The Far Pavilions discussion

This is the story of a boy growing up in India, caught between 2 worlds. Sorry to say I had to force myself through the second part. (bored) Mabe this book just didn't have anough action goin on to keep me alert. I need a book that I cannot wait to turn the page. this is not that book. Dissappointed...More about the history of India than a love story or any real polt.How could I be so deffferent from all the millions of people that loved it? An International Bestseller should be just that good to me???

I love this book. It is a saga of love,adventure, friendship and patriotism. I do agree that the book is on the heavier side. But I personally feel, like good wine, it has to be savored in small sips. I might not have relished it had I wanted to jab through it. My personal motto when reading the book is "ease does the job"!

The last 200 pages where brutal. The author should have ended it after the Bithor rescue. It was great up until that point.

"Brutal" is the right word for it, Shayna. I feel like I've been on page 776 for a year. Part of me wants to just give up and the other part of me is like, I've come this far...

This is book is one that I always think back on when I think of favorite adventure/love stories. I loved the historical context and the personal struggles the characters had. In fact it has been long enough I think I may read it again.

I read this book almost 50 years ago and loved it. Maybe it's time to read it again.

I did love Far Pavilions, but I agree, the ending is just too sad. Much preferred Shadow of the Moon...have read it over and over...in spite of the violence. Have read all three books of her autobiography....wonderful picture of how life was in India back then.

Read this quite a few years ago, but remember that I loved it.

I have read this book almost ten times so far ever since I had a class teacher tell us the story. I do agree that the portion after the escape from Bhithore tends to drag a lot and on several readings I have stopped right there, but whenever I have read the complete book, I have always turned the last page with a lot of regret.
One of the most exciting events in my life was when I visited Chittore (Chittorgarh), which is the setting for Bhitore and I was able to identify so many familar landmarks described in the book.
I always list this as one of my all time favourite books which encompasses everything - intrigue, bravery, romance, suspense, drama....you name it and this book has it.

I enjoyed this book but I agree that it is slow in parts and the last part drags. The first time I tried to read this I could not get into it because I could not picture anything. Then I saw the miniseries with Ben Cross and Amy Irving which I did not think was that good but it helped me picture things. I enjoy books with questions of identity and place and I thought this one was a very good example. The love story was good. I found the whole thing very sad. I do not see a happily ever after for the characters.

I read this book about a million years ago and loved it. I think at some point I will have to find a copy and read it again.

One of my all time favourite books-I've read it several times.....I especially love the "prayer" the child ashock directs to the mountains....

This is one of the best books describing class and religious distinctions. It reads Like your apart of it and you miss it when your through. I loved this book and read it every two years or so. I first read it about twenty years ago

Lindy2 wrote: "This is the story of a boy growing up in India, caught between 2 worlds. Sorry to say I had to force myself through the second part. (bored) Mabe this book just didn't have anough action goin on to..."

I think the pace is a bit too slow for modern people who're so used to movies & TV, narrations of both go quite fast. But it is still touching...I'd especially recommend this read to those who have been away from home for a long time. If you have any issues with the idea of loneliness, home and where you belong, chances are you'd find this work quite appealing despite its slowness in unraveling plots.

James wrote: "This is one of the best books describing class and religious distinctions. It reads Like your apart of it and you miss it when your through. I loved this book and read it every two years or so. I f..."

Same here. This is one of the books that I felt a bit lost after finishing reading it. Reading it is a journey that I find myself relunctant to end.

I read it about 30 years ago and loved it. I guess maybe Amy CC has it right because those of us who read it long ago coped with the pace better. I think the pace reflects the pace of life then in many ways and the reality of war or crisis time where there is a lot of waiting and then a short period of lot happening that only seems to last a long time. I'd never thought of reading her biography so thanks for the suggestion. And Lindy2 - why should you be like everyone else? Plenty love it but most people in the world haven't read it or put it down and never thought of it again.

I've read the third vol of Kaye's biography and it was no less amazing than her novels.

Fisrt I have to admit, I do love sinking into long, epic novels. I have listened to 40 or so books from audible.com and this book is my favorite by far. Beautiful, forbidden love set in the tapistry of historic British India. I hated for it to end.

Too slow and no meat in second half. So it became harder to read after every 5 pages.

I just love to get lost in reading slow plodding books.

I read this too, "a million years ago"! I remember the bare bones plot, but I really remember how much I enjoyed it, how enthralled I was. It took about 50 pages before that wonderful "kicked in" moment, when it became fabulous. The 100 page battle scene near the end didn't even slow me down!

I read "The Far Pavillions" many years ago and loved it. It was a book that made me aware of the many ways life is lived in different parts of the world. When I finished it I wanted to know more about India and became extremely interested in its history.
Later I read "The Shadow of the Moon" and also loved it. It was still historical and quite romantic.
These two books I would like to read again.

I read this when I was fourteen/fifteen (because it took forever), and absolutely loved it... AFTER I managed to find a pace. Originally, I made it about a quarter of the way through, but stopped because I just lost interest. About a month later, I made myself pick it up, went back a few chapters to get my bearings, and continued on. Suddenly I found I couldn't put it down. After that I finished it easily.

I guess it just depends on your preferred style of reading, if you don't mind long books, and if the M. M. Kaye's style of writing is good for you.

I loved this book! Romantic & Sweet!

Dana wrote: "I read this too, "a million years ago"! I remember the bare bones plot, but I really remember how much I enjoyed it, how enthralled I was. It took about 50 pages before that wonderful "kicked in" m..."

I loved the battle scene! There was so much in it, so much detail, I felt like I was really there. But the results of the battle left me broken, just a little. In spite of the pain, it was fantastic.