Mohini Kent

“A tale of the cruelties that took place during the 1947 partition of India, Black Taj is a tragic story about young love’s struggle to cross the Indian caste divide.”

I was drawn to this book by the culture; India and its religions have always intrigued me, that, and I’m a sucker for a good “romeo + juliet” scenario.

This book was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I was fond of several characters, although the ones I disliked, I loathed. I loved the story, the depictions of the caste system, what it’s like loving someone your family is prejudiced against. This book hit a lot of issues, and I was actually surprised when it took a turn of violence. (Right when I was starting to doubt there would be any sort of climax in the story.) Although, at times nothing seemed to be really happening in the plot, I never got bored. I never once caught myself skimming while reading this one.

“Against a backdrop of monsoons and heat waves, shanty towns and expensive bungalows, love and tradition, and religious conflict and social upheaval, Simi’s life will change forever.”

The only negative feelings I have toward this book, are toward a character. And maaaybe things didn’t end as I’d hoped because there just didn’t seem to be enough justice in the end. But I guess that’s how the real world works.

Anyway, I’d recommend this book to anyone. I enjoyed it and it’s a lot different than any book I’ve read in a long time.

About the author: Mohini Kent (Lady Noon) has written for India Today, The Times of India, The Tablet and BBC Radio: her directorial roles include The Ramayana and Curry Tiffin.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.… (altro)

I was drawn to Black Taj by the culture it's depicting. India, and especially its caste system, is always a captivating topic for me, and Mohini Kent did an amazing job to portray the conflicts of beliefs and struggles between the caste, and I adore it very much. I also love how modern cultures seem to intertwine with the traditional lifestyle, which was absolutely fascinating. Not only that, the relationship between Imran and Simi is superb!

I do have some problems with Black Taj. The writing is somewhat... dragging for me. There are some drama that I think unnecessary, which could be a serial mood killer sometimes. However, despise those cons, the book was still an enjoyable read. Religions, society, family, love... All were carefully woven into the plot with such beauty that intrigued me greatly. Black Taj is a stunning and intricate tale about India and its colorful traditions, and I had a great time enjoying this book.

*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way can affect my opinion on this book and its content.… (altro)