Customer Reviews

Trade Wind

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

M. M. Kaye, the author of two of my favorite historical novels, "The Far Pavilions" and "Shadow of the Moon," does not disappoint with "Trade Wind." Unlike her other books, which are set in India, this tale is told against the languid, sensuous, often savage beauty of 19th century Zanzibar - a lawless island paradise off the coast of East Africa.

Hero Athena Hollis, a lovely Boston bluestocking with a long list of good intentions and a self-appointed mission to abolish slavery, visits her diplomat uncle and his family who are stationed in Zanzibar. In transit, there is a violent storm at sea and the unfortunate Hero is swept overboard only to be rescued by Captain Rory Frost, disreputable scoundrel, privateer, slave trader, etc.. She is eventually returned to the bosom of her family, unscathed, but with a tremendous dislike of the Captain and his chosen profession.

This epic romance is chock-full of adventure and excitement - international politics, the slave trade, Arabian sultans and princesses, revolution, pirates, natural disasters, espionage and intrigue. Ms. Kaye's research, as always, is impeccable. Her characters are subtly developed, three dimensional and very believable. The love story is quite unique - outwardly the couple does not seem to be a "match made in heaven." However, the chemistry does work and the romance provides some unusual twists to the plot. There is a rape scene, as some reviewers have mentioned, but I don't think rape has been romanticized here. There is violence in the novel, as this is a historically accurate piece, about a place that has a violent history. The rape is not gratuitous nor is it graphic. The episode adds rather than detracts from the plot.

I was captivated by "Trade Wind" and apart from the spellbinding saga, I learned much about the history of the strange, lovely island called Zanzibar. Highly recommended.
JANA

I've had this book sitting in my book shelf since 1981 and I've never read it. Why? Well cause everyone keeps saying "it's not as good as 'Far Pavilions'". They're right of course, but I have not looked at 'Far Pavilions' in a long time. And since I dropped the ridiculously expensive cable package I've been reading more books. Thus I turned my attention to 'Trade Wind' and what an enjoyable read I found. Its style compares more to her mysteries rather than to her famous best-seller. Ms. Kaye gathered up a fascinating history of Zanzibar about slave trading, the Sultan from Oman and his feuding children, an attack by pirates on the American Consulate, and a grisly account of a cholera epidemic in which 20,000 people perished. She includes social commentary on the westernization of the uncivilized world, the duplicity of the French regarding slavery and her trademark scenery descriptions. I'm so glad I finally picked up this book.

Wow. Please ignore the front and back covers, which will have you convinced that this is an all-sex-all-the-time romance novel, or even one of those interesting and worthy historical romances, a la Bertrice Small.

TRADE WIND, as it happens, is more along the lines of an adventure novel, featuring a smart but somewhat naive heroine (named Hero!), drama on the high seas, political plots, good intentions leading to unexpected consequences, an intriguing good guy/bad guy, and plenty of action. And, oh yeah, there's a little bit of romance in there, too. It builds slowly, gradually -- in fact almost imperceptibly -- and it's never graphic. The fact that it happens (finally!) is satisfying, but one leaves with the impression that just a bit more detail would have been nice!

Still, I can't fault the book on much; it was perfectly enthralling the whole way through.

I don't think there are very many people who after reading M.M. Kaye's amazing masterpiece The Far Pavilions aren't driven on to read her other historical novels. I certainly could not resist the lure of two new fat books written in Kaye's delicious style. But I have to admit to being both confused and intrigued (and a little repulsed) by "Trade Wind."

"Trade Wind" is the story of Hero Athena Hollis (named after a horse not a goddess) who received a prophecy from a supposed seventh daughter of a seventh son telling her she would go halfway around the world to do her work and meet the one to help her with it, cause of a power of people to be killed and receive harsh words for it and save more and receive no thanks. Naturally, this stayed with her forever and Hero grew up to be somewhat of an insufferable reformer whose life goal was to go to Zanzibar and stop slave trading.

But along the way to the Island (where her cousin in the American consul) Hero is washed overboard only to be rescued by one of Zanzibar's most wanted (by the British, not the actual government of the island) Rory Frost who is suspected of all sorts of no good deeds, none of which have actually been proven. But her short stay with the man challenged Hero's perceptions and her knowledge of the world. And her years on Zanzibar confuse even more what is right and wrong and all the shades of gray in between....

There is a lot that happens in this book that is morally weird. It's not a novel where you can agree with what everyone does, where there is any right side or any just person. Everyone makes mistakes, people break laws deliberately and are tricked into doing it, some behave terribly and blame others while others try to do good and are seen as evil for it.

There is a certain scene in this book that I won't describe but that is the center of the (biggest) moral controversy and slight repulsion I felt reading it. But I would like to state for the record that as the scene is not so much described as alluded to there can be no real way of knowing exactly what happened and therefore I think that "Trade Wind" deserves the benefit of the doubt. I myself, reading this scene, did not come to the conclusion that it was really as bad as others say. Otherwise what happened just couldn't have happened in the end. Kaye doesn't strike me as that kind of writer or Hero as that kind of character. (This will all make sense when you read the book I promise!)

I also highly recommend while reading this you consider the time and place the book takes place in and its probably historical accuracy and try not to pass too much judgment. Or at least continue onto the end

In the end though this is an adventurous, political, exotic and (somehow and surprisingly) romantic novel. Parts are bound to confuse you about certain characters because non of them are perfect but Kaye carries off the story so well that in the end I was not bothered by things that in any other book would have caused me to throw it at the wall. I was up for two night's strait reading this and can't wait to read Shadow of the Moon, Kayeas well as Kaye's mystery novels.

Five stars.

A note to potential readers: I feel the need to warn you that the mass market paperback edition of this book has the smallest print I have ever seen. If you have trouble seeing or reading I recommend you read another edition.

I was recommended to M.M.Kaye by my Enlish teacher who, herself, an unmarried woman, thought that the female students in her class should be introduced to the more sophisticated romance genre that was not too modern, and too graphic in its portrayal of a love story. As a result I got acquainted with The Far Parvilions, Shadow of the Moon and Trade Wind. For some reason, Trade Wind, has been in my memory the longest despite that it was not her most acclaimed works (I guess it really depend on one's taste) and finally acquired one copy a decade later. I have, everytime, immensely enjoyed reading about Miss Hero Hollis. I was captivated with the character of the curious, spoilt yet resolute, child of six having her future foretold by an irish wisewoman, growing into a high-minded resolute young woman on a moral crusade to the place of '...sun, wind and saltwater with men whose heads do grow beneath their shoulders...'and her fateful meeting with Captain Rory Frost. I have to admit that the pleasure that I get from reading the story arises from the development of her character as she stayed in the foreign land, her trials and tribulations and the belated realization that despite her good but failed intentions, that in life just like in fiction, 'people do things or don't do them because there is something in them that pushes them that way and that they are not always strong enough to fight against', which is aptly said about human nature. And in spite of their differences in values, status and moral conducts, to my opinion, the author did a brilliant job in weaving the relationship of the two main characters in such a way that the romance was plausible, though not always excusable (like the rape for instance),and make the reader understand that like in real life, some things are just harder to account for or justify. The proverbial yet inadequate 'It just happened' holds. In all,Rory Frost is a far cry from a hero that I would want for myself but Miss Hollis is definately one of the best heroines I've ever read despite all her flaws. The characters in the story as well as the description of Zanzibar,both the good and the bad, to me, are very real, the ending is not overly saccharine for my system and I would recommend Trade Wind (as well as other works by this author) for traditional readers who like very good writing, a clever plot and an unforgettable historical romance.

This is the story of Hero Athena Hollis, an extremely independent woman of the 19th century, vehemently opposed to slavery and all of society's injustices and determined to use her wealth to stamp them out. After Hero's father dies, she is invited to join her family in Zanzibar where her uncle is serving as the American Counsel. Hero's family always expected that she would marry her aunt's son by a first marriage, even though she is not sure she's in love with him.

While on voyage to Zanzibar during a huge storm, Hero is washed off the boat deck and presumed dead. However, another ship captained by the infamous slave trader Rory Frost pulls up their rigging out of the sea and finds a half drowned, bruised and battered Hero. Since Hero is such a bruised mess from her ordeal, Rory has no idea what a beauty she is until sometime after she has been returned to her family. To say more of the story than this would be revealing the entire plot, which I don't like to do.

M.M. Kaye's knowledge of the Far East shines through, as it does in all her books. She stays as historically accurate as she can, and pulls no punches when describing the customs of the Island, the slave trade, the cholera epidemic and more. And once again, Kaye is able through her books to remind us that the west and east are two different and completely disparate cultures and will never see eye to eye. One other lesson brought to home in this story is when Hero's eyes are opened to the fact that for all her good intentions, going barging in to another culture you know nothing about and trying to change them "for the better" to the more "civilized culture" is inherently wrong, and one should look to correct what is one own's back yard first before trying to change the world.

This was a wonderful tale and I had a hard time putting it down. Out of print, but readily available at my county library.

*******SPOILERS DISCUSSED****
I see some of the other reviewers were distressed by the rape scene(s) towards the end of the book. While I do not condone rape under any circumstance, one must remember this was 19th century, in a remote island off the east coast of Africa, during a very turbulent time in that island's history. Kaye set the plot well leading up to the rape and Rory's actions, while not fully justified, did fit in with the story line. There were no graphic descriptions; everything was left to the reader's imagination, with no gratuitous sex at all. Rory showed remorse the next day and while those same reviewers felt that the second night was a rape, I did not get that at all. I was surprised at the vehemence of those reviewers who reacted so strongly and I'm glad I reserved judgment and read the book for myself. It's funny how so many of our soap opera heroes began as rapists after attacking the woman who would eventually become his true love and redeemed by Hollywood to become yet another super couple, yet people found this rape to be highly offensive. I don't get it.

An exotic island, tall ships and storms, and the 19th century slave trade are the background to this unforgettable novel written by MM Kaye who grew up in India and wrote this book while her army officer husband was stationed in Zanzibar.

Hero Hollis is very much a progressive 19th century miss - exhibiting a zealousness for good works and a strong puritanical streak nurtured in her native Boston. This all comes undone however when she travels to Zanzibar to meet her fiancée and attempts to continue her good works over there.

Falling into the hands of Captain Emory Frost blackguard slave trader, libertine and the antithesis of everything she believes in, and becoming enmeshed in the bloody political intrigues and seductive barbarism of the East, Hero finds herself having to re-examine her value system and chose her love.

Trade Wind is, bar none, my favorite book...period! I first read it when I was 16 years old, and now I'm almost 46. Even after 15+ readings (I've lost count), I still love it. I always hesitate to recommend it to friends, because it's almost like my baby---I don't want people to think it's ugly - lol!!

It combines good writing with in-depth factual information about the history and island of Zanzibar of the mid-1800's. The plot is well maintained throughout the book. The romance is secondary, which I like. I felt like Kaye really fleshed out the main characters of Hero and Rory extremely well, and even the secondary characters (like Batty Potter, Dan Larrimore, Salme, Amrah and Sultan Majid) were well done and sympathetic.

Without attempting to give away any major spoilers, I will tell potential readers that a part of this book is very controversial. It appears to be a "tipping point" over whether readers rate Trade Wind highly or lowly. For myself, I think the action is justified within the context of the plotline and the motivation of the lead male character, and personally didn't have a problem with it as it pertains to this story. However, I totally understand that others could find it so.

M M Kaye's book "The Far Pavilions" is of course the book that made her famous and it is indeed an excellent book - although very long. Trade Wind is a shorter read and probably an easier read too. Her characters are all drawn warts and all - even the heroine, Hero Athena Hollis, has a very unfortunate tendency to look before she leaps, to believe she knows it all - and it's a refreshing change to have a heroine who isn't perfect. From reading the back of the book I presumed Dan Larrimore, the British Naval Officer, would be the hero, and the evil slave-trader Emory Frost was the baddie. But no, we ended up with two goodies, although one of them (Dan Larrimore) is rather dull.

The gradual slide into the love story between Rory (Emory Frost) and Hero is portrayed well. She doesn't immediately fall in love at his feet when she meets him - in fact, she hates him for quite a significant portion of the book. When he first meets her she has been battered by the sea and looks dreadful - it isn't until she is restored to her family and cleaned up that he discovers that she is (surprise surprise!) beautiful.

Their hate/love relationship moves nicely along in the book, as does the gradual unveiling of Hero's Fiancé-to-be-Clayton as a baddie, until a rather strange section of the book which, for me, spoilt it. Clayton kidnaps and rapes Rory's slave mistress (the mother of Rory's daughter) which leads to her death. As a direct punishment, Rory kidnaps Hero.

I presumed as this episode played out that Hero would discover at this point that she loves Rory and they would have a nice romantic seduction scene. But no - her rapes her. The next morning he says he won't do it again - and does it again that evening.

Of course, by the end of the book she realises she loves him and they get together, he goes on the straight-and-narrow (although we discover at the end that he hadn't been such a baddie after all, and had saved many times more slaves than he'd traded) but, to me, there is always this problem that this man is a rapist. Never mind that we discover Hero quite enjoyed it the second time he did it - it just doesn't sit right with a 21st century mind.

Overall I did very much enjoy this book, the evocative writing that helps transport you to the Zanzibar of the mid1800s, helping to instruct me, certainly, on the African slave trade, how it worked, how it was so difficult to stop etc. But that little niggling detail of our handsome hero being a rapist still causes me problems. If only Hero had seduced him, or something, I could have awarded the book five stars. As it is, I can only give it four. But do read it! It's worth it.

I added the word "novel" to the title of this review because the book is so much more than the usual historical romance. It's really a coming of age story set in a time (the Victorian era) and place (Zanzibar) when many young women just accepted the roles assigned them -- and their peers' assessment of outsiders -- without question.

Molly Kaye's heroine, Hero Hollis, believes herself to be an enlightened modern woman when she departs Boston for Zanzibar, where she intends to visit her diplomat uncle, marry his handsome son, and help civilize the island. But during the long ocean voyage to the island, her idealistic notions of propriety and morality are totally upended when she encounters Rory Frost, a handsome privateer who plucks her from the sea when she's swept overboard during a storm.

Frost restores her to her reluctantly grateful family (Frost is a social outcast and gratitude comes hard even though he hasn't touched her). But as she settles in and begins to learn about her new home and its varied and colorful inhabitants (including a weak Sultan and a contentious royal family, other diplomats and locals, and her own relatives), Hero comes to realize that people aren't always what they seem; that their agendas aren't always clear; and that you may come to regret judgments made on the basis of incomplete information or context.

Hero's personal journey occurs over a colorful period in the history of exotic land, including not only political upheaval but natural disasters and a plague. Written on an epic scale (I don't disagree with comparisons to Gone with the Wind or Kaye's own The Far Pavilions), this book stays with you long after you've read and re-read it (as I have, several times). It's one of my all-time favorites.