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November 2013:

The Enigma

The Siege of Krishnapur
by JG Farrell.

First Published: 1973

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The Siege of Krishnapur
by JG Farrell.

Most people enjoyed this book.

Though to most it was a definite page-turner to some it certainly was not. There was general agreement that Farrell is a good writer. Some found it a challenge with the deprivations and suffering represented a little too graphically. Certainly it provoked thought and discussion about what to many is a less than admirable part of British history. The characters are of their time and whilst the evils of colonialism and the shortcomings of the Victorian mentality are laid bare the characters are well developed, stoical in their endurance and often heroic. Given the grim nature of the tale it might seem surprising that it is also actually extremely funny with some passages verging on hilarious knockabout farce.

As in the other two books of the Empire Trilogy Farrell’s critique is subtle rather than polemical allowing the characters to condemn themselves but it is sympathetic too to the very same characters trapped in their historical context. To several of us the book is a classic and it is a tragedy that the author’s untimely death cut short a glittering literary career.

NS

Awards:

AA Book Club
Four stars