The Siege of Krishnapur / Troubles

Empire Trilogy #1-2

by J.G. Farrell, John Sutherland (Introduction)

Two stunning, Booker Prize-winning historical novels that vividly chronicle the crumbling edges of the British Empire in India and Ireland--in one Contemporary Classics hardcover.
 
Inspired by historical events, The Siege of Krishnapur is the mesmerizing tale of a British outpost, under siege during the Indian Mutiny of 1857, whose residents find their smug assumptions of moral and military superiority and their rigid class barriers under fire—literally and figuratively.

The hero of Troubles, having survived the battles of World War I, makes his way to Ireland in 1919, in search of his once-wealthy fiancée. What he finds is her family's enormous seaside hotel in a spectacular state of decline, overgrown and overrun by herds of cats and pigs and the few remaining guests. From this strange perch, moving from room to room as the hotel falls down around him, he witnesses the distant tottering of the Empire in the East and the rise of the violent "Troubles" in Ireland.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Novels, India, Literature, Classics, Ireland

728 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

James Gordon Farrell, known as J.G. Farrell, was a Liverpool-born novelist of Irish descent. Farrell gained prominence for his historical fiction, most notably his Empire Trilogy (Troubles, The Siege of Krishnapur and The Singapore Grip), dealing with the political and human consequences of British colonial rule. The Siege of Krishnapur won the 1973 Booker Prize. On 19 May 2010 it was announced that Troubles had won the Lost Man Booker Prize, which was a prize created to recognize works published in 1970 (a group that had not previously been open for consideration due to a change in the eligibility rules at the time).

Farrell's career was cut short when he was drowned off the coast of Ireland at the age of 44.

Reviews

[thearcher89 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Farrell's conceit here is that he wrote the novel in that dated Victorian style -- most of the philosophical musings bog down the book somewhat, but the book has its share of funny comic moments. I really wanted to like this book -- as this era of colonial history fascinates me and I was travelling to India as I finished the book -- but nothing really stood out for me, not even the writing style.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Siege of Krishnapur" is a masterpiece. An aging officer in the British Army organizes the defense of British colonists during a rebellion. Based on historical accounts of British survivors of a similar siege in India, the genius of this novel is it's portrayal of the skewed perspectives and delusions of colonialism -- the British simply can't believe the "passive" and "lazy" Indians will muster resistance, let alone bring down their Empire's dominance on the Indian subcontinent. Their denial persists even as the very walls around them crumble -- an apt metaphor for the doomed colonial projects of a waning empire. Farrell's writing is vivid and funny -- his depictions of the failing codes of class and chivalry inside the besieged compound are pure gold.
"Troubles" is a longer but similarly themed account of an aimless British officer who drifts to a failing seaside resort in Ireland after WWI. Not as strong as "The Siege", but still an excellent and memorable read.

[Simon Garnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never really gets going.

[Kamran Rahman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shortly after this was shortlished for the "the Best of the Booker" award in 2008 I picked up a copy in a second-hand bookshop, probably around 2010. I'd recently read Dalrymple's majestic "The Last Mughal", and thought this would be a good companion piece.

I read about 50 pages and then got distracted. I saw it on my bookshelf in 2022 and decided to give it another go. I could see straight away why I hadn't finished it first time around. It hadn't got any better with age. It's rather slow and ponderous. It tries too hard to be funny and poignant and philosophical all at the same time. Sometimes it hits the mark, and makes you laugh, and think, but mainly it falls rather flat. The main characters are all caricatured, flat, 2D archetypes, and have little narrative arc, apart from Fleury, whose arc is unconvincing. Farrell, who sounds like a lovely, well-meaning, person, with his heart firmly in the right place, has set out to make a broad ranging satire on culture, society, art, policitics, religion, science, sexism, the kitchen-sink, etc., and uses the siege as a backdrop for his points. Characters are carefully drawn to counterpoint each other to make these points - the Collector vs the Magistrate, the Collector vs The Padre, Dr Dunstable vs Dr McNab, Fleury vs Harry, Miriam vs Lucy, etc. Farrell makes his arguments rather bluntly, and I got tired of it at the end.

When you get to the very end, Farrel lists his acknowledgements, and confesses to having used much of his research verbatim, which explains the sometimes detail about weaponry, which I struggled to understand.

I struggled to finish this book, and wished it had been a lot better. I don't know if I'm glad it's on my "finished" shelf. Perhaps I'll come to appreciate it more in the coming years. For now, I wish I'd spent my evenings reading something else.

[Pip · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and gave it five stars. It was well researched about what happened to the British as they changed their attitudes and aptitudes when confronted by a siege, during the Indian Mutiny (such a telling description) but the follies of colonialism were exposed in such a humanitarian and hilarious way that it was an absolutely delicious listen. Nuanced, vivid, full of interesting characters who are initially portrayed as self important society pawns, but who display unexpected resilience when faced with extreme hardship, it was a book I felt compelled to continue to listen to until it was finished.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. what a quirky historical novel, and an extraordinary cast of oddball characters! the author’s wry wit makes the slaughter and privations of the armed conflict both fascinating and constantly amusing. looking forward to ‘the troubles’ after a short break

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the one hand, these two narratives on the decaying, morally corrupt, decrepit twilight of British Imperialism are a treat. The form and content fit each other like gloves; humorous anachronisms flow off each page. On the other hand, what does Farrell so violently have against cats?

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The siege is excellent, 4.5 stars. The quirky humour in such dire circumstances is just fun, if you put aside the injustices of colonialism and the death of so many fighting against their oppressors... The pace is maintained throughout and the oddball cast stumble through crisis after crisis in a creative ever changing storyline. Troubles was also good, though less so, maybe 4 stars. Once again a whacky set of characters under seige, and once again deserving to be so. This time there is a voice in the midst of it all pointing this out, to the outrage of the "Tory"/ "redoubtable old juggernaut" and the Prodestant crew of the "Majestic". The crew is lost at sea and surrounded by inhospitable territory, which they take on in a number of ineffective and stupid ways that just makes things worse. Our tiresome hero, the Major, waffles his way through crisis after crisis in his reasonable, mild, yet boring manner. It is definitely a fun read and puts the British invaders in a more honest spotlight that does "The Seige". The Major's blandness does dull the story a little, though in itself is very funny at times, for example in some of the later scenes with the twins. Both novels are very well worth a read.

[cartercam · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books. Took me forever to read them because of the length and fact I had to request the volume from a partner library. BUT! It was worth it!
Siege of Krishnapur:
The images left by this story are pretty unforgettable. It has been a while now since I finished it, and the scenes of extremes that happen under the siege have stayed with me. Everything is just so well described! I can picture so clearly even months later the dining room serving as the women's dorm, the "hospital" of dysentery patients, the final battle with the young men firing cannons, and the feelings and atmosphere that go along with these scenes. The writing is really remarkable.
Troubles:
This one seemed like it could be the actual story of the movie Grand Budapest Hotel, sadder and with less action. Really, nothing much happens until the end. The love story never really happens, and so much is described but yet left unsaid (the almost rape of the twins, the architect isn't as sure of himself as he seems, the transgender/crossdresser Paradiag, and so much more), that by the end I was left satisfied but not really sure why. Again, the writing portrays the atmosphere and tone in a beautiful way.

[Spiros · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two epics, depicting the decline of the British Empire, written by a gifted Anglo-Irish author. There are similarities in tone, if not in scope: both feature Englishmen at bay, fervidly struggling to impose order and civilization on the benighted natives (savages) of their respective possessions. The Siege of Krishnapur is grander in scale, with the action taking place in an East India Company cantonment, whereas the action of The Troubles is largely confined to a dilapidated luxury hotel in Ireland, but character types recur in each novel. Jolly good, and darkly funny: just kind of hard to digest.

[Mark Broadhead · Rating 2 out of 5]

A silly book, mainly because its characters are frightfully silly, what? It has a good pace to it, but you don't really care about the characters. The Indians are even more caricatured than the British, which seems impossible, but because only one is given more than the time of day, they are less laughable, more inscrutable.