Customer Reviews

Bhowani Junction

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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.