Customer Reviews

East of the Sun: A Novel

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

East of the Sun is the story of warm, steamy, conflicted India through the eyes of three young Englishwomen. In 1928, Viva, Rose and Tor journey from England aboard a P&O steamer as what was colloquially known as the "Fishing Fleet"--that is, the young English ladies who went to India to catch a husband. With vivid, gorgeous prose, Gregson weaves a heartbreaking and suspenseful tale of love, politics and gender.

Viva, the elder of the trio, is haunted by her lost family, Rose, the beautiful sunny creature who has made a match with a stranger, and Tor, who has the wrong body shape for the 1920s and suffers from a critical mother, each struggle to find their place in the world, to find who they are as women, and to understand what it is life wants from them. This journey is painful--physically and mentally. The knowledge each woman must face is not sugar-coated, nor are the ending wrapped up in neat little packages.

Their journey is told against the backdrop of the Raj's last gasps for breath. Gandhi has become influential in India, and his nonviolent demonstrations and the conflict between white and brown, Muslim and Hindu, is frightening in its intensity. The questions raised in the book remain unanswered to this day, particularly the effects of the Raj on both the Indians and the British. Vivi in particular is caught in this maelstrom due first to a mentally-disturbed ex-charge, and secondly to her discovery of the multitude of abandoned and homeless Indian children.

Gregson packs a lot into this story: the every day lives of sahibs and memsahibs, the social pecking order, the restlessness of young women freed from pre-WWI constraints, and so on, but it is done so wonderfully that the pages fly by quickly. And though this is historical fiction, there are really good bits of romance in the book, and the trials faced by Vivi, Rose and Tor in their pursuit of finding themselves earns that romance. From beginning to end, the story is engrossing, and don't be shocked to find the book keeps you awake into all hours of the night!

I have to admit, I picked up East of the Sun from Amazon UK on a sort of blind buy. It was recommended to me because I purchased The Forgotten Garden. Well, one thing turned into another late one night... and all of a sudden I found myself clicking "proceed to checkout." You know how it is.

I actually rather glad I made this impulse purchase. Set in 1928 and 1929, East of the Sun is the story of three women who go to India: Rose, a young woman going to get married; her best friend Tor, going to be her bridesmaid and hopeful that she'll find a husband herself; and Viva, a young woman accompanying them on their voyage in order to reclaim a trunk that once belonged to her parents. Also in her care is Guy Glover, an unstable sixteen-year-old, who's just been kicked out of boarding school and who quickly becomes a risk to Viva and her charges.

Once the women get to India, nothing is what they expected it to be. Rose's marriage is hardly a bed of roses; and, although the number of English men in India overwhelms the number of women, Tor can't quite get her act together in order to find a husband. As for Viva, her plans to pick up her trunk and leave India derail pretty quickly as Guy Glover's antics get out of hand.

The novel is not so much about India as it is about the British in India and the so-called "fishing fleet" of young women who went there to find husbands. The first third of the book is devoted to the voyage out to India (in first class) on the Kaiser-i-Hind, and I thought that part of the book was particularly engaging. The characters are all finely drawn, and I found myself rooting for each of them. It's a very lively and dramatic book, and I couldn't put it down. The story mostly belongs to Viva, but my favorite character above all was Tor--her personality was much more endearing than that of the other characters.' The only setback to this novel is the Guy Glover storyline, which kind of detracts from the story. In all, however, Julia Gregson does a wonderful job of capturing the last days of British colonization in India with a fine eye for detail.

East of the Sun is a story, essentially, about 3 women, set in British occupied India. Viva, the chaperone with some hefty personal baggage, takes on the task of escorting Victoria (Tor) and Rose, along with a young man named Guy Glover, to Bombay, India. Rose will be marrying a man she barely knows, Tor will be her bride's maid and stay on to participate in the social season to try and win a husband, and Guy is returning to his parents after 10 years away in boarding school in England. Viva is returning to India to reconnect with her past and find freedom as an independent writer.

The characters are vivid and well developed. Each of their stories is told in well metered detail that keeps the reader wanting more as things progress. Viva's story, in particular, is the most cryptic with answers to her personal issues coming only at the end of the book.

I love books about India and this one does not disappoint. The descriptions of the Indian people, countryside and the stifling summer heat are detailed enough to create atmosphere, but not enough to bore. While the story is entirely character focused, there is enough of India in it to make it interesting and exotic.

I also love historical fiction, even though I'm not a history academic. It seems that the author had done enough research to make the history and the story flow together seamlessly.

What I don't love is romance. However, while this book qualifies as a romance, I didn't see it that way. It's more gritty and less emotional than most romances. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of emotion in the story, but the emotions are more down to earth and realistic than other romances I've trudged through. There is an element of danger in the story, imagined and actual, that places it in the action and mystery realm. Mental illness, political revolution, violence, deep regret and family mystery all play a part in the story. The romantic parts are tinged with a down to earth and gritty resolve that is seldom seen in romances. Rose's relationship with her stranger husband is a good example of this, as is Viva's recollections of her past love affair and her memories of her parents and sister.

OK, so the good guy does actually win in the end, the hero gets the girl and they all--well mostly all--live happily ever after. There was enough struggle, internal and imposed, in the story to warrant a happy ending, in my opinion, and it's nice to have one of those every now and then.

East of the Sun revolves around the lives of three young Englishwomen bound for India. Each is traveling with a different purpose: Viva, the young inexperienced chaperone, projects an air of mystery and hopes to retrieve personal effects belonging to her deceased parents; Rose, naïve and caring, is engaged to marry a man she met only a handful of times; and, Victoria, bridesmaid to Rose, is just running away - she cannot stand her current environment and wants out - she is looking for a husband, a magic panacea for all her woes. They are considered to be part of the fishing fleet - a term used to describe the Englishwomen who come searching for a husband, unsure of what they will find in this distant land. In addition to the two women, Viva has a third charge, Guy - a loose cannon to say the least - who is returning home after being expelled from school.

The characters were interesting and likable. Each chapter is dedicated to one character and we slowly learn more and more about them. Transitioning between characters from chapter to chapter was seamless and done well. The format and short chapter lengths were just right. At the end of each chapter, I would look at the length of the next to see if I had time to read another (and another and another and ...). I wanted to know what would happen to these characters and had to have things wrapped up before I stopped reading. We see the personal growth of each character. They all reach some pivotal dark turning point in their lives and come out on the other side - the reader must decide for themselves whether or not it was for better or worse.

Overall, I liked the novel and recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction and/or romance style novels. This is a long book; however, it is a quick read - which you will enjoy.

Take three young women, two who are already close friends, put them on a ship to India, and enjoy the resulting story. Set in the late 1920's, Julia Gregson's novel draws an interesting portrait of British women who traveled to India in order to meet and to marry British civil servants or British army officers. To a lesser extent, it is also a novel of individual growth and acceptance of one's life choices.

Viva Holloway, acting as a paid chaparone/companion, is on her way back to India where a mysterious trunk, belonging to her deceased parents awaits. Viva has shut off the memories of her youth, as well as suppressing her emotions, specifically the ability to love and be loved. She is an independant woman who desires a career as a writer. Her emotional frame of mind almost causes her to lose the one man, Dr. Frank Steadman, who is willing to allow her to come to terms with the past.

Accompanying Viva are Tor Sowerby and her best friend Rose Wetherby; Guy Glover is the third individual accompanying Viva. Tor is seeking adventure; she does not think she is ready to fall into the role of wife and mother. Tor almost throws away the opportunity to find her soul mate, but in an impulsive move marries Toby and finds true happiness. Rose is on the way to India to marry Captain Jack Chandler, a British army officer she has known only a few short months. She must become her own individual and come to terms with the life choices she has made. Guy, an emotionally disturbed youth, has been expelled from boarding school and is returning to his parents' home.

The female characters are more interesting and more strongly drawn than their male counterparts. Tor is actually the most interesting of the women; I would like to see Gregson write a book following Tor's future life adventures. Rose, while growing in depth of character throughout the novel, seemed to represent a stereotype. She was going to keep a stiff upper lip and soldier on, regardless of the personal costs. Viva was the individual who wove all the book's characters together; as such she was necessary, but not completely convincing. She was the least likeable of the main female characters.

The male characters are somewhat flat, adding little dimension to the story. Guy Glover is a distraction; his psychotic issues and actions do nothing to move the narrative along. Jack Chandler's character is bland; he is there as a foil for Rose. Frank is a love interest for Viva. Toby, Tor's husband, is the most interesting of the men; like Tor, he is given only a minor role in the story. Again, it would be interesting to read a novel about their future adventures and life together.

I was torn between giving this book four stars or five stars. In the end, I settled on four stars because although "East of the Sun" is an excellent book to read for pure enjoyment, it is not great literature. There is no deep emotional experience for the reader and no compelling life lesson to draw from the book. Nevertheless, it is a fun read and something you can take with you to the beach, the doctor's office, or the airport.

There's something rather intriguing about a group of women who know they need something, but have trouble realizing what it is. From Rose, who is pretty and sweet and pretty much an empty-headed doll to her best friend for ages Tor, the opposite of Rose in everything from looks to personality, but equally uncertain how to map out her future. Then of course there's Viva, who lies about her age, her experience, her purpose for wanting to go to India. With all the bad karma these three ladies are toting its no wonder things begin to unravel.

There's a lot to be said here for absentee parenting. Rose's mom had the most involvement (but that's not saying much) and Guy's parents were just...it should be criminal. Then again Viva really was too eager and didn't ask the right questions at her interviews at all. In that she showed her naivety and I think in some ways that's why she was chosen to 'chaperon' Guy to India. She didn't ask so they had deniability after all if anything went wrong.

For anyone not overly familiar with British occupied India of the late 1920's you will learn quite a bit. What we learn of India is seen through British eyes of course--Viva possibly being the most sympathetic of the three (having lived there during her childhood), but is still fascinating. My experiences with colonial India have been limited to one young adult novel and a bollywood movie called Lagaan, but neither gave me a real feeling of what it was like. Especially not for an officer's wife and family. Rose is perhaps lucky in that she makes the best of things, it doesn't seem like her life will be as thrilling as her mother believed.

Throughout the book I wondered if Guy could have been easily written out, if the novel would have suffered or not. He was rather repugnant and only serves to become worse and worse as the novel goes on. I think he was important however to round out the quartet--because of his actions decisions are made that would have otherwise not been and developments are forced upon Viva in particular that help her get past the ghosts of her past.

I generally prefer science fiction but I do like this book. The women in the book all have their flaws and thus are more believable and more likable. I especially enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the young women going to India to hunt for husbands. How scared they must be to leave their families and friends possibly forever to head into the unknown. I admire their spirit and enjoyed this book.

This book truly touched my heart.
I am 23 years old, and I found it easy to relate to these women, even though the book is set in a different world.
I found the author's style of writing to be very refreshing. That old english style speech seemed perfect. They way she described India was perfectly enthralling.
I really fell in love with the characters and found myself eager to know more about them.

Gregson captured life's simplicities, hardships, thruths, nuances, so poeticly.

I truly loved this book. I am going to recommend it to my friends and family!

This is the kind of book that you can sink your teeth into from page one. I was hooked immediately -- and loved the characters from the start. I simply did not want the book to end! It's a great read!

East of the Sun is an amazing novel that first takes place aboard a ship bound for India and then in Bombay and various other parts of India. In 1928, three young women head to India for different reasons. Rose is engaged to be married to a cavalry officer, Jack, whom she barely knows. Tor, is her best friend and bridesmaid, and is being sent by her mother after failing to secure a husband during the London season, to try her hand during the season in India. "Most come after the London season is over and where, presumably they have fallen at the first fence of that glorified marriage market. India, where men of their class outnumber women by three to one, will be their last chance to find a husband"
And then there is Viva, headed to India, where she lived as a child to pick up a trunk that belonged to her now deceased parents. Viva acts as chaperone to Rose and Tor as a way to get her passage paid to India. Viva is also chaperone to Guy, a disturbed sixteen year old boy, kicked out of boarding school and being sent to live with his parents.
Rose is homesick for her parents and unhappy in her marriage but keeps this to herself and tries for the best. Tor wants never to go home and to desperately find a husband after a failed romance and to travel and have fun. Viva longs for adventure, independence, to be a writer and to be brave. The stories of these young women are set against the backdrop of British-occupied India, in the time of Gandhi, when the people of India want to rule their own country. Through Tor, living with a wealthy acquaintance of her mother's, we see the rich socialites and through Viva, working at an orphanage, we see the poverty and slums of the cities. When the girls' travel, the author writes vividly descriptive passages of the countryside that made me long for travel.
The story is well-written and expertly weaves romance, danger, humor, social commentary, friendship, and, most importantly, self-discovery throughout the pages. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this as a must-read.