopeful and doesn't allow the mammoth nature of the task to overwhelm him. Biren is a very driven and passionate character. After his mom becomes a widow, she is treated as an outcast and this makes Biren realize that he wants to change things for the better for others like her. Flame Tree Road follows Biren throughout his life so we watch as Biren is born and slowly grows older.
The author's writing style is lovely and I truly got swept away by the story. All of the characters are incredibly vivid and unique so I didn't find it difficult to keep track of them. But I wish certain characters had more time on the page – for example, Chaya and Yosef.
I also don't understand why this story is labeled as a "love story" because all the romance primarily occurs in the second half of the book. In some ways, that aspect of the book made it more dull because of the long flowery passages from Biren's perspective. He tends to obsess about the appearance of Maya and I didn't find that particularly interesting. This second half of the book is also where Biren's focus shifts from effecting change to looking out for his loved ones. This is where the consequences (e.g. not being able to spend time with family) of Biren's single-minded drive to establish schools for girls are further explored.
While the ending was realistic, I wanted to read more about the results of Biren's hard work. After all the build up, I just wanted more details.
WOULD I RECOMMEND IT? Yes, despite its faults, Flame Tree Road is a beautiful book. If you're in the mood for a relatively slow-paced book, I'd definitely recommend it. It's also worth noting that while most of the plot twists are unpredictable, the overall plot of the book is quite similar to what is described in the blurb. Therefore, I think it would be better to read this book without knowing what to expect.
I don't usually read historical fiction but I borrowed Flame Tree Road from the library because I was intrigued by the premise. As an Indian girl living abroad, I don't know as much about Indian culture as I'd like to so I embraced this opportunity to learn a few things about India in 1870s.
I like the style in which the author addressed issues like the caste system and discrimination against women through the main character's perspective. Although Biren's efforts to effect change are often thwarted (sometimes the people he works with don't care enough about educating girls or there's resistance from the traditional), he remains hopeful and doesn't allow the mammoth nature of the task to overwhelm him. Biren is a very driven and passionate character. After his mom becomes a widow, she is treated as an outcast and this makes Biren realize that he wants to change things for the better for others like her. Flame Tree Road follows Biren throughout his life so we watch as Biren is born and slowly grows older.
The author's writing style is lovely and I truly got swept away by the story. All of the characters are incredibly vivid and unique so I didn't find it difficult to keep track of them. But I wish certain characters had more time on the page – for example, Chaya and Yosef.
I also don't understand why this story is labeled as a "love story" because all the romance primarily occurs in the second half of the book. In some ways, that aspect of the book made it more dull because of the long flowery passages from Biren's perspective. He tends to obsess about the appearance of Maya and I didn't find that particularly interesting. This second half of the book is also where Biren's focus shifts from effecting change to looking out for his loved ones. This is where the consequences (e.g. not being able to spend time with family) of Biren's single-minded drive to establish schools for girls are further explored.
While the ending was realistic, I wanted to read more about the results of Biren's hard work. After all the build up, I just wanted more details.
WOULD I RECOMMEND IT? Yes, despite its faults, Flame Tree Road is a beautiful book. If you're in the mood for a relatively slow-paced book, I'd definitely recommend it. It's also worth noting that while most of the plot twists are unpredictable, the overall plot of the book is quite similar to what is described in the blurb. Therefore, I think it would be better to read this book without knowing what to expect.
mckenzierichardson's review
4.0
I received an ARC of this book through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a prequel to Teatime for the Firefly, but can also be read on its own.
This is a beautiful novel that has well-rounded characters, an interesting storyline, and outstanding writing. I absolutely love it.
I have not read Patel's first book, Teatime for the Firefly, but after reading this one, I am definitely going to. Patel has an amazing writing style and writes with such pure emotion. Her characters feel so real and you can't help but love them.
I also really enjoyed the plot lines relating to women's rights in multiple cultures and how the characters view women. These issues were seamlessly woven into the story, creating interesting discussions about gender and equality between the characters.
Simply amazing. I cannot wait to read more by Patel.
This book is a prequel to Teatime for the Firefly, but can also be read on its own.
This is a beautiful novel that has well-rounded characters, an interesting storyline, and outstanding writing. I absolutely love it.
I have not read Patel's first book, Teatime for the Firefly, but after reading this one, I am definitely going to. Patel has an amazing writing style and writes with such pure emotion. Her characters feel so real and you can't help but love them.
I also really enjoyed the plot lines relating to women's rights in multiple cultures and how the characters view women. These issues were seamlessly woven into the story, creating interesting discussions about gender and equality between the characters.
Simply amazing. I cannot wait to read more by Patel.
zakyya's review
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
joonswife's review
3.0
this was...okay. the writing was nice, for sure. but it barreled through stories and experiences so quickly i kind of resented it. also, you could literally ALWAYS tell when someone was going to die. i got tired of watching women die in this book. it was a lovely story, but i feel like the larger purpose and narrative got lost somewhere along the way, even though the whole thing was told so broadly.
prof_pelon's review
4.0
*I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway*
This was a very interesting read. I went in knowing very little about the caste system or what the life of women in India might be like. The writing was interesting and took some time to get used to, but I feel like it added to the story.
Worth the read for sure.
This was a very interesting read. I went in knowing very little about the caste system or what the life of women in India might be like. The writing was interesting and took some time to get used to, but I feel like it added to the story.
Worth the read for sure.
bookishnookish's review
4.0
Atmospheric - Flame Tree Road, just like Tea Time for Fireflies manages to transport the reader to a different time in a different land with much ease. It was a delight to read about Biren Roy (the wonderful grandpa from Tea Time) and his youth. This book did a wonderful job highlighting the plight of women, especially widows, in India in the pre-independence era. However, the central theme of the book is still the life of Biren Roy and how he came to be the man we all know and love as Layla's grandfather.
Wonderful writing and by Shona Patel! In some ways, I enjoyed this one even more!
Wonderful writing and by Shona Patel! In some ways, I enjoyed this one even more!
letitiaharmon's review
4.0
I read Shona Patel's first book, Teatime for the Firefly and was pretty disappointed, but I had already purchased both books, signed by the author, so I went ahead and read her second novel and found it a far better, more interesting, moving novel! It is actually a prequel to her first book, and as such, has both flexibility and restrictions with its content, but it is a great example of historical fiction and I highly recommend to historical fiction buffs, especially those interested in British colonialism and India.
Patel's descriptive writing has always been beautiful, and continues to shine in Flame Tree Road. What improves with her second novel is characterization and story arc. The people are far more lovable, real, and their conflicts and joys are palpable. She drew me in in a way that Teatime for the Firefly did not manage.
The ending did disappoint, somewhat. There was no grand finish. There was no final twist or reveal. Just a simple story of a good man, coming to a close. It's satisfactory, but not amazing. I wish Estelle had put in another appearance, as her role in the story, while an interesting one, seems to fizzle into meaninglessness, and the reader wonders why we invested in her in the first place.
Patel's descriptive writing has always been beautiful, and continues to shine in Flame Tree Road. What improves with her second novel is characterization and story arc. The people are far more lovable, real, and their conflicts and joys are palpable. She drew me in in a way that Teatime for the Firefly did not manage.
The ending did disappoint, somewhat. There was no grand finish. There was no final twist or reveal. Just a simple story of a good man, coming to a close. It's satisfactory, but not amazing. I wish Estelle had put in another appearance, as her role in the story, while an interesting one, seems to fizzle into meaninglessness, and the reader wonders why we invested in her in the first place.
a_l_deleon's review
5.0
I have read many books in my lifetime so far and I never thought the day would come when I would be moved to tears by a novel labeled as a romance. Flame Tree Road is better described as a well written and emotionally appealing contemporary literary work that takes on women’s equality and rights in India with a passionate fervor. Yes, there are romantic relationships in it and each bore out tragic endings. But there were also triumphs of the human spirit. It is a story that demonstrates how sometimes you must lose everything to gain everything. I would recommend this book to anyone.
colleenlovestoread's review
4.0
See the full review at www.luxuryreading.com.
I was absolutely blown away by Shona Patel’s debut novel, Teatime for the Firefly, when I read it a few years ago and haven’t been able to forget her intelligent and independent heroine, Layla Roy, or Layla’s determination to chart her own life in an Indian culture based on strict traditions and expectations. The author’s use of language and imagery completely transported me to the beautiful yet savage environment of the Assam tea plantations and brought a world to life that I had never seen before. At the beginning of that novel we meet Layla’s kind and free-thinking grandfather, a man that raised Layla to be just as educated and self-possessed as any man. At a time when this way of thinking is nearly unheard of, Biren Roy has become a well-respected man known for his unwavering support of equality for the women of India, especially involving education. But how did he become this man? Flame Tree Road is Biren’s story of love, heartache and a passion born from tragedy that is just as beautiful as its predecessor.
Flame Tree Road begins in a small village in 1870s India with Biren’s family living a relatively poor yet loving and happy life. His parents have never been supporters of the country’s traditions that support cruel treatment and inequality towards women and Biren grows up dreaming of a different world. When his father dies and his mother is ostracized from everyone, including her family, and stripped from her position in society and her very humanity simply because she is a widow, smart and sensitive Biren knows his purpose in life must be to change these antiquated customs and ensure that the women of India can have a life of their own and the education they deserve regardless of their caste, their money or their marriage status.
The bulk of the novel deals with Biren’s journey to have his dream of equality and education for women realized. This takes him to England, where he becomes a lawyer and seeks to make changes within the British government that now rules over India, then back to India where he works to make sure those changes can become a reality. I hate to say it but I found Biren’s journey slow moving and, at times, tiresome. As would be expected, there are a lot of political and societal issues and delays that make this passion of Biren’s difficult to bring to fruition. While this helps highlight for the reader the odd traditions and superstitions of old-world India (to our modern eyes at least), after a while I became as frustrated as Biren clearly was at the obstacles that kept getting in his way. The relationships he develops along the way take a backseat to this journey and felt somewhat lackluster until he falls in love with Maya, the independent daughter of an Indian educator Biren works with to build a school for Indian girls, and by the time that beautiful relationship comes to be it isn’t given enough time to really flourish. Once Biren and Maya marry the story progresses at a rapid pace, covering many years in a short amount of pages, and, for me, wraps up too quickly. On top of that, I was saddened to see Biren’s life marked largely by tragedy as he lost so many of those he loved along the way. I get the idea that for a person to appreciate the sweet they must experience the sour, but it seemed like kind Biren got the short end of the stick there.
All of this isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy Flame Tree Road. Shona Patel’s writing is amongst the most beautiful I have come across and her abilities to bring to life a brightly colored world of beauty against the ugliness of this time and place in history (at least when it comes to the rights of women and an antiquated caste system) is unmatched in my reading. She perfectly shows how this free-thinking man becomes stuck between two worlds – the old world beliefs of India and the advancements and changes of England – and I very much enjoyed seeing how Biren reconciled these two parts of his life together. He is a remarkable character and I feel quite satisfied that Ms. Patel gave fans of Teatime for the Firefly the history of one of the most enigmatic characters from that novel.
At the end of the day I think Flame Tree Road is a very solid novel that just fell slightly short of my very high expectations given how much I loved its predecessor. Regardless, I am still a huge fan of Shona Patel and will continue to read whatever she writes. Given her remarkably beautiful writing, I don’t think anyone could go wrong in picking up her novels.
I was absolutely blown away by Shona Patel’s debut novel, Teatime for the Firefly, when I read it a few years ago and haven’t been able to forget her intelligent and independent heroine, Layla Roy, or Layla’s determination to chart her own life in an Indian culture based on strict traditions and expectations. The author’s use of language and imagery completely transported me to the beautiful yet savage environment of the Assam tea plantations and brought a world to life that I had never seen before. At the beginning of that novel we meet Layla’s kind and free-thinking grandfather, a man that raised Layla to be just as educated and self-possessed as any man. At a time when this way of thinking is nearly unheard of, Biren Roy has become a well-respected man known for his unwavering support of equality for the women of India, especially involving education. But how did he become this man? Flame Tree Road is Biren’s story of love, heartache and a passion born from tragedy that is just as beautiful as its predecessor.
Flame Tree Road begins in a small village in 1870s India with Biren’s family living a relatively poor yet loving and happy life. His parents have never been supporters of the country’s traditions that support cruel treatment and inequality towards women and Biren grows up dreaming of a different world. When his father dies and his mother is ostracized from everyone, including her family, and stripped from her position in society and her very humanity simply because she is a widow, smart and sensitive Biren knows his purpose in life must be to change these antiquated customs and ensure that the women of India can have a life of their own and the education they deserve regardless of their caste, their money or their marriage status.
The bulk of the novel deals with Biren’s journey to have his dream of equality and education for women realized. This takes him to England, where he becomes a lawyer and seeks to make changes within the British government that now rules over India, then back to India where he works to make sure those changes can become a reality. I hate to say it but I found Biren’s journey slow moving and, at times, tiresome. As would be expected, there are a lot of political and societal issues and delays that make this passion of Biren’s difficult to bring to fruition. While this helps highlight for the reader the odd traditions and superstitions of old-world India (to our modern eyes at least), after a while I became as frustrated as Biren clearly was at the obstacles that kept getting in his way. The relationships he develops along the way take a backseat to this journey and felt somewhat lackluster until he falls in love with Maya, the independent daughter of an Indian educator Biren works with to build a school for Indian girls, and by the time that beautiful relationship comes to be it isn’t given enough time to really flourish. Once Biren and Maya marry the story progresses at a rapid pace, covering many years in a short amount of pages, and, for me, wraps up too quickly. On top of that, I was saddened to see Biren’s life marked largely by tragedy as he lost so many of those he loved along the way. I get the idea that for a person to appreciate the sweet they must experience the sour, but it seemed like kind Biren got the short end of the stick there.
All of this isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy Flame Tree Road. Shona Patel’s writing is amongst the most beautiful I have come across and her abilities to bring to life a brightly colored world of beauty against the ugliness of this time and place in history (at least when it comes to the rights of women and an antiquated caste system) is unmatched in my reading. She perfectly shows how this free-thinking man becomes stuck between two worlds – the old world beliefs of India and the advancements and changes of England – and I very much enjoyed seeing how Biren reconciled these two parts of his life together. He is a remarkable character and I feel quite satisfied that Ms. Patel gave fans of Teatime for the Firefly the history of one of the most enigmatic characters from that novel.
At the end of the day I think Flame Tree Road is a very solid novel that just fell slightly short of my very high expectations given how much I loved its predecessor. Regardless, I am still a huge fan of Shona Patel and will continue to read whatever she writes. Given her remarkably beautiful writing, I don’t think anyone could go wrong in picking up her novels.