Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters: An Eccentric Englishwoman and Her Lost Kingdom

by Philip Eade

THE EXTRAORDINARY TALE OF SYLVIA BROOKE, THE LAST WHITE RULER OF THE JUNGLE KINGDOM OF BORNEO

Sylvia Brooke was one of the more exotic and outrageous figures of the twentieth century. Otherwise known as the Ranee of Sarawak, she was the wife of Sir Vyner Brooke, the last White Rajah, whose family had ruled the jungle kingdom of Sarawak on Borneo for three generations. They had their own flag, revenue, postage stamps, and money, as well as the power of life and death over their subjects—Malays, Chinese, and headhunting Dyak tribesmen. The regime of the White Rajahs was long romanticized, but by the 1930s, their power and prestige were crumbling. At the center of Sarawak's decadence was Sylvia, author of eleven books, mother to three daughters, an extravagantly dressed socialite whose behavior often offended and usually defied social convention. Sylvia did her best to manipulate the line of succession in favor of her daughters, but by 1946, Japan had invaded Sarawak, sending Sylvia and her husband into exile, ending one of the more unusual chapters of British colonial rule.

Philip Eade's Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters is a fascinating look at the wild and debauched world of a woman desperate to maintain the last remains of power in an exotic and dying kingdom.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Asia, British Literature, Memoir, Historical

384 pages, Hardcover

First published June 6, 2007

Reviews

[Leah · Rating 1 out of 5]

UNFINISHED at p. 164.

This book is hyped up SO MUCH on its back cover, with raves like 'jaw dropping', 'reads like a thriller', 'juicily entertaining', 'wonderfully written' and more.
I would very much like to know what book these people were reading, as it simply can't have been the one I was reading. It's just not possible that those people (journalists for respected publications mostly, except one inexplicable comment from Joanna Lumley which seems to be a recurring theme on Eade's book covers) read this book and actually felt impassioned enough to write those phrases.

I gave up on this book a long time ago, but since I do so hate to stop halfway through, I kept my bookmark in it and thought, perhaps one day I'll pick it up again and it will have gotten better.

Nope.

So today I officially give up on this incredibly boring book with the hilariously overstated praise on the back.

What galls me the most is the fact that I mainly picked it up because the Times compared it to White Mischief in terms of its scandalous content, and it looked like it might be similar to The Bolter. There might have been some scandal after page 164, but getting there was such hard work that it certainly wasn't worth trudging on.

On the face of it, this story ought to be fascinating. Eade's real problem is that he obviously did so much research for it, he couldn't decide what to leave out and what to put in. Long, in-depth asides about irrelevant characters, whole chapters devoted to stories that go nowhere and don't affect the outcome of Sylvia's life, these things make the book unreadable. I do not care about a family acquaintance who may or may not have initiated Sylvia's sister into the mysteries of sex at a young age and the subsequent effects it had on said sister's life, nor do I care about when, how and where he died, especially if the telling of it interrupts Sylvia's actual story. I do not care about the intricacies of her father's life at court. I do not care about the myriad of ways in which they may have been deceived in the man who was their downfall on Sarawak. I do, however, care about the actual feelings and opinions of these people, the one thing which is in short supply.

Simply put, the book was badly written. There was no excitement or intrigue, there was intermittent and incoherent hinting at a scandal that never materialised, and the author has no apparent opinion on any of the strange characters and behaviours about which he is writing. This is the real kicker. The author has to take a position! He can't just enumerate the facts and leave the rest to fate. He must have a voice, an opinion, a slant to give to the events. This is what writing history is all about, especially popular history that is intended to be read like a novel.

For me, the centre of the story is the comic-yet-poignant scenario of the White Rajahs of Sarawak. Eade mentions several times that popular opinion at the time found it just as comical and odd, but he never delves deep enough into the absurdity and the humanity of it to really engage the reader with the situation, and therefore the entire story is based on a premise that we don't really care about.

[Erin (Historical Fiction Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....

I've a confession to make folks. As much as I hate to admit it, I had no idea who Sylvia Brooke was prior to picking up Philip Eade's biography and to be entirely honest, I couldn't've found Sarawak on a map if my life depended on it. I knew nothing about this volume except that it sounded interesting.

Flying blind, I had no idea what to expect in terms of subject matter and was pleasantly surprised by the colorful eccentricities of Sylvia, her friends and relations. Eade's depiction of her dysfunctional home life, unconventional lifestyle and colorful personality illuminate much of her character and make a lasting impression on the reader.

That said, I found Eade's writing difficult to appreciate. The material is entertaining, but his prose is both dry and plodding. The most engaging passages are quotes lifted directly from family journals and/or correspondence, a fact which made the book quite difficult to get lost in. I was also irritated by Eade's tendency to recap every detail of his extensive research as his inability to streamline his findings made navigating the text rather tedious.

When all is said and done, Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters proves an interesting biography, but the format and style fail to deliver the engaging and richly provocative story its cover suggests. Not a waste of time, but not any way essential.

[Iset · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Sylvia Brooke was one of the more exotic and outrageous figures of the twentieth century… an extravagantly dressed socialite whose behaviour often offended and usually defied social convention. Sylvia did her best to manipulate the line of succession... a fascinating look at the wild and debauched world of a woman desperate to maintain the last remains of power in an exotic and dying kingdom.”

Does this sound like an exciting biography to you? It did to me when I read this blurb of a book I saw was being newly released on Kindle this new year. It’s a pity that the life of the woman described within in no way resembles this thrilling and provocative back matter.

The childhood and young adulthood of both Sylvia and her husband – the future Rajah of Sarawak – paint the picture of two shy and socially awkward individuals who’d given up on finding love, and indeed seemed unlikely ever to do so. Somehow, they married each other after a lot of false starts, but whilst they initially seem to have been in love, this quickly fizzles into a companionable commitment. The Rajah has his affairs, and so too does Sylvia – but this is not as scandalous as it sounds. It was an arrangement that both accepted without fuss and their marriage was never in doubt. On Sylvia’s side at least, the affairs may have been little more than emotional ones, as she expressed a repugnance for sex (at one point so too did the Rajah, but this doesn’t seem to have stopped him in his extra-marital liaisons). The Brooke Rajahs of Sarawak – who were of English descent – were far from fabulously wealthy Eastern potentates, and the book is at pains to emphasise how meagre their finances were. The ‘palace’ was modest and poorly decorated, and the society in the capital, especially for the new Ranee, was rather dull, owing to the separation of men’s and women’s clubs and the very few Europeans at the Sarawak court. Rather than being a grand manipulator as the blurb would have her, Sylvia comes across as more of a petty meddler, sparking family feuds but lacking the authority or charisma to convey any force of will or carry off any coups. Far from ‘wild and debauched’, the impression one gets is of a woman who traded off the modest fame of her title for a mention in the newspapers, in her boredom sought amusements and spent money, and idly tackled a writing career with plenty of procrastination and frankly mild success. ‘Exotic and outrageous’? Hardly.

Perhaps that’s an unfair assessment of the real Sylvia, but it is certainly the impression given by this book. I have to agree with other reviewers that the style of writing is not the best. The author is prone to going off on long tangents about family friends and acquaintances whose roles seem to have little to no impact on Sylvia’s story, where it would have been better for the text to have focused in tightly on Sylvia’s life and that of her husband.

I regret spending money on this book. Too dull to justify it.

3 out of 10

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic writing!! And the story is just incredible. Sometimes, or maybe always?, Fact is stranger than fiction because you literally could not make this stuff up. A British adventure arrives on the island of Borneo and helps a local Sultan put down rebellion and return he’s given a kingdom! Reigning as white rajahs, the Brooks, family rules Sarawak until World War II.

Sylvia becomes the wife of the last Raja. She is quite a piece of work and artistic woman from an aristocratic family. She steps into the role with gusto, writing novels and wearing Malaysian outfits back in England. She tries to get in the movies and she travels to visit her sister in New Mexico. I did not realize it was her sister who was the companion of DH Lawrence in New Mexico and incredible incredible story. I just couldn’t believe it. It kept getting better and better!

[Renae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Because Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters got off to such a rough start, it was perhaps 100 pages before I really began to get into the hang of things. While Philip Eade has evidently done copious amounts of research, he included far too many irrelevant details in the beginning of it—“setting the groundwork” I’m sure, but not in a way that was especially necessary. This biography, then, was interesting some of the time, but far from a captivating piece of work. It’s hard to put my finger on things exactly, but it seemed like the author focused on the wrong things about the Ranee Sylvia’s life.

Prior to reading this, I had never heard of Ranee Sylvia, or the 3 generations of white Englishmen that ruled over the Raj of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. I feel like in its jacket copy, Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters is made to sound a lot more exciting than it really is. Because in spite of the promise of good material, this book was, by and large, rather dull.

It’s not that Ranee Sylvia didn’t do anything of interest—she did. But Eade’s presentation was not engaging, and oftentimes he focused far too much on things that weren’t strictly important when speaking only of Sylvia’s life. And in spite of the copious number of extant letters and journals that are available, I had no real sense of who this woman was. “Eccentric”, sure, but what? A good biography shouldn’t just relate facts in a dry, unenthusiastic manner; I need more than that. And though the life of this historical figure isn’t, probably, as strictly exciting or adventurous as publicists would have had me believe, there was no reason for it to be so dull.

Beyond that, I confess that I didn’t much care for Philip Eade’s authorial presence, which was very evident in the text. While I admit that it’s impossible to write completely without bias, the author seemed to be extremely cautious to only show Sylvia in as undamaging light as possible. He never really delved into the problematic nature of the governance of Sarawak in the first place, though he spent countless pages discussing small governing crisis. Considering that the rule of Sarawak was “given” to the Englishmen because the local Malays were “too incompetent” to rule themselves, it would seem like at least some discussion of British imperialism would be appropriate. It was very expertly avoided, however. To my dismay, even, Eade speaks in a very pro-imperialist tone in the epilogue of the book, dismissing the modern governance of Sarawak with something that read suspiciously like disgusted condescension. And though Eade is certainly entitled to that viewpoint (and, from conversations with my modern Malaysian friends, I know that the state of the Malaysian government is hardly excellent), I hardly like him for it all the same. Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters adopts a very blatant tone in support of white colonialism and right of conquest, and for me it was very off-putting. I also don’t like the fact that I know more about the author’s ideals than I do about Ranee Sylvia’s.

I must confess to not being particularly impressed with this. It’s very dry and takes a rather long time to get anywhere that even vaguely interesting. Philip Eade’s research is good, but his distant and clearly one-sided delivery left much to be desired. Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters hardly lives up to its promise, and aside from a highly interesting anecdote about Errol Flynn, I do not consider myself to be much improved by the reading of this book.

[Michael Ritchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The person this book is about, the Ranee of Sarawek during much of the first half of the 20th century, is interesting and indeed eccentric, but she, her husband the White Rajah, and the heasdhunter tribes they ruled over get lost and buried beneath mounds of minutiae that the author excavated in his tireless research. Way too much detail about when they came and went from Sarawek, what she wore, what their friends and relations did, etc., detract from the potentially interesting stories of the lead characters themselves. I finished the book, but I admit to some long stretches of skimming.

[Robert Rubinoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to rate this book (I think this is a problem with any biography, and often with non-fiction) because there are really two questions: is the book well-written, and is the person's life interesting?

I'd really give this book 3 1/2 stars if I could. I think Sylvia's life is fascinating, and I think the book gives a sense of this, but is a little too matter-of-fact about it. I think the story would be better served by writing that was a little more melodramatic. Nobody (well, maybe professional historians) is going to be interested in getting all the factual details down precisely - it's the excess of her life, and the contrast between the European and Asian parts of her life (and her rich and poor days) that make it interesting, and I would have enjoyed seeing that portrayed a little more vividly. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book because the story is so fascinating. And to be fair, there's a lot going on, and a lot of colorful characters, so just keeping track of everything takes a lot of effort on the author's part.

A small caution: the first two chapters (dealing with Sylvia's ancestry and childhood) are a little bit of a slog, because there's a lot of stuff crammed into a relatively short space. But once you get past that part, the book becomes more fluid.

[Br. Thanasi (Thomas) Stama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to read about this family and there now defunct kingdom of Sarawak.

[Andie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only reason I know about James Brooke, the first White Rajah of Sarawak is because he appeared as a character in one of George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman novels. Little did I know that the "White Raj" lasted for a hundred years until just after World War II, although the last Rajah and his Ranee Sylvia, the subject of this book, were certainly lacking in the charisma and governing skills of the founder of the line.

The Brookes ruled Sarawak, located on the island of Borneo from 1841 to 1946 when the last Rajah, Vyner, ceded the country to the Colonial office. While they ruled, they had their own flag, revenue, postage stamps and money, as well as absolute power over their Malaysian, CHinese and Dyak subjects.

Sylvia, the last Ranee was clearly a black sheep in a prominent English family. Her father, the 2nd Viscount Esher was an intimate of both Queen Victoria and Edward VII and organized both Victoria's Diamond Jubilee as well as Edward's coronation. Sylvia clearly adored her father, but he had little use for her or her elder sister Dorothy, clearly preferring his second son MAurice to all his children. Sylvia's constant battle for her father's attention led her to attempt a career in writing (which was mildly successful) as well as setting her cap for the Rajah Vyner. Once married, she produced three daughters ( but not the needed son & heir) and carried on her life as an extravagant socialite indulging in behavior that scandalized polite British society and exasperated the British foreign office. She indulged her daughters with the result they grew up as feckless as she and lived peripatetic lives with eight marriages between them.

The kingdom was invaded by the Japanese during World War II and the Rajah and Ranee spent the war in exile in England. When the war was over, it was clear that times had changed. The inhabitants of Sarawak were in no mood for their dotty English rulers and at age 72, the Rajah was worn out. Over the objections of his nephew Anthony, the presumed heir, Rajah Vyner ceded the country to the British Colonial Office who ruled it as a British protectorate until it became part of Malaysia in 1963. Rajah Vyner lived quietly in London on a British pension until his death in 1963 and Ranee Sylvia lived in Barbados where she continued her life as a (albeit faded) socialite until she died in 1971. Her daughters all ended up living in Florida where the last one died in 2003, thus ending a flamboyant chapter of the British Empire.

This book was a fun read about a time and place now largely lost to modern memory

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those cases where I wish we could award half-stars. This book is better than three stars, but not enough to get to four.

It is a fun tale, for the most part. The book is a menagerie of truly awful people, all of whom saw themselves as swell. The arrogance and noblesse oblige of British colonialism in the first half of the 20th century comes through vividly. Sylvia Brooke is accurately described on the dust jacket as "exotic and outrageous," but she has competition from all her family and a bunch of other folk.

The most readable aspect of the book are the many letters excerpted in the text. There are some wonderful ones to Sylvia from George Bernard Shaw, and most of the correspondents in general are literate and sometimes wry. As the book progresses, Sylvia's prose becomes startlingly American, which is an interesting transition to observe. I also found it interesting to learn what things cost during the 20th century, and my recollection is a pound Sterling for most of the book was worth $4.80. And especially in the first half of the book, the Brookes interacted with many prominent Brits of their era, and the stories are often interesting.

But the book is overlong, and suffers from "TMI." There is more detail than one can absorb. The family tree at the beginning helps a lot to keep a large cast of characters sorted out. I also never got any real sense of Sarawak, and its capital, Kaching, where much of the story takes place. Eade never even gives a population figure. A rudimentary map does not help much, nor do the pictures, which are generally a big vaguely focused. There are very few pictures of the town itself.

I'm not really sure, though, why the book does not work better. Eade has done meticulous research, and it would not seem there is more that could be told. Somehow, though, the details got in the way of the story, and sometimes made it difficult for me to grasp the main thread of the narrative in terms of telling what happened. But this is a distinctive and "different" book, and I am for the most part glad I read it, but I keep feeling I could have enjoyed it more somehow. I was relieved to finish it.

[Mark Desrosiers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I slogged my way through it, and I have to say that the life of Sylvia Brooke, the last Ranee of Sarawak, works better in capsule form. This very thorough biography gets bogged down by Sylvia's overall blandness: other than breeding, conniving, and writing forgettable fiction, Sylvia didn't really do anything. Even her early friendships with George Bernard Shaw and J.M. Barrie (both obviously suitors) fade away once she becomes Ranee.

I did get excited by the memorable opening chapters, where we learn of the romantic-sexual love between Sylvia's gay father, Reggie, and his own son -- Sylvia's brother -- Maurice. Here, for example, is a letter from father to son (at Eton): "I couldn't resist, inspite of a sore head and heart, coming down to you last night, and standing concealed by the shadows of the elms, while I called you by that old whistle. I saw your dear figure pass down the passage after a long wait..." etc. etc.

Another great moment was when Sylvia describes the sexual prowess of her husband, Rajah Vyner: "He made love as he played golf -- in a nervous unimaginative flurry." [Does this mean he got the yips in the sack?]

I should also mention that the indigenous people of Sarawak -- and the larger historical and cultural narrative of that strange Brooke Raj -- are largely absent from the narrative.

[Jessica Leight · Rating 1 out of 5]

It sounds like it should be a fascinating story - this unknown, white, imperialist dynasty in Malaysia - but if it is, the author isn't up to the task of telling it. I almost didn't finish this book - it gets easily bogged down in seemingly minute details of the dysfunctional families involved and skirts most of the important questions. The succession crisis in Sarawak is not particularly engaging, especially since the reader already knows the kingdom will not last long. Sylvia is not an easy character to empathize with, and in all honesty, her life didn't seem very interesting. She lived most of it in the U.K. or later in the U.S. or the Caribbean; she was never particularly involved in the governance of Sarawak, and achieved nothing of note on her own. It doesn't seem like she merits a full-length biography, or if she does, this book is not enough to convince me of the fact.

[Laura Henson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This well-researched biography is a useful link for people interested in the history of Sarawak and its White Raj with its detailed footnotes to the source materials. The narrative tends to wander off on interesting, and lesser tangents (A real temptation to researchers, I've been down such rabbit holes myself.) too often and doesn't follow through with some of the more interesting ones. Sylvia's life spanned the shift from the true colonial British Empire to the modern times, which she embraced, and I more than once imagined my grandmother reading about her in the gossip columns. However, in the end it failed to bring the vivacious and eccentric Sylvia to life on the page. I may need to hunt up Sylvia Brook's own version of her life.

[Jennifer N · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. I am a huge fan of historical fiction but usually stick to the Tudor era. This was a pleasant surprise. Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters is a book about a woman who I hadn't known about before. I had never even heard of Sarawak before, either. So I came blindly into her life and the lives of her family and their struggle for an exotic throne. I now want to learn more about her. The book was well written, so much research was done and pieces sewn together to make it come into realization. Eade's depiction of her dysfunctional home life, unconventional lifestyle and personality show much of her character and make a lasting impression for us.

[Maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited for this book given the time period it covered and my love for eccentric British families but this book was a little bit for a push for me to finish. It was not one that I was eager to pick up each day. I might eventually try the Ranee's second autobiography - this book mentioned that the reviews at publication likened it to Mitford and Waugh. Given that my hopes for this book were for a biography that entertains while informs like the ones I've enjoyed the Mitford family that is promising. Sylvia led a life that is almost entirely incomprehensible now which in itself is a good reason to read the book. The prose itself wasn't unreadable but was not captivating.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say, is thank you Philip Eade for writing this book. What a fascinating subject. I acquired the book to use as a reference for my biography of Moye W. Stephens who served as Richard Halliburton's pilot for the Flying Carpet flight in 1931/1932. After gleaning what I needed, I read the entire book in one week, thoroughly enjoying learning about the self-titled Queen of the Headhunters. Those were the days weren't they.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much information. The Brookes led fascinating lives, but that does not come across in this book. It is as if the author wants to include every little snippet of information he uncovered about Sylvia, her family and the Brookes resulting in rather a muddle. I have visited Sarawak and read several books written by the Brookes. This did not add to my understanding of this remarkable family.

[Carol E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could recommend this book knowing the author dedicated abundant time to research. Unfortunately, it was tedious reading the minutest details about so many unlikeable people. I would have appreciated more information about the headhunters!

[Richard Epstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read it. Nor do I mean to. No book could live up to a title this good.

[dejah_thoris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarawak is an interesting place. Unfortunately, Eade paints a romantic picture of colonialism that doesn't really address indigenous issues. He cites (racist) English arguments for maintaining the colony, claiming the locals adore the Rajah, will headhunt mercilessly if they leave, etc. In contrast, Somerset Maugham stirs up trouble by portraying the truth of drunken officers and interracial affairs. The only other mention of race relations compares the weekly open-air film screening at the Astana with its thousand attendees to the regular European balls where jealous mistresses watched from trees. Granted, the book is about Sylvia, her oddball lifestyle, the Sarawak succession, and its eventual cession back to its people, but the lack is glaring. Much like antebellum balls*, it is easy to romanticize colonization, and focus on the salacious lives of its royals. Less racist than period accounts, but less inclusive than it could have been.

*Why are those even a thing? Hoop skirt fetishists?

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Outrageous is the right word to describe this woman. The Caucasity of all these white people just landing in Sarawak and made themselves King? Barely ever even in Sarawak and yet living off of the tax money? Being too lazy to attend meetings and ceremonies and actually govern, but still not wanting to let go of the power and setting up trusts to ensure they get Sarawak money for the rest of their lives? Sheesh. I mean I know the book is mainly about Sylvia but the rest of the family is also very *facepalm*.

Also, of course my 3 star rating is not because of how much I dislike the people being talked about in the book itself, it is a non-fiction after all. It's more like it got boring and tiring after a while. Maybe it's partially because I'm not particularly interested in the topic anyway. But it is an interesting history lesson for sure.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this a turgid and difficult read, so much so that I put it down and read other books -which is something I never normally do.

This is a sort of biography of the nation of Sarawak which ultimatley became part of Malaysia and the British family which were its rulers - the white Rajah's majoring on the eccentric matriarch, Sylvia. Interesting if you like that sort of thing but it does give a glimpse of life for the ruling elite before the second world war as well as the decline post war and cession of the nation to the British Empire. Sad in a way.

[susmithj jakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

extraordinary pick

[peter lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting figure

Well written book about a historical person I never heard of. If you like Royal intrigue in exotic locations this book is for you.

[DreamingSpiresBecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The magic of it all possessed me, sight, sound and sense; there was in this abundant land everything for which my heart had yearned” – Sylvia, Ranee of Sarawak.

Where did I hear about this book? The beguiling title caught my eye on a bookshelf in a flat in Pimlico, London. When I enquired about it, the owner enthusiastically told me it is her favourite book. I was sold.

Brace yourselves for a roller coaster foray back to the turn of the last century, to Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. The Kingdom of Sarawak, now a long-forgotten stretch of jungle in Borneo, bursts back from memory through the dazzlingly detailed biography of Sylvia, Ranee of Sarawak.

The biography naturally begins at Sylvia Brett’s early childhood in England, following the antics of the high society Brett family. The reader journeys through Sylvia’s painful but fascinating childhood, through to early adulthood where in 1903 she meets, and eventually marries, Sir Vyner Brooke – a ‘White Rajah’, heir to the Sarawak throne. It is from this point onward that the mysterious Kingdom of Sarawak unfurls.

Throughout the book, the presentation of Sarawak oscillates between images of savagery and gentility. Before the reader experiences any first-hand accounts of Sarawak through Sylvia, it has already been alluded to as a place of savagery and violence – the biography title alone (Queen of the Headhunters) suggests this. The regal wedding is publicised in the national media under lurid headlines such as: “Queen of the Wild Men of Borneo” and “Grand-Uncle of Bridegroom Won Savage Realm as Reward for Aiding Oriental Ruler.”

Despite this horrifying imagery, Sylvia has an unbiased approach to her new Kingdom, which allows her (and us vicarious readers) to experience Sarawak in its entirety. Her initial reaction is largely positive: “There was something fearsome about the richness of this ancient foliage in a land of mysterious legends and beliefs; and yet, as I gazed at all its luxuriant beauty, I knew that a long dark chapter in my life was ending.” Sylvia’s brother is more frank in directly challenging prevailing stereotypes: “It is too lovely a place here…. The idea that it is barbaric or primitive never occurs to one – it is a completely civilised and very, very comfortable life.”

The reader is offered glimpses into the scenery, customs and cultures of Sarawak, but with this being a biography, it is somewhat limited. Moreover, Sarawak is presented through a colonial, foreign, outsider’s lens. We experience the hospitable culture of the Dyaks through the meticulously detailed welcoming ceremonies, we learn about their loyalty to their rulers when jostles for the throne take place, as well as during the eventual cessation. We gain insight into the expectations of female subordination through Sylvia who initially struggles to comply, but then adopts behaviours that remain with her for life. “The Ranee Muda should be a thing apart, but what about Syv, the mad, wild Syv, must she be choked and killed just as she has come to life?” writes Sylvia about herself, followed by (many years later) ….”or break myself from the habit of standing whenever Vyner entered a room, or walking dutifully four paces behind him?” And of course, we do get an understanding of the headhunting practice which continued to thrive despite the White Rajah’s attempts to eradicate it.

Media coverage throughout Sylvia’s life continues to perpetuate the notion of a savage Sarawak Kingdom to lure in readers. In her later years, Sylvia takes advantage of this hyper-exoticisation of Sarawak to propel her own career in writing and lecturing on the subject. Sylvia and her daughters are chiefly able sustain themselves due to Western morbid fascination with the obscure far-flung Kingdom, and its unusual family dynasty. Strangely, the author uses the same ploy to lure in readers, and I discovered I too am not immune to this. As a reader, I am guilty for responding to the appeal of exotic morbidity; – the title was so beguiling I simply had to read the book. Ultimately, this book does not need to rely on such a misleadingly sensational cover to appeal – the vibrancy of Sylvia and her dynasty suffice. Readers seeking an exotic morbid fulfilment are likely to be disappointed.

This biography’s focus is on Sylvia as an individual, and less so about her Kingdom. Thoroughly researched and detailed; it can be heavy on the minute details, so the reader must be prepared to persevere. It is worth it – the myriad of blindingly colourful facts and events will astound and delight in equal measure. Experience the final hurrah of the White Rajah dynasty through this biography; it is a fascinating journey, in which we readers are privileged passengers.

You can also read this review on www.tripfiction.com or www.islandsofidentity.com

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 and 1/2 stars

I won Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters in a Goodreads Giveaway. I received a handsome hardback with an appropriately designed matte-finished jacket, featuring a smartly colored photographic portrait of the subject, in subdued, sepia-tones of greens and blues. The book features 362 pages including the common biographical elements: family tree, map, notes, pictures, bibliographies and copious notes. The font is a Times sort of serif, and while small, is still a bit wide and with ample spacing, so it is easy to read.

Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters is subtitled “An Eccentric Englishwoman and her Lost Kingdom” and what follows is an earnest and revealing account of an eccentric woman aristocrat married into royalty, aspiring to heights of accomplishment never quite achieved, and clutching desperately to the trappings and indulgence of royalty in its last gasping breath of dying.

The Brooke dynasty ruled Sarawak for a hundred years and became famous as the "White Rajahs", and the Brooke dynasty patronized in a good way the indigenous population. Sylvia was an aristocrat who married the 3d white rajah, Vyner of Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
Sylvia was quite erratic all of her life. She came from a rich and peculiar family, and as her Father served the Queen Victoria of England, they were surrounded by famous and over-entitled people.

Sylvia was whimsical, and aspired to succeed in the Arts. She wrote, painted, acted, and played musical instruments too. She wrote short stories, a few books and 2 autobiographies.
She was tediously self-absorbed and quite egocentric. Had she lived today she would be quite adept at our celebrity culture of selfies and reality shows.

Sylvia had 3 daughters but bore no son, which was inconvenient as there would be no heir to the crown for Sarawak. Her daughters were spoiled and Sylvia never instilled any sense of morality in them. While recounting her own childhood Sylvia revealed shocking facts, including rampant pedophilia and allusions of incest among the patriarchs of the aristocrats.

Sylvia’s own bohemian lifestyle included an open-marriage with her Rajah-husband. And even-though she wrote, painted, acted, and stood alongside prestigious figures of literature and art such as George Bernard Shaw, Aldous Huxley, J.M. Barrie (the author of Peter Pan), she remained shallow, and her grand exposure never raised her grey cell count or lowered her triteness.

The book is a very good read, and it was great to learn about this part of British history. I was not aware of "White Rajahs". I wish the book had talked more about those who were the real exotic people, meaning the headhunters themselves. A little more anthropology would have been a great addition to this book. But Sylvia cared more about the image that was projected by this exotic island than the island or the islanders themselves. And while her husband seemed to really care and be genuine to his "indigenous subjects", Sylvia’s greater efforts was towards preserving their position of elevated status in the world. In the end her biography reveals these priorities, and like her life becomes more centric of her exploits than the cause of her people.

The writing is agreeable and easy, though a little bit dry and common to the journalistic style of the author’s background. What keeps it colorful and quite engaging is the interspersed excerpts from Sylvia's autobiographies and letters both written and received.

I recommend Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters, without hesitation for those interested in biographies, unexplored history and a celebrity culture obsessed with the greatest of us behaving badly.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters as part of a Goodreads giveaway.

Sylvia Brooke grew up in an eccentric English family, daughter of an influential government minister and his doting wife. Emotionally neglected by her parents, Sylvia and her three siblings came of age during the late Victorian-Edwardian era. She eventually married Sir Vyner Brooke, who would eventually become the last "White Rajah" of the kingdom of Sarawak on the southeast Asian island of Borneo (a circumstance brought about by one of Vyner's adventurous ancestors). As Vyner's queen, or Ranee, Sylvia carved out an unconventional life in the lush jungle, producing three daughters and ruling until Vyner's abdication in favor of British rule in 1946.

Really interesting read. Sylvia, whose story I'd never heard, is so different from me in terms of time, temperament, and circumstance that it was often difficult for me to wrap my head around her. Still, she's such a unique figure that I'm glad Eade has captured her life in this biography. I'd have liked to hear some more perspective from the native Sarawaks about their views of their white rulers. Eade seems to indicate that the Brookes were well-loved, and that could be the case, but I do wonder if there's more to the story than that, given what we know about the dominance and often destruction of cultures at the hands of Europeans. Still, Sylvia is such a colorful character, and her personality bursts right off the page. Despite the tepid ending to the lives of her and her family, there's a lot in this book to engage and occupy.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book focuses mainly on Sylvia Brooke both before and after her marriage to Sir Vyner Brooke.
Before this book I had never heard of the nation of Sarawak, or had known that for about 100 years it had been ruled by a British family in what was knows as the White Rajah.

I found this book to be fascinating, very informative and engaging. I really felt like I got a good feel for who many of these people were, they weren't just flat pieces of information but real fleshed out characters that came alive while reading about them.

The book didn't always follow a linear time line, jumping around every once in awhile to finish covering a particular story line and then jumping back to continue with the history. This didn't bother me as much as make this feel more like a story instead of a historical account, it rather seemed to fit the characters as much as the almost fantasy like life they led.

If I had any complaints it is not with the writing of this book but with the people the author was writing about. They all seemed, shallow, petty, sick and useless. And yet so many of them had power over the lives of so many. I kept waiting for some sort of sanity to be forced upon their lives and it just never happened. What this did show me is that our fascination with useless celebrities, such as our current batch of “reality” TV shows and stars is nothing new the only difference is now they don't (as far as I know) have any influence over world governments.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[Ms Miaow · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of this book was chosen for a purpose,and that was to make what is essentially a dry plodding story seem more entertaining.
If the book had been called a history of Sarawak under the white Rajah rule or similar,I don't think it would have sold well.
Give it an exciting title and make people think it is an account of an outrageous woman and it sounds a lot more appealing.

When I first read some of the reviews on here,I wasn't prepared to expect much,but actually quite enjoyed the first half of the book detailing the aristocratic families in the early 20th century,and there were some funny anecdotes.
However I hit the 200 page mark and I could barely pick the book up again as it had become so dull and tedious,Sylvia seemed to have been forgotten about in favour of recounting every tiny boring bit of data regarding the politics of Sarawak,and the endless back and forth travels of her and her husband from UK,US,Sarawak..
The book ground to a halt halfway through and never recovered.
Sylvia was just another character in the book with no more time being spent on her than anyone else in it.
The story was no way near interesting enough to sustain the interest through 362 pages.
I'm determined to finish it because I hate to leave a book in the middle,but it's very hard going.
Definitely a book I would recommend getting from a library rather than buying,as I can't imagine many would want to read this a second time.

[Yasmin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mischievous and dysfunctional is not the choice of words I would use for the families mentioned in this book. Crack pots and perverse would be more appropriate. Indeed there was something very disgusting with her father's relationship with his son, her brother, Maurice. If you can get past that reading with the feeling of distinct revulsion it gets only faintly better. It's far from quaint or jolly; somewhere, if you can find it let me know, is supposed to be "hilarious", according to a review on the back. I don't know how many people read a book by the reviews scattered on the back, but to me these snippets are very misleading. It's all rather like the "non wild" Wyndhams I read earlier. The difference here being all of Sylvia's supposed bad points are mostly conjecture than anything really solid. She was one of the worst kind's of prude and bigot in her way. At the very first part of her life you feel a little sorry for her and then end up feeling mostly indifferent and quite annoyed, however, she wasn't the worst kind of colonial, but if she was around now I can see her voting UKIP. One last point why was her name shorted to Syv? My grandmother was Sylvia and her short name version was Sylv or Syl which makes a lot more sense.