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The Tainted
It's spring 1920 in the small military town of Nandagiri in southeast India. Colonel Aylmer, commander of the Royal Irish Kildare Rangers, is in charge. A distance away, decently hidden from view, lies the native part of Nandagiri with its heaving bazaar, reeking streets, and brothels. Everyone in Nandagiri knows their place and the part they were born to play—with one exception. The local Anglo-Indians, tainted by their mixed blood, belong nowhere. When news of the Black and Tans’ atrocities back in Ireland reaches the troops, even their priest cannot cool the men’s hot-headed rage. Politics vie with passion as Private Michael Flaherty pays court to Rose, Mrs. Aylmer’s Anglo-Indian maid, but mutiny brings heroism and heartbreak in equal measure. Only the arrival of Colonel Aylmer’s grandson Richard, some 60 years later, will set off the reckoning, when those who were parted will be reunited, and those who were lost will be found again.
284 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2020
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April 11, 2021
“We’re tainted – we were never white enough then and will never be brown enough now.”
That’s the conundrum that Cauvery Madhavan explores in her lushly imagined novel The Tainted. The story begins in 1920 in a little town named Nandagiri in South India where Colonel Aylmer leads a small group of Irish soldiers as part of the British army. Among them is Private Michael Flaherty, a sensitive, quiet young man who falls in love with Rose, Mrs Aylmer’s maid-in-waiting. However, their budding romance is punctured by news of the atrocities of the Black and Tans back in Ireland. It sets in motion a series of events in Nandagiri, as well, that raises many questions regarding identity, colour, race, and the notion of home.
I found ‘The Tainted’ to be a beautifully written, deeply researched story in which Madhavan really evokes the sights and sounds of a small Indian town with vivid imagery.
“Now, as Michael set off up the street, he could see the bhistis, weighted down with their goat’s bladder water-carriers slung on their backs, watering the cobbles around the church before working their way down to the gardens at Lake Victoria. The sweet scent of fresh wet earth filled the air…Coolies and jampan-bearers called out to him as he walked by…”\
The significance of the book, however, lies in the detailed expositions on Anglo-Indian community and Anglo-Irish lineage, topics that haven’t been talked about much. Madhavan also weaves the plot around some real incidents like the mutiny of the Connaught Rangers in Jalandhar and the execution of some of the mutineers by firing squad. I learnt a fair bit of history this way.
I come back to Madhavan’s writing again here. By the end of the book the lines between fact and fiction had become blurred. The deft interspersing of real historical events with imagined people was so well done that I actually looked up Nandagiri and Rose’s father, the Bacon-wallah!
There are some things that did restrain my enjoyment of the book, though. Michael and Rose gets caught in a public demonstration while in Chennai forcing them to seek shelter. This entire section felt a bit forced. There were a few other little pockets like these which felt like mere plot point accelerators devoid of any other purpose. I was also quite intrigued by the attraction between Richard and May and would have liked that to be explored a little more with a nicer wrap up. The book does lose its way a tad towards the end but Madhavan’s writing makes up for it.
All in all, a nice, languorous read.
That’s the conundrum that Cauvery Madhavan explores in her lushly imagined novel The Tainted. The story begins in 1920 in a little town named Nandagiri in South India where Colonel Aylmer leads a small group of Irish soldiers as part of the British army. Among them is Private Michael Flaherty, a sensitive, quiet young man who falls in love with Rose, Mrs Aylmer’s maid-in-waiting. However, their budding romance is punctured by news of the atrocities of the Black and Tans back in Ireland. It sets in motion a series of events in Nandagiri, as well, that raises many questions regarding identity, colour, race, and the notion of home.
I found ‘The Tainted’ to be a beautifully written, deeply researched story in which Madhavan really evokes the sights and sounds of a small Indian town with vivid imagery.
“Now, as Michael set off up the street, he could see the bhistis, weighted down with their goat’s bladder water-carriers slung on their backs, watering the cobbles around the church before working their way down to the gardens at Lake Victoria. The sweet scent of fresh wet earth filled the air…Coolies and jampan-bearers called out to him as he walked by…”\
The significance of the book, however, lies in the detailed expositions on Anglo-Indian community and Anglo-Irish lineage, topics that haven’t been talked about much. Madhavan also weaves the plot around some real incidents like the mutiny of the Connaught Rangers in Jalandhar and the execution of some of the mutineers by firing squad. I learnt a fair bit of history this way.
I come back to Madhavan’s writing again here. By the end of the book the lines between fact and fiction had become blurred. The deft interspersing of real historical events with imagined people was so well done that I actually looked up Nandagiri and Rose’s father, the Bacon-wallah!
There are some things that did restrain my enjoyment of the book, though. Michael and Rose gets caught in a public demonstration while in Chennai forcing them to seek shelter. This entire section felt a bit forced. There were a few other little pockets like these which felt like mere plot point accelerators devoid of any other purpose. I was also quite intrigued by the attraction between Richard and May and would have liked that to be explored a little more with a nicer wrap up. The book does lose its way a tad towards the end but Madhavan’s writing makes up for it.
All in all, a nice, languorous read.
May 26, 2020
‘In the afternoon everything came to a standstill. The fragrant khus-khus tatties were lowered over every window and door, and the bhistis drenched them with water…..As the water evaporated from the sweet-smelling grass blinds and the punkahs circulated cool air around the darkened rooms, it was possible in those couple of hours to drift off into a hypnotic sleep of the sort that only a tropical afternoon could induce’
The Tainted by Cauvery Madhavan was recently published (April 30th) with Hope Road Publishing and really is a stunning evocation of time and place.
The Tainted is a novel that is very rich in atmospheric detail, immediately transporting the reader into the seething heat of a small military town in India in the spring of 1920. Nandagiri is home to the Royal Irish Kildare Rangers and it is where Michael Flaherty is settling in, having recently arrived from Ireland. Michael is one of many Irishmen who joined the British army to earn a wage. Life in Ireland during that period was very challenging and work was difficult to come by, so joining up was the only option for many to earn a few pounds to send back home. The transition from the cooler climate of Ireland to the heat and sounds of India was something that Michael was adjusting to but he was determined to make it work.
Colonel Aylmer was the Commander in charge of the Rangers, a man whose family residence was in Ireland. Michael Flaherty’s family had worked for the Aylmers and this relationship opened up opportunities for the young Private, with him soon taking up the position of ‘batman’ for the Colonel. It is during this time that Michael finally gets the opportunity to acquaint himself with Rose Twomey, maid to Mrs. Aylmer.
Rose Twomey is Anglo-Indian. With her father originally from Glengarriff in West Cork, Rose has a dream to return there with him some day. She has always felt that Ireland, although a place she had never been to, is her true home. Rose becomes smitten with Michael Flaherty, this young impetuous and cheeky Irish boy, and their fragile relationship opens up possibilities and adventures that she could previously only imagine.
Cauvery Madhavan beautifully explores their relationship and the many difficulties they encountered. Theirs was a love that was immediately beset with insurmountable challenges. A fictional recounting of a true event is a powerful and shocking twist in this tale. In 1920, Irish soldiers, members of the Connaught Rangers, staged a mutiny in protest against the Black and Tans barbaric activities in Ireland during the Irish War of Independence. Tragically a number of these soldiers died and in 1970 their bodies were eventually repatriated to Ireland and buried there. In The Tainted this event was to have harrowing consequences that would be felt by many for generations to follow. As we journey sixty years ahead to the 1980s, the true ramifications are slowly revealed.
The Tainted explores the identity of the Anglo-Indian community. With their mixed blood, this was a people who didn’t belong anywhere at a time when one’s social standing was considered very important. Harsh social protocols caused much confusion and pain as people struggled to come to terms with who they were. Sadly society can be very cruel with such an ideology still in existence in many cultures today. As the book shifts to the 1980s, it is clear that the struggle was still very much prevalent.
"We’re tainted – we were never white enough then and will never be brown enough now”
The Tainted is a compelling read as it follows the tumultuous journey of a people who were caught up in a period of history that was to have enormous impact on generations for years to come. Cauvery Madhavan has written a very captivating tale that captures the sense of loss and the enormous after-affects of colonialism and the legacy that remains.
I have to mention the STUNNING cover of The Tainted. Designed by illustrator James Nunn, it was inspired by matchbox covers from the 1920s. It really is a very striking and eye-catching book cover.
The Tainted is a wonderfully engrossing novel that is written with a very knowledgeable hand. Cauvery Madhavan although born in India, has chosen Ireland as her home for the last thirty years. Her experience of these two dynamic cultures lends such an authenticity to her writing offering the reader a fascinating, insightful and truly emotional read.
The Tainted takes the reader on an epic journey where all the senses are awakened. The descriptions are vivid, the emotions are raw, the fear is palpable, the longing is heartbreaking. As the searing heat bounces off the pages, you are assailed by imagined scents and beautiful vistas. Reading The Tainted is a remarkable and unforgettable experience, one I highly recommend!
The Tainted by Cauvery Madhavan was recently published (April 30th) with Hope Road Publishing and really is a stunning evocation of time and place.
The Tainted is a novel that is very rich in atmospheric detail, immediately transporting the reader into the seething heat of a small military town in India in the spring of 1920. Nandagiri is home to the Royal Irish Kildare Rangers and it is where Michael Flaherty is settling in, having recently arrived from Ireland. Michael is one of many Irishmen who joined the British army to earn a wage. Life in Ireland during that period was very challenging and work was difficult to come by, so joining up was the only option for many to earn a few pounds to send back home. The transition from the cooler climate of Ireland to the heat and sounds of India was something that Michael was adjusting to but he was determined to make it work.
Colonel Aylmer was the Commander in charge of the Rangers, a man whose family residence was in Ireland. Michael Flaherty’s family had worked for the Aylmers and this relationship opened up opportunities for the young Private, with him soon taking up the position of ‘batman’ for the Colonel. It is during this time that Michael finally gets the opportunity to acquaint himself with Rose Twomey, maid to Mrs. Aylmer.
Rose Twomey is Anglo-Indian. With her father originally from Glengarriff in West Cork, Rose has a dream to return there with him some day. She has always felt that Ireland, although a place she had never been to, is her true home. Rose becomes smitten with Michael Flaherty, this young impetuous and cheeky Irish boy, and their fragile relationship opens up possibilities and adventures that she could previously only imagine.
Cauvery Madhavan beautifully explores their relationship and the many difficulties they encountered. Theirs was a love that was immediately beset with insurmountable challenges. A fictional recounting of a true event is a powerful and shocking twist in this tale. In 1920, Irish soldiers, members of the Connaught Rangers, staged a mutiny in protest against the Black and Tans barbaric activities in Ireland during the Irish War of Independence. Tragically a number of these soldiers died and in 1970 their bodies were eventually repatriated to Ireland and buried there. In The Tainted this event was to have harrowing consequences that would be felt by many for generations to follow. As we journey sixty years ahead to the 1980s, the true ramifications are slowly revealed.
The Tainted explores the identity of the Anglo-Indian community. With their mixed blood, this was a people who didn’t belong anywhere at a time when one’s social standing was considered very important. Harsh social protocols caused much confusion and pain as people struggled to come to terms with who they were. Sadly society can be very cruel with such an ideology still in existence in many cultures today. As the book shifts to the 1980s, it is clear that the struggle was still very much prevalent.
"We’re tainted – we were never white enough then and will never be brown enough now”
The Tainted is a compelling read as it follows the tumultuous journey of a people who were caught up in a period of history that was to have enormous impact on generations for years to come. Cauvery Madhavan has written a very captivating tale that captures the sense of loss and the enormous after-affects of colonialism and the legacy that remains.
I have to mention the STUNNING cover of The Tainted. Designed by illustrator James Nunn, it was inspired by matchbox covers from the 1920s. It really is a very striking and eye-catching book cover.
The Tainted is a wonderfully engrossing novel that is written with a very knowledgeable hand. Cauvery Madhavan although born in India, has chosen Ireland as her home for the last thirty years. Her experience of these two dynamic cultures lends such an authenticity to her writing offering the reader a fascinating, insightful and truly emotional read.
The Tainted takes the reader on an epic journey where all the senses are awakened. The descriptions are vivid, the emotions are raw, the fear is palpable, the longing is heartbreaking. As the searing heat bounces off the pages, you are assailed by imagined scents and beautiful vistas. Reading The Tainted is a remarkable and unforgettable experience, one I highly recommend!
March 23, 2021
CW: Racism, colourism
In 1920s India, Michael Flaherty arrives in a new country and has to deal with a different culture, expectations and climate than back home in his native Ireland. However, Michael breaks all the rules when he falls in love with Anglo-Indian Rose, who realistically he would never be able to marry and bring home. When the Kildare Rangers hear about the murder of Irish people by the hands of the Black & Tans in Ireland during the War of Independence, there's a mutiny that spells disaster for Michael and Rose.
I really loved this book and the perfect combination of Irish culture and history, blended so perfectly with Indian. The Kildare Rangers mutiny is something I had never heard about until I found out about this book so it was of great interest and sadness that I read about it in this novel, and learned what happened to the poor soldiers who tried to take a stand for the people back home - realistically, why should they have ever fought in the name of a Crown killing their own people?
Cauvery is such a talented writing in the way she was able to weave this story from the 1920s and the War of Independence right up to the 1980s, and being able to explain all the different type of relationships between Irish people then, especially between Catholics and Protestant. And how Anglo-Irish and Anglo-Indian may have been treated differently in the 20s but over the years, they became to mean the same thing - someone never truly fitting in where they were born or where they were suppose to be.
This story flowed really well, and I felt very connected to all the characters from Michael, to Rose, to Mohan, Richard and May. Every piece of detail and conversation felt very real and you could tell Cauvery truly knows and understands how Irish people think, feel and speak as everything was so spot on.
I think the story did start to meander a little bit near the end, and I felt like there was going to be something more meaningful between May and Richard but that never really came to anything in the end.
I did love the story overall and I will definitely be picking up more books from Cauvery as she can write a good story!
In 1920s India, Michael Flaherty arrives in a new country and has to deal with a different culture, expectations and climate than back home in his native Ireland. However, Michael breaks all the rules when he falls in love with Anglo-Indian Rose, who realistically he would never be able to marry and bring home. When the Kildare Rangers hear about the murder of Irish people by the hands of the Black & Tans in Ireland during the War of Independence, there's a mutiny that spells disaster for Michael and Rose.
I really loved this book and the perfect combination of Irish culture and history, blended so perfectly with Indian. The Kildare Rangers mutiny is something I had never heard about until I found out about this book so it was of great interest and sadness that I read about it in this novel, and learned what happened to the poor soldiers who tried to take a stand for the people back home - realistically, why should they have ever fought in the name of a Crown killing their own people?
Cauvery is such a talented writing in the way she was able to weave this story from the 1920s and the War of Independence right up to the 1980s, and being able to explain all the different type of relationships between Irish people then, especially between Catholics and Protestant. And how Anglo-Irish and Anglo-Indian may have been treated differently in the 20s but over the years, they became to mean the same thing - someone never truly fitting in where they were born or where they were suppose to be.
This story flowed really well, and I felt very connected to all the characters from Michael, to Rose, to Mohan, Richard and May. Every piece of detail and conversation felt very real and you could tell Cauvery truly knows and understands how Irish people think, feel and speak as everything was so spot on.
I think the story did start to meander a little bit near the end, and I felt like there was going to be something more meaningful between May and Richard but that never really came to anything in the end.
I did love the story overall and I will definitely be picking up more books from Cauvery as she can write a good story!
April 25, 2021
The Tainted is a historical fiction about a very lesser known part of history that connects India and Ireland, about the Connaught Rangers. The book is divided into two parts — Mutiny which stretches from 1920-45 and The Sitar-Guitar Girl which is centred around the year 1982. Private Michael Flaherty, a soldier from the Kildare Rangers falls in love with the Bacon-wallah's daughter Rose Twomey, who's an Anglo-Indian. People around Michael try their best to dissuade him from loving Rose, since she's of mixed blood and their children can have dark skin. But defying societal norms, they fall in love with each other. Their love story has a tragic ending as the news of the Black and Tans atrocities in Ireland reaches India and a mutiny brews up. The first part ends on a really sad note. The second part starts in Nandagiri, in the house of Mohan, an IAS officer and with the news of an Irishman arriving in Nandagiri.
The first part is told alternately by Michael's point of view and Rose's diary entries whereas, the last few chapters of this part are told by the point of view of Father Jerome. The second part is chiefly told by the point of view of Mohan. I loved reading the diary entries of Rose. The writing style is subtle and evocative. The discrimination faced by Anglo-Indians is captured well. The twist in the end was simply amazing; something like that can happen didn't really crossed my mind the whole time I was reading this book. The pace of the book in the beginning was quite slow but it can be forgiven given the story afterwards.
The Tainted was a fascinating read about an important part of history that's forgotten and I'll highly recommend everyone to read it!
The first part is told alternately by Michael's point of view and Rose's diary entries whereas, the last few chapters of this part are told by the point of view of Father Jerome. The second part is chiefly told by the point of view of Mohan. I loved reading the diary entries of Rose. The writing style is subtle and evocative. The discrimination faced by Anglo-Indians is captured well. The twist in the end was simply amazing; something like that can happen didn't really crossed my mind the whole time I was reading this book. The pace of the book in the beginning was quite slow but it can be forgiven given the story afterwards.
The Tainted was a fascinating read about an important part of history that's forgotten and I'll highly recommend everyone to read it!
April 27, 2021
A love story set in the historic India with an Irish twist. The story is narrated during the Irish mutiny of the 1920s in Nandagiri, from where it spread to different parts of India.
✨
Michael Flaherty, a soldier from the Kildare Rangers fell in love with Rose Twomey, an Irish Indian girl but not every love story has a happy ending.
With the news of brutality done by the Blacks and Tans on the Irish people, the soldiers planned a mutiny against the crown. Stuck between the political turmoil, Rose and Michael’s love story had a tragic ending.
✨
Sixty years later, history repeated itself. Yet another love story was budding, everything was same except the modernisation.
Will this love story pass the test of times!?
.
.
An amazing read, which transformed me into the past. The transition from one period to another was smooth and really interesting. The book kept me hooked till the very end.
I absolutely loved reading about the characters as they felt very real.
The way author described everything in detail, took my heart. Though at times, narration felt a bit too dragged, but overall it was a great read.
✨
Michael Flaherty, a soldier from the Kildare Rangers fell in love with Rose Twomey, an Irish Indian girl but not every love story has a happy ending.
With the news of brutality done by the Blacks and Tans on the Irish people, the soldiers planned a mutiny against the crown. Stuck between the political turmoil, Rose and Michael’s love story had a tragic ending.
✨
Sixty years later, history repeated itself. Yet another love story was budding, everything was same except the modernisation.
Will this love story pass the test of times!?
.
.
An amazing read, which transformed me into the past. The transition from one period to another was smooth and really interesting. The book kept me hooked till the very end.
I absolutely loved reading about the characters as they felt very real.
The way author described everything in detail, took my heart. Though at times, narration felt a bit too dragged, but overall it was a great read.
July 8, 2021
I picked this book up because, as the grandson of an Anglo-Indian woman who married an Irishman, the story was very relevant to my family history. It turned out to be a fantastic purchase.
I learned so much about the Anglo-Indian community by reading this excellently-researched historical novel. It manages to be tear-jerking, laugh-out-loud funny and heartwarming at different points of the plot. The theme of belonging (or more specifically not belonging anywhere) is explored through a wonderful, decades-long narrative. I have recommended it already to the aforementioned grandparents.
I learned so much about the Anglo-Indian community by reading this excellently-researched historical novel. It manages to be tear-jerking, laugh-out-loud funny and heartwarming at different points of the plot. The theme of belonging (or more specifically not belonging anywhere) is explored through a wonderful, decades-long narrative. I have recommended it already to the aforementioned grandparents.
July 19, 2023
I picked this book up at a conference a few weeks back, and was surprised at how accessible the novel is! It follows several generations of the same Anglo-Indian family as they encounter one another. In the meantime, Madhaven explores the interaction between Self and Other, Irish history and narratives of colonialism. Themes of feminism and orientalist are also central to the story, and provide an interesting dimension to love story. As such, this novel could also be a good case study for particular theoretical frameworks. I think it could have been slightly shorter, however I would still recommend it to anyone interesting in Ireland's history abroad!
May 24, 2020
Note: 4.5, rounding up.
This book had been on my radar for quite some time, since it concerns a period of history I am deeply interested in - World War One and beyond - and was written about an Irish mutiny in India among the Connaught Rangers (renamed the Kildare Rangers in the book.) Cauvery Madhavan is originally from India but has long since lived in Ireland so brings an intimate personal understanding of both cultures and societies into this absorbing and beautifully written novel. (I don't usually mention covers but the cover on my paperback was absolutely gorgeous.)
The outline of the plot of the first half of this: Private Michael Flaherty has arrived in Nandagiri, a hill town, along with his regiment in 1920, headed up by Colonel Aylmer. During his time there helping out the canny priest Father Jerome, he meets and falls in love with Rose Twomey, the daughter of the "Bacon-wallah" Sean Twomey and his Anglo-Indian wife Evie. Being of mixed heritage, Rose is extremely sensitive about her heritage, racist as all get-out about the Indians, and recoils with horror at the thought of spending any time in the sun. Her insecurity is bone-deep, and not always attractive to read, though she has many other good qualities. And we soon see that Anglo-Indians - the "tainted" of the novel - are caught between two stools, not fitting into any society but trying desperately to fit in and return "home" to England, Ireland or Canada, the ancestral lands of their white ancestors.
In the midst of all that, news of the Black and Tans atrocities filters through and the Irish soldiers are so enraged they mutiny - and are imprisoned, many sentenced to death. This punishment exerted by the Anglo-Irish Colonel Aylmer on the Catholic Irish soldiers leaves a devastating legacy for the people left behind.
Fast-forward sixty years and we enter the world of Mohan, an Indian civil servant who has recently been posted to Nandagiri and must play host to the grandson of that same Colonel - Richard Aylmer. (I should note on a personal level that I grew up in Carlow which is near Kildare and I knew a LOT of Aylmers! Am wondering are they related to the family mentioned in the book.) There is a love triangle and we meet Gerry Twomey, Rose's grandson, who is snippy like his grandmother, with some of the same insecurities, but also motivated by environmental concerns as a forester. I must include here a content warning for environmental degradation, tribal suffering due to this, and one particularly disgusting display of white colonialism featuring a failed tiger hunt.
I have worked in forestry (in an information tech role) and I must say I thought Gerry's character particularly well drawn - his gruff manner and slight crankiness are not unknown among foresters. They are not men and women who do bullshit :)
The detail and description are exquisite - Madhavan must have absolutely researched her you-know-what off - and the confidence with which the reader is drawn into her/his surroundings show the expertise so lightly assumed. The eye for detail is forensic but yet never oppressive. The characters all feel real and I was thinking about them long after I finished the last page.
(Though I have to say I have absolutely had it with the Irish Times and their utter nonsense - I'm not even going to link to the crap they wrote this time after the previous racist shitshow I referred to in Goodreads.)
My one criticism is that I felt a drop in the pace at the beginning of the second half when Mohan becomes more central and we get into a lot of his backstory; I felt that could have been tightened up slightly. The ending though was very satisfying and bittersweet.
A lovely read. Brava Cauvery Madhavan for adding to the repository of Irish historical fiction with this entrancing tale.
This book had been on my radar for quite some time, since it concerns a period of history I am deeply interested in - World War One and beyond - and was written about an Irish mutiny in India among the Connaught Rangers (renamed the Kildare Rangers in the book.) Cauvery Madhavan is originally from India but has long since lived in Ireland so brings an intimate personal understanding of both cultures and societies into this absorbing and beautifully written novel. (I don't usually mention covers but the cover on my paperback was absolutely gorgeous.)
The outline of the plot of the first half of this: Private Michael Flaherty has arrived in Nandagiri, a hill town, along with his regiment in 1920, headed up by Colonel Aylmer. During his time there helping out the canny priest Father Jerome, he meets and falls in love with Rose Twomey, the daughter of the "Bacon-wallah" Sean Twomey and his Anglo-Indian wife Evie. Being of mixed heritage, Rose is extremely sensitive about her heritage, racist as all get-out about the Indians, and recoils with horror at the thought of spending any time in the sun. Her insecurity is bone-deep, and not always attractive to read, though she has many other good qualities. And we soon see that Anglo-Indians - the "tainted" of the novel - are caught between two stools, not fitting into any society but trying desperately to fit in and return "home" to England, Ireland or Canada, the ancestral lands of their white ancestors.
In the midst of all that, news of the Black and Tans atrocities filters through and the Irish soldiers are so enraged they mutiny - and are imprisoned, many sentenced to death. This punishment exerted by the Anglo-Irish Colonel Aylmer on the Catholic Irish soldiers leaves a devastating legacy for the people left behind.
Fast-forward sixty years and we enter the world of Mohan, an Indian civil servant who has recently been posted to Nandagiri and must play host to the grandson of that same Colonel - Richard Aylmer. (I should note on a personal level that I grew up in Carlow which is near Kildare and I knew a LOT of Aylmers! Am wondering are they related to the family mentioned in the book.) There is a love triangle and we meet Gerry Twomey, Rose's grandson, who is snippy like his grandmother, with some of the same insecurities, but also motivated by environmental concerns as a forester. I must include here a content warning for environmental degradation, tribal suffering due to this, and one particularly disgusting display of white colonialism featuring a failed tiger hunt.
I have worked in forestry (in an information tech role) and I must say I thought Gerry's character particularly well drawn - his gruff manner and slight crankiness are not unknown among foresters. They are not men and women who do bullshit :)
The detail and description are exquisite - Madhavan must have absolutely researched her you-know-what off - and the confidence with which the reader is drawn into her/his surroundings show the expertise so lightly assumed. The eye for detail is forensic but yet never oppressive. The characters all feel real and I was thinking about them long after I finished the last page.
(Though I have to say I have absolutely had it with the Irish Times and their utter nonsense - I'm not even going to link to the crap they wrote this time after the previous racist shitshow I referred to in Goodreads.)
My one criticism is that I felt a drop in the pace at the beginning of the second half when Mohan becomes more central and we get into a lot of his backstory; I felt that could have been tightened up slightly. The ending though was very satisfying and bittersweet.
A lovely read. Brava Cauvery Madhavan for adding to the repository of Irish historical fiction with this entrancing tale.
December 31, 2020
Novel set in 1920s South Eastern INDIA
The Tainted follows two families over 60 years – the Aylmers and the Twomeys. Colonel Aylmer, commander of the Royal Irish Kildare Rangers, is in charge and oversees his troops as they acclimatise to life in India, such an exotic contrast to windswept and cold Ireland.
Private Michael Flaherty from the Regiment falls in love with Rose Twomey, who is nanny to the Aymler children. She is Anglo-Indian and consequently, in a rigidly structured society, she struggles to find her true place. They are very careful about how they take their relationship forward, given her heritage.
Back home in Ireland the Black and Tans were brought in to try and quell the situation in Ireland after recent Independence. Many of the Irish stationed in India rose in revolt against the atrocities back home and an iron hand came down. The ramifications of this time in India percolated through the generations. Fast forward to 1982 and the descendants have to come to terms with the historical legacy.
This novel is well researched and paints a credible picture of the time, the layers of society are well defined and juxtaposition of two very different countries, 8,500 Km apart, is starkly drawn. Two cultures, two ways of being and the imbalance of colonialism at the heart. India is vibrantly portrayed, all the sounds and smells of the country rise from the pages. A good read if you are heading to Tamil Nadu to get a sense of the legacy of that period.
This novel also has a striking cover, designed by James Nunn (when I visited his website, I was delighted to see many familiar cover designs). He was inspired by the matchbox covers of the 1920s.
The Tainted follows two families over 60 years – the Aylmers and the Twomeys. Colonel Aylmer, commander of the Royal Irish Kildare Rangers, is in charge and oversees his troops as they acclimatise to life in India, such an exotic contrast to windswept and cold Ireland.
Private Michael Flaherty from the Regiment falls in love with Rose Twomey, who is nanny to the Aymler children. She is Anglo-Indian and consequently, in a rigidly structured society, she struggles to find her true place. They are very careful about how they take their relationship forward, given her heritage.
Back home in Ireland the Black and Tans were brought in to try and quell the situation in Ireland after recent Independence. Many of the Irish stationed in India rose in revolt against the atrocities back home and an iron hand came down. The ramifications of this time in India percolated through the generations. Fast forward to 1982 and the descendants have to come to terms with the historical legacy.
This novel is well researched and paints a credible picture of the time, the layers of society are well defined and juxtaposition of two very different countries, 8,500 Km apart, is starkly drawn. Two cultures, two ways of being and the imbalance of colonialism at the heart. India is vibrantly portrayed, all the sounds and smells of the country rise from the pages. A good read if you are heading to Tamil Nadu to get a sense of the legacy of that period.
This novel also has a striking cover, designed by James Nunn (when I visited his website, I was delighted to see many familiar cover designs). He was inspired by the matchbox covers of the 1920s.
February 8, 2021
I'm always amazed at how a country's history could have some interesting aspects which are overlooked. In the case of The Tainted, the main focus of the book is the Connaught Rangers, the irish faction of the army, situated in India during 1881 - 1922 and their important role in the country's history.
The year is 1920 and the main protagonist, Michael Flaherty is a new recruit and he is finding his way around this new culture. At this point he is glad to leave Ireland as the political troubles are worsening and yet he does feel out of place. That is until he meets his regiment's colonel's Anglo-Indian maid, Rosie. During this time half-caste women were frowned upon, let alone having a relationship with one, which Michael does. Naturally this causes rifts with the Colonel, his fellow soldiers and the local priest. By 1922 The Connaught Rangers staged mutiny as a protest for the politicalproblems in Ireland. Things do not go well and each character is left to their different fate.
The next part jumps to 1980's and the Colonel's grandson visits India in order to look at the places where his grandfather got inspiration for his paintings. He then starts to relase how he is intricately tied up with the past and that it yielded many secrets which may affect his destiny.
The Tainted is a well crafted novel. It builds up nicely, is unpredictable in places, has believable characters and is a pure pleasure to read. This would make a great historical novel but Cauvery Madhavan takes it further. The Tainted is a novel about racism, the similarities between colonised country, the secrets held within a family, and India as a progressive/regressive country. needless to say that it is well written.
Thought provoking, rich in ideas and, most, importantly, a thumping great read, please do not sleep on The Tainted.
The year is 1920 and the main protagonist, Michael Flaherty is a new recruit and he is finding his way around this new culture. At this point he is glad to leave Ireland as the political troubles are worsening and yet he does feel out of place. That is until he meets his regiment's colonel's Anglo-Indian maid, Rosie. During this time half-caste women were frowned upon, let alone having a relationship with one, which Michael does. Naturally this causes rifts with the Colonel, his fellow soldiers and the local priest. By 1922 The Connaught Rangers staged mutiny as a protest for the politicalproblems in Ireland. Things do not go well and each character is left to their different fate.
The next part jumps to 1980's and the Colonel's grandson visits India in order to look at the places where his grandfather got inspiration for his paintings. He then starts to relase how he is intricately tied up with the past and that it yielded many secrets which may affect his destiny.
The Tainted is a well crafted novel. It builds up nicely, is unpredictable in places, has believable characters and is a pure pleasure to read. This would make a great historical novel but Cauvery Madhavan takes it further. The Tainted is a novel about racism, the similarities between colonised country, the secrets held within a family, and India as a progressive/regressive country. needless to say that it is well written.
Thought provoking, rich in ideas and, most, importantly, a thumping great read, please do not sleep on The Tainted.
August 3, 2020
hits all the right notes of what you expect from a good novel. The first part of the book takes place around the Connaught Rangers mutiny in summer 1920 and although this historically significant event itself is only a brief episode in the novel it has grave consequences for its characters. As the novel moves to focus on events 6 decades and two generations later, the consequences of the mutiny are still felt. Thematically its all about social belonging (and lack of it) as the lives of Irish and Ango-Irish characters become entangled with those of Indians and anglo-Indians. It was a compelling and entertaining read, the dialogue convincing and realistic, but at times the characters' discussion about issues of race history and identity took on a bit of a shallow “~why can we all just forget about these differences and this ancient history and all get along better~” character. I found this aspect disappointing since the discussions between her characters offer the main opportunity for the author to express deeper ideas about these complex themes. Yet this was likely a choice by the author to avoid being too didactic since in any case, the story itself offers readers a lot of opportunity for reflection.
June 16, 2021
Historical Fiction? Fascinating!
Historical Fiction covering the forgotten history of the people who were a part of a famous historical event? Incredible!
🌸🌸🌸
The Tainted by Cauvery Madhavan talks about the Irish troops that were stationed in India by the British during their rule.
While the Indian Freedom struggle always has the "Indians Vs British" Narrative, the author spins a lovely tale of some unsung conflicts within that period.
The complexity of belonging in an Anglo-Indian Community in that phase of time, Loving someone beyond their differences, the prejudices against someone darker than your skin tone while shedding a light on the terrible conditions the locals lived in then– The Tainted paints a very vivid picture of Love, Loss & Racism in the 20th Century.
🌸🌸🌸
I wish to speak more on this book, perhaps another post after Eid or will do a blog/YouTube video if it's too long🙈
🌸🌸🌸
Tysm @speakingtiger @madhavancauvery @bookgirl_sulagna for the opportunity of being on this tour 💙
Historical Fiction covering the forgotten history of the people who were a part of a famous historical event? Incredible!
🌸🌸🌸
The Tainted by Cauvery Madhavan talks about the Irish troops that were stationed in India by the British during their rule.
While the Indian Freedom struggle always has the "Indians Vs British" Narrative, the author spins a lovely tale of some unsung conflicts within that period.
The complexity of belonging in an Anglo-Indian Community in that phase of time, Loving someone beyond their differences, the prejudices against someone darker than your skin tone while shedding a light on the terrible conditions the locals lived in then– The Tainted paints a very vivid picture of Love, Loss & Racism in the 20th Century.
🌸🌸🌸
I wish to speak more on this book, perhaps another post after Eid or will do a blog/YouTube video if it's too long🙈
🌸🌸🌸
Tysm @speakingtiger @madhavancauvery @bookgirl_sulagna for the opportunity of being on this tour 💙
November 25, 2020
I really enjoyed this story for the setting, the historical detail and the characters' conversations. It was so interesting from a dramatic and political point of view to see the contradictory role of the Irish enforcing rule in the British Empire while resenting British rule at home. And the tragic destiny of the Anglo-Indians was very sympathetically portrayed. A must-read for anyone interested in Empire, identity and Indian culture. The more modern-day characters came to life more for me. Very relatable.
April 23, 2020
Way to make me cry? An unexpected reunion.
May 6, 2020
This book is an Indian historical fiction novel spanned over 60 years that concentrates on the Anglo-Indian population that is left over from the Raj. It’s heartbreaking but beautiful at the same time, parts of the story were devastating, the characterisation was brilliant. From the servants to the dynasties of the two families, all felt real and honest.
I loved this book! It had me remembering of my time in India, both in Kerala and Nanital. It evoked visions of hills, lakes, the smell of spices and street food stalls and just feelings of joy! It is very true that India gets into your soul and books like this make me crave being in a bustling town with a warm cup of chai.
Despite thinking I knew a bit about Indian history, the Anglo-Indian population was something I was quite ignorant about. This being babies who were born from mixed race marriages or relationships. This resulted in them being not quite ‘Indian’ enough or not quite ‘British’ enough and they faced a lifetime of discrimination from both sides. ‘The Tainted’ follows two families over the 60 years - the Aylmers and the Twomeys (the Anglo-Indians). The Alymers are the family with status as Colonel Alymer is the commander of the local barracks and Rose Twomey who is his wife’s ladies maid. Rose falls in love with one of the men stationed there and the story spans out from there.
I liked the Irish aspect of the narrative - the troops being up in arms because of the Black and Tan’s activities back home in Ireland. However, I do think Michaels story in relation to this was slightly rushed. It would have been good to see him on that train journey down to plains. Only because I was interested in this part of the story, I am always wanting more from a book!
I loved the character’s with May, the latest generation of the Twomeys, being my favourite. She has such gumption and confidence even though she faced prejudice and racism during her life. I loved the resolution of the love triangle between her Mohan and Richard. I pleased with who she ended up with. Oh and that final chapter - I was nearly in tears. It was a lovely resolution to the book.
This book was extremely well researched and Cauvery definitely knows her stuff. It was great to see mentions of Gandhi arriving in India, the riots in Madras (Chennai) and the acknowledgment of the Amritsar Massacre. I tell everyone in the UK about the Amritsar Massacre as it is a shameful part of British history that more people need to hear about! Sorry that is one of my passions is the Amritsar Massacre as I studied this for my degree. What I am trying to get across is that all this historical detail woven into the plot makes it seem so much more real than some other narratives based on this era. Plus I also liked how Cauvery has not shied away from using language which now comes across as being political incorrect. This was what was used at the time and part of the circumstances which the Anglo-Indians faced. However, I also liked that the Anglo-Indian’s were also shown as being racist to Indians as I can see this definitely occurring a lot.
Anyway, now I have geeked out on the history in this book I will leave you in peace! This book is a moving story, its compelling, heartbreaking and beautiful. Go read it and you will find yourself transported into a colourful and captivating world.
I loved this book! It had me remembering of my time in India, both in Kerala and Nanital. It evoked visions of hills, lakes, the smell of spices and street food stalls and just feelings of joy! It is very true that India gets into your soul and books like this make me crave being in a bustling town with a warm cup of chai.
Despite thinking I knew a bit about Indian history, the Anglo-Indian population was something I was quite ignorant about. This being babies who were born from mixed race marriages or relationships. This resulted in them being not quite ‘Indian’ enough or not quite ‘British’ enough and they faced a lifetime of discrimination from both sides. ‘The Tainted’ follows two families over the 60 years - the Aylmers and the Twomeys (the Anglo-Indians). The Alymers are the family with status as Colonel Alymer is the commander of the local barracks and Rose Twomey who is his wife’s ladies maid. Rose falls in love with one of the men stationed there and the story spans out from there.
I liked the Irish aspect of the narrative - the troops being up in arms because of the Black and Tan’s activities back home in Ireland. However, I do think Michaels story in relation to this was slightly rushed. It would have been good to see him on that train journey down to plains. Only because I was interested in this part of the story, I am always wanting more from a book!
I loved the character’s with May, the latest generation of the Twomeys, being my favourite. She has such gumption and confidence even though she faced prejudice and racism during her life. I loved the resolution of the love triangle between her Mohan and Richard. I pleased with who she ended up with. Oh and that final chapter - I was nearly in tears. It was a lovely resolution to the book.
This book was extremely well researched and Cauvery definitely knows her stuff. It was great to see mentions of Gandhi arriving in India, the riots in Madras (Chennai) and the acknowledgment of the Amritsar Massacre. I tell everyone in the UK about the Amritsar Massacre as it is a shameful part of British history that more people need to hear about! Sorry that is one of my passions is the Amritsar Massacre as I studied this for my degree. What I am trying to get across is that all this historical detail woven into the plot makes it seem so much more real than some other narratives based on this era. Plus I also liked how Cauvery has not shied away from using language which now comes across as being political incorrect. This was what was used at the time and part of the circumstances which the Anglo-Indians faced. However, I also liked that the Anglo-Indian’s were also shown as being racist to Indians as I can see this definitely occurring a lot.
Anyway, now I have geeked out on the history in this book I will leave you in peace! This book is a moving story, its compelling, heartbreaking and beautiful. Go read it and you will find yourself transported into a colourful and captivating world.
June 30, 2020
The Tainted is a remarkable book based on the lives of Anglo-Indians in the British ruled India. Through this book I really took a dive into the past and learnt a lot that I wouldn't have known otherwise. Cauvery Madhavan's book paints a picturesque yet painful story of an Indian-Irish girl with a woeful life and a hopeful heart.
When I was reading the book, I felt such strong emotions for Rose. Her misfortunes were such that were simply out of her control yet she faced them with her high hopes. She just wanted to go back home to Ireland about which she has heard stories from her father. A motherless young girl grows up not knowing about the country she was born in - India - but she relates to a faraway country that she had never visited. In showing this nature of Rose, the author has very deftly shown how these mixed-raced Anglo-Indians had a soft side for the lineage that gave them fair skin and had a negative attitude towards the darker skinned lineage. In this way the author has touched upon a very delicate subject - the prejudice of the Anglo-Indians. In a way their prejudice may be explained by the discrimination that these Anglo-Indians themselves faced - simply for having a slightly darker skin.
But this discrimination and prejudice is not the focal point of the book. I loved the fact that even though the major theme of this book is love in the times of a mutiny and war, it does also let the readers know about the family, honour and race discrimination. I especially loved how Richard's character was portrayed - as a vulnerable young man who is very much in love but also bound by duty.
As the story flows through time and generations, new characters emerge that are equally as fascinating as the characters in the first half. These new characters add an essence of nostalgia in the book. Even though, in the book, the characters know nothing about their generational history, I had this deep ache in my heart - I wanted to shout out to them what had happened, about the tragic love story of their grandmother. And, through and through, even in 1980s the prejudice against the Anglo-Indians persists, but obviously it has some modern/late 20th century take, with late 20th century problems and their consequences.
The book has a slow pace and it takes its own time to set up the story, and I feel it was a necessary evil for this book. In its course, the author starts describing some events in minute details which might have put me off a little bit, whereas for some other events I wanted detailed explanation and was left wanting for more.
Read more at https://www.diaryofabookgirl.in/2020/...
When I was reading the book, I felt such strong emotions for Rose. Her misfortunes were such that were simply out of her control yet she faced them with her high hopes. She just wanted to go back home to Ireland about which she has heard stories from her father. A motherless young girl grows up not knowing about the country she was born in - India - but she relates to a faraway country that she had never visited. In showing this nature of Rose, the author has very deftly shown how these mixed-raced Anglo-Indians had a soft side for the lineage that gave them fair skin and had a negative attitude towards the darker skinned lineage. In this way the author has touched upon a very delicate subject - the prejudice of the Anglo-Indians. In a way their prejudice may be explained by the discrimination that these Anglo-Indians themselves faced - simply for having a slightly darker skin.
But this discrimination and prejudice is not the focal point of the book. I loved the fact that even though the major theme of this book is love in the times of a mutiny and war, it does also let the readers know about the family, honour and race discrimination. I especially loved how Richard's character was portrayed - as a vulnerable young man who is very much in love but also bound by duty.
As the story flows through time and generations, new characters emerge that are equally as fascinating as the characters in the first half. These new characters add an essence of nostalgia in the book. Even though, in the book, the characters know nothing about their generational history, I had this deep ache in my heart - I wanted to shout out to them what had happened, about the tragic love story of their grandmother. And, through and through, even in 1980s the prejudice against the Anglo-Indians persists, but obviously it has some modern/late 20th century take, with late 20th century problems and their consequences.
The book has a slow pace and it takes its own time to set up the story, and I feel it was a necessary evil for this book. In its course, the author starts describing some events in minute details which might have put me off a little bit, whereas for some other events I wanted detailed explanation and was left wanting for more.
Read more at https://www.diaryofabookgirl.in/2020/...
October 6, 2025
This book is very simply cute, I saw Madhavan speak at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2025 on a panel about the parallels between the Irish and Indian independence and her struggles about writing an Irish perspective, and immediately bought her book.
The writing flows wonderfully and makes for a very relaxing quick read, her narratives are easy to get into and she sets the scene vividly, allowing for lovely escapism. (the ease of imagination may come from me recently having been to the south of India)
She manages to convey the feelings of isolation and alienation that mixed race descendants of the british Isles in India feel in such a natural way throughout the storyline. The amount of perspectives we get, from Rose, May, Ronnie, Mag, Maurice, May's mother and Gerry, paint a well rounded picture of a community that never really belonged. It also wonderfully illustrates the individuality amongst a community of people that are all grouped together as a minority and written off with stereotypes allocated to them, when each of them face their identity in such contrasting ways, and from this allows the reader to draw parallels to their own experiences and prejudices.
This invitation to draw parallels to the world around you is embodied by the parallels the author draws to the experience of her Irish Characters, who are members of or descendants of an Irish Regiment that fought for the British Raj in India - and experience their own complex identity crisis throughout the novel and this trickles down through generations.
One of my favourite moments was when an indian woman of irish descent talks to the irish character, and mentions that her mother celebrated the british royal family. He promptly comments "but you're Irish? your ancestors would turn in their graves if they knew you were royalists" and she responds "here we dont distinguish between Irish Scottish or Welsh, we are all English" and that horrifies him. To me it shows that the experience of Othering brings people together in a united front (When for example intergenerational trauma is interrupted by the absence of the White Parent). - I think minorities would thrive more against the mainstream if they weren't so intent on making eachother even smaller.
It was a joyful read all together.
The writing flows wonderfully and makes for a very relaxing quick read, her narratives are easy to get into and she sets the scene vividly, allowing for lovely escapism. (the ease of imagination may come from me recently having been to the south of India)
She manages to convey the feelings of isolation and alienation that mixed race descendants of the british Isles in India feel in such a natural way throughout the storyline. The amount of perspectives we get, from Rose, May, Ronnie, Mag, Maurice, May's mother and Gerry, paint a well rounded picture of a community that never really belonged. It also wonderfully illustrates the individuality amongst a community of people that are all grouped together as a minority and written off with stereotypes allocated to them, when each of them face their identity in such contrasting ways, and from this allows the reader to draw parallels to their own experiences and prejudices.
This invitation to draw parallels to the world around you is embodied by the parallels the author draws to the experience of her Irish Characters, who are members of or descendants of an Irish Regiment that fought for the British Raj in India - and experience their own complex identity crisis throughout the novel and this trickles down through generations.
One of my favourite moments was when an indian woman of irish descent talks to the irish character, and mentions that her mother celebrated the british royal family. He promptly comments "but you're Irish? your ancestors would turn in their graves if they knew you were royalists" and she responds "here we dont distinguish between Irish Scottish or Welsh, we are all English" and that horrifies him. To me it shows that the experience of Othering brings people together in a united front (When for example intergenerational trauma is interrupted by the absence of the White Parent). - I think minorities would thrive more against the mainstream if they weren't so intent on making eachother even smaller.
It was a joyful read all together.
October 29, 2020
‘The Tainted’ is a story set in India, about Anglo-Indian and Anglo-Irish communities across two generations.
The first part of the novel is set in 1920 and tells the story of Michael Flaherty, an Irish soldier with the Royal Irish Kildare Rangers, who were stationed in Nandagiri in India, during the time of the violence of the Black and Tans in Ireland. He falls in love with an Anglo-Indian girl in the village when he gets involved with the fight for Irish independence.
The second part of the novel is set sixty years later in 1982, when Richard Aylmer, the grandson of Colonel Aylmer, who was the Commander of the Royal Irish Kildare Rangers in 1920 visits Nandagiri. Richard visits the village where his grandfather was stationed for his research for an art exhibition that he is creating in Ireland. During his research for the exhibition, Richard learns about his family’s history and discovers many similarities between his experience of the Anglo-Irish community in Ireland and the Anglo-Indian community in India after the independence of the two countries.
I enjoyed the second part of the novel much more than the first part. The structure of the first part of the novel with the different perspectives and the diary entries did not work well for me. The second part seemed to be the main part of the story and the first part, that took up half of the novel, seemed to function more as a backdrop for the plot of the second part. Because of this, I found it hard to get through the the start of the novel and even considered not finishing the novel. But I connected much better with the story and characters in the second part and I am very glad I kept going. The story shows some interesting insights in the struggle for independence for India and Ireland and what the effect of this was for the different communities in both countries.
The first part of the novel is set in 1920 and tells the story of Michael Flaherty, an Irish soldier with the Royal Irish Kildare Rangers, who were stationed in Nandagiri in India, during the time of the violence of the Black and Tans in Ireland. He falls in love with an Anglo-Indian girl in the village when he gets involved with the fight for Irish independence.
The second part of the novel is set sixty years later in 1982, when Richard Aylmer, the grandson of Colonel Aylmer, who was the Commander of the Royal Irish Kildare Rangers in 1920 visits Nandagiri. Richard visits the village where his grandfather was stationed for his research for an art exhibition that he is creating in Ireland. During his research for the exhibition, Richard learns about his family’s history and discovers many similarities between his experience of the Anglo-Irish community in Ireland and the Anglo-Indian community in India after the independence of the two countries.
I enjoyed the second part of the novel much more than the first part. The structure of the first part of the novel with the different perspectives and the diary entries did not work well for me. The second part seemed to be the main part of the story and the first part, that took up half of the novel, seemed to function more as a backdrop for the plot of the second part. Because of this, I found it hard to get through the the start of the novel and even considered not finishing the novel. But I connected much better with the story and characters in the second part and I am very glad I kept going. The story shows some interesting insights in the struggle for independence for India and Ireland and what the effect of this was for the different communities in both countries.
December 30, 2020
Madhavan describes an era long gone which continues to make an impact. An Indian-born writer who has lived in Ireland for over thirty years, she conveys her extensive familiarity with both countries’ histories and how they intersected. The first half of this thought-provoking novel opens in 1920, as Private Michael Flaherty settles into life in the Indian hill town of Nandagiri along with his regiment, the Royal Irish Kildare Rangers.
While assisting the local priest with Sunday Mass preparations, Michael meets Rose Twomey, a pretty Anglo-Indian who serves as the lady’s maid to the wife of his commanding officer, Colonel Aylmer. In her diary, Rose shares her feelings about Michael, her role in the Aylmer family, and her longing for Ireland, which she considers her true homeland. Her naivete is heartbreaking, for readers know that even with her elegant handwriting, fair skin, and her utter rejection of her Indian heritage, she’ll never be accepted into Irish society. When Michael and his fellow soldiers get word about the atrocities committed by the Black and Tans during the Irish war for independence, they take drastic action that affects his relationship with Rose.
The novel’s second half is even better. In 1982, Richard Aylmer, the colonel’s grandson, travels to Nandagiri for a photography project, and the friendships he establishes allow for open cross-cultural dialogue about the region’s complicated history. A key contributor to the discourse, May Twomey, Rose’s granddaughter, wryly observes Anglo-Indians’ misplaced sense of nostalgia for the days of the Raj: “We’re tainted – we were never white enough then and will never be brown enough now.” She’s a terrific character, a woman with a clear-eyed view of the past and present. The story offers a lot to unpack about colonialism and social belonging and is recommended for its insights and thoughtful writing.
(from the Historical Novels Review, August 2020)
While assisting the local priest with Sunday Mass preparations, Michael meets Rose Twomey, a pretty Anglo-Indian who serves as the lady’s maid to the wife of his commanding officer, Colonel Aylmer. In her diary, Rose shares her feelings about Michael, her role in the Aylmer family, and her longing for Ireland, which she considers her true homeland. Her naivete is heartbreaking, for readers know that even with her elegant handwriting, fair skin, and her utter rejection of her Indian heritage, she’ll never be accepted into Irish society. When Michael and his fellow soldiers get word about the atrocities committed by the Black and Tans during the Irish war for independence, they take drastic action that affects his relationship with Rose.
The novel’s second half is even better. In 1982, Richard Aylmer, the colonel’s grandson, travels to Nandagiri for a photography project, and the friendships he establishes allow for open cross-cultural dialogue about the region’s complicated history. A key contributor to the discourse, May Twomey, Rose’s granddaughter, wryly observes Anglo-Indians’ misplaced sense of nostalgia for the days of the Raj: “We’re tainted – we were never white enough then and will never be brown enough now.” She’s a terrific character, a woman with a clear-eyed view of the past and present. The story offers a lot to unpack about colonialism and social belonging and is recommended for its insights and thoughtful writing.
(from the Historical Novels Review, August 2020)
March 10, 2021
The Tainted is a wonderful historical novel set in India but with an Irish twist, reflecting the author's deep knowledge of both countries.
It is based on real events during the 1920s, when the Kildare Rangers, a military regiment serving as part of the British army and based in Nandagiri, India, mutinied because of events happening in Ireland. This episode is something that is not widely known in Ireland, so as an Irish person it was fascinating to read about it.
The mutiny leads to the execution of some soldiers in the novel, with disastrous consequences for other characters, not least for Rose, who had been planning to marry one of the executed men.
Madhavan takes us briskly but with a wealth of colourful detail and a very engaging style through the aftermath of those events, up to 60 years of life in Nandagiri and other parts of India. She has no doubt researched the period but wears her knowledge lightly so that at no point did the narrative feel didactic.
Underlying the narrative, two important themes stand out. One is the complex theme of identity when one's background is of mixed race - "tainted", as the title suggests - especially when there is societal discrimination in relation to mixed race. In The Tainted, Anglo-Indian people are considered to be not completely Indian, but not entirely British either. Madhavan conveys the stigma they suffer without taking sides, allowing the plot and characters to address these troublesome attitudes.
The second noteworthy theme in the novel is environmental. Our attention is drawn to forestry conservation in Nandagiri, and how big business encroaches on natural habitats of people as well as animals, and the delicate negotiations and hard work that are required to preserve the forest.
The Tainted is a great read, packed with vibrant characters - a page turner for me - and an unexpected twist at the end.
It is based on real events during the 1920s, when the Kildare Rangers, a military regiment serving as part of the British army and based in Nandagiri, India, mutinied because of events happening in Ireland. This episode is something that is not widely known in Ireland, so as an Irish person it was fascinating to read about it.
The mutiny leads to the execution of some soldiers in the novel, with disastrous consequences for other characters, not least for Rose, who had been planning to marry one of the executed men.
Madhavan takes us briskly but with a wealth of colourful detail and a very engaging style through the aftermath of those events, up to 60 years of life in Nandagiri and other parts of India. She has no doubt researched the period but wears her knowledge lightly so that at no point did the narrative feel didactic.
Underlying the narrative, two important themes stand out. One is the complex theme of identity when one's background is of mixed race - "tainted", as the title suggests - especially when there is societal discrimination in relation to mixed race. In The Tainted, Anglo-Indian people are considered to be not completely Indian, but not entirely British either. Madhavan conveys the stigma they suffer without taking sides, allowing the plot and characters to address these troublesome attitudes.
The second noteworthy theme in the novel is environmental. Our attention is drawn to forestry conservation in Nandagiri, and how big business encroaches on natural habitats of people as well as animals, and the delicate negotiations and hard work that are required to preserve the forest.
The Tainted is a great read, packed with vibrant characters - a page turner for me - and an unexpected twist at the end.
March 17, 2021
The Tainted Is an amazing historical fiction novel set in india During the Irish mutiny of the 1920s in Nandagiri, from where it spread to different parts of India.
Rose Twomey - an Irish Indian girl falls in love with Michael Flaherty - a soldier from The Kildare Rangers despite all the red flags signalling in their relationship from the society.
Destiny has other plans and as the news of the atrocities by The Blacks and Tans back at there home reaches them, the Soldiers plan a mutiny against the crown.
Sixty years later, with the pain of the past and the anguish of the future for THE TAINTED, history repeats itself in the form of yet another budding love story.
The author has very well woven the two timelines together - The 1920s and 1980s.
The transition is indeed very swift.
The landscapes have changed, the people ruling have changed but the attitude towards Anglo Indians remains the same.
Their appearance and their ways have not been accepted in the country that they consider their own.
There's always a wide ridge between the natives and the Tainted.
The narration sometimes is too fast and sometimes too slow, which kind of hampers the pace of the novel.
The language used is plain, lucid and very insightful.
Can't stop myself from staring at the cover because it's so beautiful, just like how the landscape of India is - colourful and full of activities.
The story is very beautiful, it makes you wonder how some things haven't changed even after years of independence.
Not going to lie but I didn't see the climax coming, and that's something that I really liked.
The shock, the happiness and the yearning of the characters.
Rose Twomey - an Irish Indian girl falls in love with Michael Flaherty - a soldier from The Kildare Rangers despite all the red flags signalling in their relationship from the society.
Destiny has other plans and as the news of the atrocities by The Blacks and Tans back at there home reaches them, the Soldiers plan a mutiny against the crown.
Sixty years later, with the pain of the past and the anguish of the future for THE TAINTED, history repeats itself in the form of yet another budding love story.
The author has very well woven the two timelines together - The 1920s and 1980s.
The transition is indeed very swift.
The landscapes have changed, the people ruling have changed but the attitude towards Anglo Indians remains the same.
Their appearance and their ways have not been accepted in the country that they consider their own.
There's always a wide ridge between the natives and the Tainted.
The narration sometimes is too fast and sometimes too slow, which kind of hampers the pace of the novel.
The language used is plain, lucid and very insightful.
Can't stop myself from staring at the cover because it's so beautiful, just like how the landscape of India is - colourful and full of activities.
The story is very beautiful, it makes you wonder how some things haven't changed even after years of independence.
Not going to lie but I didn't see the climax coming, and that's something that I really liked.
The shock, the happiness and the yearning of the characters.
July 31, 2021
It took me only about three sittings to finish this engrossing novel. Set in India, it begins in 1920 with a Romeo-and-Juliet romance between a soldier serving in an Irish regiment of the British Crown and a young Anglo-Indian woman, not fully accepted by either whites or Indians because of her mixed heritage. The characters and setting are fully drawn. Far off the tourist path, the action takes place in a provincial town of colonial India, where the local people toil in a filthy bazaar while the regimental officers lounge at clubs and organize tiger hunts. The story takes a sudden dramatic turn as the Irish soldiers receive word of the atrocities committed in Ireland by a British paramilitary group, the Black and Tans. Unexpected consequences ensue, and the story seems to end, only to resume sixty years later.
As the second part of the novel begins, it is now 1982. India and Ireland are independent, but events that occurred in the first part of the book reverberate in a new story of courtships and interrelationships among a group of young, modern Indians and Anglo-Indians, as well as a visiting Irish Protestant. The action is again set in the same provincial town, but it, too, has undergone social and environmental changes. This is a vivid portrait of India and its people, then and now, with rich political content and ruminations on race, subtly presented through character and plot. I will look for other works by this author, a woman who was born and raised in India but now lives in Ireland.
As the second part of the novel begins, it is now 1982. India and Ireland are independent, but events that occurred in the first part of the book reverberate in a new story of courtships and interrelationships among a group of young, modern Indians and Anglo-Indians, as well as a visiting Irish Protestant. The action is again set in the same provincial town, but it, too, has undergone social and environmental changes. This is a vivid portrait of India and its people, then and now, with rich political content and ruminations on race, subtly presented through character and plot. I will look for other works by this author, a woman who was born and raised in India but now lives in Ireland.
January 28, 2022
By Cauvery Madhavan.
"We are tainted, we were never white enough then and never will be brown enough now" !!!
I've become an ardent fan of Historical Fiction now, how once history was the subject that I dreaded the most!!!
The Tainted- is a tale of that mostly unknown /lesser-known part of history that deals with the Anglo-Indians.
The Anglo-Indians at those times were considered as 'CheeChees ' the inferior ones/ contaminated blood.
The book is based on the actual events during the 1920 British Raj in India.
The narrative is very much gripping, Cauvery is a superb storyteller, the portrayal is so satisfying, very rich detailing that transports you to the seething heat of Nandagiri, you are captivated and held up to the end. And again it is a Love Story ❤❤
The novel is capsized into two parts
1st part--details ill-fated lives of an Irish Ranger Michael Flaherty and Anglo- Indian Rose Twomey of1920s, it speaks about mutiny, lives of the Irish soldiers with the British
2nd part is about their generations and the post-independent India of the 1980s...
The book is so incredible and I'm so glad I happened to read this wonderful book.
Recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❣
"We are tainted, we were never white enough then and never will be brown enough now" !!!
I've become an ardent fan of Historical Fiction now, how once history was the subject that I dreaded the most!!!
The Tainted- is a tale of that mostly unknown /lesser-known part of history that deals with the Anglo-Indians.
The Anglo-Indians at those times were considered as 'CheeChees ' the inferior ones/ contaminated blood.
The book is based on the actual events during the 1920 British Raj in India.
The narrative is very much gripping, Cauvery is a superb storyteller, the portrayal is so satisfying, very rich detailing that transports you to the seething heat of Nandagiri, you are captivated and held up to the end. And again it is a Love Story ❤❤
The novel is capsized into two parts
1st part--details ill-fated lives of an Irish Ranger Michael Flaherty and Anglo- Indian Rose Twomey of1920s, it speaks about mutiny, lives of the Irish soldiers with the British
2nd part is about their generations and the post-independent India of the 1980s...
The book is so incredible and I'm so glad I happened to read this wonderful book.
Recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❣
March 18, 2022
What a beautifully crafted multifaceted story from an artist of description and character depth. The level to which the colonial struggles resonated as an Irish person is not only due to the similarities of experience between ourselves and India but the craft of this author who makes a very different culture familiar by bringing across universality of human experiences but also introducing new terms and parts of the culture in a way that is educational but never heavy handed . I love how many different identities the writer brings in and humanises and gives a voice to certain communities that are often given a hard time by history such as the Anglo Irish and Irish regiments within the British Army. Rose herself is a somewhat hard to swallow character at first but the book seeks to understand why she is of her time and that section of Anglo Indian that sought to be British and have British values, fighting their own sense of second class by treating the so called 'natives' the same way. The comments on the back of the book are correct in assuming that this is not a well known piece od history fictionalised in the book abd is very much worth a read.
January 10, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book on so many levels. My knowledge of India is very limited - a friend recounted stepping over bodies in the street in 1947 at the end of the Raj; Midleton College in Co Cork, where I live, has a direct connection to the massacre of Amritsar, as it is here that the architect of the massacre was educated.
The author, Cauvery Madhavan, Indian born, has lived for many years in Ireland. She is therefore the perfect narrator for this captivating story, beautifully written, about the tragic love between an Irish soldier serving in India in 1920, and an Anglo-Indian girl named, Rose. Spanning six decades, this gem of a book gives wonderful insights into a world of class distinction, politics, and race. The characters are so realistic, I was drawn into their story. A gem of a book, informative, and beautifully crafted, I heartily recommend it.
The author, Cauvery Madhavan, Indian born, has lived for many years in Ireland. She is therefore the perfect narrator for this captivating story, beautifully written, about the tragic love between an Irish soldier serving in India in 1920, and an Anglo-Indian girl named, Rose. Spanning six decades, this gem of a book gives wonderful insights into a world of class distinction, politics, and race. The characters are so realistic, I was drawn into their story. A gem of a book, informative, and beautifully crafted, I heartily recommend it.
May 10, 2021
The Tainted is a mixture of facts and fiction. The story is about two families over 60 years - the Alymers and the Twomeys. Private Michael Flaherty from the Regiment falls in love with Rose Twomey, who is a nanny to the Aylmer Children. But Rose is Anglo-Indian so in the times of 1920s, it is hard for her to find a place where she belongs. And going through all this and balancing her relationship with Flaherty is what makes it interesting. This is the part of Indian history not discussed very widely, the Mutiny staged by Connaught Regiment to oppose the political problems in Ireland, which in turn lead them to their own fate on different paths.
Now Jumping to 1980s, the Colonel's grandson visits India to explore the past, the inspiration for his paintings, to understand and explore the historical legacy.
The research and off-the-book work are incredible, the accuracy and the facts are indeed knowledgeable and the efforts are vividly visible. It absorbed me from the start, and not to mention the things we have progressed from that time, and the things we are still to move on from. I love a book with a good plot and factual accuracy, with beautifully penned characters, and "The Tainted" is on those terms with me.
I love a book with a good plot and factual accuracy, with beautifully penned characters, and "The Tainted" is on those terms with me.
.
Quote of the Day: "We’re tainted – we were never white enough then and will never be brown enough now."
~Cauvery Madhavan
Now Jumping to 1980s, the Colonel's grandson visits India to explore the past, the inspiration for his paintings, to understand and explore the historical legacy.
The research and off-the-book work are incredible, the accuracy and the facts are indeed knowledgeable and the efforts are vividly visible. It absorbed me from the start, and not to mention the things we have progressed from that time, and the things we are still to move on from. I love a book with a good plot and factual accuracy, with beautifully penned characters, and "The Tainted" is on those terms with me.
I love a book with a good plot and factual accuracy, with beautifully penned characters, and "The Tainted" is on those terms with me.
.
Quote of the Day: "We’re tainted – we were never white enough then and will never be brown enough now."
~Cauvery Madhavan
February 20, 2021
This was an enjoyable read, something I picked only to take my mind off of the world around. The intention was only to read something that ends on a happy note, which it did, but as a bonus the book also introduced me to a chapter of Indian colonial history which I was not aware of.
I have one thing to say about the characters in this novel - they are real. There's no awe, no exaggeration about any character. There are no extremes, they are all simple people who just happened to have landed in the wrong time , wrong place.
Loved the ending of the novel, wasn't expecting that closure.
I have one thing to say about the characters in this novel - they are real. There's no awe, no exaggeration about any character. There are no extremes, they are all simple people who just happened to have landed in the wrong time , wrong place.
Loved the ending of the novel, wasn't expecting that closure.
August 30, 2021
The story of Michael Flaherty and Rose Twomey, lovers during the fraught times and caste barriers of British-occupied India. The couple, each connected to Ireland, fine each other amid the dance halls and barracks of the Kildare Rangers. Their connection carries its implications to later generations, and the novel tells of forgotten complications among those “tainted” by the British/Irish legacy in India. A well-written tale, especially in its conversations, but loosely plotted. The gaps in the story are mitigated by its characters, though, and its glimpse of an unknown thread of the past.
November 10, 2021
Starting in 1920 in South India during the days of the Raj, and ending in 1982. The Tainted (the local Anglo-Indians 'Tainted' by their mixed blood) is a completely captivating story brilliantly written . I've been completely engrossed in this the last few days, and picking it up every spare moment I've had. And I didn't see that ending coming at all. Absolutely loved this wonderful novel.
June 19, 2024
An interesting read, I had no idea how long the effects of the British Raj lingered, and the effect it had on the various views. Some parallels here with other countries, where those who view themselves as having benefitted from the colonists have very different views from others in the same country.
Worthwhile.
Worthwhile.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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