Planina svetlosti

by Indu Sundaresan, Milica Cvetković (Translator)

Od autorke svetskog bestselera Dvadeseta supruga.

Veličanstvena priča o jednom od najčuvenijih dijamanata na svetu.
Burna istorija legendarnog dijamanta poreklom iz Indije od sto osamdeset šest karata i onih u čijem posedu je bio.

Kako su se carstva uzdizala i padala, a moćni kraljevi otimali o vlast, blistavi sjaj tog kamena nikad nije potamneo. Reč je o dijamantu Planina svetlosti – Kohinor – u čijim izbrušenim stranicama se odražava čitava pripovest o ljubavi, pustolovini, osvajanju i izdaji. Njegovo poreklo je utkano u mit, ali je uistinu taj zanosni dragulj vekovima prelazio iz ruke u ruku, od vladara do vladara u Indiji, Persiji i Avganistanu. Prastari dragi kamen je 1850. godine poslat na drugi kraj sveta, gde će odigrati presudnu ulogu u isprepletenim sudbinama dečaka-kralja iz Indije i mlade engleske kraljice – kraljice koja polaže pravo na Planinu svetlosti, pa i na samu Indiju u svom sve većem carstvu, i smatra ih najblistavijim draguljima carske krune.

Planina svetlosti je veličanstvena priča o gubljenju i vraćanju, iznenadnim promenama i istrajnoj istini obavijenim oko plamtećeg srca jednog od najčuvenijih dijamanata na svetu.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, India, Historical, Indian Literature, Asia, Audiobook

344 pages, Paperback

First published October 8, 2013

About the author

Indu Sundaresan was born in India and grew up on Air Force bases all over the country. Her father, a fighter pilot, was also a storyteller—managing to keep his audiences captive and rapt with his flair for drama and timing. He got this from his father, Indu's grandfather, whose visits were always eagerly awaited. Indu's love of stories comes from both of them, from hearing their stories based on imagination and rich Hindu mythology, and from her father's writings.

After an undergraduate degree in economics from India, Indu came to the U.S. for graduate school at the University of Delaware. But all too soon, the storytelling gene beckoned.

Reviews

[Lisa B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know nothing - zero, zip, nada - about the history between England and India. I also did not know anything about the Kohinoor diamond. This book tells a combination of both in a very interesting way.

The books begins with the story of who owns the Kohinoor diamond in the early 1800s. Each chapter ends with how the diamond gets passed to the next owner. The subsequent chapters move forward in time, spinning a little tale surrounding the diamond, until it finally comes to rest with the Queen of England in 1850. With each chapter, we learn a lot about India, it’s culture and the how the British moved to eventually annex the Punjab empire with it’s other holdings in India.

This is historical fiction that I found fascinating. I was constantly googling some of the names and places mentioned to understand a little more of the background of what I was reading. This book has certainly peeked my interest of this complex relationship between these two countries. I’m very glad I read this well written novel.

My thanks to Atria Books, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Mountain of Light" is the story of the Kohnihoor diamond, which was once considered the largest diamond in the world. The book follows the diamond's movement from India to England and shows how it affects the lives of those that come into contact with it. This is a fascinating historical fiction about a famous stone and has some really fantastic settings that will appeal to my fellow armchair travelers!

The settings were the best part of the book for me. I absolutely love armchair traveling so I was very excited for this book because of that. I've been loving historical fiction set in Asia for awhile now so I was happy to get back to it. Sundaresan really did a good job with bringing the setting to life for me.

Because this is really a historical fiction centering on an item and following that item for almost 300 years, I was a little bit out at sea with this book. I usually prefer my novels character driven. The diamond is really the constant throughout this book, which I'm not sure I liked. It was interesting learning about the different rulers and people that came into contact with the diamond but I found myself wanting to know more about them than the diamond. Nonetheless, the "mountain of light" has had a fascinating history and I did enjoy learning a little bit more about it.

[Joy Matteson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this novel. Books about a priceless diamond worth a king's ransom in India? Yes please. The fact that the diamond made its way to Queen Victoria during the rise of British imperialism is a story that should be told. I just didn't think it was told well by this author. I listened to the audio version, and I cannot get over how slow and confusing the narrative seemed. Since the reader follows the story of a diamond, not the narrative arc of characters, the reader must keep track of a plethora of names and faces, and as soon as one gets one's bearings in the story, another cast emerges. Additionally, the diamond's location only gets fleeting mentions--in a zanana, or on a ship bound for England. One got the sense that Ms. Sundaresan tried to balance both the fascinating history with believable characters inter-weaved within the story, and got muddled. Between trying to listen to lists of unfamiliar names, historical dates and wars that would be unfamiliar to most readers without a working knowledge of 17th and 18th century Indian history, I cannot recommend this audiobook. Perhaps it's easier to follow in print.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Around the World: India

So. Much. Information.
SO. MANY. NAMES.
SO. MUCH. DRAMA.
All over a diamond. And who should rule. And land.

This was a very good read, even with my minor complaints above. I learned so much about India and Pakistan and how England basically took over India in not a good way - who can truly believe that a 10 year old boy [The Maharajah] knew what was going on when he signed away his lands and titles and wealth? It was a very interesting read and I am now really into learning more about this time period and the people that lived during it.

The audiobook narrator was meh. At times his reading of this made it seem more like a textbook being read than a historical fiction book. And then there were times where it was really well done. So keep that in mind if you want to listen to this rather than read it.

[M.K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful novel ... this is what I said about it on my blog, A Writer of History.

The Kohinoor diamond was said to be cursed because this fabulous jewel often changed hands when disaster or defeat occurred. And sure enough, following England's subjugation of India, the Kohinoor was taken from the treasury of Dalip Singh, heir to the throne of the Punjab, and sent to Queen Victoria.

"Although the Kohinoor diamond has belonged to the monarchs of England for the last hundred and sixty-three years, the diamond has a deep reach into Indian history ... the first recorded mention of the Kohinoor occurs in the memoirs of the Emperor Babur, who established the Mughal Empire in 1526, and received the diamond from one of the rajas whom he defeated."


Indu Sundaresan begins The Mountain of Light at a time when Shah Shuja, the former King of Afghanistan possesses the Kohinoor. Shuja and his wife, Wafa Begam, are 'guests' of Maharajah Ranjit Singh, ruler of the Punjab. Ranjit Singh keeps the couple in captive luxury, waiting for them to handover the Kohinoor. The time is 1809, the English are by now well established in India through the East India Company.

Subseqent chapters trace the Kohinoor's path as it changes hands and as England exerts increasing control over the wealth and people of India.

Throughout the novel, Sundaresan offers superb descriptions of the culture and life of those who ruled in India. We visit the zenana, the harem housing women of the house, we see the clothing both men and women wear and experience the interactions of rulers and ruled. The author introduces us to Indian words with enough frequency to entice, adding authenticity without confusion. We see the grandeur of India, the courtesies and formalities of Indian royal life. The differences of Indian and English cultures and the assumption of English superiority are deftly exposed. And at every step we fear the encroachment of England, as those deputized to lead on behalf of English monarchs seek power, land and wealth.

The Mountain of Light if full of sharply drawn characters whose strengths and weaknesses unfold through dramatic scenes complemented by seamlessly woven backstory. Although many who come to India seek ways to replicate their home countries, some are deeply affected by the experience, for India gets into their souls. The poignant last chapter - Diary of a Maharajah - shows us Dalip Singh as a much older man recounting aspects of his life to his eldest daughter Sophia. It filled me with sadness.

This is a novel I highly recommend. If you've been to India, it will bring back wonderful memories; if you haven't, it will lure you to visit. And in either case, you will learn much about this unique country's history.

[Penny (Literary Hoarders)]

Received this book as a gift today! Thank you my dear friend Alice. It's a moving-on-to-a-new-job gift and she felt the title "Mountain of Light" was apt! :-)

[Smitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the books I have reviewed, this is the only one which I actually asked an author for a review copy. How could I not, when it is one of my favourite author’s book? I’ve loved every book of hers so far!

Indu Sundaresan was kind enough to send me an e-book as I was not located in the right geography for a proper book.

The enchanting story of the Koh-i-Noor, the diamond that captured the imagination of so many people, rulers and common man alike. A tale of loyalty, treachery, duties, betrayals, it has it all. The mountain of Light starts at the time when Shah Shuja and his wife, Wafa Begum are imprisoned, by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Emperor of Punjab. The Koh-i-Noor, is the often unseen, but omnipresent protagonist of this historical saga. A tale of the numerous lives touched and affected by the legendary diamond, be it those who owned it, or those who protected it, or those who yearned for it. The majestic yellow diamond, weighing 186 carats was something everybody wanted their hands on, be it the kings in India, or the British. The diamond for all it’s brilliance was also supposed to carry a curse on its wearer. Only women could wear it on a crown, safely. It was said that the curse brought destruction to men who wore it, which is probably why the Mughals had it embedded in the throne and Maharaja Ranjit Singh wore it as an amulet. The story follows the Koh-i-Noor, from the time Wafa Begum held on to it, as a bargaining tool, to Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who kept it safe until he died. After his death, the British took over the Empire of Punjab. Maharaja Dalip Singh, Maharaja Ranjit’s Singh’s eight-year-old son was king only in name, and very soon the Koh-i-Noor was on its way to Queen Victoria, as a ‘present’. Even the journey to England, by ship was not without excitement. The tale then goes on to Maharaja Dalip Singh’s life in England, who followed the diamond to Britain, and finally died in France.

The book is a feast of imagery. Sundaresan’s words transport you to the garden where Wafa Begum has secreted the diamond. Her words bring to life, the richness and the power play of Indian courts, the lavish lifestyles that the royals lived. The generosity of gifts that Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his queen bestows on the visitors to their kingdom, took my breath away. How rich India must have been at that time, if they could gift away diamond necklaces and emeralds shaped as grapes! The life of the British in India was really beautifully portrayed. Some who brought their whole homes into India, to set up their British parlour in the heart of India. Others who mingled, blended into the rich tapestry of India, who understood and respected their hosts, some ruthless, while others sympathetic. Each with their own perspectives, some who felt it was their divine right to rule over India, others who understood how unfair that assumption was. British rule in India, and the mechanics of they managed to annex so much of India is brought out really well.

The book is a beautifully balanced portrayal of the times. Maharaja Dalip Singh’s tale filled me with such sadness.. A boy, a mere boy, made a puppet king, and then indoctrinated in ways that were totally foreign to him and his culture that he soon becomes as British as they come. Only to realize that no matter how British he felt, he would always be foreign to them. His life changes, even though he was a favourite of Queen Victoria’s. It was such a sad end for someone who grew up knowing that he had the world in his hands.

The portrayals of the women in the tale is great. Be it sophisticated Wafa Begum, the clever Maharani Jindan Kaur, the alluring, mysterious Roshni, the British sisters Emily and Fanny Eden, or Lady Login. Despite the number of characters in the book, the author has done a brilliant job of assigning them full characters, none of the characters feel hard done by. And as usual, I cannot even begin to imagine the amount of research that must have gone into writing this book, just like her other books. Especially given the fact that there are so many factual events and characters in the book.

It was a book that I took very long to read, by my standards. Not because it was uninteresting, but because I just had to find out more about all the characters that turned up in the book. I kept looking up events and characters that came up in the story. To my surprise and delight, the author has used so many factual events and fictionalized them so well, that one is left wondering what is fact and what is fiction. Just my kind of book. A book that I hoped wouldn’t end. And when it did, I ended up reading up whatever information I could find about that period in history.

If anything, I wish I could know a bit more of the Kohinoor before it reached the Mughals, but from the look of it, there isn’t much documentation about it. It makes me wonder what other adventures it must have gone through. Its current resting place, must seem so very boring indeed. I love books that transport you to the times another era, and this was one of the best of the genre.

I would definitely recommend it. I would rate it a 4.5/5. Thank you so much, Indu Sundaresan, for the copy of the book.

[Shalini M · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book by Indu Sundaresan that I read was ‘The Twentieth Wife’, and I was absolutely enthralled by it. I loved the sequel (The Feast of Roses) too. On a visit to Blossoms, I had been looking out for her collection of stories, ‘In the Convent of Little Flowers’; I didn’t find it, but I came upon ‘The Mountain of Light’. It belonged to the same genre (Historical fiction), and the subject – The Kohinoor (or Koh-i-Noor, as is described here) – appeared really interesting

After I bought it, it kept on lying for almost two years (I was mostly in my non-reading phases during this time), before I started reading it on a flight. I finished about 105 pages in a single sitting on that small flight! The narrative kept me hooked, and at that point I didn’t regret buying it solely on the strength of the previous works I had read by the author. However, my conviction did not last the entire length of the book. It is undoubtedly a well written story, but I found it disappointing, and it failed to live up to the expectation I had from it.

The actual origins of the world’s most well-known diamond – the Kohinoor – are unknown; this book tells the story of the magnificent diamond from the time it reached into the possession of legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab to its passing into the hands (or crown) of the empress of Great Britain, Queen Victoria. The diamond is also said to have a curse – a man cannot safely wear it in a crown, which is why the Mughal emprerors had it embedded in the Peacock Throne, and Ranjit Singh wore it in an armlet. The promise – as you can imagine – is irresistible. And this is where this fails. I felt that the book is composed of four distinct tales, only loosely bound by the Kohinoor.

The first part of the book narrates the events that led to the acquisition of the diamond by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Shah Shuja, the exiled king of Afganistan, and his wife Wafa Begum, are imprisoned by the Maharaja – he rescued Shah Shuja from imprisonment in exchange for diamond, but later Wafa Begum is reluctant to hand him the diamond as promised. At last, they have to surrender it to the Maharaja, who retains it, as well as the vast Punjab empire, till his death. During this timeline, the story meanders into an account of Lord Auckland’s sisters, Emily and Fanny – which would have been very well, had it had a relevance to the events that take place later on.

The second story deals with the boy king Maharaja Dalip Singh, the heir of Ranjit Singh, whose empire is annexed by the British. He is raised under the guardianship of the British regent (John? Henry? Cant recall the name) and ultimately exiled to England. The author seems to have completely skirted the unpleasant part of the British takeover of Indian kingdoms, and portrayed the regent in a very compassionate light. While I was approaching this part, I was apprehensive about the traumatic details of British oppression, however I found the completely benevolent tone difficult to digest too. A large part of this story is devoted to the life and affairs of the regent, and again, has hardly any relevance to the central theme.

A third story captures the actual transfer of the diamond from India to London, and as expected, is considerably dramatized. A little too much, I would say.

Then we find the exiled prince (or self-proclaimed Maharaja), old and dying, in Paris. Interspersed are his reminiscences of his early life in Britain. His initial years are covered with a lot of excitement, and a grand life where he has the queen’s favor, though he also starts to get a first-hand experience of deep-rooted racism. How and when he got from that privileged life to the current destitute state, is either not mentioned, or I am unable to recall after a couple of months.

There is no doubt that each story is wonderfully told, in the same delightful style that I found so captivating in ‘The Twentieth Wife’ – great narration with a rich imagery of people and places. However, that is what it amounts to – a string of stories, where the primary character (the Kohinoor) makes only a few fleeting appearances. The author has clearly stated that several events have been a product of her own imagination, but here the imagination appears to have taken the predominant role. The entire tale that is meant to be a historic fiction, was more fiction than history, and felt like it (I didn’t feel that so much in the books on Noor-Jahan’s life). It would not have rankled, if these sub-plots had a role to play in the central story. It was as if the characters made an appearance, engaged you, and then fizzled out. Overall, a good read, but unsatisfying.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

So disappointed. This is the kind of book I love. Perhaps it was my mood, but it never really captured my interest. I wavered as it was really a 2 1/2, but cant stretch to good.

[Kammie]

This is a beautiful book! I am looking forward to reading it.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting historical details but rather long winded.

[Viana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using the kohinoor diamond as a symbol for power and majesty, Sundaresan tells the story of India, in particular the Punjab region, pre and post British colonization. The most poignant story in the novel is that of Maharaja Dalip Singh, who readers see go from a glowing, happy child to a broke and broken old man. It is unbelievable and sickening the amount of wealth the British stripped from India in a relatively short period in history, all through the belief in their own superiority to the "natives."

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the 186 karat “Kohinoor” diamond

[Pankaj Goyal · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The Mountain of Light’ is the story of the Kohinoor diamond, the diamond which captured the imagination of so many people. This was once the largest diamond in the world. It is believed that the name Kohinoor was first used by Nader Shah in 1739 CE when he took this diamond in his possession. Prior to this date, the name Kohinoor was not used. This diamond was on one occasion mounted on the Peacock throne of Shah Jahan, the Mughal ruler who commended the building of famous Taj Mahal. At present, it lies in the hands of the British Royal family. This book traces Kohinoor’s movement from India to England. The author has researched well in tracing the diamond’s changing location from one place to another.

This captivating tale of Kohinoor begins at the time when Shah Shuja and Wafa Bagum were imprisoned by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and ends with Maharaja Dalip Singh’s life in England. This is an enchanting tale of Kohinoor which is ever-present throughout this book. The book revolves around the lives of those people who touched, owned, protected or even longed for this diamond. The book is divided into different sections, each dealing with a fascinating tale surrounding the diamond. Each of the sections takes the story forward and describes how the diamond gets passed to the next owner. The excitement and tension that prevail in Kohinoor’s world are authentically portrayed by the author. The author not only recognises but also beautifully describes the fears, anxieties, aspirations and actions that must have been gone into capturing this beautiful diamond in the historical times.

While the main theme of the book is Kohinoor, the characters around the diamond are well represented. The author has been successful in bringing these characters alive, especially the female ones (Wafa Begum, Maharani Jindan Kaur, Roshni, Emily, Fanny Eden and Lady Login). There is much that we learn of various characters both from the narrative and from the incidents presented in the book. Most of the characters have a representative function in this historical plot. The character of Dalip Singh has also been well portrayed and the changes involved in the transition of Dalip Singh’s childhood (a role of dependence) to adulthood (a role calling for maturity and independent decision making) are represented with sharpness and detail. With the use of various insights of human nature, the reading of ‘The Mountain of Light’ certainly gets a new dimension. The strength of Indu Sundarsean’s art is to present even a negative character from a human angle and thereby shed light on his likable weakness as well.

The author should be acknowledged on keeping this fiction as close to the reality as possible. However, what makes it a living reality in this novel is the ability of the author to give a mythical aura to factual details. While it is really difficult to imagine the amount of hard work gone into writing this book, the amount of research done by the author is really well paid off. I will strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading historical fiction.

(I won this in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway contest)

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant piece of historical fiction. Once again Indu Sundaresan has brought history to life in this well-researched novel tracing the story of the 186-carat Kohinoor diamond from 1817, when Maharajah Ranjit Singh held Shah Shuja captive to procure the highly coveted gem, through years of war and royal intrigue in the Punjab -- a time of bloodshed, betrayal, and annexation -- to the time of English rule when the priceless gem is secreted overseas to Queen Victoria in England. The Mountain of Light tells the unflinching truth of how India lost this priceless diamond to England.

From start to finish, Sundaresan takes the reader on a journey. Her lush settings are illuminated with beautiful descriptions of the play of light. She uses words to paint her scenes the way a fine artist uses a brush. The rich settings help the reader not only see, but experience the time period as the story of the Kohinoor unfolds. But above all it’s her characters that stand out. From rich maharajahs to poor old women who sell chai to the soldiers, each person comes alive on the page.

We experience romance, abandonment, murder, and betrayal. We glimpse alluring women like Roshni, a mysterious veiled princess in Lahore Fort. We see love for beauty, wealth, land, and family turn to butchery, fratricide, and finally chilling victory over a place and a people. The novel, told in many voices and many viewpoints, finally traces the story of Maharajah Dalip Singh (the last Maharajah of the Punjab and final owner of the Kohinoor before it left India). His story, above all, leaves a lasting impression on the reader’s mind.

Whether you read The Mountain of Light for its dramatic story, its lush setting, or its vivid characters, this novel will give you insights into history that will change you.

[Parwati Singari · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mountain of Light.
Author: Indu Sundaresan
Publisher: Harper Collins India.
ISBN: 978-93-5116-091-5
Genre: Historic fiction.
The Kohinoor, the mountain of light as the Shah of Persia named is believed to have been given by the Lord Krishna to devotee, from there it’s physical mention is in the memoirs of the Mogul king Babur. It has then traversed in out of India to its final resting place in the crown of England.
The story opens in the court of Maharaja Ranjith Singh of the Punjab Empire who exacts the Kohinoor from Shah Shuja of Afghanistan for help him regain his kingdom.
Indu presents the book as a pensive of Prince Dalip Singh the son of Maharaja Ranjith Singh. Taking through the gardens of Lahore, accession of Punjab, the boy king’s travel to London, his conversion, queen Victoria’s venture to get him married to her other protégée, Victoria Gowramma of coorg. The English attitude, of Dalip Singh being a person to be feted and petted yet unworthy to marry the ward of impoverished missionary couple who are his guardians.
What I like about Indu’s style of writing be it the Taj Trilogy or the Splendour of Silence is vibrancy, she is able to create an imagery and actually give us a voyeuristic view, she is so present in her writing through the language, life and vibrancy without being judgemental.
But in the novel the mountain of light Indu is conspicuous by her absence the book ambles along like an rickety old man ... factually and as a social structure she is able to sort of recreate the raj, but Indu for the first time disappointed me.
Of course there are tremendous insights into history.
indu@indusundaresan.com

[Marko Nikolovski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Knjiga koja ne samo da te tera da se osećaš depresivno, nego da izgubiš volju za životom. To nije uticaj radnje iz knjige, nego uticaj "neradnje" jer se u knjizi gotovo ništa ne dešava, neverovatno je dosadna a da ne spominjem što je čitava prepričana u prologu. Ne razumem poentu toga.

Sa druge strane, mogu da kažem da sam naučio ponešto o Indiji a donekle i o deliću njene istorije. Ali to je mizerno malo, knjiga ima 300+ strana i gubila je vreme opisujući kako se rvaju dva dana dva najnebitnija lika u celoj knjizi, ako je uopšte neki i bitan?! Da ne spominjem kako je završni deo knjige uništen izveštajima iz dnevnika Maharadže umesto da smo zapravo dobili imalo korisnu isplatu utrošenog vremena, da nam duši bude lakše.

Najzanimljiviji deo knjige, ako uopšte i postoji, bio je kada čovek, koji je dobio zadatak da prenese dijamant iz Indije u Englesku, izgubi dijamant na brodu. Naravno, ovaj deo ne može biti preterano napet jer svi znamo da će dijamant dospeti u Englesku jer tako piše u prologu. Povrh svega toga dijamant je pronađen pet strana kasnije i kao razrešenje misterije dobili smo najveću moguću glupost - ukrao ga je njegov sluga, koji je čuvao sam taj dijamant u riznici tokom svog života a nakon toga je odlučio da sebi oduzme život!?

Nisam nikad mislio da ću ovo reći za neku knjigu, ali ovo je gubljenje vremena. Ako hoćete da dospete u "Reading slump" (da se izrazim popularno) onda vam itekako preporučujem ovu knjigu. I molim vas, ako hoćete da pišete knjigu koja nema apsolutno nikakav zaplet, onda znajte da trebate da se potrudite za makar 90 posto više od pisca ove knjige.

[Bindu Manoj · Rating 3 out of 5]

More often than not, as your expectation levels increase, the chances of getting disappointed also rises exponentially. Sad to say, the rule has been proved yet again. I could not put down the first two parts of her Taj trilogy and had jumped at the chance of getting a review copy of Indu Sundaresan's latest novel, based on the mysterious and controversial Kohinoor - The Mountain of Light.

The story starts with Shah Shuja and his wife Wafa Begum imprisoned by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The only thing that can gain them their freedom is the mighty Kohinoor that Wafa Begum has hidden cleverly. The story is supposed to be about how the precious diamond passes on to Ranjit Singh and finally ends up in the hands of the Queen of England. Yes, there is the Maharaja's heir Dalip Singh, though his character' growth happened when we are left looking elsewhere. One moment he is an eight year old, next he is old and dying in Paris.

Maybe it was me and the time, I found the story disjointed, and was not able to understand why certain characters like Lord Auckland's Emily and Fanny Eden, Roshni, Victoria Gouramma and similar others appeared at all. Even the Kohinoor was like a fleeting presence rather than a connecting thread. I think what was missing was a central character that carried the story through.

Verdict - Suffice to say I was sorely disappointed. Have seen some reviews where the readers loved it. So, I guess will leave it to you whether to pick this up or not.

You can read my other reviews at http://wanderlustathome.wordpress.com/

[Marcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mountain of Light is the Kohinoor diamond, acquired, along with other unusual, splendid jewels and gems by the Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Punjab. The Maharajah, an honored ruler, housed a dethroned ruler of Afghanistan, Shah Shuja, in great style, with the hopes of acquiring the Kohinoor diamond from him, a 186 carat, flawless diamond. When the ruler's wife, Wafa, continued to delay the transfer, the Maharajah stopped all food and water from coming to them until the Kohinoor diamond was brought forth and given to the Maharajah.

The Maharaja ruled for many years. The British took took their place in India, and started to annex the lands of the Punjab empire, along with the treasury that once belonged to the Maharaja. The Maharaja's son, Maharajah Dalip Singh, was only a young child when his father died. The child was brought up by Indians and the English in his own land. The Kohinoor diamond was sent, by almost total secrecy, to England to become the property of the Queen of England. The Maharajah Dalip Singh, a sixteen year old, was brought by his English caretakers to England. England had taken all of his inheritance. In place was a yearly salary that would take care of the Maharahah Dalip Singh for life. Was this an equal exchange? Only the reader can judge for himself what was lost, and what was gained by England's takeover of India in this era.

This was a totally captivating third book by the author, Indu Sundaresan!

[MollieVX · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is definitely worth a read. Its a 3.5 according to me.
The most remarkable thing about it is that though the book is divided into sections, with each section having its own set of characters and the previous characters just occasionally mentioned, this book could easily have come off as something segmented, could have lost the sense of continuity. But it does not. It forms a beautiful narration of the various phases in the history of the Kohinoor. And I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading Historic fiction.

[Idea Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story follows the Koh-i-noor diamond through its various usurpers at every point in British-colonised India. There are Hindu/Sikh Maharajas, Mughal kings, British generals, East India Company officers. Everyone is vying for a piece of the power that this diamond represents. The prose is both consistent and accessible, considering the story is over a century old and spans different ethnicity.

As an Indian reading about my colonised history as told by an Indian, I came to this book prepared to hate the European invaders. Some passages speak of their racism, like when we hear about the woes of Emily's life. This is an affluent white woman with the power to turn down a proposal from the Prime Minister of her country to follow her ambitious brother for more money. Her chief lament is that there are too many servants in her Indian quarters. Then suddenly, there's an attempt to humanise the same characters with talk of their personal heartaches. It feels incongruent, to say the least.

And this is not limited to the 'evil English invader' characters. The Punjabi/ Mughal/ Afghanistani characters are entirely unsympathetic as well. Every single one of them is wealthy beyond compare. And millions of desperately poor people perform back-breaking labour for their vanities. But we're supposed to care about their petty egos surrounding a diamond.

Before we get a chance to care about a set of characters, the book has already moved to the next grabbers of the diamond. This is complete with lavish descriptions of their surroundings and cardboard characterisations. The book is written in the style of 'exotic India'. The style might cater to white/Western audiences but it isn't that nice about them either.

I tried to solder on but it got too hard. Trying to care about a diamond (which is never described except as big and shiny)? Empathising with quests that justify powerful, privileged people being exploitative, treacherous villains? I stopped at page 141 after a laboured description of a white man enjoying a beedi, leching at a young girl picking flowers. Oof, enough.

[Shubhika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rarely have I read a book with so much language. The sheer density of imagery, description, and detail was overwhelming at first, but once I got into the rhythm, I found myself gliding through it. What stood out most wasn’t just the plot twists or the layers of characters, but how each chapter almost read like a short story of its own. Different sub-themes, different voices, yet tied together with a consistent narrative thread. I genuinely enjoyed that structure, it felt like reading many lives at once.

That said, as much as I admired the storytelling, I do think it could’ve been done in fewer words. While the compression of timelines was an excellent narrative choice, there were moments where the writing leaned too heavily on description and slowed the pace. I often wondered if the aim was storytelling or just style and if it were the former, a sharper edit could’ve helped.

Despite that, the characters left a mark. I could visualise every scene, every expression, the writing was cinematic in the best way. I felt for nearly every character, which is no small feat.

But the ending let me down. Duleep Singh’s struggle in England, especially his efforts to reclaim the diamond, deserved much more space. After so much attention to intricate moments, specially in the initial chapters, it felt like the ending was rushed. The death didn’t land with the emotional weight it could have, not because it wasn’t tragic, but because it wasn’t earned. The build-up was diluted by too much else. The balance tilted.

Still, it’s a book that stays with you, it made me think about Kohinoor, deeply. And maybe that was the point all along.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical fiction which I enjoyed reading very much.

With the backdrop of Shah Suja, of Afghanistan being exiled in Shalimar Gardens of Lahore, which was then ruled by Maharaja Ranjit Singh; Kohinoor appears slowly radiating its shine, as an exchange promised by Wafa Begum to Maharaja Ranjit Singh in exchange of Shah Suja’s life.

Through the novel, Kohinoor changes many hands and when Ranjit Singh’s son and the last ruler of Punjab, Maharaja Dalip Singh holds it in his hand in England for one last time, he knows it isn’t what his father had once worn on his arm. The diamond had lost its shine as it once gleamed into the arm of Lion of Punjab for it was ‘cut’ to give it more brilliance to be worn into Queen Victoria’s arm.

Sundaresan does a beautiful job with facts and weave them into beautiful and a readable fiction. She did that with Taj Trilogy and she has done it here as well.

A lot of characters, both Indian and British come and go, but she has done justice to each by giving them emotions and breathed life to even the dull grey of England.

I spent a lot of time reading this partly because of how busy this month has been and partly because I wanted to read the facts after every character came into light. Irresistible this is otherwise.

[Shawna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is rough. I really like Sundaresan's other books. I am disappointed that over half of this book is told from the POV of the British colonizers. I am unsure why this route was chosen. The first few chapters were excellent, and all about one Indian ruler and his wife who are captive to another Indian ruler (Maharaj Singh) then it just sort of all went downhill. We follow a British woman for a bit and her courtship with an Italian man, the Kohinoor diamond makes a few very brief appearances, but then we just sort of skip ahead to more British invaders and how they are just sort of hanging out in India, getting ready to take over.
The time line also seems to flutter about a bit and I often found myself a bit confused to what was going on. I am giving this a 3 because I think it is an important story, and more people should know the amount of things the British stole - and still doggedly hang onto - from India. I love Indian history but really dislike when it is told through white eyes.

[Suzanne Tremblay · Rating 4 out of 5]

viewing India during the Raj from the Indian perspective is interesting and shows me a view point suspected but really unknown. Sundaresan manages a balanced perspective: not all colonialists are limited minded petty individuals, but not all infused with openmindedness either. The central "character" is the Kohinoor itself, although it remains silent.
The book is divided in 3 sections, each presenting a moment when the Kohinoor changed hands and how the characters who were around the Kohinoor then lived and interacted. My deception with the book is that when the Kohinoor changes hands, these individuals disappear from the story, almost falling at the edge of the precipice into the unknown of history. They remain somewhat unresolved. The last Maharajah of Punjab gets a more developed profile, but again, not entirely.

[Lynn Horton · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mountain of Light is a very interesting book, a work of historical fiction about the Kohinoor diamond. The first two hundred pages read like historical fiction, but then there's a brief suspense/thriller passage. The book returns to historical fiction to finish the tale.

Sundaresan does a lovely job of depicting pre-colonial India, and an unfortunately good job of exposing a little of the underbelly of colonialism. (It was not Great Britain's finest hour, in my opinion.) I think this book is well-written, interesting, and offers a lovely cast of characters. It's also a quick read if you know a little about India during this period, and an easy read even if you don't.

Recommended.

[Khushie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little disappointed—in the past couple of months I've read a lot about Maharani Jindan Kaur, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and the Punjab empire and this book didn't give me anything special to look forward to. A typical book of its genre. I did really enjoy a couple of things, one in particular chapter where the author narrates the story of an englishwoman who falls in love with a man outside of her class, it also beautifully highlights the struggles and nuances of the British women of the time. I admire that the author clarifies which of these events actually happened and what was fiction, which helps since this book is historical-fiction.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting this book to focus on the Kohinoor almost exclusively. It really only shows in bits and pieces.

More than the story of a massive diamond, I found this to be more the story of the slow subjugation and take over of another people. The agony and pain that the Maha Raja expresses at the end is enough to convince me of that.

I enjoyed the variety of the perspectives in this story, but I was also amazed by the unhappiness and desperation that seemed to mark each character. There was no real joy in any of them. But then, I suppose this really isn't that kind of story, is it?

[Tanveer Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

After the Taj Trilogy I expected a fast pace version of Kohinoor's story, however was disappointed as the book is drag at one too many occasions.

Some parts I am still wondering if it were necessary , also I expected to read more about Kohinoor which surprisingly makes the least appearance in the book.

I have loved how Indu sundaresan has craved her previous novels and it's out of sheer respect for those I dragged myself to finish this.

For those who have gotten interested in Sundaresan's other novels after the trilogy this one is for them, pick it at your own risk.

[Pari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I was raised in post-independence India, the only information we have about our freedom movement comes from history books. The horrors endured and the ways by which our monarchs and kingdoms were taken. Now that there is an Indian in the UK Parliament, the Kohinoor is still a topic of considerable discussion (and, regrettably, humor). It is a nicely written book - so much history but still holds people's attention. Each chapter makes sure that the plot is continued and I kept on learning new things about the history of India!