A dash of colonialism and nostalgia (East of the Sun - Julia Gregson)

Member Name: senoritablonde

Product:	East of the Sun - Julia Gregson
Date:	16/02/09 (18 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A page turner, yet easy to read

Disadvantages: Verging on chick lit (unless you like chick lit!)

Once again, I pick up a book that had been recommended to me, only to find that it's a bit of a gem. Admittedly it's verging on a chick lit (unheard of for me), but it's only verging! It was a book I packed to come away with me and I was glad that I did!

Set in the late 20's, this book features a middle class woman named Viva, who ends up chaperoning two flighty, upper middle class young women to India. While Viva just wants to escape, one of the girls Rose is going over to marry a man she hardly knows and Tor is out to bag herself a man-any man!

Throughout the book we see not only the characters develop but also their friendship. Rather predictably though, things in India aren't quite as straight forwards as they should have been and we follow the trio (as individuals and as a group) through crises and happy times.

What is interesting about the book is the sub plots. For example Viva, her refusal to conform and the reactions to that, and also the "Fishing fleet" (girls going out to India as a last resort in order to find husbands).

Additionally though, it is the focus on the colonial way of life that almost takes a shine off the book. The "real" India only appears very briefly. However, this probably rings true of most British ladies that went out during this period-they were kept away from the "natives".

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a real page-turner and I didn't get bored because it's filled with event after event. Moreover, it was written in a light hearted, light weight manner-easy enough to enjoy on holiday certainly.

The ending fitted the rest of the book and quite frankly, I was disappointed when I finished! Bring on the next book please Julia!

Summary: A woman chaperones two young women over to India and an adventure ensues.