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popcorrrrnn's review against another edition
5.0
A historical fiction which I enjoyed reading very much.
With the backdrop of Shah Suja, of Afghanistan being exiled in Shalimar Gardens of Lahore, which was then ruled by Maharaja Ranjit Singh; Kohinoor appears slowly radiating its shine, as an exchange promised by Wafa Begum to Maharaja Ranjit Singh in exchange of Shah Suja’s life.
Through the novel, Kohinoor changes many hands and when Ranjit Singh’s son and the last ruler of Punjab, Maharaja Dalip Singh holds it in his hand in England for one last time, he knows it isn’t what his father had once worn on his arm. The diamond had lost its shine as it once gleamed into the arm of Lion of Punjab for it was ‘cut’ to give it more brilliance to be worn into Queen Victoria’s arm.
Sundaresan does a beautiful job with facts and weave them into beautiful and a readable fiction. She did that with Taj Trilogy and she has done it here as well.
A lot of characters, both Indian and British come and go, but she has done justice to each by giving them emotions and breathed life to even the dull grey of England.
I spent a lot of time reading this partly because of how busy this month has been and partly because I wanted to read the facts after every character came into light. Irresistible this is otherwise.
With the backdrop of Shah Suja, of Afghanistan being exiled in Shalimar Gardens of Lahore, which was then ruled by Maharaja Ranjit Singh; Kohinoor appears slowly radiating its shine, as an exchange promised by Wafa Begum to Maharaja Ranjit Singh in exchange of Shah Suja’s life.
Through the novel, Kohinoor changes many hands and when Ranjit Singh’s son and the last ruler of Punjab, Maharaja Dalip Singh holds it in his hand in England for one last time, he knows it isn’t what his father had once worn on his arm. The diamond had lost its shine as it once gleamed into the arm of Lion of Punjab for it was ‘cut’ to give it more brilliance to be worn into Queen Victoria’s arm.
Sundaresan does a beautiful job with facts and weave them into beautiful and a readable fiction. She did that with Taj Trilogy and she has done it here as well.
A lot of characters, both Indian and British come and go, but she has done justice to each by giving them emotions and breathed life to even the dull grey of England.
I spent a lot of time reading this partly because of how busy this month has been and partly because I wanted to read the facts after every character came into light. Irresistible this is otherwise.
dphillips's review against another edition
3.0
I rather enjoyed this almost historical fiction book. The author did a very good job intertwining the stories of the characters & the hands the diamond passed through over time. My only major critique is the cover of the book. I'd remove the diamond. The book does a perfectly adequate job of describing it for my minds eye.
cemoses's review against another edition
2.0
While, the book had some interesting and moving material at the end of the book, I don't think I would have finished the book if I had not obtained a free copy from Netgalley with the promise to review it.
Maybe stories about big diamonds are my favorite type of story. I did not like the Moonstone by Willkie Collins (which is a similar story but fictional) and I like Wilkie Collins as an author a lot.Too much (I would say about two thirds) stresses the richness and grandeur of the last Punjab ruler, Ranjit Singh, of India which I did not find interesting.
The novel left some things unexplained. No mention is made of the different religions in India which I think would play a significant role at the time (in the Nineteenth Century). I believe the last Punjab ruler was a Sikh and probably the ruler he took the diamond was Muslim. Furthermore, I think if India as being a Hindu country. Later in the book we hear about Christian missionaries so the book does not totally ignore the role of religion. However, I was left wondering how did these different religious groups get along in India.
There was an English Governor in India who was not married and he was living with his two unmarried sisters in India. The people of India regarded this as highly unusual that these English people were not married. However, I felt the author did not make it clear whether the people themselves minded not being married and how the English people themselves felt about an unmarried Governor living with his two sisters.
The novel after Ranjit Singh's death becomes more interesting. Ranjit Singh has a son who becomes a boy king and ends up going to England and becoming disillusioned with the English. It goes more deeply into the relationship between the English and the Indians.
If the novel had focused on relations between the English and the Indians both in England and in India, it might have been extremely interesting and informative. However, I felt the focus of the novel was on the diamond and the glories of the old Punjab kingdom which I did not like.
Maybe stories about big diamonds are my favorite type of story. I did not like the Moonstone by Willkie Collins (which is a similar story but fictional) and I like Wilkie Collins as an author a lot.Too much (I would say about two thirds) stresses the richness and grandeur of the last Punjab ruler, Ranjit Singh, of India which I did not find interesting.
The novel left some things unexplained. No mention is made of the different religions in India which I think would play a significant role at the time (in the Nineteenth Century). I believe the last Punjab ruler was a Sikh and probably the ruler he took the diamond was Muslim. Furthermore, I think if India as being a Hindu country. Later in the book we hear about Christian missionaries so the book does not totally ignore the role of religion. However, I was left wondering how did these different religious groups get along in India.
There was an English Governor in India who was not married and he was living with his two unmarried sisters in India. The people of India regarded this as highly unusual that these English people were not married. However, I felt the author did not make it clear whether the people themselves minded not being married and how the English people themselves felt about an unmarried Governor living with his two sisters.
The novel after Ranjit Singh's death becomes more interesting. Ranjit Singh has a son who becomes a boy king and ends up going to England and becoming disillusioned with the English. It goes more deeply into the relationship between the English and the Indians.
If the novel had focused on relations between the English and the Indians both in England and in India, it might have been extremely interesting and informative. However, I felt the focus of the novel was on the diamond and the glories of the old Punjab kingdom which I did not like.
emiann2023's review against another edition
4.0
I was expecting this book to focus on the Kohinoor almost exclusively. It really only shows in bits and pieces.
More than the story of a massive diamond, I found this to be more the story of the slow subjugation and take over of another people. The agony and pain that the Maha Raja expresses at the end is enough to convince me of that.
I enjoyed the variety of the perspectives in this story, but I was also amazed by the unhappiness and desperation that seemed to mark each character. There was no real joy in any of them. But then, I suppose this really isn't that kind of story, is it?
More than the story of a massive diamond, I found this to be more the story of the slow subjugation and take over of another people. The agony and pain that the Maha Raja expresses at the end is enough to convince me of that.
I enjoyed the variety of the perspectives in this story, but I was also amazed by the unhappiness and desperation that seemed to mark each character. There was no real joy in any of them. But then, I suppose this really isn't that kind of story, is it?
rshaharyar's review against another edition
2.0
I had to abandon reading this one. I just couldn't get through it. Sad because she's one of my favourite authors and I LOVE the Twentieth Wife series but this did not live up. It was slow paced, confusing and just not as well written as her previous books
chaoticmissadventures's review against another edition
3.0
This is rough. I really like Sundaresan's other books. I am disappointed that over half of this book is told from the POV of the British colonizers. I am unsure why this route was chosen. The first few chapters were excellent, and all about one Indian ruler and his wife who are captive to another Indian ruler (Maharaj Singh) then it just sort of all went downhill. We follow a British woman for a bit and her courtship with an Italian man, the Kohinoor diamond makes a few very brief appearances, but then we just sort of skip ahead to more British invaders and how they are just sort of hanging out in India, getting ready to take over.
The time line also seems to flutter about a bit and I often found myself a bit confused to what was going on. I am giving this a 3 because I think it is an important story, and more people should know the amount of things the British stole - and still doggedly hang onto - from India. I love Indian history but really dislike when it is told through white eyes.
The time line also seems to flutter about a bit and I often found myself a bit confused to what was going on. I am giving this a 3 because I think it is an important story, and more people should know the amount of things the British stole - and still doggedly hang onto - from India. I love Indian history but really dislike when it is told through white eyes.
abookishaffair's review
3.0
"The Mountain of Light" is the story of the Kohnihoor diamond, which was once considered the largest diamond in the world. The book follows the diamond's movement from India to England and shows how it affects the lives of those that come into contact with it. This is a fascinating historical fiction about a famous stone and has some really fantastic settings that will appeal to my fellow armchair travelers!
The settings were the best part of the book for me. I absolutely love armchair traveling so I was very excited for this book because of that. I've been loving historical fiction set in Asia for awhile now so I was happy to get back to it. Sundaresan really did a good job with bringing the setting to life for me.
Because this is really a historical fiction centering on an item and following that item for almost 300 years, I was a little bit out at sea with this book. I usually prefer my novels character driven. The diamond is really the constant throughout this book, which I'm not sure I liked. It was interesting learning about the different rulers and people that came into contact with the diamond but I found myself wanting to know more about them than the diamond. Nonetheless, the "mountain of light" has had a fascinating history and I did enjoy learning a little bit more about it.
The settings were the best part of the book for me. I absolutely love armchair traveling so I was very excited for this book because of that. I've been loving historical fiction set in Asia for awhile now so I was happy to get back to it. Sundaresan really did a good job with bringing the setting to life for me.
Because this is really a historical fiction centering on an item and following that item for almost 300 years, I was a little bit out at sea with this book. I usually prefer my novels character driven. The diamond is really the constant throughout this book, which I'm not sure I liked. It was interesting learning about the different rulers and people that came into contact with the diamond but I found myself wanting to know more about them than the diamond. Nonetheless, the "mountain of light" has had a fascinating history and I did enjoy learning a little bit more about it.
linwearcamenel's review
4.0
I liked the framing device of the Kohinoor, and how it was used to show the change in British control in India, from the early period of the East India company to the complete occupation by the British government. I only would have liked it to be longer! It could have gone into the earlier history of the diamond as well as flesh out the characters a little more.
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