a singular hostage

Mariana Givens #1

by Thalassa Ali

In a land of exotic splendor, a young Englishwoman finds herself guardian of an orphan child believed by a dying maharajah to be endowed with magical gifts. It is a role that will take her on a perilous journey into a kingdom’s walled city to protect a child she doesn’t know from a culture she doesn’t understand...

A Singular Hostage

The year is 1838. Mariana Givens, a spirited young woman of twenty, has been sent to India to find a suitable husband. Traveling as a translator, she joins the entourage of Lord Auckland, the British Governor-General, as he journeys across India with an army ten thousand strong to meet the fabled Ranjit Singh, Maharajah of the Punjab.

Eager young officers compete for Mariana’s favor, but it is with India that she falls in love: the baggage elephants tramping through country vast and wild; the scent of exotic foods at remote campsites; the enigmatic tutor who is her guide to native languages and ways. Lord Auckland must forge an alliance with Ranjit Singh that will deliver Afghanistan into British control, but as he negotiates his crucial treaty, Mariana is drawn into a perilous conspiracy surrounding the one-eyed Maharajah’s baby hostage--a child of mystical repute named Saboor.

Genres: Historical Fiction, India, Fiction, Romance, Historical, Historical Romance, Own

First published February 4, 2002

About the author

Thalassa Ali is an American who married a Pakistani and lived in Lahore for 12 years, before returning to Boston to become a successful stockbroker. She is the daughter of two archaeologists, one British. Ali is the author of two previous novels featuring Mariana Givens, A Singular Hostage and A Beggar at the Gate. Although she now lives in Boston, she has never lost her deep connection to Pakistan, the country she calls her second home.

Reviews

[Anita · Rating 2 out of 5]

Looking at other ratings, I am wondering how any reader can give this convoluted tale of a British girl's first visit to India 5 stars. Were they reading a different book?
Mariana goes to India to find a husband but gets involved with the native population. Horrors! Apparently when deployed in India at that time, the British were not expected to associate with the Indian population, except for the fact that, of course, the natives were providing their meals, their transportation and catering to their every whim.
Mariana breaks every rule in the book, spiriting away the grandson of a Shaikh; a magician; from the palace of the Maharajah, where the baby is held captive due to his being considered a lucky talisman to the ailing ruler. From this highly unlikely beginning, the story unfolds into a chase to return the baby boy to the Maharajah, which is foiled at every turn by an ever resourceful Mariana aided by an assortment of Indian servants. Naturally, she falls in love with a British guard, followed by her switching her attachment to the father of the baby boy, (to whom she is unwillingly married), with unbelievable haste, upon the departure of the British guard to fight in Afghanistan.
The entire story reads like a badly written melodrama. I gave it the 2 stars for the information on the Indian customs, such as the pre-wedding preparations which were quite interesting, not for the plot or the absurd ending. I believe it is the first in a trilogy. I will not be reading the other two.

[Sarah Pascarella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book sat on my shelf for six years before I picked it up. I shouldn't have waited so long... it's an entertaining adventure story following Mariana Givens, a young British woman traveling through India in the 1800s, accompanying Lord Auckland's army as they seek to sign a treaty with India's Lord Maharajah to jointly invade Afghanistan. Mariana, originally sent to India to find a husband and work as a translator between the British and local Indians, instead finds herself drawn into a plot of espionage as she becomes the primary (and secret) caretaker for an infant who was being held prisoner by the Maharajah himself.

This is a quick and engaging read, and I may pick up the sequel soon just to find out more about the witty, likable protagonist. ALi's writing could be a little more complex, and often wanders into young adult territory (particularly the descriptions of Mariana and Fitzgerald, her suitor), but overall the plot kept me interested.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the beginning, I was totally drawn into Mariana's story and had high hopes about this novel. The hints of tragedy in her past, her love of India and her sense of adventure make Mariana a very sympathetic heroine; I for one hoped that she was going to find happiness with Harry Fitzgerald, the one suitor who seemed to understand her. The desciption of life in India, the glimpses into the walled compounds of women, and the mystical undercurrent to Indian life added immeasurably to the narrative, until about two-thirds of the way through when the book suddenly took a turn into the absurd. Mariana's inexplicable decision to thrust herself into an untenable situation coupled with her subsequent inability to explain her way out struck me as ridiculous. From the scene in the Maharajah's Citadel to the very end of the book, I was exasperated with Mariana and with the novel itself. The ending was rushed and left everything unresolved, a decision that makes slightly more sense now that I see there are two more installments to the story, but still weakens the quality of the book. I'm just happy to be finished with Mariana and will certainly not be picking up volumes 2 and 3 of this epic.

[Vrinda Pandey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The initial parts of the book made me think that i am going to love this read however as the book progressed , the whole thing became rather too all over the place , the characters are not strong , too many and play rather vague , the story line progressed really slow as if the writer was well prepared from the page 1 that it will be a 3 book series . The English lifestyle is portrayed well thought thru and researched well however it wont bind you fro a long time because there are too many repetitions . The main protagonist ( if i may say so) is shown attracted to elephants initially so strongly in few pages and then the whole thing has no mention after a while in the whole book. Quite a disappointing read overall

[Karen Hogan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This follows the story of Mariana Givens, who travels with the British army into India, with the hope of finding a suitable husband. But she finds more than she bargains for when she helps a young hostage escape from the Maharajah. Enjoyed reading about India and the Indian culture in the 1800's, and Mariana's trials: the elephants, the Citadel, the food, and the seclusion of the Indian women. All very fascinating.The portrayal of the British's condescending attitude toward the natives, and their snobbery toward Mariana was unsettling. We never like to think badly about our ancestors, but often they behaved horribly.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.9 stars. The series is almost as good as shadow of the moon and other Kaye's books, and it's unique in it's own way.
I liked the aspect of the mystical baby and the Indian father rather than another European romance set in India and in this the books were the most unique I've read in this genre.
The h was foolish and thoughtless at times but she was also brave and I definitely felt for her, and also felt like she gave way to people around her too much as well-but all this is to the good since it had good character development and kept me interested to the end.

[Božidarka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Egzotična saga. Nije loše zamišljena, ali nastavak će ipak pričekati još neko vrijeme da ga preselim na to read listu.

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Have gone back to it a number of times when there seemed to be nothing compelling on my book shelf. A fascinating historical read, a satisfying bit of romance, a clear-eyed and accurate look at the British in India with all their myopic sense of superiority.

I have just re-read this yet again (many thanks, oh perceptive holiday gift-giver, for providing me my own copy!) and found it just as eye-opening and satisfying as in the past. One added reward this time around was the realization that the author has a profound respect for the Muslim faith and for the situation of women in a Muslim world, and rightly assumes that the average reader will be as ignorant of that belief system as main character Mariana Givens. Have I ever before read an account of Sufi mysticism that allowed me -- an avowed skeptic of all things spiritual -- to nod a grudging respect? An excellent book to make us question our deeply-engrained prejudices! And yes, still a restrained but heart-warming romance. I do relish a headstrong and impulsive heroine, and Mariana is a good one.

[Jennifer Jeffries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good period drama/adventure/romance/historical novel set in the British Raj period in India. A page-turner extraordinaire.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, set in Victorian India, with a headstrong heroine who doesn't conform to the English rules. Those who enjoy historical fiction will like this.

[Shakila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been the most enjoyable trilogy ever, even the second and third time.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mariana Givens, a young British woman, has been sent from her home in England to India to find a husband, something which sounds unusual but for 19th century British I suppose one must go where the eligible bachelors are. She ends up accompanying the sisters of Lord Auckland on the Journey across India to the Punjab where Auckland seeks to make a treaty with the Majaraja Ranjit Singh in order to invade Afghanistan. During her journey, she encounters a young boy, Saboor, who is held captive by the Majarajah as a political prisoner in order to keep his family in line. Mariana finds herself enchanted by the poor little boy and rescues him from captivity; most of the book involves her adventures attempting to keep little Saboor safe from an obsessed Ranjit Singh.

There are a LOT of characters in this story, and it switches perspectives between most of them, so it can be a lot to keep track of. I think the story itself is charming and I liked the way it woven together the different perspectives and showed the cultures of the distinct groups - the Hindu, the Muslim, and the British. Each are viewed equally as strange, and the British were not glorified at all, despite the primary perspective being Mariana's. You get to see how challenging it is for her overcome her own people's stubborn prejudices and preconceptions as much as it is for the others.

One thing I want add about Lord Auckland - the story itself is fiction, but the journey leading up to the First Afghan Campaign is very real, and the little we see of Auckland does him no favors: he's stubborn, pigheaded, and single-minded. I encourage anyone who doesn't know about this part of history to read up on it, but to summarize briefly, Auckland's obsession with controlling Afghanistan led to him restoring an ousted (and terrible) leader to his position, who promptly began a campaign of revenge on his own people, killing as many as he could who were involved in removing him from power. Not to mention the entire canpsign was based on faulty intelligence that made the British believe the Russians were looking to take over the region and exert their influence there. They were not. Its truly a disgraceful and dark period, and even Wellington and members of the British parliament tried to dissuade Auckland from going ahead with his plan. It matters because it gives some context to the politics of the time and how that impacts the way these viewed (and used) each other.

As far as the story goes, I was definitely rooting for Mariana and baby Saboor. Ive always liked stories that involved adventures in India (I loved Kim as a child) so I enjoyed this one, which is the first part of a three-part series. It's a very niche area of fiction, admittedly, so i would only recommend to fans of Historical Fiction who are interested in this particular type of story.

I give it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. I'm curious where this story will go.

[Valerija · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF: 70%
Might be weird to give a DNF 3 stars but that is mostly because I stopped when I realised where the book was going and that I wasn't going to like it. I spoiled myself a bit too and I am satisfied with my decision.
What I liked about this book:
-The describtions of Victorian India;
-The main character (in the first half);
-The tiny bit of romance (from the first half);
Was neutral on:
-The incorporation of Islam and the fantastical elements added to the book;
I would have prefered it if this was purely about a woman in a traveling camp in India, but it was interesting enough at the start before it took such bizare turns I could no longer deal with it.
The writing style; at times it felt repetetive and things were being dragged out too much (I was a bit confused every time I would remember this was a triology too, felt like it should be a standalone). It was also a bit messy and just not that complex.

Now little after the halfway point, (spoilers) the fantastical elements just started ruling the book, the heroine started making unbelievably annnoying decisions, there was a forced marriage she didn't know how to get herself out of (which to my understanding ends up being the endgame troughout the next 2 books). The atmosphere I was enjoying was still there but it was no longer enough for me.
I would have prefered it if this was a standalone where the adventure was solved by the end, she found happiness with her first suitor (a British general) and stayed in India learning about the other faiths and secrets of them (the conversion to another religion felt a bit rushed to me). Also, I feel like this book was stepping into and leaving the historical romance genre a lot in an unsatisfying way. At times I, not a huge romance reader, really thought it should have just went with it.

After I researched about the author a bit it made more sense. She is an American Muslim convert who married a Pakistani man and lived in Lahor for 12 years.

Overall, I am a tid bit dissapointed. Not much, as I couldn't bring myself to care much about the plot hence why I was able to leave it (generally I don't DNF books) but still dissapointed. I expected more things and different things from this book and I wanted to like it more than I did.

[Bish Denham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading this trilogy out of order. I read Beggar at the Gate and was a nearly half-way through (I was so caught up in it) before I realized it was the second book in a series of three. Book one did not disappoint. It is a comedy of errors, an adventure story, a mystery, and maybe a little love.

While reading these books I feel as though I have been transported back in time to British occupied India. The British are so self-righteous, prejudice, and mostly unlikable. The native population is rather perplexed by them and find them ignorant and somewhat amusing. Then there's Mariana Givens a rather too independent girl who gets herself into all kinds of situations both intentionally and unintentionally. But most appalling, at least to her British chaperones, is her curiosity and growing appreciation of Indian culture. Gasp.

Sometimes I get the feeling I'm a reading a woman writing as Talbot Mundy. And that is as great a complement as I can think of. Mundy had an eye, ear, nose, sound, and feel for India that always took me right inside the country. Ali does a very similar job. Her descriptions of people, places, sights, sounds, and smells is simply marvelous. She may not appeal to everyone, but she sure appeals to me.

[LyndaIn Oregon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young Englishwoman, shipped off to British India to find a suitable husband among Queen Victoria's military community, becomes entangled with local politics when she is thrust into the position of rescuer and guardian of a young child being held political hostage by the Maharaja of Punjab.

The descriptions of life in northern India (now Pakistan) during the early years of Queen Victoria's reign, is suitably colorful, but the action borders on the melodramatic, with many hair-raising escapades, a forced wedding, an escape from the seraglio, an is-it-or-isn't-it romance, and an ending that just kind of dribbles off without a clear resolution.

Ali, American-born and married to a Pakistani, manages (barely) to stay out of bodice-ripper territory, mostly by keeping everyone chaste. But her heroine is cut from the traditional cloth -- an independent, unconventional, headstrong maiden whose curiosity about the exotic locale leads her, step by step, into deeper intrigue and danger.

It's not a bad read, but don't expect much more than light entertainment here.

[Nessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars.

I very nearly didn’t finish this book. Although the book picks up near the end, the first half, or so, plodded along slower than an injured donkey. The characters were flat, I had a hard time understanding their motivations, and many were interchangeable. I also wondered why Mariana’s faith (Christianity) and the faiths of the Indians she interacts with (Muslim and Hindu) don’t clash. Mariana seems way too okay with adopting another religion, especially when most of she’s coming from a pretty religious culture herself.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

If like me, you enjoy a light adventure and travel novel, this book is for you! It reminded me of The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, only without any fantasy elements. I enjoy historical Bollywood movies and this book allowed me to take an adventure in India as a white woman, and enjoy everything from food to landscape to a wedding and riding on elephants. It slowed down a bit near the end, but I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

[Vesna M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zanimljiv istorijski period, jasno definisani likovi (iako ih na mahove ima previse) i neobicna prica cine ovu knjigu lakom za citanje. Knjiga ima dva nastavka i mislim da je vazno citati ih po redu radi dubljeg razumevanja narativa. Preporuka!

[A.J. Griffiths-Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the descriptions of the British Army as they travelled India on a quest to meet up with the Maharajah, but really couldn’t warm to the main character. She was selfish, thoughtless & acted on a whim, which was ultimately her downfall.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

These books are awesome at conveying life in India during this time period. But I can’t get over the way women were treated back then, by either culture.

[Jelena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zanimljivo i interesantno. Neobicno sam se vezala za glavnu junakinju, i zaista mi je knjiga ostala u lepom secanju.

[Josette Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts very well with some useful facts on history, culture and the big divide between the white and the brown society. Unfortunately the second half of the book is rather absurd.

[Ivančica Ganić]

Vrlo dobra i zanimljiva knjiga. Preporucujem svima cijelu triligiju ove autorice.

[Luminita Szen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am at about 82% of this book and as much as I would have liked to rate it higher, I cannot.
The plot is interesting but the characters feel sketched, unidimensional and I cannot root for the main female lead. If I change my opinion by the end of the book, I will update my review.

Update: I finished reading the novel, it ends on a cliffhanger. Sill 3 stars for me.

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Signular Hostage by Thalassia Ali is fantastic book about a young british girl who is sent to India in search of a husband. The main character Mariana, stays in a British Camp with Lord Auckland, Miss Emily, Miss Fanny, and military soliders, While at the camp, Mariana meets a solider named Harry Fitzgereld and she falls in love with him, but Miss Emily forbids her to love this man for he has a bad reputation over women. Now, the Great Marajah of Punjab has stolen the baby, Saboor, and claims it his pearls of pearls. People just believe him and go ignore the fact that he has stolen the baby. The baby's grandfather, Shaikah, claims that the only peron that can save Saboor is Mariana . So one mysterious night, the british camp is invited to dinner with the Marajah and that is the night she steals the baby. Mariana conceals the baby for weeks until she decides to make the courageous journey to return the baby. To her disbelief, she recieves a letter from the family of Saboor, her hand in marriage has been requested by Hassan , the father of Saboor . The next day, the Marajah ask her hand in marriage but in front of everyone she claims she is engaged to Hassan when really she isn't. Her life starts to get more interesting as the book progresses to the end.


This story is written in 3rd person point of view because throughout the book the pronouns of He, She, Him, Her come up. I can't tell who the narrator of the story is because there are many characters in this story. I really enjoyed this book because at every chapter it left you imaging what might happen next and in some parts the authour Thalassia Ali, shows the scenes rather than telling them. For example, the part when the servents take her and prepare her for her wedding, is clear example of a show rather than tell scene.

I would recommend this book to whoever loves adventure and suspense because this book is full of it. I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone how doesn't like love scenes because there are love scenes but they are not that bad to handle. Other than that, this book is an amazing book to read as an historical fiction book. Out of 5 stars, I give this book a 4.5

[Tony Cohen · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this book has some strengths. It does a fair job of portraying some nice stereotypes of the British Raj, the 'silly' locals and the other 'silly' locals, the Pakistanis who are standing in the way of the Raj crushing the Afghanistan....which...historically...didn't work out so well for the British.

Anyway, the plot roles along, has some good cliches and hacks...but then the plot sort of falls apart.

(Warning: Spoiler Alert)

So here comes the crux. Due to some strange geo-political contrivances, which was fairly well done and interesting to be fair...and since I work for the British and can so see them fumbling about with the 'locals'. Anyway, the heroine ends up getting engaged to the son a Pakistani religious figure to avoid being engaged to the decrepit ruler, who the author had repeatedly alluded to as childish, disturbing, old, ugly,perverted, etc....anyway you would marry a local too if that was your other option.

Anyway, she gets engaged...somewhat against her will...gets all dolled up...against her will...gets married...gets carried to her nuptial bed...and then the marriage is not consummated. WHAT THE F%CK? Right...because a man back in 1800's Pakistan...or in 2008 ANYWHERE..would be ok with not having sex with his new bride.

Of course this turns out to be critical, because by him not raping her, she is more ok with, she actually shares a non-horrible (from her eyes) kiss with him at the end...and their relationship blossoms (presumably) through the next two books. But all of this only works if he doesn't have sex with her...which is just comically unbelievable....he goes over to her...she is terrified....he sees this and leaves her alone...too bull shirt for the basis of two further books.

[Kb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not my usual type of book but I was looking for a change and I found it in this tale of India (now Pakistan) in the early 1800s. I am not one to like overdone romance novels, so I am glad the fledgling courtships did not occupy too much of the storyline. Instead we have a story of decent families trumping whatever social and political barriers are put in their way. And there are a lot of strict rules of behavior to attend to for women, whether they are British or "native". That part was the most frustrating for me, as it would have been for Mariana, the main actor in our story.

The characters ranged from abhorrent to delightful, but this is not a literary novel of growth and experience. No, it is almost like a fairy tale, with mystical aspects as well as real horrors. It was interesting to read about the lives of women, both British and native, and about different natives from all walks of life. (I should explain that I am using the word "native" as a generic term for the non-British people -- not as a pejorative but because I don't trust myself to do justice to the diversity among the Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus who play important roles in the narrative.)

The writing style was not obtrusive, which to me is a good thing, because bad writing can spoil a good story. The pacing was perhaps a little off since it felt like some parts dragged. (So many villains. So many unspoken rules of behavior. So many boring dreams whose interpretation is somehow necessary to the plot.) Regardless, I found the book sufficiently engaging that I plan to read the rest of the trilogy.*

* I realize that some parts of this review sound like damning with faint praise, but seriously, I immediately got my hands on the next book and started to read.

[Ida · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this novel was going to be based more on historical fact with a side order of make-believe, but this is not the case. The historical setting with a few real-life characters is what you get. Needless to say, the more I read, the more I felt this book belongs in the historical romance genre. It was a pleasant change for me. Mariana, a young English woman sent to India to find a suitable husband and to escape her non-conforming past, travels with Lord Auckland's troops through India as an interpreter for Auckland's sisters. She becomes unexpectedly and involuntarily involved with the Maharajah's hostage, a baby boy who is considered to be a good-luck talisman for the Maharajah. Ultimately, Mariana's constant dithering over leaving and staying, aiding and abetting became annoying. I was somewhat disappointed by the ending which leaves matters unresolved. I know there are 2 more books in the series, but I prefer each one to feel more complete than suspended in mid-air. I guess if I want to know what happens to the child, his father, and Mariana, I will have to read the next book in the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book on a recommendation from a friend, but I didn't find it as appealing as I had hoped. The story revolves around a young British woman sent to India to (hopefully) find a husband. She becomes caught up in a tussle over a young boy, whom she eventually kidnaps/saves. The historical elements were portrayed well, but I guess I kept expecting more -- more action, more intrigue, more characterization, hell, even more romance. Not a horrible book, but I don't think it actually lived up to its premise (although there are two more books in the series - maybe things get sorted out in the end - I won't be reading them).

[Katelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you liked The Blue Sword, you'll love this book.

Mariana is an Englishwoman who has gone to India to find a husband amongst the young military men. However, her impulsiveness is legendary. At the same time, the elderly Maharajah is keeping a baby with supposed supernatural powers hostage. Will Mariana find love? Will the baby be rescued?

I loved the premise of this book. My only complaint is that the ending was non-eventful. Which may actually be good, because it stops the book from being cliched. Anyways, you can read the book and decide for yourself.