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Zemindar
Historical novel set in 19th century India. A magnificent love story unfolds against a backdrop of exotic splendor and stirring deeds as a young Englishwoman Laura Hewitt journeys to the East to the fabled fiefdom of the Zemindar, Guardian of the Earth.
799 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
July 15, 2016
this big fat pillow, you just sunk your head right into it, mark! you slept there for days!
i don't know if it's the kind of pillow that everyone would love. but who cares about everyone. you loved it and you know you'll rest your head on it again.
it's a big fluffy pillow, one of those pillows with two sides that look and feel like they came from two separate pillows. on one side is an intricate pattern, an arabesque. you got lost in its design: India of the Company days, on the edge of that era ending. so many details! the heat, the human throng, the tide of history only barely felt by some and an inexorable force for others, the perfectly captured interiors and exteriors, the politics, the characters both insular & British and unknowable & Indian; the touch and the scent and the taste and all of the sights and sounds. the lavish description put you right there - you were living in that world. you loved the perspective on that world: one that didn't necessarily take sides, but still clearly recognized the culpability of colonials in all of the blood, death, and horror that awaited them. that side of the pillow was gorgeous in design but not exactly comforting to lay your head on. a rough texture, and yet one quite appropriate for the time period. such designs should not necessarily provide comfort. so not exactly a comfy place but a beautifully crafted, perfectly balanced, and completely fascinating one nonetheless. a pattern to die for!
a hard pillow to recommend: those who love one side may be automatically opposed to the other.
and so the other side: a design more romantic in nature. more careful in its scope, its patterns less byzantine, its colors more muted, the feelings it evoked more basic, even predictable. I loved that side just as much. a romance of the old school and yet many of the little details felt so timeless, both modern and classic, and so in keeping with the sorts of patterns that I personally (and politically) respond to. a strong, independent heroine - and yet still prey to the outmoded systems of her era. a heroine I could admire while still hoping she could move beyond herself; a far cry from a character based on wish fulfillment fantasies that would have made no sense in her era. and a strong, independent hero - yet still fallible, still recognizably human despite his admirable qualities. not the sort of laughable modern alpha male who wants to conquer a woman, body and soul; rather, a hero who yearns for a woman who is equally independent, equally capable of critical thought. can a man - for example, this reviewer - say he identified completely with the heroine and fell head-over-heels for the hero? yes, he certainly can!
but back to the pillow, this wonderful pillow that i rested upon for what felt like days on end... i'm not in a hurry to let others enjoy it. it would bother me to see a person enjoy one side over the other. to judge one of those sides because they prefer historical sagas over romance, or vice versa. it's a special pillow and i'd have to be confident that you could see the beauty of both of its sides before i let you get near it; otherwise, i'd be happy to keep this pillow all to myself. after all, it's the only pillow Valerie Fitzgerald ever made.
i don't know if it's the kind of pillow that everyone would love. but who cares about everyone. you loved it and you know you'll rest your head on it again.
it's a big fluffy pillow, one of those pillows with two sides that look and feel like they came from two separate pillows. on one side is an intricate pattern, an arabesque. you got lost in its design: India of the Company days, on the edge of that era ending. so many details! the heat, the human throng, the tide of history only barely felt by some and an inexorable force for others, the perfectly captured interiors and exteriors, the politics, the characters both insular & British and unknowable & Indian; the touch and the scent and the taste and all of the sights and sounds. the lavish description put you right there - you were living in that world. you loved the perspective on that world: one that didn't necessarily take sides, but still clearly recognized the culpability of colonials in all of the blood, death, and horror that awaited them. that side of the pillow was gorgeous in design but not exactly comforting to lay your head on. a rough texture, and yet one quite appropriate for the time period. such designs should not necessarily provide comfort. so not exactly a comfy place but a beautifully crafted, perfectly balanced, and completely fascinating one nonetheless. a pattern to die for!
a hard pillow to recommend: those who love one side may be automatically opposed to the other.
and so the other side: a design more romantic in nature. more careful in its scope, its patterns less byzantine, its colors more muted, the feelings it evoked more basic, even predictable. I loved that side just as much. a romance of the old school and yet many of the little details felt so timeless, both modern and classic, and so in keeping with the sorts of patterns that I personally (and politically) respond to. a strong, independent heroine - and yet still prey to the outmoded systems of her era. a heroine I could admire while still hoping she could move beyond herself; a far cry from a character based on wish fulfillment fantasies that would have made no sense in her era. and a strong, independent hero - yet still fallible, still recognizably human despite his admirable qualities. not the sort of laughable modern alpha male who wants to conquer a woman, body and soul; rather, a hero who yearns for a woman who is equally independent, equally capable of critical thought. can a man - for example, this reviewer - say he identified completely with the heroine and fell head-over-heels for the hero? yes, he certainly can!
but back to the pillow, this wonderful pillow that i rested upon for what felt like days on end... i'm not in a hurry to let others enjoy it. it would bother me to see a person enjoy one side over the other. to judge one of those sides because they prefer historical sagas over romance, or vice versa. it's a special pillow and i'd have to be confident that you could see the beauty of both of its sides before i let you get near it; otherwise, i'd be happy to keep this pillow all to myself. after all, it's the only pillow Valerie Fitzgerald ever made.
October 10, 2008
I just had to sit back and say WOW!! at the end of this book. This was just outstanding,and I am sorry there was never a sequel and very sorry this author never wrote again. An incredible tale of Laura the poor relation on a journey to India with her newly married cousin Emily and her husband Charles (who Laura thought herself in love with). The book really has a Jane Eyre feel to it, neither the heroine or hero are out and out drop dead good looking, just strong, honorable people we come to care about.
As they travel through India on the way to Lucknow in northern India we meet many characters as the author sets up her stage to the Sepoy rebellion and the seige of Lucknow. Also introduced is Charles' half brother Oliver Erskine, a Zemindar, or large land holder. Eventually Oliver and Laura fall in love, and are separated at Lucknow (after a harrowing escape from Oliver's estate after the rebellion). Oh, when Oliver said to Laura, "I will come back to you, for you".
The rest of the book follows the harrowing conditions at the residency at Lucknow during the seige, the battles, deaths and brutal conditions suffered by the British. Be warned that this was a very brutal rebellion and some of the scenes described, although accurate, can be a bit gory, but important history to be reminded of and the mistakes that were made by ignorant pompous officials and the brutalities committed on both sides due to hate, ignorance and prejudice. It's unfortunate that we do not learn well from history and things are still so much the same in the Middle East in our present time.
The thing I liked most about this book was the author's lovely prose and characters. I felt like I was reading Jane Eyre or Villette, she reminded me so much of Charlotte Bronte, particularly at the end with the letters Oliver and Laura exchanged and when they were finally reunited. You definitely want to set aside quiet time(no kids, dogs or phone) for the last 50 or so pages so that you can savor every lovely word and emotion.
Highly highly recommended for any lover of historical fiction, and would suit well to a younger reader as the love scenes are extremely chaste. I would also recommend MM Kaye's Shadow of the MoonThe same setting, but her characters experienced the rebellion outside of the Residency, so you see a different side of the tale. Both are out of print, but readily available used.
As they travel through India on the way to Lucknow in northern India we meet many characters as the author sets up her stage to the Sepoy rebellion and the seige of Lucknow. Also introduced is Charles' half brother Oliver Erskine, a Zemindar, or large land holder. Eventually Oliver and Laura fall in love, and are separated at Lucknow (after a harrowing escape from Oliver's estate after the rebellion). Oh, when Oliver said to Laura, "I will come back to you, for you".
The rest of the book follows the harrowing conditions at the residency at Lucknow during the seige, the battles, deaths and brutal conditions suffered by the British. Be warned that this was a very brutal rebellion and some of the scenes described, although accurate, can be a bit gory, but important history to be reminded of and the mistakes that were made by ignorant pompous officials and the brutalities committed on both sides due to hate, ignorance and prejudice. It's unfortunate that we do not learn well from history and things are still so much the same in the Middle East in our present time.
The thing I liked most about this book was the author's lovely prose and characters. I felt like I was reading Jane Eyre or Villette, she reminded me so much of Charlotte Bronte, particularly at the end with the letters Oliver and Laura exchanged and when they were finally reunited. You definitely want to set aside quiet time(no kids, dogs or phone) for the last 50 or so pages so that you can savor every lovely word and emotion.
Highly highly recommended for any lover of historical fiction, and would suit well to a younger reader as the love scenes are extremely chaste. I would also recommend MM Kaye's Shadow of the MoonThe same setting, but her characters experienced the rebellion outside of the Residency, so you see a different side of the tale. Both are out of print, but readily available used.
August 29, 2021
Zemindar, Valerie Fitzgerald
A magnificent love story unfolds against the backdrop of exotic splendor and stirring deeds as young Englishwomaan Laura Hewitt journeys to the East to the fabled fiefdom of the Zemindar, Guardian of the Earth.
He is Oliver Erskine, hereeditary ruler of his private kingdom, commander of his own native army - and brother of the man she loves.
Subject to Britain's Queen, but also a son of India, he walks the tightrope between treason to the Crown and betrayal of his own native land, a world both beautiful and dangerous, lit with splendor and torn by despair.
Challenged by Erskine to plumb India's innermost secrets, Laura's quest puts her in thrall to the Zemindar himself, arrogant and demanding, lustful and compassionate, tender and persuasive.
He infuriates her, invades her soul - and claims her as his own, forcing her to confront her own divided loyalties, her own mutinous heart.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش
عنوان: زمیندار؛ نویسنده: والری فیتزجرالد؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیا - سده 20م
داستانی عاشقانه، و باشکوه، با پس زمینه ی ناباورانه است، «لورا هویت»، زن «انگلیسی»، با پسرعموی خویش «چارلز»، و با همسر او «امیلی» که تازه با هم ازدواج کرده ند، به «هند» سفر میکنند؛ نخست به «کلکته» و سپس به پادشاهی افسانه ای «الیور ارسکین، زمیندار - یا فرمانروای موروثی» میروند؛ اما «هند» در آستانه شورش است
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 06/06/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
A magnificent love story unfolds against the backdrop of exotic splendor and stirring deeds as young Englishwomaan Laura Hewitt journeys to the East to the fabled fiefdom of the Zemindar, Guardian of the Earth.
He is Oliver Erskine, hereeditary ruler of his private kingdom, commander of his own native army - and brother of the man she loves.
Subject to Britain's Queen, but also a son of India, he walks the tightrope between treason to the Crown and betrayal of his own native land, a world both beautiful and dangerous, lit with splendor and torn by despair.
Challenged by Erskine to plumb India's innermost secrets, Laura's quest puts her in thrall to the Zemindar himself, arrogant and demanding, lustful and compassionate, tender and persuasive.
He infuriates her, invades her soul - and claims her as his own, forcing her to confront her own divided loyalties, her own mutinous heart.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش
عنوان: زمیندار؛ نویسنده: والری فیتزجرالد؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیا - سده 20م
داستانی عاشقانه، و باشکوه، با پس زمینه ی ناباورانه است، «لورا هویت»، زن «انگلیسی»، با پسرعموی خویش «چارلز»، و با همسر او «امیلی» که تازه با هم ازدواج کرده ند، به «هند» سفر میکنند؛ نخست به «کلکته» و سپس به پادشاهی افسانه ای «الیور ارسکین، زمیندار - یا فرمانروای موروثی» میروند؛ اما «هند» در آستانه شورش است
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 06/06/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
March 16, 2018
3.25🌟
Yes this was love story at its core. However, for me, it was so much more. The narrative of the Revolt of 1857 from a non-indian perspective was bit of a kick in the guts.
Yes this was love story at its core. However, for me, it was so much more. The narrative of the Revolt of 1857 from a non-indian perspective was bit of a kick in the guts.
February 9, 2017
I yield. DNF, somewhere around Part 2/pg 200. I was in the mood for a doorstopper historical epic, but this is not the droid I'm looking for.
Zemindar contains very vivid, well-crafted visuals of mid-Victorian India.
...Unfortunately, that's ALL it contains. The plot -- or what little emerges -- is slow, lumbering, & meanders aimlessly. The characters are little better than talking heads & mouthpieces for epic blocks of 'As You Know, Bob' history lessons. And the heroine -- barf. Let's bash her for a bit, hm?
Laura is a passive non-entity who yammers about how women are awesome & too confined by convention -- before proceeding to uphold & conform to every single social requirement of a dreary Paid Companion, simply because...? Duh! These are rules that must be adhered to, & what a fascinating story that makes! :D (Not.) She also abases herself to a childish chit for no good reason except to further the plot device of her travels -- all the while she whinges about wanting to see the 'real India' outside the colonial influence. Yet she STILL does nothing to buck convention & (god forbid!) further her own adventures, because...? Yes indeed, she's a passive non-entity. Her transition out of love with Charles is entirely unconvincing as a plot twist; one page she's mad for him, the next she isn't because...? The author makes it so, solely for the transparent foreshadowing of her new passion for Erskine.
But in the meantime, continually obsessing about social propriety makes for a really boring story, as I've ranted about so many times before. IMHO, the author would've been better off writing a nonfiction study of the Sepoy Rebellion & her family's experiences therein. Wedging these boring non-characters into the mess just ain't worth it.
My lone recommendation is for fans of Sharon Kay Penman. This feels a lot like SKP's style, but in Victorian India instead of medieval England.
Zemindar contains very vivid, well-crafted visuals of mid-Victorian India.
...Unfortunately, that's ALL it contains. The plot -- or what little emerges -- is slow, lumbering, & meanders aimlessly. The characters are little better than talking heads & mouthpieces for epic blocks of 'As You Know, Bob' history lessons. And the heroine -- barf. Let's bash her for a bit, hm?
Laura is a passive non-entity who yammers about how women are awesome & too confined by convention -- before proceeding to uphold & conform to every single social requirement of a dreary Paid Companion, simply because...? Duh! These are rules that must be adhered to, & what a fascinating story that makes! :D (Not.) She also abases herself to a childish chit for no good reason except to further the plot device of her travels -- all the while she whinges about wanting to see the 'real India' outside the colonial influence. Yet she STILL does nothing to buck convention & (god forbid!) further her own adventures, because...? Yes indeed, she's a passive non-entity. Her transition out of love with Charles is entirely unconvincing as a plot twist; one page she's mad for him, the next she isn't because...? The author makes it so, solely for the transparent foreshadowing of her new passion for Erskine.
But in the meantime, continually obsessing about social propriety makes for a really boring story, as I've ranted about so many times before. IMHO, the author would've been better off writing a nonfiction study of the Sepoy Rebellion & her family's experiences therein. Wedging these boring non-characters into the mess just ain't worth it.
My lone recommendation is for fans of Sharon Kay Penman. This feels a lot like SKP's style, but in Victorian India instead of medieval England.
September 9, 2016
As a historical fiction, Valerie Fitzgerald's Zemindar, an account of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the British East India Company, is superb. The author's grandmother had actually lived through the siege of Lucknow, and it is the central event of the novel. The author herself, as a child, resided there when her father was stationed there during WWII. I cannot think of a more realistic, moving account of the events of that terrifying, savage period of time short of climbing into a time machine and transporting myself to the place and time depicted in the book. Be warned however that the graphic descriptions of the real life atrocities will turn your stomach. The author does not romanticize or glorify. She does not even take sides, even though the first person narrative is that of a British woman who has herself been brutalized. It is a condemnation of war, its utter chaos, hopelessness, and meaninglessness, as well as a celebration of human resiliency and spirit even after it has been stamped on and crushed to the point of no return.
As a historical romance, it left a lot to be desired for me, personally. No doubt, some readers will enjoy the no-nonsense, unsentimental approach to the relationship between the protagonists, especially as it is compared time and again favorably to the shallow, unstable relationship of a typically romantic couple alongside them. But I have to say that despite creating two very admirable, heroic, intelligent, and worthy main characters, I really did miss at least a little bit of romanticism and passion that would make this book unforgettable and an automatic re-read for me. I don't think it is impossible to write a book that is both true to the historical fiction and to the conventions of the romance genre. Celeste de Blasis' Wild Swan and Christine Monson's Surrender the night are just two examples that come to mind, off the top of my head.
Zemindar is a worthy, extremely memorable book that transported me to the era and events depicted in a way that I seldom experience. I just wish that it had given me some romance to go along with the history lesson.
As a historical romance, it left a lot to be desired for me, personally. No doubt, some readers will enjoy the no-nonsense, unsentimental approach to the relationship between the protagonists, especially as it is compared time and again favorably to the shallow, unstable relationship of a typically romantic couple alongside them. But I have to say that despite creating two very admirable, heroic, intelligent, and worthy main characters, I really did miss at least a little bit of romanticism and passion that would make this book unforgettable and an automatic re-read for me. I don't think it is impossible to write a book that is both true to the historical fiction and to the conventions of the romance genre. Celeste de Blasis' Wild Swan and Christine Monson's Surrender the night are just two examples that come to mind, off the top of my head.
Zemindar is a worthy, extremely memorable book that transported me to the era and events depicted in a way that I seldom experience. I just wish that it had given me some romance to go along with the history lesson.
December 3, 2014
What a great book! A wonderful setting, a beautiful romance, characters I really cared about, an exciting story and lots of fascinating historical detail...definitely one of my favourite books of the year. I could see the influence of other books that I love – The Far Pavilions, Gone with the Wind and Jane Eyre – so it's maybe not surprising that I loved this one too!
Zemindar is set in India before and during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Laura Hewitt, a single woman of twenty-four, is accompanying her newly married cousin Emily and her husband Charles Flood on a trip to India as Emily, at eighteen, is considered too young to travel without another female in the party. Laura is happy to accept the position of paid companion – her parents are both dead and she has no money of her own – but she is also aware that it may not be a good idea to be in such close proximity to Charles, whom she had been in love with herself before he turned his attentions to the younger, prettier Emily.
After a brief stay in Calcutta, Laura and the Floods travel to Lucknow where Charles is planning to make the acquaintance of his half-brother Oliver Erskine who lives a few days' journey away on the estate of Hassanganj. Charles and Oliver have never met but knowing that his brother is unmarried and seems likely to remain that way, Charles hopes to convince Oliver to make him his heir. On arriving at Hassanganj, however, it quickly becomes obvious that this will not be an easy task. As a zemindar (hereditary landowner), Oliver has been used to leading an unconventional lifestyle on his huge and isolated estate and is not the sort of man who can be made to do anything he doesn't want to do!
Laura and Emily are both fascinated by Oliver Erskine, though while he shows nothing but kindness to Emily, Laura finds him arrogant and annoying. But when mutiny breaks out among the Indian sepoys in the army and Hassanganj comes under attack, she begins to see a different side to Oliver. Taking refuge in the Residency in Lucknow where the British army is preparing to withstand a siege, Laura must decide how she really feels about Oliver and whether she can see a future for herself in India. First, though, she needs to stay alive…
There are so many things I loved about this book it's difficult to know what to focus on first, but I think I should start by praising Valerie Fitzgerald's beautiful writing. Zemindar was published in 1981, but I almost felt I was reading something written by Jane Austen or Charlotte Brontë. Laura's story is told in the first person and her narrative voice sounds exactly as the voice of a 19th century woman should sound. The descriptions of India – the landscape, the culture, the contrast between life in the British colonial communities and the mofussil (the rural areas) – are stunning too.
The story takes place during a turbulent time in the history of British India, but don't expect this to be a fast-paced novel – some parts are very slow allowing time for character development and fleshing out of the historical background. No previous knowledge is needed as we have the opportunity to learn along with Laura as the events leading up to the Indian Rebellion unfold. Later in the book, when the British begin to crowd into the poorly-fortified Residency for safety there are some quite graphic descriptions of the brutality and atrocities committed by both sides as Lucknow finds itself under siege and tales of even greater horrors suffered by those in Cawnpore reach Laura's ears. Obviously we are seeing things from a British perspective but there's some sympathy for the Indian point of view as well; having spent most of his life at Hassanganj, Oliver understands India and its people in a way that most of the other characters don't and he tries to pass this understanding on to Laura.
The relationship between Laura and Oliver is a lovely and poignant one which takes its time to develop and is not without its difficulties and misunderstandings. At times it reminded me of the romance in Gone with the Wind, though while Oliver is similar in some ways to Rhett Butler, the quiet, sensible Laura is more like Jane Eyre than Scarlett O'Hara. Because I liked Laura and Oliver so much I was completely absorbed in their story and hoping for a happy ending for them both – it was not at all obvious whether they were going to get one so I was kept in suspense right to the end!
I hoped I've made it clear, though, that this book is not a fluffy romance or a silly bodice ripper. The romance is only one element of the story and is sometimes pushed into the background while we concentrate on the history, the battles and the sieges. My only disappointment on reaching the end of the book was discovering that Zemindar was Valerie Fitzgerald's only novel. I know M.M. Kaye's Shadow of the Moon is set during the same period so I'm hoping to read that one soon and see how it compares.
Zemindar is set in India before and during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Laura Hewitt, a single woman of twenty-four, is accompanying her newly married cousin Emily and her husband Charles Flood on a trip to India as Emily, at eighteen, is considered too young to travel without another female in the party. Laura is happy to accept the position of paid companion – her parents are both dead and she has no money of her own – but she is also aware that it may not be a good idea to be in such close proximity to Charles, whom she had been in love with herself before he turned his attentions to the younger, prettier Emily.
After a brief stay in Calcutta, Laura and the Floods travel to Lucknow where Charles is planning to make the acquaintance of his half-brother Oliver Erskine who lives a few days' journey away on the estate of Hassanganj. Charles and Oliver have never met but knowing that his brother is unmarried and seems likely to remain that way, Charles hopes to convince Oliver to make him his heir. On arriving at Hassanganj, however, it quickly becomes obvious that this will not be an easy task. As a zemindar (hereditary landowner), Oliver has been used to leading an unconventional lifestyle on his huge and isolated estate and is not the sort of man who can be made to do anything he doesn't want to do!
Laura and Emily are both fascinated by Oliver Erskine, though while he shows nothing but kindness to Emily, Laura finds him arrogant and annoying. But when mutiny breaks out among the Indian sepoys in the army and Hassanganj comes under attack, she begins to see a different side to Oliver. Taking refuge in the Residency in Lucknow where the British army is preparing to withstand a siege, Laura must decide how she really feels about Oliver and whether she can see a future for herself in India. First, though, she needs to stay alive…
There are so many things I loved about this book it's difficult to know what to focus on first, but I think I should start by praising Valerie Fitzgerald's beautiful writing. Zemindar was published in 1981, but I almost felt I was reading something written by Jane Austen or Charlotte Brontë. Laura's story is told in the first person and her narrative voice sounds exactly as the voice of a 19th century woman should sound. The descriptions of India – the landscape, the culture, the contrast between life in the British colonial communities and the mofussil (the rural areas) – are stunning too.
The story takes place during a turbulent time in the history of British India, but don't expect this to be a fast-paced novel – some parts are very slow allowing time for character development and fleshing out of the historical background. No previous knowledge is needed as we have the opportunity to learn along with Laura as the events leading up to the Indian Rebellion unfold. Later in the book, when the British begin to crowd into the poorly-fortified Residency for safety there are some quite graphic descriptions of the brutality and atrocities committed by both sides as Lucknow finds itself under siege and tales of even greater horrors suffered by those in Cawnpore reach Laura's ears. Obviously we are seeing things from a British perspective but there's some sympathy for the Indian point of view as well; having spent most of his life at Hassanganj, Oliver understands India and its people in a way that most of the other characters don't and he tries to pass this understanding on to Laura.
The relationship between Laura and Oliver is a lovely and poignant one which takes its time to develop and is not without its difficulties and misunderstandings. At times it reminded me of the romance in Gone with the Wind, though while Oliver is similar in some ways to Rhett Butler, the quiet, sensible Laura is more like Jane Eyre than Scarlett O'Hara. Because I liked Laura and Oliver so much I was completely absorbed in their story and hoping for a happy ending for them both – it was not at all obvious whether they were going to get one so I was kept in suspense right to the end!
I hoped I've made it clear, though, that this book is not a fluffy romance or a silly bodice ripper. The romance is only one element of the story and is sometimes pushed into the background while we concentrate on the history, the battles and the sieges. My only disappointment on reaching the end of the book was discovering that Zemindar was Valerie Fitzgerald's only novel. I know M.M. Kaye's Shadow of the Moon is set during the same period so I'm hoping to read that one soon and see how it compares.
August 3, 2009
Clocking in at a small-fonted 798 pages, reading Zemindar is not for the faint of heart, but well worth the journey.
Very similar in scope to M.M. Kaye's "Shadow of the Moon", Zemindar focuses on the years 1856-1857-- a very pivotal time period for the British Raj in India. Tensions, misunderstandings, mistakes, atrocities and harsh realities all simmer beneath the backdrop of the exotic Indian landscape. Primarily a historical romance (with most of the emphasis on "historical"), the story of Laura Hewitt and Oliver Erskine is a beautiful love story beautifully told by an author who knows how to write -- and write well.
The slow, descriptive pace of the novel may put off some readers who want more action and less contemplation -- you have been duly warned! However, I quite enjoyed the leisured buildup, the absence of the hero for a good period of time, and the long, long days described during the seige of Lucknow. In fact, I wonder if it was Fitzgerald's implicit intention to write it that way so that the reader could dimly imagine for themselves Laura's own journey during those dark months? Well, it worked for me, and I'm only sorry I've had this gem in my TBR pile for much too long!
Zemindar is truely a fine representation of a historical romance, and a must read for any reader who enjoys in-depth characterization and plot, loads of historical data, a thinking-woman's romance, and a thoughtful read.
Very similar in scope to M.M. Kaye's "Shadow of the Moon", Zemindar focuses on the years 1856-1857-- a very pivotal time period for the British Raj in India. Tensions, misunderstandings, mistakes, atrocities and harsh realities all simmer beneath the backdrop of the exotic Indian landscape. Primarily a historical romance (with most of the emphasis on "historical"), the story of Laura Hewitt and Oliver Erskine is a beautiful love story beautifully told by an author who knows how to write -- and write well.
The slow, descriptive pace of the novel may put off some readers who want more action and less contemplation -- you have been duly warned! However, I quite enjoyed the leisured buildup, the absence of the hero for a good period of time, and the long, long days described during the seige of Lucknow. In fact, I wonder if it was Fitzgerald's implicit intention to write it that way so that the reader could dimly imagine for themselves Laura's own journey during those dark months? Well, it worked for me, and I'm only sorry I've had this gem in my TBR pile for much too long!
Zemindar is truely a fine representation of a historical romance, and a must read for any reader who enjoys in-depth characterization and plot, loads of historical data, a thinking-woman's romance, and a thoughtful read.
November 13, 2017
Congratulations to myself on finishing the saga!
Set in India during events of 1857, the time of the Indian rebellion against the rule of the British East India Company, the book is very long not only by page count (800+) but by the way the author chose to describe the events. Reading it, I was reminded of my experience with War and Peace. Not fair comparison for sure as Tolstoy’s classic was my mandatory reading in High School with all of the effects “mandatory reading” had on me and nobody forced me to read Zemindar.Don’t get me wrong, Zemindar is fascinating, realistic, as objective as it can be, not for the faint of heart reader account of the rebellion. I learned a lot from reading it. The writing is evocative and illuminating. It’s a work drawn from the author’s personal experience. Her grandmother lived through the Indian Mutiny. And the author herself spent time in places described in the book when her father was posted to Lucknow during WWII.
From historical perspective it’s very fine and memorable book but the storytelling felt very uneven. Long descriptions of every little detail were interesting at the beginning but became boring and tedious as the story unfolded. The moments where I couldn't put the book down were mixed with pages after pages of overly-descriptive ones.
The story is told from perspective of Laura Hewitt, a twenty-four-year old poor relation. From a sense of obligation to the family who provided for her, she volunteered to be a companion to her newly married cousin Emily when Emily and her husband Charles (who Laura thought herself in love with) traveled to India. The unusual for newlyweds’ trip was not chosen accidentally. While in India, Charles is planning to make the acquaintance of his half-brother Oliver Erskine. Charles and Oliver have never met but knowing that his brother is unmarried and seems likely to remain that way, Charles hopes to convince Oliver to make him his heir. Oliver is a rich zemindar (hereditary landowner) whose estate of Hassanganj in Northern India is known for its beauty and its owner for his unfashionable (by British standards) sympathy for and understanding of the native populace. Unfortunately for the traveling party, they arrived in India at the time of great tension that turned into rebellion and everyone got caught in it. Through Laura we experience a long journey to India, Calcutta with its home-away-from –home British society, a journey north to Hassanganj, the destruction and atrocities on both sides during rebellion, the siege of Lucknow and many other events. We get to see people in their most heroic and the most savage.
Having story told from Laura’s first POV may work for some but I couldn’t help wishing to get other characters’ perspective, especially Oliver Erskine. He is a truly fascinating character and appealing romantic hero who I really wanted to get to know better but couldn’t as I had to see him only through Laura’s eyes. It is also one of the reasons why their romance was not romantic enough for me. And when the two finally declared their love for each other, their romance turned into a bizarre soppy melodrama.
Overall, vivid and memorable historical read bugged down with way too many details. I’ll echo one of the reviewers who said: “I felt no sense of impending loss as this particular story drew to a close. If anything, there was a huge sense of relief as I hurried through the last few words and quickly jumped over to Goodreads, eager to mark this one as "read".
April 11, 2015
4 1/2
Where to begin on a book that already has so many good reviews? I believe I'll begin with the things I loved…
What I Loved descriptions were stunningly beautiful, it actually made me want to go visit India one day, and I've never had that desire.
I love that I even cared for characters I didn't think I'd like. Some of my favorite scenes were in the beginning when we see the "real India" and at the end when some beautiful letters are exchanged.
When I picked this up I'd been in the mood for a Trade Wind reread, but then I saw this sitting on the shelf, and I had to pick it up. It started of not unlike Trade Wind, but Laura wasn't quite as naive as the heroine in Trade Wind.
One thing that would have made it even better is this: I would have loved an epilogue. Not because there are loose ends, but because I liked the characters so much that I wanted to hear more about their lives after the siege. Despite that, I know I'll reread it.
PG-13 for some gritty descriptions of war, nothing grafic. Also one character has a mistress.
Where to begin on a book that already has so many good reviews? I believe I'll begin with the things I loved…
What I Loved descriptions were stunningly beautiful, it actually made me want to go visit India one day, and I've never had that desire.
I love that I even cared for characters I didn't think I'd like. Some of my favorite scenes were in the beginning when we see the "real India" and at the end when some beautiful letters are exchanged.
When I picked this up I'd been in the mood for a Trade Wind reread, but then I saw this sitting on the shelf, and I had to pick it up. It started of not unlike Trade Wind, but Laura wasn't quite as naive as the heroine in Trade Wind.
One thing that would have made it even better is this: I would have loved an epilogue. Not because there are loose ends, but because I liked the characters so much that I wanted to hear more about their lives after the siege. Despite that, I know I'll reread it.
PG-13 for some gritty descriptions of war, nothing grafic. Also one character has a mistress.
August 20, 2008
This was just outstanding,and I am sorry there was never a sequel and very sorry this author never wrote again. An incredible tale of Laura the poor relation on a journey to India with her newly married cousin Emily and her husband Charles (who Laura thought herself in love with). The book really has a Jane Eyre feel to it, neither the heroine or hero are out and out drop dead good looking, just strong, honorable people we come to care about.
As they travel through India on the way to Lucknow in northern India we meet many characters as the author sets up her stage to the Sepoy rebellion and the seige of Lucknow. Also introduced is Charles' half brother Oliver Erskine, a Zemindar, or large land holder. Eventually Oliver and Laura fall in love, and are separated at Lucknow (after a harrowing escape from Oliver's estate after the rebellion). Oh, when Oliver said to Laura, "I will come back to you, for you".
The rest of the book follows the harrowing conditions at the residency at Lucknow during the seige, the battles, deaths and brutal conditions suffered by the British. Be warned that this was a very brutal rebellion and some of the scenes described, although accurate, can be a bit gory, but important history to be reminded of and the mistakes that were made by ignorant pompous officials and the brutalities committed on both sides due to hate, ignorance and prejudice. It's unfortunate that we do not learn well from history and things are still so much the same in the Middle East in our present time.
The thing I liked most about this book was the author's lovely prose and characters. I felt like I was reading Jane Eyre or Villette, she reminded me so much of Charlotte Bronte, particularly at the end . You definitely want to set aside quiet time(no kids, dogs or phone) for the last 50 or so pages so that you can savor every lovely word and emotion.
As they travel through India on the way to Lucknow in northern India we meet many characters as the author sets up her stage to the Sepoy rebellion and the seige of Lucknow. Also introduced is Charles' half brother Oliver Erskine, a Zemindar, or large land holder. Eventually Oliver and Laura fall in love, and are separated at Lucknow (after a harrowing escape from Oliver's estate after the rebellion). Oh, when Oliver said to Laura, "I will come back to you, for you".
The rest of the book follows the harrowing conditions at the residency at Lucknow during the seige, the battles, deaths and brutal conditions suffered by the British. Be warned that this was a very brutal rebellion and some of the scenes described, although accurate, can be a bit gory, but important history to be reminded of and the mistakes that were made by ignorant pompous officials and the brutalities committed on both sides due to hate, ignorance and prejudice. It's unfortunate that we do not learn well from history and things are still so much the same in the Middle East in our present time.
The thing I liked most about this book was the author's lovely prose and characters. I felt like I was reading Jane Eyre or Villette, she reminded me so much of Charlotte Bronte, particularly at the end . You definitely want to set aside quiet time(no kids, dogs or phone) for the last 50 or so pages so that you can savor every lovely word and emotion.
January 3, 2021
DNF @ page 582. This book was, disappointingly, the most boring thing I've ever read. I closed it on a cliffhanger and I still don't even care what happens to the characters.
February 11, 2017
A romance for someone who doesn't do romance due to the well-written historical context. Some reviewers thought it too slow but I did not. Very similar - including page count! - to The Far Pavilions - I read it for a challenge as 'similar' to that book and that does fit - though obviously it's a completely different story!
And of course it is the British view of the siege of Lucknow. I am not sure I have ever read an account of the conflict that takes the other point of view though both books do have a character who clearly both sympathises with the Indian POV and the ghastly mistakes made by the British Raj. I am also pleased that Laura, though wanting to not be conformist, is not able to be too non-conformist. As the last part after they became safe shows, women were not really able to be non-conformist at the time and minor forays brought down alarming and enforcing views designed to make women remain second-class citizens while at the same time being revered for their passivity. A two pronged attack on their citizen's rights, really - not that they had any!
And of course it is the British view of the siege of Lucknow. I am not sure I have ever read an account of the conflict that takes the other point of view though both books do have a character who clearly both sympathises with the Indian POV and the ghastly mistakes made by the British Raj. I am also pleased that Laura, though wanting to not be conformist, is not able to be too non-conformist. As the last part after they became safe shows, women were not really able to be non-conformist at the time and minor forays brought down alarming and enforcing views designed to make women remain second-class citizens while at the same time being revered for their passivity. A two pronged attack on their citizen's rights, really - not that they had any!
October 7, 2015
Right at the beginning of the story, the heroine says she wants to see the "real" India during her expected months of stay in the country. Unfortunately for, I realized only later that even though the author intends to recreate the "real" India of the 1850s, to me (an Indian) it will always be an account of a Firangi. Not that it takes away much from the book or the story, just changes the way I feel about it.
Reading about the time before and during Revolt of 1857 from a Englishwoman's perspective, just highlights how biased and superficial my history lessons have been. As Indians we are taught to take pride in the fights of independence, marvel the courage and bravery of our soldiers and feel compassion for the atrocities heaped upon us. And sure, to read about "natives" as "heathens" who needed to learn "culture" and "religion", who needed to be "governed" and "civilized" did bring about spikes of outrage and resentment in my very Indian reactions. But in the end, I was left only with a sense of betrayal reading about the atrocities that my ancestors heaped upon their forced rulers of the time - and like in all war - the price paid by the innocents is always the most chilling when made aware of.
The book is so much of a documentary than a story, leave alone being a love story. A reviewer on Goodreads put it well - it is more of romantic historical than a historical romance. And thankfully, the romantic sub-plot rarely hinders the unraveling of that time of unrest that was those years of Indian history.
Did I like the book? I don't know. What I do know, however, is that unlike the books i have loved, I felt no sense of impending loss as this particular story drew to a close. If anything, there was a huge sense of relief as I hurried through the last few words and quickly jumped over to Goodreads, eager to mark this one as "read"
Reading about the time before and during Revolt of 1857 from a Englishwoman's perspective, just highlights how biased and superficial my history lessons have been. As Indians we are taught to take pride in the fights of independence, marvel the courage and bravery of our soldiers and feel compassion for the atrocities heaped upon us. And sure, to read about "natives" as "heathens" who needed to learn "culture" and "religion", who needed to be "governed" and "civilized" did bring about spikes of outrage and resentment in my very Indian reactions. But in the end, I was left only with a sense of betrayal reading about the atrocities that my ancestors heaped upon their forced rulers of the time - and like in all war - the price paid by the innocents is always the most chilling when made aware of.
The book is so much of a documentary than a story, leave alone being a love story. A reviewer on Goodreads put it well - it is more of romantic historical than a historical romance. And thankfully, the romantic sub-plot rarely hinders the unraveling of that time of unrest that was those years of Indian history.
Did I like the book? I don't know. What I do know, however, is that unlike the books i have loved, I felt no sense of impending loss as this particular story drew to a close. If anything, there was a huge sense of relief as I hurried through the last few words and quickly jumped over to Goodreads, eager to mark this one as "read"
August 6, 2016
In a nutshell: A young woman,Laura, accompanies her cousin Emily and her husband Charles on a sort of wedding trip to India as a paid lady's companion.. There they meet up with the husband's half brother Oliver who is a Zemindar of a vast estate called Hassanganj. Cutting a looooong story of 763 pages short, they get caught up in the Sepoy rebellion and seige of Lucknow.As the inside jacket concludes, Laura is forced to confront her own divided loyalties and her own mutinous heart.
If youve read M.M.Kaye's "Shadow of the Moon", Zemindar is very similar in that they are both set during the same time period, although SOTM takes place outside the residency and Zemindar is 'under siege' at Lucknow. Aside from the actual rebellion which they hold in common you will also recognize a pregnancy during a time of trouble and a milch goat.
I particularly enjoyed the journey and days of Hassanganj. It was a feast for the eyes and senses and I could imagine just what it was like (based on a real mansion which still apparently exists) and how it functioned like its own city.I also appreciated seeing things from the "native side" and feeling what they may have felt during this time of upheaval.The characters are all fully drawn and real.
So I really enjoyed this book; my only problem with it is that I have a hard time "sitting still" in a book. I want to be doing something, going somewhere, seeing something. But once you hit the halfway mark in the book, be prepared to sit still; for over 250 pages of the book we are under siege and nothing really changes. People die, food gets scarcer,life becomes over all very stinky indeed and still we wait...and wait...and wait.
The author did an awesome job of portraying the insane boredom and fear of the siege but I was rather glad to be done with it.Here's one thing I would have liked done differently:
While we are "sitting out the siege" at Lucknow, Oliver is having a rather disturbing and bloody adventure at Cawnpore. But the reader is not "sent to the where the action is" we have to wait for him to return and TELL us which isn't nearly as powerful as SEEING it. That was frustrating. But it's still a good book, and deserves a rightful place among my favorite epics.
Bottom Line: 5 Star story, 4 star enjoyment level.
CONTENT:
SEX: Behind closed doors, very mild romance level (a few kisses)
LANGUAGE: Mild
VIOLENCE: The violence is mostly "after the fact" as carnage but can be gruesome. Such is true life.
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS: None
MY RATING: PG-13 (for disturbing imagery).
If youve read M.M.Kaye's "Shadow of the Moon", Zemindar is very similar in that they are both set during the same time period, although SOTM takes place outside the residency and Zemindar is 'under siege' at Lucknow. Aside from the actual rebellion which they hold in common you will also recognize a pregnancy during a time of trouble and a milch goat.
I particularly enjoyed the journey and days of Hassanganj. It was a feast for the eyes and senses and I could imagine just what it was like (based on a real mansion which still apparently exists) and how it functioned like its own city.I also appreciated seeing things from the "native side" and feeling what they may have felt during this time of upheaval.The characters are all fully drawn and real.
So I really enjoyed this book; my only problem with it is that I have a hard time "sitting still" in a book. I want to be doing something, going somewhere, seeing something. But once you hit the halfway mark in the book, be prepared to sit still; for over 250 pages of the book we are under siege and nothing really changes. People die, food gets scarcer,life becomes over all very stinky indeed and still we wait...and wait...and wait.
The author did an awesome job of portraying the insane boredom and fear of the siege but I was rather glad to be done with it.Here's one thing I would have liked done differently:
While we are "sitting out the siege" at Lucknow, Oliver is having a rather disturbing and bloody adventure at Cawnpore. But the reader is not "sent to the where the action is" we have to wait for him to return and TELL us which isn't nearly as powerful as SEEING it. That was frustrating. But it's still a good book, and deserves a rightful place among my favorite epics.
Bottom Line: 5 Star story, 4 star enjoyment level.
CONTENT:
SEX: Behind closed doors, very mild romance level (a few kisses)
LANGUAGE: Mild
VIOLENCE: The violence is mostly "after the fact" as carnage but can be gruesome. Such is true life.
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS: None
MY RATING: PG-13 (for disturbing imagery).
November 5, 2022
I am also awe-struck—not by the evident heroism, but by the magnitude of the stupidity of human beings. Is all history merely the outcome, the artificially hallowed outcome, of a chance concatenation of ignorance and arrogance in some one character?
I am awestruck too. It was historical fiction at its best. The historical accuracy was phenomenal. Choice of and descriptions of details added colour, sound, and smell, even taste.
They were human, and humanity is inconsistent.
Then, there was another important part of a great book: characters. Their complexity, reality, beauty in being human. And through them, the storytelling about past events became the memorable lesson about a man and a society (nations, etc.) Really, when I think of those all people I have met I am overwhelmed by emotions.
...how we confronted our trials dictated how we thought of ourselves, as pawns or human beings.
By the way, if you are a writer and wondering how to construct a charming, slow-paced romance, without overrated drama but with moments that speed reader's heartbeat: take the example from this love story.
Must-read for every fan of historical fiction.
It is sad, that Valerie Fitzgerald wrote only one novel...
March 3, 2015
Think "Gone With the Wind" set in British India -- just as long, just as dramatic, and equally compelling, I found. The first half of the book is easiest to read: lots of wonderful characters are introduced, including young Laura Hewitt, the 'poor relation' who has a stubbornly independent spirit, and Oliver Erskine, Indian-born of English parentage, the hereditary master of a large Indian estate,who has an unfashionable (by British standards)sympathy for and understanding of the native populace. The second half of the book traces all their travails in excruciating detail through the historically accurate siege of Lucknow and the massacre at Cawnpore. I found it riveting. The characters feel very real: they are tested spiritually, physically and emotionally and all emerge much changed. The romance between Laura and Oliver is chaste (by contemporary standards) but powerful. This was a terrific read but you DO need a long and leisurely week to get through it. A 1981 publication.
June 9, 2009
What a great book written by Valerie Fitzgerald, describing the life of a zemindar in the years 1850 in India. The second part describes the long journey of the siege of Lucknow. According to Misfit, the reason of the sepoys revolt is very well explained in Shadow in the Moon by M.M. Kaye. Zemindar is a book that certainly must be re-read without any doubt!!
March 21, 2016
It's been annoying me for years that I left this book in Thailand back in 2000 and could not even remember the title. Thus there is a small risk that this isn't actually the book I read. Reading the description, some reviews and the title has me convinced though.
Of course the details I remember from a book I read 16 years ago are sparse, but unlike many other books I read in 2000 - a supremely prolific reading year for various reasons - certainly means that it was good. I remember the description of women at a ball, exposing their necks and bosoms to musquitoes. I also remember the harrowing descriptions of the mutiny, something I knew nothing about. A riveting and educational read!
Of course the details I remember from a book I read 16 years ago are sparse, but unlike many other books I read in 2000 - a supremely prolific reading year for various reasons - certainly means that it was good. I remember the description of women at a ball, exposing their necks and bosoms to musquitoes. I also remember the harrowing descriptions of the mutiny, something I knew nothing about. A riveting and educational read!
January 18, 2014
Simply marvelous with both the historical and story-telling aspect of a novel intact and well researched...even the climate descriptions of a hot India summer warmed the reality of my frigid January days.
My only regret in coming to know Valerie Fitzgerald as an author is the realization that she wrote one book...Just One. But, it is a rare treasure to be savored and enjoyed.
My only regret in coming to know Valerie Fitzgerald as an author is the realization that she wrote one book...Just One. But, it is a rare treasure to be savored and enjoyed.
November 3, 2021
I picked this book up on Kindle Unlimited and it was exactly what I was looking for--a huge, sweeping epic set in Colonial India, with tons of vivid historical research, a wonderful romance, and a story sympathetic to the Indian population yet realistic, too. Highly recommended!
October 27, 2014
This cross between historical fiction and romance would be an ideal choice for someone who loves historical fiction but is ambivalent about romance novels. While the romantic subplot feels like traditional genre romance (at least to me, with my limited knowledge of the genre), the historical plot dominates the book and is fascinating in its own right.
Here’s the story: an Englishwoman, Laura Hewitt, travels to India in the 1850s as a chaperone for her younger cousin. Unfortunately for her party, they’ve arrived at precisely the wrong time, just when tensions between the Indian army and their colonial rulers reach the boiling point, and Laura gets caught up in the siege of Lucknow. Meanwhile she meets Oliver, the “zemindar” of the title – despite being English, he’s a wealthy hereditary landowner in northern India, and an eligible bachelor to boot.
Zemindar is a very long book, at a hefty 763 pages; it uses its length to great effect, fully immersing the reader in Laura’s world, but it does take time to get started. The first 300 or so pages are devoted to establishing the cast and their relationships, traveling around India and experiencing British life there, all before any real danger appears. Once the violence begins though, there’s no going back. Fitzgerald develops all her scenes in full sensory and emotional detail, and she chose some intense material to work with. It is a great adventure story, for all that Laura keeps to her role as a 19th century lady. But it has an acuity that elevates it above the general run of historical fiction. For instance, here is Laura upon saying good-bye to the other passengers on the ship from England:
“I felt curiously lonely and lost standing at the rail for the last time as the shadows grew long and the swift dusk descended. Our time aboard had been a little lifetime in itself, distinct from everything that had gone before and from everything that would follow. Soon it would have no more importance [. . .] The tide of daily life would soon wash over the small indentations left by their personalities upon ours and ours upon theirs; in a matter of months we would find it difficult to remember their names, impossible to recall their faces and would have forgotten, most probably, even those things that most irritated or annoyed us in each other, and that had sometimes assumed such disproportionate significance during the confinement of the long voyage.”
The writing, as is evident in that passage, is assured and slightly formal, imbuing Laura with a believable 19th century voice; it is not, however, concise, and you’ll only want to pick this one up if you’re ready to settle in with it for a good while. Still, it never feels padded or repetitious: there’s simply a lot of material and the author chose not to stint on it.
Two reasons this book rates only 3.5 stars then. First, while the secondary characters are colorful and intriguing, the main pair have what I can only describe as “romance novel characterization.” We’re meant to identify with and admire Laura, and in that respect the author succeeds; she is a strong character with a believable interior life. And Fitzgerald doesn’t fall too far into clichés or fantasy; Laura is described as plain throughout (though several men fall in love with her, she’s never discovered to be physically beautiful), and we see her dirty and sweaty and irritable. But despite her resilience, she isn’t a particularly interesting character, nor a realistic one. Even after 763 pages, I can’t imagine what she would be like in real life. And some aspects of her behavior feel created deliberately to make her the ideal partner for Oliver. He has a similar problem: while instantly recognizable as a leading man, he doesn’t as much resemble an actual one.
The second issue is that, for all that the leads talk about the importance of understanding Indian culture, this is a colonialist sort of book. Despite being set entirely in India, it has no Indian major characters and only a few minor ones, all but one of whom are servants. Even Oliver, whose sympathies fall more with the Indians than the British, argues that they’re incapable of governing themselves. That said, the comparisons to Gone With the Wind – while accurate in terms of the exciting and detailed depiction of a historical era – might overemphasize this point. The book is never overtly racist and the author presents a fairly balanced picture of the war. In one of the book’s sadder moments (and there are a lot of these as the reality of war kicks in), a young, dying English soldier, who lost his sister to a massacre a few months before, brags that he made 16 Indians “remember” her. But it’s clear to Laura and the reader that he did nothing of the sort; he just murdered a bunch of innocent people, perpetuating a cycle of violence in which both sides feel themselves the victims and the others' violence unprovoked.
At any rate, this is a solid historical fiction/adventure/romance, highly recommended to those of you who enjoy this sort of thing, especially if you care more that your protagonists be likeable than that they be realistic. I’m surprised to find it out of print; it earned the $1 I spent at a library book sale many times over.
Here’s the story: an Englishwoman, Laura Hewitt, travels to India in the 1850s as a chaperone for her younger cousin. Unfortunately for her party, they’ve arrived at precisely the wrong time, just when tensions between the Indian army and their colonial rulers reach the boiling point, and Laura gets caught up in the siege of Lucknow. Meanwhile she meets Oliver, the “zemindar” of the title – despite being English, he’s a wealthy hereditary landowner in northern India, and an eligible bachelor to boot.
Zemindar is a very long book, at a hefty 763 pages; it uses its length to great effect, fully immersing the reader in Laura’s world, but it does take time to get started. The first 300 or so pages are devoted to establishing the cast and their relationships, traveling around India and experiencing British life there, all before any real danger appears. Once the violence begins though, there’s no going back. Fitzgerald develops all her scenes in full sensory and emotional detail, and she chose some intense material to work with. It is a great adventure story, for all that Laura keeps to her role as a 19th century lady. But it has an acuity that elevates it above the general run of historical fiction. For instance, here is Laura upon saying good-bye to the other passengers on the ship from England:
“I felt curiously lonely and lost standing at the rail for the last time as the shadows grew long and the swift dusk descended. Our time aboard had been a little lifetime in itself, distinct from everything that had gone before and from everything that would follow. Soon it would have no more importance [. . .] The tide of daily life would soon wash over the small indentations left by their personalities upon ours and ours upon theirs; in a matter of months we would find it difficult to remember their names, impossible to recall their faces and would have forgotten, most probably, even those things that most irritated or annoyed us in each other, and that had sometimes assumed such disproportionate significance during the confinement of the long voyage.”
The writing, as is evident in that passage, is assured and slightly formal, imbuing Laura with a believable 19th century voice; it is not, however, concise, and you’ll only want to pick this one up if you’re ready to settle in with it for a good while. Still, it never feels padded or repetitious: there’s simply a lot of material and the author chose not to stint on it.
Two reasons this book rates only 3.5 stars then. First, while the secondary characters are colorful and intriguing, the main pair have what I can only describe as “romance novel characterization.” We’re meant to identify with and admire Laura, and in that respect the author succeeds; she is a strong character with a believable interior life. And Fitzgerald doesn’t fall too far into clichés or fantasy; Laura is described as plain throughout (though several men fall in love with her, she’s never discovered to be physically beautiful), and we see her dirty and sweaty and irritable. But despite her resilience, she isn’t a particularly interesting character, nor a realistic one. Even after 763 pages, I can’t imagine what she would be like in real life. And some aspects of her behavior feel created deliberately to make her the ideal partner for Oliver. He has a similar problem: while instantly recognizable as a leading man, he doesn’t as much resemble an actual one.
The second issue is that, for all that the leads talk about the importance of understanding Indian culture, this is a colonialist sort of book. Despite being set entirely in India, it has no Indian major characters and only a few minor ones, all but one of whom are servants. Even Oliver, whose sympathies fall more with the Indians than the British, argues that they’re incapable of governing themselves. That said, the comparisons to Gone With the Wind – while accurate in terms of the exciting and detailed depiction of a historical era – might overemphasize this point. The book is never overtly racist and the author presents a fairly balanced picture of the war. In one of the book’s sadder moments (and there are a lot of these as the reality of war kicks in), a young, dying English soldier, who lost his sister to a massacre a few months before, brags that he made 16 Indians “remember” her. But it’s clear to Laura and the reader that he did nothing of the sort; he just murdered a bunch of innocent people, perpetuating a cycle of violence in which both sides feel themselves the victims and the others' violence unprovoked.
At any rate, this is a solid historical fiction/adventure/romance, highly recommended to those of you who enjoy this sort of thing, especially if you care more that your protagonists be likeable than that they be realistic. I’m surprised to find it out of print; it earned the $1 I spent at a library book sale many times over.
July 22, 2017
Even though it took me such a long time to read it I totally enjoyed it.
This is definitely one of the best books that I have read lately.
Epic and filled with details it takes you on a journey and introduces you to British Raj and the characters and the daily life until you feel like you know them, then the Sepoy Mutiny starts and you experience it with them feeling their pain and loss and hardship.
I loved Laura's character, and Oliver and Kate. I liked that all the other characters were diverse and had their good and bad. You kinda feel sorry for some of them and annoyed with some.
I mostly liked that the romance wasn't the center of the book.
Loved the writing style a shame the author didn't write anything else
This is definitely one of the best books that I have read lately.
Epic and filled with details it takes you on a journey and introduces you to British Raj and the characters and the daily life until you feel like you know them, then the Sepoy Mutiny starts and you experience it with them feeling their pain and loss and hardship.
I loved Laura's character, and Oliver and Kate. I liked that all the other characters were diverse and had their good and bad. You kinda feel sorry for some of them and annoyed with some.
I mostly liked that the romance wasn't the center of the book.
Loved the writing style a shame the author didn't write anything else
March 2, 2021
3.75 may be the a little petty lol but I felt like 3.5 was little and 4 stars too much.
I would recommend for the historical side but come with low expectations for the romance.
I devoured this book since I've started. There was no dull moment. The historical part of this book was amazing I felt every pain of the characters and their losses.
Now the romance was not quite the thing. I think the author underplayed the toll that the whole war has on Laura and even on Oliver. I think it was needed to see them evolve and see how they can overcome this long suffering, but we didn't get it. Sometimes Laura would feel more mature and then at the mention of Oliver completely transform into a goose. As far as the romance I would say It's OK, but leaning on the mediocre side. The romance could and should have serve as a growing point along all the stuff that was occurring around them, but felt the exact same as when everything was peaceful. In short, the romance felt like an accessory instead of a compliment to the main plot and not a pretty one.
I would also loved to see more depth of the characters in general, in particular Charles and Emily. they seemed to fade at some points in the story. Even Laura was somewhat confusing at times. She started nursing and learning all the horror of war in the flesh, and then, Oliver appears and boom she's a schoolgirl again. Sometimes she was mature and other she just wasn't.
The way Oliver fell in love with her was quite obscure and ultimately the reason they belonged together was because the author said it was to be so. Which made the whole romance unnecessary. There is a lack of those subtle little references, attitudes and states of mind that convinces the reader of the absolute natural way of their eventual union.
I don't need to be told they are for one another. I need to be shown.
I would recommend for the historical side but come with low expectations for the romance.
I devoured this book since I've started. There was no dull moment. The historical part of this book was amazing I felt every pain of the characters and their losses.
Now the romance was not quite the thing. I think the author underplayed the toll that the whole war has on Laura and even on Oliver. I think it was needed to see them evolve and see how they can overcome this long suffering, but we didn't get it. Sometimes Laura would feel more mature and then at the mention of Oliver completely transform into a goose. As far as the romance I would say It's OK, but leaning on the mediocre side. The romance could and should have serve as a growing point along all the stuff that was occurring around them, but felt the exact same as when everything was peaceful. In short, the romance felt like an accessory instead of a compliment to the main plot and not a pretty one.
I would also loved to see more depth of the characters in general, in particular Charles and Emily. they seemed to fade at some points in the story. Even Laura was somewhat confusing at times. She started nursing and learning all the horror of war in the flesh, and then, Oliver appears and boom she's a schoolgirl again. Sometimes she was mature and other she just wasn't.
The way Oliver fell in love with her was quite obscure and ultimately the reason they belonged together was because the author said it was to be so. Which made the whole romance unnecessary. There is a lack of those subtle little references, attitudes and states of mind that convinces the reader of the absolute natural way of their eventual union.
I don't need to be told they are for one another. I need to be shown.
December 27, 2017
FINALLY!!! This ravishing, beautifully written, romantic, historical saga about the Mutiny in India is available for Kindle in the US...and right now it's for only $1.99.
TThis is perhaps my favorite historical romance of all time, and I've re-read it at least once a year for maybe 20 years. It will remind some readers of Far Pavilions because of the time period and setting, but I have to say I re-read the popular classic recently, and was very disappointed. Zemindar has stood the test of time far better.
The story takes place during the the Mutiny in India, and doesn't flinch from the truly ghastly things that happened then. But it also shows the strength, heroism, and redemptive depth that ordinary people can reach in extraordinary, profoundly challenging circumstances.
I love both protagonists!
Laura Hewitt begins as a very silly and somewhat shallow young Englishwoman who travels with a friend to India and meets an India she was totally unprepared to deal with. While everything she depended upon and believed in is shredded by deadly danger and near starvation, she discovers her own intelligence, resilience, and compassionate strength as more and more people come to depend on her for their survival.
Oliver Erskine, the British Zemindar (a Zemindar is ruler of his own private kingdom in India) is far and away the most complex, prickly, commanding, fascinating, and memorable romantic hero I've ever read...and I read a LOT of romances! He gets Laura and her friends to relative safety before he devotes his connections, knowledge and skills to help end the terrible, bloody rebellion...but in the end he, too, must depend on her for his survival.
This is a BIG book, and yet I still try to read it in one sitting...every time.
TThis is perhaps my favorite historical romance of all time, and I've re-read it at least once a year for maybe 20 years. It will remind some readers of Far Pavilions because of the time period and setting, but I have to say I re-read the popular classic recently, and was very disappointed. Zemindar has stood the test of time far better.
The story takes place during the the Mutiny in India, and doesn't flinch from the truly ghastly things that happened then. But it also shows the strength, heroism, and redemptive depth that ordinary people can reach in extraordinary, profoundly challenging circumstances.
I love both protagonists!
Laura Hewitt begins as a very silly and somewhat shallow young Englishwoman who travels with a friend to India and meets an India she was totally unprepared to deal with. While everything she depended upon and believed in is shredded by deadly danger and near starvation, she discovers her own intelligence, resilience, and compassionate strength as more and more people come to depend on her for their survival.
Oliver Erskine, the British Zemindar (a Zemindar is ruler of his own private kingdom in India) is far and away the most complex, prickly, commanding, fascinating, and memorable romantic hero I've ever read...and I read a LOT of romances! He gets Laura and her friends to relative safety before he devotes his connections, knowledge and skills to help end the terrible, bloody rebellion...but in the end he, too, must depend on her for his survival.
This is a BIG book, and yet I still try to read it in one sitting...every time.
April 3, 2016
I've been searching for this huge tome, this door-stopper of a book for the past 3-4 years after knowing it's been touted as the next Far Pavilions and with M.M. Kaye being one of of my favorite authors and as a fan of historical fiction, I finished this book as soon as I could got my hands on it!
Maybe I was expecting to be blown away, alas, its only worthy of 3 stars! Yes, it's richly detailed, well written, has an interesting though expected storyline, has massive historical appeal, sadly, it's the characters which leave much to be desired. The 'hero' never reaches his full expected potential of bad-ness and charisma which is a big letdown. Secondary characters feel to be better suited to the story in the second half of the book. The heroine's dithering in last quarter of the book seems an attempt to prolong the length of the book without a real aim making it tedious. The love story aspect started off well, held interest and suddenly lost the focus. Overall, it was good to read and mark it off my list as it dealt with another historical side of 1857 (Lucknow, Oudh) to what I've read before but it's no Far Pavilions (which I still believe is inferior to Kaye's lesser known Shadow of the Moon!)
Maybe I was expecting to be blown away, alas, its only worthy of 3 stars! Yes, it's richly detailed, well written, has an interesting though expected storyline, has massive historical appeal, sadly, it's the characters which leave much to be desired. The 'hero' never reaches his full expected potential of bad-ness and charisma which is a big letdown. Secondary characters feel to be better suited to the story in the second half of the book. The heroine's dithering in last quarter of the book seems an attempt to prolong the length of the book without a real aim making it tedious. The love story aspect started off well, held interest and suddenly lost the focus. Overall, it was good to read and mark it off my list as it dealt with another historical side of 1857 (Lucknow, Oudh) to what I've read before but it's no Far Pavilions (which I still believe is inferior to Kaye's lesser known Shadow of the Moon!)
January 30, 2018
Gone with the Wind, takes place in India. This historical love story is not for the faint hearted reader. It is nearly 800 pages long and goes into horrific detail of the human atrocities during the Indian Mutiny. I did learn a great deal about India and the British occupation.
February 17, 2016
It's official. DNF.
Regardless, it deserves 3 stars just for the writing alone.
Regardless, it deserves 3 stars just for the writing alone.
January 30, 2020
Well, this is a great book to read...if you have no responsibilities, are fasting and have insomnia! Being otherwise myself, I found it was a challenge to be in the middle of it and still have a life. Ha. I caught myself wanting to sneak in a few paragraphs at stoplights, and in whatever breaks I could throughout the day.
The start of the book drew me into the lives of the characters, and the fresh scene and culture of India as they first encounter it. I think what really held me, though, was the way the characters grow and change through the challenges they experience over the course of the story. Especially through the hardships of war during the Sepoy Rebellion. There is a lot of realism and compassionate perspective for the characters. The ones who most annoyed me had their stories and their reasons, and the ones I liked the most had their own human failings and limitations, some of which were not easily forgivable. At times the love story drove me crazy, it was so patiently drawn out and without resolution for FOREVER. All in all though, the author does a good job showing us that life isn’t simple or easy, even for the best of us...but that even in the complexities, the devastations and the loss, love still wins out, eventually. Five stars, but I’m glad it’s over and I can get my life back.
The start of the book drew me into the lives of the characters, and the fresh scene and culture of India as they first encounter it. I think what really held me, though, was the way the characters grow and change through the challenges they experience over the course of the story. Especially through the hardships of war during the Sepoy Rebellion. There is a lot of realism and compassionate perspective for the characters. The ones who most annoyed me had their stories and their reasons, and the ones I liked the most had their own human failings and limitations, some of which were not easily forgivable. At times the love story drove me crazy, it was so patiently drawn out and without resolution for FOREVER. All in all though, the author does a good job showing us that life isn’t simple or easy, even for the best of us...but that even in the complexities, the devastations and the loss, love still wins out, eventually. Five stars, but I’m glad it’s over and I can get my life back.
December 28, 2015
Hmm, this book was a disappointment if I'm being brutally honest. It started off so promisingly with a main character, Laura, who I seemed to like, an exciting plot of her heading off to India with her cousin and her new husband, especially as it was framed against the run up to the Indian Mutiny of 1857, and the other characters such as Mr Roberts interested me too. The author started off well too as her historical detail was excellent and I really learnt a lot about this era and what life was like in it too. Furthermore, I enjoyed her descriptions of India through Laura as she was a good narrator in exploring both colonial India and parts of real India too.
However, the book began to stumble. Emily, Laura's cousin, became more and more irritating and the way Laura just felt cousinly devotion to her throughout and never really told her to pull her act together was irritating to say the least. With Charles, Emily's cousin who Laura claims she loves, I was again annoyed as I never really got a sense of why she loved the man just that she did. Then as the book went on (which it really did as I'm still not sure what happened even though it could be considered an epic in size) these relationships, along with Oliver, Charles' half brother and another big feature in Laura's life, slowly become the focus and the historical detail, which I loved so much, seems to disappear as we're forced to read all these soppy love letters from Laura.
So, to summarise, the book started off very well with lots of potential but gradually became almost unbearable to read.
However, the book began to stumble. Emily, Laura's cousin, became more and more irritating and the way Laura just felt cousinly devotion to her throughout and never really told her to pull her act together was irritating to say the least. With Charles, Emily's cousin who Laura claims she loves, I was again annoyed as I never really got a sense of why she loved the man just that she did. Then as the book went on (which it really did as I'm still not sure what happened even though it could be considered an epic in size) these relationships, along with Oliver, Charles' half brother and another big feature in Laura's life, slowly become the focus and the historical detail, which I loved so much, seems to disappear as we're forced to read all these soppy love letters from Laura.
So, to summarise, the book started off very well with lots of potential but gradually became almost unbearable to read.
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