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Rani of Rampur
Rani is a journalist in a small local newspaper in Bareilly, India. Besides her schoolteacher father, who is also the neighborhood poet and drunk, her family includes two sisters and a mother, Shakuntala, who has a past history of her own. The mother had run away from a small village, Rampur, in India, rebelling against a powerful father, who was forcing her to marry an ambitious and morally dubious suitor, Vir Singh. She leaves behind her only other sister, Savitri, who ends up marrying the jilted man. Besides being unethical, this son-in-law also had a wealthy first wife, who died in questionable circumstances, leaving behind a traumatized young son called Durlabh.
In the years that Shakuntala is away from Rampur, Vir Singh inherits both the wealth and the political legacy her father leaves behind after his death. Vir also rises in power and becomes a Member of Parliament from the dominant national party. His eldest son, Durlabh, from his first wife, is now engaged to the daughter of the Chief Minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh. This will end up solidifying Vir Singh's position both in the party and the State.
Twenty-five years after being disowned by her family, Shakuntala receives a letter from her sister, Savitri. Rani has been invited by her aunt to come to Rampur to help in the preparations for the forthcoming marriage. "I am unwell," says Savitri, "and cannot do this by myself." As enticement, she also adds that this will soften Vir Singh and improve relations between the two families for the future.
Shakuntala takes this invitation as an opportunity for her daughter to get details and photographs of the estate, so they can lay claim to her share. The Supreme Court of India, she says, now allows daughters an equal share in inherited family property.
With curiosity and a sense of purpose, Rani sets forth on the journey to Rampur, where she hopes, if nothing else, she will at least get a good story for her newspaper. She meets her three unfriendly cousins and the long suffering Durlabh, who seems incapable of standing up to anybody. The Aunt seems to have her own reasons for inviting Rani, which might just call for seducing Durlabh away from his powerfully connected fiancée in order to clear the way for her own wastrel son, Vijay. Meanwhile, the daughter of the house, Anjali, is playing a dangerous game in consorting with a lower caste boy from the village, who is the son of a political rival of Vir Singh. The youngest son, Roop, is also playing with fire when he begins to pursue the angry bastard of Vir Singh, who is born of the village courtesan clever enough to have contrived a good education for her son.
In this dangerous household where she witnesses Vir Singh commit murder, Rani navigates her way to keep herself, and others she hold dear, safe. Will Rani achieve her goal of securing her mother's share of the ancestral property and bring the two families together? Will she stop her Uncle from wantonly destroying the lives of others, and get a scoop for her newspaper?
Read the book to find out what happens!
In the years that Shakuntala is away from Rampur, Vir Singh inherits both the wealth and the political legacy her father leaves behind after his death. Vir also rises in power and becomes a Member of Parliament from the dominant national party. His eldest son, Durlabh, from his first wife, is now engaged to the daughter of the Chief Minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh. This will end up solidifying Vir Singh's position both in the party and the State.
Twenty-five years after being disowned by her family, Shakuntala receives a letter from her sister, Savitri. Rani has been invited by her aunt to come to Rampur to help in the preparations for the forthcoming marriage. "I am unwell," says Savitri, "and cannot do this by myself." As enticement, she also adds that this will soften Vir Singh and improve relations between the two families for the future.
Shakuntala takes this invitation as an opportunity for her daughter to get details and photographs of the estate, so they can lay claim to her share. The Supreme Court of India, she says, now allows daughters an equal share in inherited family property.
With curiosity and a sense of purpose, Rani sets forth on the journey to Rampur, where she hopes, if nothing else, she will at least get a good story for her newspaper. She meets her three unfriendly cousins and the long suffering Durlabh, who seems incapable of standing up to anybody. The Aunt seems to have her own reasons for inviting Rani, which might just call for seducing Durlabh away from his powerfully connected fiancée in order to clear the way for her own wastrel son, Vijay. Meanwhile, the daughter of the house, Anjali, is playing a dangerous game in consorting with a lower caste boy from the village, who is the son of a political rival of Vir Singh. The youngest son, Roop, is also playing with fire when he begins to pursue the angry bastard of Vir Singh, who is born of the village courtesan clever enough to have contrived a good education for her son.
In this dangerous household where she witnesses Vir Singh commit murder, Rani navigates her way to keep herself, and others she hold dear, safe. Will Rani achieve her goal of securing her mother's share of the ancestral property and bring the two families together? Will she stop her Uncle from wantonly destroying the lives of others, and get a scoop for her newspaper?
Read the book to find out what happens!
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 18, 2012
2 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Suneeta Misra
2 books18 followersI am a lifelong teacher, having taught in the Maryland school district for the last 15 years. I have also made documentaries and short films, most recently Tinka Tinka: A Dream of Education in Modern India. In my spare time, I love to read mysteries, watch movies, and travel. Look out for my next book about an autistic girl, who overcomes challenges to save her family, and in the process solves a murder.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 9, 2021
This novel provides an enormous amount of social commentary. We examine, through the eyes of Rani, family life in various dysfunctional families. Thanks to her, we observe the shallowness of people who live only for self-gratification. In an overpopulated country which suffers from poverty, Rani becomes increasingly aware of those who oppress the poor because they have been corrupted by power, and those who kill people and animals for no good reason.
But if I have learned anything about my Indian friends here on Goodreads, it is that so many of them enjoy a good mystery. And this novel really delivers that, and keeps you guessing until quite close to the end the identity of the culprit.
Aside from a few small errors and technical glitches, this is a well written novel. It even provides a glossary of terms for those readers who are not completely familiar with Indian culture(s).
But if I have learned anything about my Indian friends here on Goodreads, it is that so many of them enjoy a good mystery. And this novel really delivers that, and keeps you guessing until quite close to the end the identity of the culprit.
Aside from a few small errors and technical glitches, this is a well written novel. It even provides a glossary of terms for those readers who are not completely familiar with Indian culture(s).
January 27, 2013
Rani of Rampur is not a typical murder mystery. It takes place in India, and it revolves around a dysfunctional and estranged family. Rani is a young journalist who grew up in a big city with not a lot of money. While there are issues at home with her unhappy mother and alcoholic father, she learns more about her extended family’s dark past when she is invited to help with a wedding. She heads to a small village and stays on the wealthy estate where she meets her aunt, uncle, and cousins for the first time. Her mother wants her to go, hoping she can find a way to inherit what is rightfully hers from her father that passed away. There, Rani finds out first hand out evil her uncle is and what he has done to become wealthy and powerful.
Rani is very likeable; an intelligent and caring girl who sees the world for what it really is. In contrast, the author did a good job at showing how horrible her uncle was. I was so disgusted by him that I kept telling my husband about him as I was reading it.
It was fascinating to learn more about the Indian culture—both the good and the bad that are a part of every culture. Between the Indian caste system where there is a distinct divide between the rich and the poor and the political corruption, it was intriguing the whole way through. There was some romance as well, and that always holds my interest! I also loved the imagery with the swing on the tree, which looks great on the book cover.
The story flowed nicely; it was a quick read that I didn’t want to put down (even when I had to). I would definitely recommend it!
Rani is very likeable; an intelligent and caring girl who sees the world for what it really is. In contrast, the author did a good job at showing how horrible her uncle was. I was so disgusted by him that I kept telling my husband about him as I was reading it.
It was fascinating to learn more about the Indian culture—both the good and the bad that are a part of every culture. Between the Indian caste system where there is a distinct divide between the rich and the poor and the political corruption, it was intriguing the whole way through. There was some romance as well, and that always holds my interest! I also loved the imagery with the swing on the tree, which looks great on the book cover.
The story flowed nicely; it was a quick read that I didn’t want to put down (even when I had to). I would definitely recommend it!
March 12, 2013
Rani of Rampur is an approximately 200-page mystery/drama depicting fictional characters, but heavily weighted in factual aspects of Indian culture and society. I received this book for free in return for providing a non-reciprocal, unbiased review. I am not one for providing detailed summaries in reviews, so I will delve directly into my thoughts (if you do desire a synopsis, one has been provided on the book's Amazon sales page).
I must say that I enjoyed the setting of this book, but I admit I may have some personal bias in that department. I studied Asian history and culture extensively in college, and though my focus was on Japan, one cannot learn certain facets of Japanese history without learning Chinese history, and one cannot experience much of western Chinese history without influence from countries such as India. I haven't immersed myself in such a setting for some time, so this book was welcome in that respect. I won't hold my own shortcomings against the author however, when I further admit that my expertise with names and pronounciation also lies further east than India, so I did have a trivial amount of trouble keeping characters straight in this book (which did not dissuade me from enjoying it).
Rani of Rampur is essentially a young woman's struggle against classic, "bad guy" evil on the cusp of a society in a state of social change. Misra does a commendable job of weaving together both sources of antagonism -- there's murder most foul for Rani to deal with, while at the same time a clashing of progressive versus traditional culture. Despite the length, Misra takes her time weaving a careful plot, as well as developing the main character into somebody I felt I could relate to. I can't stress enough how important something like this is, at least to me. If I am not given the opportunity to care about characters in a story, then it won't matter to me what happens to them and overall I will find a read to be boring. That was not the case, here. I was really able to get into Rani's feelings and thinking. It's possible some may think the story ponderous at times, but I appreciated a well-rounded tale.
I have seen this book classified as a mystery. I can see that to a point, but I thought of it as more of a drama. There's definitely a mystery there to be enjoyed, but I felt that the cultural aspects of the book were more of a centralized theme.
I can say that Rani of Rampur felt "real" to me. Most everything in this book I can see happening in real life one way or another -- I didn't have any "oh c'mon, that's stretching it" moments. The book is well written and edited to the point that it is clearly not just a fly-by-night "I wanted to write a book" thing. Misra is a serious author, with a title such as this under her belt.
If I were to say anything negative about this book, it would be that a reader who has little to no interest in the cultural aspects of the book might not have enough to go on with just the mystery aspects to enjoy themselves. Misra does an fine job of keeping things clear and understandable (at least she did for me), but if familial power struggles with an ethnic feel aren't your cup of tea, you might have a tough time here. All in all, that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book. Rani of Rampur is a unique tale that I would recommend to a fiction reader that also wants to learn a few things about another culture.
I must say that I enjoyed the setting of this book, but I admit I may have some personal bias in that department. I studied Asian history and culture extensively in college, and though my focus was on Japan, one cannot learn certain facets of Japanese history without learning Chinese history, and one cannot experience much of western Chinese history without influence from countries such as India. I haven't immersed myself in such a setting for some time, so this book was welcome in that respect. I won't hold my own shortcomings against the author however, when I further admit that my expertise with names and pronounciation also lies further east than India, so I did have a trivial amount of trouble keeping characters straight in this book (which did not dissuade me from enjoying it).
Rani of Rampur is essentially a young woman's struggle against classic, "bad guy" evil on the cusp of a society in a state of social change. Misra does a commendable job of weaving together both sources of antagonism -- there's murder most foul for Rani to deal with, while at the same time a clashing of progressive versus traditional culture. Despite the length, Misra takes her time weaving a careful plot, as well as developing the main character into somebody I felt I could relate to. I can't stress enough how important something like this is, at least to me. If I am not given the opportunity to care about characters in a story, then it won't matter to me what happens to them and overall I will find a read to be boring. That was not the case, here. I was really able to get into Rani's feelings and thinking. It's possible some may think the story ponderous at times, but I appreciated a well-rounded tale.
I have seen this book classified as a mystery. I can see that to a point, but I thought of it as more of a drama. There's definitely a mystery there to be enjoyed, but I felt that the cultural aspects of the book were more of a centralized theme.
I can say that Rani of Rampur felt "real" to me. Most everything in this book I can see happening in real life one way or another -- I didn't have any "oh c'mon, that's stretching it" moments. The book is well written and edited to the point that it is clearly not just a fly-by-night "I wanted to write a book" thing. Misra is a serious author, with a title such as this under her belt.
If I were to say anything negative about this book, it would be that a reader who has little to no interest in the cultural aspects of the book might not have enough to go on with just the mystery aspects to enjoy themselves. Misra does an fine job of keeping things clear and understandable (at least she did for me), but if familial power struggles with an ethnic feel aren't your cup of tea, you might have a tough time here. All in all, that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book. Rani of Rampur is a unique tale that I would recommend to a fiction reader that also wants to learn a few things about another culture.
January 21, 2013
Last night I completed reading Suneeta Misra's Rani of Rampur, and came out of the whole experience with mixed feelings. Rife with drama and death, making me think of the family dynamics in the series Dallas but set in Delhi —well, okay, Rampur— Misra's work is a riveting read but loses a lot of its impact by the way she mixes her tenses.
The past and present are oftentimes thrown together in a sentence, so that you have to read twice to see where the author is taking you. I am not sure if this conceit is deliberate, to give more emphasis to the fact that we are not in Kansas or London any more, but Rampur.
It works; and it doesn't.
Misra's work paints the patriarch of the family in a less than pleasant light, and as with Vidya Samson' very comic account of the dynamics of an Indian family in Indian Maids Bust Loose, the man of the house gets his just deserts.
As a read, it is just different —and engaging— enough to make the exercise ultimately broadening in one's perception of how a story should be told. The quibblers will no doubt prefer a paragraph, or chapter break, where there are none, but, ultimately, Misra's tale of Rani and her extended family keeps the reader mesmerised.
The past and present are oftentimes thrown together in a sentence, so that you have to read twice to see where the author is taking you. I am not sure if this conceit is deliberate, to give more emphasis to the fact that we are not in Kansas or London any more, but Rampur.
It works; and it doesn't.
Misra's work paints the patriarch of the family in a less than pleasant light, and as with Vidya Samson' very comic account of the dynamics of an Indian family in Indian Maids Bust Loose, the man of the house gets his just deserts.
As a read, it is just different —and engaging— enough to make the exercise ultimately broadening in one's perception of how a story should be told. The quibblers will no doubt prefer a paragraph, or chapter break, where there are none, but, ultimately, Misra's tale of Rani and her extended family keeps the reader mesmerised.
February 22, 2013
I've always considered myself to be a student of cultures and Rani of Rampur didn't disappoint. Reading the book, I felt almost as though I was being told a story orally by a native Indian. The way the story was written it felt very much like a transcript of a play or movie. The author did a good job of helping me to see the setting with her descriptions.
Rani is the plucky female protagonist and the story tells of her 'adventure' in the city of Rampur where she has been summoned by her aunt to help with her cousin's wedding preparations. She is too smart to just be a 'helper' though and begins to sleuth out the secrets of her aunt's dysfunctional family. This leads to some very interesting observations which reveal much about the family as well as society, politics and life in general in Rampur.
A good read for anyone who likes to experience something different from the mainstream.
Rani is the plucky female protagonist and the story tells of her 'adventure' in the city of Rampur where she has been summoned by her aunt to help with her cousin's wedding preparations. She is too smart to just be a 'helper' though and begins to sleuth out the secrets of her aunt's dysfunctional family. This leads to some very interesting observations which reveal much about the family as well as society, politics and life in general in Rampur.
A good read for anyone who likes to experience something different from the mainstream.
March 9, 2013
“Rani of Rampur” by Suneeta Misra
“Rani of Rampur” by Suneeta Misra is a well written story chronicling the lives and relationships of two very different sides of an Indian family, trying to reconnect after many years. The family was torn apart many years before when the eldest sister chose to flee rather than go through with an arranged marriage. Her father disowned her and married his younger daughter to the wealthy and powerful politician instead. The main characters are introduced when, after many years, the wealthy sister from the country sends a letter to her impoverished sibling in the city. She is requesting the presence of her eldest niece, an aspiring reporter named Rani, to help with planning an extravagant wedding for her step-son. To the poor side of the family it seems suspicious that the wealthy and privileged matriarch with several grown children of her own would need any assistance from one of them. In spite of this they seize on the opportunity to bring the two sides of the family together once more and send their daughter to the countryside to help with the wedding. Once she arrives, Rani finds that there is much more going on under the surface of the sprawling country estate than it would seem at first. She enters a world of corrupt politicians exploiting the poor while building their empires on prostitution, bribery, drugs and murder. Rani struggles to stay clean of it all while people, both rich and poor, confess their misdeeds to her in an effort to win her over to their side. It all comes to a head in the end as everyone’s darkest secrets are thrust violently into the light and they all embark down a path from which there is no turning back.
Suneeta Misra uses what some might consider a simple style of writing, similar to authors such as Rudyard Kipling, to take the reader on a very enjoyable journey. Ms. Misra does an excellent job of seamlessly weaving together the characters, the story and the country of India. She addresses many social, political and economic issues, but does it in a way that, instead of seeming boring or preachy, actually adds to the richness of the story and draws the reader further into the world she has created. Although this is not the type of story that I normally read, I am very glad that it was recommended it to me. “Rani of Rampur” is a well written book that seems to have something for everyone. Within it’s pages the reader will discover murder, forbidden love, political corruption, greed, power struggles, and some good old fashioned good and evil. Ms. Misra does an extremely good job developing her characters in a way that pulls the reader into their lives and makes you feel like you are there witnessing the events first hand. I normally pride myself on being able to see what is going to happen in a book or movie at the very beginning, but I have to admit that I was quite surprised by many of the events that take place toward the end of the story. This is Ms. Mira’s first novel and the first of her works that I have read, but I will definitely be purchasing her other works. I genuinely enjoyed this story and strongly encourage others to purchase it so that they may enjoy it too.
“Rani of Rampur” by Suneeta Misra is a well written story chronicling the lives and relationships of two very different sides of an Indian family, trying to reconnect after many years. The family was torn apart many years before when the eldest sister chose to flee rather than go through with an arranged marriage. Her father disowned her and married his younger daughter to the wealthy and powerful politician instead. The main characters are introduced when, after many years, the wealthy sister from the country sends a letter to her impoverished sibling in the city. She is requesting the presence of her eldest niece, an aspiring reporter named Rani, to help with planning an extravagant wedding for her step-son. To the poor side of the family it seems suspicious that the wealthy and privileged matriarch with several grown children of her own would need any assistance from one of them. In spite of this they seize on the opportunity to bring the two sides of the family together once more and send their daughter to the countryside to help with the wedding. Once she arrives, Rani finds that there is much more going on under the surface of the sprawling country estate than it would seem at first. She enters a world of corrupt politicians exploiting the poor while building their empires on prostitution, bribery, drugs and murder. Rani struggles to stay clean of it all while people, both rich and poor, confess their misdeeds to her in an effort to win her over to their side. It all comes to a head in the end as everyone’s darkest secrets are thrust violently into the light and they all embark down a path from which there is no turning back.
Suneeta Misra uses what some might consider a simple style of writing, similar to authors such as Rudyard Kipling, to take the reader on a very enjoyable journey. Ms. Misra does an excellent job of seamlessly weaving together the characters, the story and the country of India. She addresses many social, political and economic issues, but does it in a way that, instead of seeming boring or preachy, actually adds to the richness of the story and draws the reader further into the world she has created. Although this is not the type of story that I normally read, I am very glad that it was recommended it to me. “Rani of Rampur” is a well written book that seems to have something for everyone. Within it’s pages the reader will discover murder, forbidden love, political corruption, greed, power struggles, and some good old fashioned good and evil. Ms. Misra does an extremely good job developing her characters in a way that pulls the reader into their lives and makes you feel like you are there witnessing the events first hand. I normally pride myself on being able to see what is going to happen in a book or movie at the very beginning, but I have to admit that I was quite surprised by many of the events that take place toward the end of the story. This is Ms. Mira’s first novel and the first of her works that I have read, but I will definitely be purchasing her other works. I genuinely enjoyed this story and strongly encourage others to purchase it so that they may enjoy it too.
April 14, 2013
Rani of Rampur is a story of a young upright girl Rani from a small town Bareilly in North India. She is sent to her estranged aunt's place in the town of Rampur to help with a marriage preparation. Her uncle Vir Singh is the archetypical powerful politician and these two characters - Rani and Vir Singh are the fulcrums of the entire plot.
Firstly I loved the cover. It is appealing and very relevant to the story(you would know why once you read the book). Since I read this book in the electronic format, unfortunately the effect of the book cover vanishes the moment you move to the next page. Had it been a physical paper back, I would have now and then glanced at the cover every time picking the book. My small complaint towards reading e files:-)
The plot is well laid out and quite intricate. There are 20 odd characters in the novel but the author has done a great job in developing the roles. The writing per se is definitely good and apart from a few editorial lacunae here and there, overall the writing was really nice. The best part is that the author has depicted the social drama that so characterizes a typical Indian family brilliantly. Her potrayal of Vir Singh as the egoist, power crazy, lust driven, trigger happy, incorrigibly corrupt and shockingly immoral politician from a northern state of India, where it is anyone's guess such characters exist in real life, is very believable.
That said, I did notice some areas where the author could have created a bigger impact on the reader. The plot gets a bit loose towards the end. There are a few typos which have crept in. The protagonist Rani, being a journalist, could have figured out the murder mystery using clues, deduction et al. Rani's family apart from her mother, have not much to do in the plot.
Its a good book and definitely worth a read, especially if you want to get a real feel of North India.
Firstly I loved the cover. It is appealing and very relevant to the story(you would know why once you read the book). Since I read this book in the electronic format, unfortunately the effect of the book cover vanishes the moment you move to the next page. Had it been a physical paper back, I would have now and then glanced at the cover every time picking the book. My small complaint towards reading e files:-)
The plot is well laid out and quite intricate. There are 20 odd characters in the novel but the author has done a great job in developing the roles. The writing per se is definitely good and apart from a few editorial lacunae here and there, overall the writing was really nice. The best part is that the author has depicted the social drama that so characterizes a typical Indian family brilliantly. Her potrayal of Vir Singh as the egoist, power crazy, lust driven, trigger happy, incorrigibly corrupt and shockingly immoral politician from a northern state of India, where it is anyone's guess such characters exist in real life, is very believable.
That said, I did notice some areas where the author could have created a bigger impact on the reader. The plot gets a bit loose towards the end. There are a few typos which have crept in. The protagonist Rani, being a journalist, could have figured out the murder mystery using clues, deduction et al. Rani's family apart from her mother, have not much to do in the plot.
Its a good book and definitely worth a read, especially if you want to get a real feel of North India.
February 24, 2013
When I agreed to review this book, I knew it was outside my normal reading list. I've never been to India and don't know all that much about it, and I learned a lot about the society while reading this. From that standpoint alone, it was worthwhile to me but that's not all. As other reviewers have noted, the murder mystery is not the main theme of the book. It happens two-thirds of the way through the story, and the problem for investigators is not finding a suspect but finding too many. The dead man was thoroughly detestable and a lot of people had good reason to hate him.
The real theme of the book is the interaction between the characters. To say the least, this is a very dysfunctional family with many hidden secrets and some skeletons in the closet. It's a good story which keeps you interested.
The first part of the book has more explanatory narration than I like since I prefer for the background details to be revealed gradually. The later part of the book is much better. As an American, I found the dialog to be excessively formal, but that is a comment rather than a criticism since I really don't know how the characters would speak in real life.
Overall, I enjoyed the book which means 4 stars according to Amazon's rating scale.
The real theme of the book is the interaction between the characters. To say the least, this is a very dysfunctional family with many hidden secrets and some skeletons in the closet. It's a good story which keeps you interested.
The first part of the book has more explanatory narration than I like since I prefer for the background details to be revealed gradually. The later part of the book is much better. As an American, I found the dialog to be excessively formal, but that is a comment rather than a criticism since I really don't know how the characters would speak in real life.
Overall, I enjoyed the book which means 4 stars according to Amazon's rating scale.
October 25, 2013
I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this - it's so much more than a whodunnit. Its setting in India raises it above the rest.
Apart from a cleverly-plotted murder, it has a touch of romance, (without any heaving of bosoms and swooning - in fact the main character, Rani, is a very level-headed and sensible young woman.) Much of the story is tied up with clearing skeletons out of the family closet, so there is a lot of murky family politics.
But it is when you look beyond the plot that you discover the portrait of rural India, which is not always painted with quaint, rosy hues. The author, Suneeta Misra, shows us the differences between the city and the country, where long-held traditions, (many of them sexist, despite new legislation) are still deeply entrenched. Rani represents the younger generation trying to question many of these values.
Although the story has some dark scenes, (mainly violent) it has been written for a very broad audience - no sex or swearing. It moves along at a good pace and certainly maintains the interest throughout.
I'd definitely recommend it not only as a story, but as an interesting insight into a very different country and culture.
Apart from a cleverly-plotted murder, it has a touch of romance, (without any heaving of bosoms and swooning - in fact the main character, Rani, is a very level-headed and sensible young woman.) Much of the story is tied up with clearing skeletons out of the family closet, so there is a lot of murky family politics.
But it is when you look beyond the plot that you discover the portrait of rural India, which is not always painted with quaint, rosy hues. The author, Suneeta Misra, shows us the differences between the city and the country, where long-held traditions, (many of them sexist, despite new legislation) are still deeply entrenched. Rani represents the younger generation trying to question many of these values.
Although the story has some dark scenes, (mainly violent) it has been written for a very broad audience - no sex or swearing. It moves along at a good pace and certainly maintains the interest throughout.
I'd definitely recommend it not only as a story, but as an interesting insight into a very different country and culture.
January 18, 2013
I ended up reading the whole thing down in two sittings. It was that enjoyable.
Rani of Rampur is set in India. That alone makes it stand out from so many books out there. But you aren't just reading the story or seeing the story through the author's eyes, you are immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of India. Really vivid imagery. Suneeta Misra also gives you the language of India, in terms of how people converse, expessions, casts. You experience the setting more so than read about it.
The story itself is also fascinating. There are lots of unexpected events that keep you turning the pages. The motivations for characters feel very real and, although the dialog is more formal than it would be if set in America, it also feels legitimate for the setting.
I would recommend this book for anyone wanting a good story in a unfamiliar setting. Plus, you get to learn many of the customs and traditions of India, good or bad. Well done, Suneeta Misra! I will read more books from this author.
Rani of Rampur is set in India. That alone makes it stand out from so many books out there. But you aren't just reading the story or seeing the story through the author's eyes, you are immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of India. Really vivid imagery. Suneeta Misra also gives you the language of India, in terms of how people converse, expessions, casts. You experience the setting more so than read about it.
The story itself is also fascinating. There are lots of unexpected events that keep you turning the pages. The motivations for characters feel very real and, although the dialog is more formal than it would be if set in America, it also feels legitimate for the setting.
I would recommend this book for anyone wanting a good story in a unfamiliar setting. Plus, you get to learn many of the customs and traditions of India, good or bad. Well done, Suneeta Misra! I will read more books from this author.
February 24, 2013
I love to travel, but between work, kids and a perpetually strapped bank account, there are some areas of the world that I can only visit vicariously. I would love to visit India, but it's probably not going to happen any time soon. The most wonderful thing about this book is that I really did feel that I was taking a brief vacation in an Indian village. Misra's descriptions made me feel as if I were there and gave me insight into a different culture.
This book will definitely appeal to those who like cozy mysteries, where the pace is a bit slower. That's not my usual genre, although I veer over there occasionally, and there were a few times where I felt the story needed to move more quickly. I also enjoyed the characters, especially Rani, who is nicely developed and engaging. I felt that some of the background characters were a bit flat, but it could be that they seemed less vivid against the very nicely elaborated setting. Otherwise, the book is well-written and carefully edited.
All in all, I enjoyed my weekend trip to India and look forward to other works by Ms. Misra!
This book will definitely appeal to those who like cozy mysteries, where the pace is a bit slower. That's not my usual genre, although I veer over there occasionally, and there were a few times where I felt the story needed to move more quickly. I also enjoyed the characters, especially Rani, who is nicely developed and engaging. I felt that some of the background characters were a bit flat, but it could be that they seemed less vivid against the very nicely elaborated setting. Otherwise, the book is well-written and carefully edited.
All in all, I enjoyed my weekend trip to India and look forward to other works by Ms. Misra!
January 20, 2013
If you are looking for a formulaic book set in a Western milieu, this book is not for you.
However if you are willing to be dragged out of the comfort zone of your drawing room in the Western world, then wade in.
Suneeta Misra's Rani of Rampur is the story of Rani, a young educated journalist in a small town in India. She visits her aunt to help in the wedding preparations of her aunt's son and stumbles across murder,political machinations, family secrets and cover ups.
This is an India far from the Bollywood stereotypes. This is an India in which the law treats women equal to men but society does not. An India where change is happening rapidly but deep rooted prejudices are harder to change.
Misra's book brings alive the colors and smells of life in a small India town where time moves that bit slower and secrets bubble just beneath the placid veneer.
Bravo Ms. Misra for a fantastic first book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
However if you are willing to be dragged out of the comfort zone of your drawing room in the Western world, then wade in.
Suneeta Misra's Rani of Rampur is the story of Rani, a young educated journalist in a small town in India. She visits her aunt to help in the wedding preparations of her aunt's son and stumbles across murder,political machinations, family secrets and cover ups.
This is an India far from the Bollywood stereotypes. This is an India in which the law treats women equal to men but society does not. An India where change is happening rapidly but deep rooted prejudices are harder to change.
Misra's book brings alive the colors and smells of life in a small India town where time moves that bit slower and secrets bubble just beneath the placid veneer.
Bravo Ms. Misra for a fantastic first book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
January 22, 2013
“Rani of Rampur” by Suneeta Misra was recommended to me by a fellow reviewer and I am glad he praised it the way he did. It is an excellent murder mystery, or at least that is how it is advertised in some places, but it is so much more. It is the story of a dysfunctional family, a story about family values and the caste system in India, about Village life, about politics and corruption.
The heroine, journalist Rani, is sent to assist her aunt with a family wedding where she gets drawn into the investigation of her uncle’s murder while courting romance with the groom of the forthcoming wedding.
This book really works on so many levels and anyone who has read other works set in India will appreciate how hard it is to translate this remote way of living to a Western audience.
I loved every word of the story and highly recommend it to those already familiar with the world the story is set in and those who know little about it.
A well deserved 5 out of 5
The heroine, journalist Rani, is sent to assist her aunt with a family wedding where she gets drawn into the investigation of her uncle’s murder while courting romance with the groom of the forthcoming wedding.
This book really works on so many levels and anyone who has read other works set in India will appreciate how hard it is to translate this remote way of living to a Western audience.
I loved every word of the story and highly recommend it to those already familiar with the world the story is set in and those who know little about it.
A well deserved 5 out of 5
December 26, 2012
This book really kept me gripped throughout. The metaphorical use of language was very interesting and well-placed, while the book itself was well-paced. I believed the central character, Rani, was very likeable, enhancing the overall likeability of the story. In addition, I could tell that a lot of effort was put in in the descriptions of the setting, which really helped me immerse myself in the village of Rampur that much more. However, it was a little too descriptive at times, telling the reader aspects of the story firsthand that could have been weaved throughout the story. All in all, it's an engrossing account of India-based literature that carries the reader on an adventurous, and ultimately satisfying, journey.
March 21, 2013
Rani of Rampur is a fascinating look into the complicated world of Indian families, politics and marriages. I found the book to be quite unpredictable, which I really liked. I thought it was going in one direction and then about halfway through everything changed.
Rani of Rampur is full of eccentric characters, villains and heroes. Rani herself is strong figure, a bold female character, not one to be pushed around.
The story brings up many issues that exist within modern Indian culture (like an appalling amount of corruption) and while I found this extremely interesting, at times I thought the writing was a little too preachy.
Rani of Rampur is great for anyone who loves reading about new cultures and for people who like a little drama and mystery.
Rani of Rampur is full of eccentric characters, villains and heroes. Rani herself is strong figure, a bold female character, not one to be pushed around.
The story brings up many issues that exist within modern Indian culture (like an appalling amount of corruption) and while I found this extremely interesting, at times I thought the writing was a little too preachy.
Rani of Rampur is great for anyone who loves reading about new cultures and for people who like a little drama and mystery.
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