Novel set in 1920s South Eastern India

23rd December 2020

The Tainted by Cauvery Madhavan, novel set in 1920s South Eastern India.

The Tainted follows two families over 60 years – the Aylmers and the Twomeys. Colonel Aylmer, commander of the Royal Irish Kildare Rangers, is in charge and oversees his troops as they acclimatise to life in India, such an exotic contrast to windswept and cold Ireland.

Private Michael Flaherty from the Regiment falls in love with Rose Twomey, who is nanny to the Aymler children. She is Anglo-Indian and consequently, in a rigidly structured society, she struggles to find her true place. They are very careful about how they take their relationship forward, given her heritage.

Back home in Ireland the Black and Tans were brought in to try and quell the situation in Ireland after recent Independence. Many of the Irish stationed in India rose in revolt against the atrocities back home and an iron hand came down. The ramifications of this time in India percolated through the generations. Fast forward to 1982 and the descendants have to come to terms with the historical legacy.

This novel is well researched and paints a credible picture of the time, the layers of society are well defined and juxtaposition of two very different countries, 8,500 Km apart, is starkly drawn. Two cultures, two ways of being and the imbalance of colonialism at the heart. India is vibrantly portrayed, all the sounds and smells of the country rise from the pages. A good read if you are heading to Tamil Nadu to get a sense of the legacy of that period.

This novel also has a striking cover, designed by James Nunn (when I visited his website, I was delighted to see many familiar cover designs). He was inspired by the matchbox covers of the 1920s.

On this LINK the author reads from her book

Tina for the TripFiction Team

Catch the author on Twitter

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