“Love. It is the most important, the only important thing

  • Book: The War Child
  • Location: England, India
  • Author: Renita D'Silva

Review Author: Yvonne@FictionBooks

Location

Content

OK! So first off you need to be warned that one of those small ‘handy’ packets of tissues is definitely not going to be enough to mop up all the tears you will shed over this book!

Now I need to know why I haven’t read any of this author’s previous books and how can I go about fitting them all into my crammed reading schedule, whilst allowing plenty of time to savour the scope and range of the storylines and the beautiful writing which demands to be read and digested slowly and at ease.

To pin this book down to one specific genre is so difficult, as it really is a sensory feast, which will evoke so many different emotions, whilst touching on a multitude of social and cultural mores: The strength and resilience of women; the enduring power of love and family; the prejudice of race and skin colour; the despair and desperation engendered by arranged marriages and polygyny; the hellish consequences of two World Wars on a single generation – The list goes on, yet each element is dealt with in a sympathetic but straightforwardly honest way, as the many strands are carefully and cleverly woven together, until it is difficult to tell where one ends and another begins. Author, Renita D’Silva has a naturally lyrical cadence to her writing which, whilst it in no way diminished the impact she wanted her words to have about some very important issues, told the story in way which flowed and washed over me gently and with the lightest of touches, which belied the desperate intensity between its pages.

In the same way that most novels will either be predominantly character or plot driven, this storyline also adds an amazing third dimension, that of being location driven, offering up as it does, a strong and superbly detailed sense of time and place, which fully immersed me in its wonderfully described array of sights, sounds and smells, conjuring up a strong essence of its people, adding a lovely feeling of depth and range to the work. Whether it be the harsh realities of an English landscape torn apart by two wars, with its strong and stoic population somehow united in their inherent prejudice against race and colour. Or the stark contrast of an Indian society, divided by wealth and position, which holds women in little esteem as individuals with either minds or needs of their own. Armchair travellers will revel in the detail and visuality of the writing – and no need to leave the comfort of your own living room!

A vast, seamlessly multi-layered and exquisitely textured plot, which is rich in atmosphere, is lovingly delivered with authentic perception, consummate ease and total confidence, by an author who truly believes in her storyline and is totally invested in the cast of characters she has created to tell it. Well defined and developed, sometimes raw and vulnerable, emotionally complex, addictive and animated, often searching for a sense of belonging, these were people I could totally connect with, relate to and invest in, even though the Maharaja was definitely one person I could love to hate!

A secret between two lovers kept until it could harm no more, this family saga which spans two World Wars, two continents, four generations and almost ninety years, as seen through the eyes of and told in the voices of a grandmother and granddaughter, Clara and Indira, is a beautifully structured storyline, which I didn’t want to end, as despite a natural conclusion having been reached, I still had so many unanswered questions, which would probably have doubled the length of the book and really would have been me just being plain picky and nosy.

For me, what makes reading such a wonderful experience, is that each and every story takes me on a unique and individual journey, so I strongly recommend you read this one for yourself and see where it leads you!

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