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Shalimar
A British woman's search for love and truth in the late 19th century lies at the heart of this epic love story set in the midst of the "Great Game" between England and Russia over control of the Silk Road.
686 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
4 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Ryman
5 books37 followersRebecca Ryman is the pen name of an Indian writer, Asha Bhanjdeo, who only wrote three books under this name: Olivia & Jai, The Veil of Illusions (the sequel of Olivia & Jai) and Shalimar. She died in Calcutta in 2003.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 20, 2008
Shalimar begins in 1890 shortly after the death of Emma Wyncliffe's father, who was found frozen on a glacier high in the Himalayas during an archeological expedition that went tragically awry. The Wyncliffe's are left with little funds and Emma's brother David in the throes of gambling bets and loses the family home to the mysterious Damien Granville. For reasons of his own, Damien offers to void the gambling debt if Emma will marry him and live at Shalimar, his estate in the Vale of Kashmir.
As Emma tries to reconcile herself to a loveless marriage, mystery and intrigue take center stage as many players unfold in an international chase between Great Britain, Russia and China as they play the Great Game to unlock the secret to the long hidden Yasmina Pass, as whoever holds access to the pass holds the key to control of the unclaimed regions that sit in the center of the borders of India, Russia and China. Emma unknowingly holds the key to it all (or does she?), and who is the mysterious Armenian slave Ivana that all players in the game are desperate to find at all costs?
No one (except Emma of course) is who or what they appear to be on the surface and the author keeps the reader guessing with plentiful twists, turns and big surprises all the way until the very last pages. This was a top notch novel of mystery and intrigue and I found it very difficult to put down, especially the last 100 or so pages. The author's knowledge of India and its culture shines through, and I especially loved the gorgeous glimpses of the Himalayas and Kashmir Valley. Just a warning, if you're expecting a love story on a scale of Ryman's fabulous Olivia and Jai you will probably be very disappointed. However, if you want a novel filled with abundant history, mystery, treachery and intrigue that keeps you on your seat until the end I'd say go for it if you can find a copy used at a reasonable price. 4.5 stars rounded up to five, not perfect but pretty darned good.
As Emma tries to reconcile herself to a loveless marriage, mystery and intrigue take center stage as many players unfold in an international chase between Great Britain, Russia and China as they play the Great Game to unlock the secret to the long hidden Yasmina Pass, as whoever holds access to the pass holds the key to control of the unclaimed regions that sit in the center of the borders of India, Russia and China. Emma unknowingly holds the key to it all (or does she?), and who is the mysterious Armenian slave Ivana that all players in the game are desperate to find at all costs?
No one (except Emma of course) is who or what they appear to be on the surface and the author keeps the reader guessing with plentiful twists, turns and big surprises all the way until the very last pages. This was a top notch novel of mystery and intrigue and I found it very difficult to put down, especially the last 100 or so pages. The author's knowledge of India and its culture shines through, and I especially loved the gorgeous glimpses of the Himalayas and Kashmir Valley. Just a warning, if you're expecting a love story on a scale of Ryman's fabulous Olivia and Jai you will probably be very disappointed. However, if you want a novel filled with abundant history, mystery, treachery and intrigue that keeps you on your seat until the end I'd say go for it if you can find a copy used at a reasonable price. 4.5 stars rounded up to five, not perfect but pretty darned good.
May 19, 2011
WHAT A BOOK, I'm still breathing hard since you really must keep your breath in the last 100 pages. What else should I say about this book? It's a mixture of historical fiction, romance and espionage settled in the 19th Century Kashimir. The plot is about the search of the Yasmina Pass and its chase between Russia, Great Britain and China.
For more information about Kashimir's region, take a look at :
http://www.koausa.org/Geography/ch1.4...
http://www.koausa.org/Geography/ch1.5...
By the way, there are 2 translations of the word Shalimar, page 264: one maintains that Shalimar means a hall of love, the other that the word is a combination of shala, "mountain", and mar, "beautiful".
The Veil of Illusion, the sequel of Olivia&Jai, is the next book to be read. It's a pity that Rebecca wrote only 3 books.
For more information about Kashimir's region, take a look at :
http://www.koausa.org/Geography/ch1.4...
http://www.koausa.org/Geography/ch1.5...
By the way, there are 2 translations of the word Shalimar, page 264: one maintains that Shalimar means a hall of love, the other that the word is a combination of shala, "mountain", and mar, "beautiful".
The Veil of Illusion, the sequel of Olivia&Jai, is the next book to be read. It's a pity that Rebecca wrote only 3 books.
July 31, 2010
Reading as part mystery, part spy novel, and part historical fiction, Shalimar has a lovely, old-fashioned feel to it, even though it is only a decade old. Ryman brings to vivid descriptive detail the late 19th century intrigues of the "Great Game"; a quest for land and trading routes in the beautiful land of Kashmir between the Russian, British and Chinese empires.
Replete with a large cast of characters and ever changing POV's, Shalimar isn't an easy book to read and understand. Many of the storylines only start to make sense within the last 100 pages of the novel, when all the threads come together to make the rich tapestry of this book complete.
At the very heart of the book is the love story between Damien Granville and Emma Wyncliffe. Unfortunately, it is also one of the book's weakest points, IMO. Anyone familiar with Ryman's work will remember her magnificent novel, Olivia & Jai, and how the lead couple from it mesmerized the reader from beginning to end. The same cannot hold true for this novel, where the couple and their relationship suffer from lack of development and authenticity. I never fully bought into their love for each other, and while as a whole I prefer my historical romances to emphasize the historical and downplay the romance, it was clear that this one needed an extra dollop of sizzle to make it a 4 or 5 star book for me.
An enjoyable and informative book from an author I have long admired. It is a shame that this talented writer died with only 3 novels under her belt. I would have loved to read many more about her mysterious and lovely country.
Replete with a large cast of characters and ever changing POV's, Shalimar isn't an easy book to read and understand. Many of the storylines only start to make sense within the last 100 pages of the novel, when all the threads come together to make the rich tapestry of this book complete.
At the very heart of the book is the love story between Damien Granville and Emma Wyncliffe. Unfortunately, it is also one of the book's weakest points, IMO. Anyone familiar with Ryman's work will remember her magnificent novel, Olivia & Jai, and how the lead couple from it mesmerized the reader from beginning to end. The same cannot hold true for this novel, where the couple and their relationship suffer from lack of development and authenticity. I never fully bought into their love for each other, and while as a whole I prefer my historical romances to emphasize the historical and downplay the romance, it was clear that this one needed an extra dollop of sizzle to make it a 4 or 5 star book for me.
An enjoyable and informative book from an author I have long admired. It is a shame that this talented writer died with only 3 novels under her belt. I would have loved to read many more about her mysterious and lovely country.
February 15, 2015
La novela arranca con un hecho crucial: un comerciante musulmán, viajando en una caravana, es asesinado en la Ruta de la Seda y sus papeles, perdidos misteriosamente. Este incidente repercute en la trama entera, el mercader musulmán al final resulta no serlo: en realidad es un consumado espía británico sospechoso de llevar una información de vital importancia: el paso del Yasmina.
De forma paralela, transcurre una historia totalmente opuesta: Emma Wyncliffe, una joven independiente, libre y con ideas propias, vive en Delhi con su madre y su hermano David. Su padre, famoso por su interés y estudios de la cultura y la historia de la India, murió en su última expedición al Himalaya. David, del servicio militar, pierde la casa en una apuesta a las cartas y Emma trata de llegar a un acuerdo con el ganador: el insoportable y arrogante Damien Granville. Damien se niega en redondo a aceptar cualquier alternativa propuesta por Emma, ella intenta arreglar la situación pero sólo encuentra la salida que éste le ofrece: casarse con él para así anular la deuda.
En un principio las dos tramas transcurren de forma paralela pero sin cruzarse, no encontramos relación alguna entre ambas historias, pero, cada una por su lado, nos mantienen en contante tensión: la historia de Emma, casada con un hombre al que apenas conoce y con el que mantiene una fría y distante relación, y la de las intrigas políticas y el espionaje: militares rusos, políticos chinos y diplomáticos británicos en la India, todos en contante acción para desarrollar sus facultades, sus armas, apoderarse de los territorios más estratégicos, ideando planes de invasión, de defensa, de alianza, de traición... es el periodo de grandes tensiones entre las potencias mundiales, la Paz Armada, 1890, los grandes imperios se disputan todos los recursos a su alcance, el conjunto de tensiones entre los países se complica en unas subtramas locales, con los mismos personajes y el desarrollo y cruce de estas tramas, que coinciden y luego se separan, estableciéndose así una cadena de causas y efectos, pues las acciones de unos repercuten en las de otros, los misterios de la política y el prestigio, el dinero y la codicia, la fama y el poder.
La historia de tramas e intrigas políticas no parece tener relación alguna con la historia principal, pero poco a poco vamos descubriendo sus detalles y se nos abren nuevas puertas, posibilidades, opciones, hechos. Hasta llegar a un punto en el cual no sólo se cruzan sino que además las dos historias se complementan, se entrelazan, formando un conjunto que no sólo se sostiene, sino que además mantiene una atención constante.
Emma Wyncliffe, en contra de su voluntad, se casa a regañadientes con Damien Granville para anular la deuda de su hermano, está convencida de que Damien obligó a su hermano David a apostar de forma tan arriesgada y, desde el principio su relación se caracteriza por un tira y afloja constante, miradas frías, contestaciones irónicas, furia congelada y un rencor que no se molestan en ocultar. Damien es un hombre distante y solitario, lo que no ayuda a la convivencia entre ambos y pronto su relación llega a un punto muerto que se desarrollará a lo largo de la novela. Tengo que añadir que en contadas ocasiones aparece Damien, siempre está en sus misteriosos viajes de negocios y, cuando llega a Shalimar, tampoco es que revele mucho de sus aventuras. Ante su silencio, Emma decide investigar por su cuenta, en busca de cualquier información que pueda desenmascarar algún detalle de su pasado, conocerle mejor, saber más de él, de su marido, el terrateniente Damien Granville, por el cual va desarrollando unos sentimientos que van desde la ira y el odio, el rencor, el respeto, la compasión y... ¿el amor?
Es una historia que me ha mantenido en vilo a lo largo de las páginas, hay un equilibrio perfecto entre las intrigas y la historia de amor, la historia de amor muy light, por cierto, los sentimientos progresan de manera gradual, de forma muy creíble y bien desarrollada, es lo que más me ha gustado del libro: la maduración de los sentimientos de la protagonista, Emma, un personaje que me llegó a caer muy pero que muy bien: independiente, valiente, decidida, inteligente, perspicaz, fiel a sus pensamientos, cariñosa con los suyos... su fuerza de carácter pone a prueba a Damien, el cual también trae de cabeza a Emma: tal para cual.
Shalimar es una finca situada en el valle de Cachemira, un hermoso lugar con el panorama de las montañas en el horizonte, un lago con “casas flotantes” en sus orillas, y campos prósperos y hermosos, la naturaleza idílica, el paraíso. Es la finca de Damien, lo único en lo que cree, poco le importa la situación de Inglaterra o Rusia si con ello Shalimar está a salvo, en sus manos. Un lugar cuya actividad más floreciente es la confección de chales, que todos los años provocan la admiración de la reina Victoria al recibirlos como dádivas.
Es el primer libro que leo de Rebecca Ryman y me he quedado impresionada, me ha gustado mucho cómo ha desarrollado la historia de amor, una historia condenada a fracasar desde el principio, porque ella se siente atada y chantajeada y él, aparentemente, no hace nada para llevar la situación a buen puerto. Pero no, la autora lo describe perfectamente, sabe muy bien por dónde va y cómo va la cosa. Los pensamientos, sospechas y sentimientos de Emma atrapan al lector. Lo único que cambiaría es el hecho de que me hubiera gustado que la historia de amor entre ambos se hubiera desarrollado un poco más al final, para mí la reconciliación no ha alcanzado las expectativas que tenía puestas en ella. Pero en conjunto, magnífico.
Esta autora, a mi parecer, promete y mucho, tiene varias novelas escritas pero por ahora sólo he encontrado esta. Me pregunto cómo será “Olivia y Jai”.
De forma paralela, transcurre una historia totalmente opuesta: Emma Wyncliffe, una joven independiente, libre y con ideas propias, vive en Delhi con su madre y su hermano David. Su padre, famoso por su interés y estudios de la cultura y la historia de la India, murió en su última expedición al Himalaya. David, del servicio militar, pierde la casa en una apuesta a las cartas y Emma trata de llegar a un acuerdo con el ganador: el insoportable y arrogante Damien Granville. Damien se niega en redondo a aceptar cualquier alternativa propuesta por Emma, ella intenta arreglar la situación pero sólo encuentra la salida que éste le ofrece: casarse con él para así anular la deuda.
En un principio las dos tramas transcurren de forma paralela pero sin cruzarse, no encontramos relación alguna entre ambas historias, pero, cada una por su lado, nos mantienen en contante tensión: la historia de Emma, casada con un hombre al que apenas conoce y con el que mantiene una fría y distante relación, y la de las intrigas políticas y el espionaje: militares rusos, políticos chinos y diplomáticos británicos en la India, todos en contante acción para desarrollar sus facultades, sus armas, apoderarse de los territorios más estratégicos, ideando planes de invasión, de defensa, de alianza, de traición... es el periodo de grandes tensiones entre las potencias mundiales, la Paz Armada, 1890, los grandes imperios se disputan todos los recursos a su alcance, el conjunto de tensiones entre los países se complica en unas subtramas locales, con los mismos personajes y el desarrollo y cruce de estas tramas, que coinciden y luego se separan, estableciéndose así una cadena de causas y efectos, pues las acciones de unos repercuten en las de otros, los misterios de la política y el prestigio, el dinero y la codicia, la fama y el poder.
La historia de tramas e intrigas políticas no parece tener relación alguna con la historia principal, pero poco a poco vamos descubriendo sus detalles y se nos abren nuevas puertas, posibilidades, opciones, hechos. Hasta llegar a un punto en el cual no sólo se cruzan sino que además las dos historias se complementan, se entrelazan, formando un conjunto que no sólo se sostiene, sino que además mantiene una atención constante.
Emma Wyncliffe, en contra de su voluntad, se casa a regañadientes con Damien Granville para anular la deuda de su hermano, está convencida de que Damien obligó a su hermano David a apostar de forma tan arriesgada y, desde el principio su relación se caracteriza por un tira y afloja constante, miradas frías, contestaciones irónicas, furia congelada y un rencor que no se molestan en ocultar. Damien es un hombre distante y solitario, lo que no ayuda a la convivencia entre ambos y pronto su relación llega a un punto muerto que se desarrollará a lo largo de la novela. Tengo que añadir que en contadas ocasiones aparece Damien, siempre está en sus misteriosos viajes de negocios y, cuando llega a Shalimar, tampoco es que revele mucho de sus aventuras. Ante su silencio, Emma decide investigar por su cuenta, en busca de cualquier información que pueda desenmascarar algún detalle de su pasado, conocerle mejor, saber más de él, de su marido, el terrateniente Damien Granville, por el cual va desarrollando unos sentimientos que van desde la ira y el odio, el rencor, el respeto, la compasión y... ¿el amor?
Es una historia que me ha mantenido en vilo a lo largo de las páginas, hay un equilibrio perfecto entre las intrigas y la historia de amor, la historia de amor muy light, por cierto, los sentimientos progresan de manera gradual, de forma muy creíble y bien desarrollada, es lo que más me ha gustado del libro: la maduración de los sentimientos de la protagonista, Emma, un personaje que me llegó a caer muy pero que muy bien: independiente, valiente, decidida, inteligente, perspicaz, fiel a sus pensamientos, cariñosa con los suyos... su fuerza de carácter pone a prueba a Damien, el cual también trae de cabeza a Emma: tal para cual.
Shalimar es una finca situada en el valle de Cachemira, un hermoso lugar con el panorama de las montañas en el horizonte, un lago con “casas flotantes” en sus orillas, y campos prósperos y hermosos, la naturaleza idílica, el paraíso. Es la finca de Damien, lo único en lo que cree, poco le importa la situación de Inglaterra o Rusia si con ello Shalimar está a salvo, en sus manos. Un lugar cuya actividad más floreciente es la confección de chales, que todos los años provocan la admiración de la reina Victoria al recibirlos como dádivas.
Es el primer libro que leo de Rebecca Ryman y me he quedado impresionada, me ha gustado mucho cómo ha desarrollado la historia de amor, una historia condenada a fracasar desde el principio, porque ella se siente atada y chantajeada y él, aparentemente, no hace nada para llevar la situación a buen puerto. Pero no, la autora lo describe perfectamente, sabe muy bien por dónde va y cómo va la cosa. Los pensamientos, sospechas y sentimientos de Emma atrapan al lector. Lo único que cambiaría es el hecho de que me hubiera gustado que la historia de amor entre ambos se hubiera desarrollado un poco más al final, para mí la reconciliación no ha alcanzado las expectativas que tenía puestas en ella. Pero en conjunto, magnífico.
Esta autora, a mi parecer, promete y mucho, tiene varias novelas escritas pero por ahora sólo he encontrado esta. Me pregunto cómo será “Olivia y Jai”.
November 3, 2019
Purely an emotional rating because I absolutely love the imagery of India especially the far North.
April 29, 2016
In the tempo of MM Kaye's Death in Kashmir and the Scarlet Pimpernel, it's an good fun read. Wonderfully presented historically and geographically, it's a well written adventure tale which only loses its tempo near the very end and hence lost 1 star for me. (I also 'figured' out the story midway through the book). To a historical fiction fan of the subcontinent British era, I've found it very rich and correct in its history and geographically it's set in one of the most beautiful and spectacular areas on earth -- the northern subcontinent, so it held special appeal for me. Overall, I'm real glad to have read it; it's one of those books that I've been looking for a couple of years, and thanks to openlibrary again, am so glad to finally have done that.
April 25, 2023
This didn't compare to Kaye's raj books:(
January 31, 2024
OMG I have only words of praise for this novel! It is such an engrossing tale of historical fiction, espionage, love and treachery blended with exquisite picturesque descriptions of Kashmir.
I was intrigued from the beginning. The story starts with the murder of a moslem trader travelling with a caravan and with the mysterious disappearance of his documents. His papers are concomitantly sought after the British, the Russians and the Chinese, because they are thought to reveal the location of a very important strategical place in Kashmir: the Yasmina Pass. The importance of this pass is so substantial to the story that I even searched it on the internet, believing it actually exists (which it does not).
So, we see different chapters in the form of parallel storylines: the British, the Russian and the Chinese officials and spies, all on the quest to find first the Yasmina Pass.
As a seemingly different storyline comes the story of Emma Wyncliffe,the daughter of a British explorer, who researched the remote Buddhist monasteries.He dies on an archeological mission and lives his family in a precarious economical condition. Emma’s brother David adds up to this with his gambling habits, finally losing the family house in a gambling bet with the mysterious Damien Granville. Emma tries to solve this problem approaching Mr Granville and trying to negotiate another alternative to loosing the house. None is accepted by Mr Granville but his own offer: Emma should become his wife and live at his estate Shalimar in Kashmir.
Seeing none other option, Emma finally reluctantly agrees and leaves her friends and family behind. Arriving at Shalimar, she has to face novelty, mystery and the prospect of living with a cold, distant, often absent husband. There are puzzle pieces that do not add up, intrigue and mysteries need to be discovered and understood. So, because we have an extremely courageous, witty, adventurous and tenacious heroine, we will slowly come to see how these pieces add up.
I absolutely loved Emma’s character! I found her will to fight and to discover the truth admiring. She simply did not give up and tried, against all odds, to make the best of her new life in Shalimar. I also admired here honesty in a world were none are and nothing is what they first appear.
I also read Olivia and Jay by the same author, but I definitely liked Shalimar more due to the female main character. She had a moral backbone and better values than Olivia. But you will find splendid writing in both. Absolutely recommend!
I was intrigued from the beginning. The story starts with the murder of a moslem trader travelling with a caravan and with the mysterious disappearance of his documents. His papers are concomitantly sought after the British, the Russians and the Chinese, because they are thought to reveal the location of a very important strategical place in Kashmir: the Yasmina Pass. The importance of this pass is so substantial to the story that I even searched it on the internet, believing it actually exists (which it does not).
So, we see different chapters in the form of parallel storylines: the British, the Russian and the Chinese officials and spies, all on the quest to find first the Yasmina Pass.
As a seemingly different storyline comes the story of Emma Wyncliffe,the daughter of a British explorer, who researched the remote Buddhist monasteries.He dies on an archeological mission and lives his family in a precarious economical condition. Emma’s brother David adds up to this with his gambling habits, finally losing the family house in a gambling bet with the mysterious Damien Granville. Emma tries to solve this problem approaching Mr Granville and trying to negotiate another alternative to loosing the house. None is accepted by Mr Granville but his own offer: Emma should become his wife and live at his estate Shalimar in Kashmir.
Seeing none other option, Emma finally reluctantly agrees and leaves her friends and family behind. Arriving at Shalimar, she has to face novelty, mystery and the prospect of living with a cold, distant, often absent husband. There are puzzle pieces that do not add up, intrigue and mysteries need to be discovered and understood. So, because we have an extremely courageous, witty, adventurous and tenacious heroine, we will slowly come to see how these pieces add up.
I absolutely loved Emma’s character! I found her will to fight and to discover the truth admiring. She simply did not give up and tried, against all odds, to make the best of her new life in Shalimar. I also admired here honesty in a world were none are and nothing is what they first appear.
I also read Olivia and Jay by the same author, but I definitely liked Shalimar more due to the female main character. She had a moral backbone and better values than Olivia. But you will find splendid writing in both. Absolutely recommend!
August 25, 2018
This book truly felt like a retelling of Valerie Fitzgerald's "Zemindar", except instead of the Mutiny, the protagonists get embroiled in espionage and, of all things, mountaineering. Though I enjoyed learning about the mysterious (and definitely fictional, right? Google hasn't been able to pull up anything concrete about it beyond links to this novel) Yasmina Pass in the treacherous, glacial, wildly beautiful Himalayas, and I was rapt at the description of Kashmir and the political tidbits about British Imperial fears of Russian aggression and full-scale invasion Hannibal-style, I found the romance, which is supposed to be the main draw of this novel, flat and, at times, repulsive.
*SPOILERS*
If you like misogynist men who completely humiliate, pauper, deceive, physically abuse (that slap!), and betray their heroines, and you like heroines who buy all the "I loved you the moment I saw you and that's why I did all this terrible stuff" mumbo jumbo, then this is the book for you. I thought, after meeting Emma's spineless, gambler brother David, that she was the type of courageous and put-together woman who takes difficult situations by the horns, but one kiss from her odious husband and she disintegrates like a dandelion in a hurricane. The one love scene was WAY over the top, comparing the act to something celestial but at the same time sounding like an accurate description of toast. The author spent more time describing a spade being put through a young boy's eyes in the Hunza tribe for providing information to an infidel than she does of any tenderness between Damien and Emma.
If you prefer heroines who have more brains and a less forgiving nature towards their abuser, and you like men to treat women with respect and not try to trap them by claiming monogamy despite a host of mistresses (and a possible love child) boasting to the contrary, then you are better off elsewhere. Ryman has the same lovely writing and Indian pathos here that I fell for in "Olivia and Jai", but, just as I found with "Shadow of the Moon" after I had read "Far Pavilions", sometimes a later work doesn't compare to the magnum opus.
*SPOILERS*
If you like misogynist men who completely humiliate, pauper, deceive, physically abuse (that slap!), and betray their heroines, and you like heroines who buy all the "I loved you the moment I saw you and that's why I did all this terrible stuff" mumbo jumbo, then this is the book for you. I thought, after meeting Emma's spineless, gambler brother David, that she was the type of courageous and put-together woman who takes difficult situations by the horns, but one kiss from her odious husband and she disintegrates like a dandelion in a hurricane. The one love scene was WAY over the top, comparing the act to something celestial but at the same time sounding like an accurate description of toast. The author spent more time describing a spade being put through a young boy's eyes in the Hunza tribe for providing information to an infidel than she does of any tenderness between Damien and Emma.
If you prefer heroines who have more brains and a less forgiving nature towards their abuser, and you like men to treat women with respect and not try to trap them by claiming monogamy despite a host of mistresses (and a possible love child) boasting to the contrary, then you are better off elsewhere. Ryman has the same lovely writing and Indian pathos here that I fell for in "Olivia and Jai", but, just as I found with "Shadow of the Moon" after I had read "Far Pavilions", sometimes a later work doesn't compare to the magnum opus.
June 1, 2019
I loved Olivia and Jai but this didn't live up to the promise of the author's true ability to craft a really good story and write it so very well. It seems that all three of this author's novels have a similar thread, but it flowed so eloquently in Olivia and Jai, and the similar characters in Shalimar came off as cheap imitations in a cloying romance novel. I had trouble getting into this as it just didn't move for too many pages and then it became a guessing game of who was who as too many characters got introduced into a plot line that just didn't wash. I skipped over so many pages and never lost track of what was going on. I would give this one a miss if you're a fan of this author and have read O&J but if you're a romance novel fan, you'll probably enjoy it.
February 19, 2023
The storyline was great and started off well but after that It took a bit of reading to get into the book because each chapter introduced a new person/s and scenario so the threads didn’t come together till well into the read. The main characters seemed to lack personality and they certainly didn’t have a relationship - cannot see the romantic side of the story at all…
April 5, 2021
Aunque no llega a la altura de Olivia y Jai, Shalimar es una novela perfectamente narrada y muy entretenida. Volver a encontrarme con la India y con esos personajes masculinos desarraigados y atormentados me ha encantado. Qué pena la pronta desaparición de su autora!.
April 17, 2020
Long book. getting bored most of the time
January 15, 2019
For some reason, I am fascinated by 19th and 20th century India. It started with Paul Scott’s Raj Quartet and continues with this gem (that sadly appears to be out of print). Prior to reading this, I had no knowledge of the Russian-British-Chinese tensions over the northern borders of India. I liked this book a lot more than the author’s better known and better reviewed book (Olivia and Jai, which was too romancey for me). This has romance (and two acid-tongued protagonists), but it has history, mystery, espionage, a multitude of characters, and four different story lines. I did figure out some of the mystery, but the parts I couldn’t figure out, in addition to great characters and expertly crafted prose, were enough for me to give it four stars.
Edit: I am updating this review after revisiting some key parts of the story. Dying to know how it ended the first time around, I missed out on the finer details. Even though I already knew the conclusion, I still couldn’t put it down during this reread. This novel is not fast-paced and requires patience (as nearly most of my favorite books do), but the last 100 pages or so take you for a ride.
Give me spies with binoculars, cartography tools, and a compass over GPS and mobile phones any day. This novel distracted me from real life for a few days, but I can’t say I regret it. Bumping up to 5 stars.
Edit: I am updating this review after revisiting some key parts of the story. Dying to know how it ended the first time around, I missed out on the finer details. Even though I already knew the conclusion, I still couldn’t put it down during this reread. This novel is not fast-paced and requires patience (as nearly most of my favorite books do), but the last 100 pages or so take you for a ride.
Give me spies with binoculars, cartography tools, and a compass over GPS and mobile phones any day. This novel distracted me from real life for a few days, but I can’t say I regret it. Bumping up to 5 stars.
May 4, 2023
4,5/ 5
OK, este libro es brutalmente bueno.
Literal es tan bueno que me siento mal por haberlo mirado en menos (sólo lo compré porque mi madre pensó que era de mi tipo de lectura y estaba ridículamente barato)
La historia está dividida en 2, la vida de nuestra protagonista Emma y todo alrededor de la conspiración política entre el imperio ruso y británico, peleando al puro estilo de la guerra fría, por el paso Yasmina.
En un inicio uno no entiende bien que pasa y se cuestiona como cosas tan alejadas pueden tener algo que ver, pero cuando llegas al punto en que estas dos historias se unen todo cobra sentido de una manera muy interesante y bastante inesperada, porque literal a lo largo de todo el libro ves las pláticas entre los poderosos generales de cada bando mientras en paralelo Emma lidia con las expectativas sociales de la época y su matrimonio para al final entender todo y quedar con la sensación de que debiste haberte dado cuenta antes de lo que ocurría.
La ambientación del libro está maravillosamente hecha, se siente como si estuvieras viendo una serie de época ambientada en la India y todo está súper bien construido, se nota muchísimo el conocimiento de la cultura India y toda la parte histórica está muy bien desarrollada (quedé con muchas ganas de investigar sobre este conflicto no bélico)
Creo que el único problema genuino que tengo con la historia es con el interés romántico y la relación de la pareja(aquí falta mucho que pulir), obviamente entiendo que de hecho Damien es bastante adelantado a su época para los parámetros de finales de siglo XIX pero él en el libro hace dos cosas que no puedo romantizar y que de verdad no puedo ignorar😅
También como mini advertencia, hay muchos puntos de vista y harto detalle en el libro, por lo que requiere harta concentración (no es lectura ligera)
OK, este libro es brutalmente bueno.
Literal es tan bueno que me siento mal por haberlo mirado en menos (sólo lo compré porque mi madre pensó que era de mi tipo de lectura y estaba ridículamente barato)
La historia está dividida en 2, la vida de nuestra protagonista Emma y todo alrededor de la conspiración política entre el imperio ruso y británico, peleando al puro estilo de la guerra fría, por el paso Yasmina.
En un inicio uno no entiende bien que pasa y se cuestiona como cosas tan alejadas pueden tener algo que ver, pero cuando llegas al punto en que estas dos historias se unen todo cobra sentido de una manera muy interesante y bastante inesperada, porque literal a lo largo de todo el libro ves las pláticas entre los poderosos generales de cada bando mientras en paralelo Emma lidia con las expectativas sociales de la época y su matrimonio para al final entender todo y quedar con la sensación de que debiste haberte dado cuenta antes de lo que ocurría.
La ambientación del libro está maravillosamente hecha, se siente como si estuvieras viendo una serie de época ambientada en la India y todo está súper bien construido, se nota muchísimo el conocimiento de la cultura India y toda la parte histórica está muy bien desarrollada (quedé con muchas ganas de investigar sobre este conflicto no bélico)
Creo que el único problema genuino que tengo con la historia es con el interés romántico y la relación de la pareja(aquí falta mucho que pulir), obviamente entiendo que de hecho Damien es bastante adelantado a su época para los parámetros de finales de siglo XIX pero él en el libro hace dos cosas que no puedo romantizar y que de verdad no puedo ignorar😅
También como mini advertencia, hay muchos puntos de vista y harto detalle en el libro, por lo que requiere harta concentración (no es lectura ligera)
November 13, 2010
I can NOT believe that I found this book again. It was the one and only English book that interested me (from the VERY small collection) that the library in my part of Hamburg had. I read it twice in a row, because I loved this novel so much!
From what I remember, it was a very Scarlett Pimpernel-esque type book, and yet had much more depth to it. If I could find it in the library again, I'd probably steal it, it was that amazing!
I loved the setting, the characters and the plot, which twisted itself through the British colonial society in England. It's just really worth reading!
From what I remember, it was a very Scarlett Pimpernel-esque type book, and yet had much more depth to it. If I could find it in the library again, I'd probably steal it, it was that amazing!
I loved the setting, the characters and the plot, which twisted itself through the British colonial society in England. It's just really worth reading!
August 17, 2010
from book jacket "set in late nineteenth century in remote northern outreaches of the British Indian empire, Shalimar is a love story that unfolds among lush Kashmir mountains amid the intrigue of ...the diplomatic and military struggle between Britain and other nations for contol of lucrative trade and territory."
I found the political and military sections of the book too drawn out.
Same story could have been told in much fewer words.
I found the political and military sections of the book too drawn out.
Same story could have been told in much fewer words.
March 11, 2015
I really enjoyed losing myself in a different landscape for a while. Ryman paints India as a beautiful country full of culture and wonderous personality (which of course it is). The backdrop of the Russian/British battle for control of the mountains made for a very interesting ride, and of course the love expressed at the end gave me the warm fuzzies which I will never grow tired of getting from a book like this.
August 13, 2008
A modern well written, old fashioned type of women´s adventure, of the type MM Kaye would have written if she had had the time for more. Wonderfully atmospheric, a lovely subtle relationship, and the cozyness of that type of oldfashioned storytelling ( but with nothing for the mind to scream an objection at). I loved it. Unfortunately, this seems to have been the author´s last published work.
January 2, 2015
It Should have been a much better book. It started out with a head of steam, a real page turner. Then it peaked and headed downhill. She abandons the love story. She then lengthens the war conflict by using rarely used words to help plump up her sentences. Clearly, the historic part of the book is where her interests lie, for it is well researched.
December 13, 2009
A tale of love, strength and deception that takes place in the late nineteenth century in the British Indian empire of Kashmir. An engrossing story set along India's fabled Silk Road of a woman's search for truth and love. Well written!
December 11, 2010
loved it. Great insight into the indian culture, along with mystery and romance.
abandoned
April 9, 2011"Ah, that dress sets off your blue-green eyes!" <-- An actual line from this book.
The writing is not up to par and I couldn't take it seriously.
The writing is not up to par and I couldn't take it seriously.
February 12, 2012
didn't love it, too many characters
November 16, 2015
I've read the book twice by now and both times I could not put it down. I stayed up all night and had to finish. The story draws you in, unexpected turn of events... It's in my top 5
October 15, 2022
Dachte, es wäre eine Romanze (weil's ein Buch von meiner Mutter ist), aber dann doch recht viel Politik. Angenehme Überraschung und die paar Stellen des Paars hab ich gern gelesen :)
September 12, 2016
Un roman divertissant.
August 6, 2012
Great entertainment. Just enough romance, mystery and culture!
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