Bhowani Junction [Paperback]

John Masters (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Time Warner Paperbacks (June 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0722158742
• ISBN-13: 978-0722158746
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #289,397 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hollywood Does Indian Independence, March 13, 2010

By 

Rosalita Veracruz (Peshawar, Pak) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bhowani Junction (Paperback)

I reviewed this book many years ago, and don't see it here anymore, so this is a re-write. I have to start, again, by repeating that this review is by someone who has a voracious appetite for books about the Raj... extending into the present day. I particularly favor "half-caste" books in which the protagonist is of mixed race, or mixed cultural allegiance, so Bhowani Jundtion pleased me. Bhowani Junction has the additional recommendation of being a Train book, another genre I favor. Set in 1946-47, the story has resonance for modern day readers by featuring a great terrorist villain, (although if the terrorists become successful, like Ben Gurion, history drops the t-word label and calls them 'father of the nation' I notice...) So the Indian saboteur, plotting to blow up trains, tracks and (mostly Muslim) passengers to foment violence for the WWII-weary British rulers to contend with, tries to recruit among the loyalty-challenged mixed race caste the British have put in charge of running the railways. There's a pretty interesting portrayal of the railroading Anglo-Indian community, which I have no ability evaluating as to accuracy. But these little sub-cultural pockets exist all over the sub-continent, so I bought it. There's another great thread in this story - the love triangle between the British officer in charge of hunting down the terrorist, the Anglo-Indian train engineer's daughter, struggling to find her cultural identity, and Patrick, the clutzy, incompetent Anglo-Indian engineer who wants to marry her honorably. Victoria's choice is surprising and true and not the Hollywood ending you expect.