Of Marriageable Age

by Sharon Maas

A spellbinding story of forbidden love. Three continents, three decades, three very disparate lives:

Savitri, intuitive and charismatic, grows up among the servants of a pre-war English household in Madras. But the traditional customs of her Brahmin family clash against English upper-class prejudice, threatening her love for the privileged son of the house.

Nataraj, raised as the son of an idealistic doctor in rural South India, finds life in London heady, with girls and grass easily available… until he is summoned back home to face raw reality.

Saroj, her fire hidden by outward reserve, comes of age in Guyana, South America. When her strict, orthodox Hindu father goes one step too far she finally rebels against him... and even against her gentle, apparently docile Ma.

But Ma harbours a deep secret… one that binds these three so disparate lives and hurtles them towards a truth that could destroy their world.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, India, Historical, Asia, Roman, British Literature

548 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Sharon Maas was born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1951, and a sense of adventure has followed her around the world. In 1971 she spent a year backpacking around South America, followed by a few months with pioneering friends in the Guyana rainforest, followed by an overland trip to India, followed by a year in a Hindu Ashram.

She settled in Germany where she married, studied, worked, and raised children.

Officially retired, she continues to write from her new home in Ireland.

Her first novel was published by HarperCollins in 1999, followed by two more in 2001 and 2002. At present, she has 10 published works with the digital publisher Bookouture.

She has one self-published work, a retelling of the magnificent Indian epic Mahabharata: a project of love that took her over 30 years to "get right", written under the pen name S. Aruna.

Reviews

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are books that you fall in love with, books you enjoy so much that you do not want them to end. Books that capture your imagination and do not let go long after the last page, so that, even though you are an avid reader, you do not want to open another book because no other will match the beauty, the magnificence of the one you've just finished. Books whose characters you do not want to part with, just yet. Sharon Maas’s 'Of Marriageable Age' is one such book. Spanning three continents and five decades, this is a colorful tapestry woven with words, the descriptions so breath-taking that they create an instant sense of place. Maas’s mastery over language is such that we experience each event along with the characters. I reveled in the joy and bustle of Stabroek Market, Guiana, with Saroj and her mother. I roamed the grounds of Fairwinds, India, with Savitri. I despaired of the flood that almost washed away his village in Madras with Nat. I felt for Savitri, riled against the constraints imposed by a dictatorial father along with Saroj and I enjoyed life with Nat. Three stories, three lives coming together in a spectacular crescendo, this book is an epic of vast scope. A must-read.

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed most of this book, specifically the fact that it had three different narrators living in different places and times. I loved the vivid descriptions of India, and it felt like I was experiencing it first hand, especially in Nat and Sav's stories. Unfortunately I thought the ending included too much drama, and too many twists.

The Story: Of Marriageable Age is the story of three different characters: Savitri, a servant girl growing up in British-ruled India; Nataraj, the son of a small-town doctor in South India; Saroj, a headstrong girl growing up in Guyana.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Marriageable Age is the first novel by Sharon Maas and tells the stories of Nat, Saroj and Savitri. The stories are set in British Guiana and England and India, in time periods ranging from the 1920s to the 1960s, and the lives of these three characters are inextricably linked, but the mystery of exactly how only becomes clear as the stories progress. Maas uses this enchanting love story to explore subjects like Indians living abroad, arranged marriages, prejudice, cultural boundaries, war and poverty. There is laughter, tears and heartache in this novel, the characters are wonderfully complex and there is a brilliant twist in the plot that will take the reader by surprise unless they are paying attention to the smallest details. This is the first novel I have read that is set in Guiana, and I found that aspect very interesting. This novel was a joy to read.

[Jae · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! By the time I'd reached the last few pages I was reading so slowly because I didn't want it to end. It's a beautiful, evocative book that interweaves the stories of different lives over time and continents, with such memorable characters, it's hard to believe that this is a debut novel. One for my favourites list, and I'm definitely planning to read more by this author.

[Booknblues · Rating 4 out of 5]

When speaking of the book Of Marriageable Age by Sharon Maas it is difficult not to use such words as tapestry, intricate and woven. Each thread of the story seems to be woven in such a way as to create an intricate tapestry which presents a delicate picture of the lives of the characters in this book. It is true that author Sharon Maas believes that there exists a grand scheme to our lives and that if we are sensitive to, in her words "the magnetism" we will indeed benefit. This belief is aptly demonstrated in the book.
The setting for the book is on three continents, India in Asia, Guyana in South America and Britain in Europe and the time span is from the 1920's through the 1960's. The main characters are tied to each other in intricate and mysterious ways. The older generation who grew up in India, are David, an English boy and Savitri, daughter of his servants and the younger generation, Saroj a young girl of Indian descent growing up in Guyana and Nat, an Indian orphan. For those of us who came of age in the 1960's in the United States it is interesting to see that people of other countries and cultures were dealing with similar issues at that time. For Saroj, a young woman from Guyana and Nat, a young man from Indian the issues of rebellion and independence from the older generation were part of their struggle for maturity.

Saroj grows to adulthood nurturing a hatred for her father who she feels is all things evil and who wants to control her and subjugate her. When she is a young teenager he arranges a marriage for her, which she desperately fights against. Her dream is to become educated in England and to achieve that dream she feels she must wage a successful battle against her father.

I would encourage readers to follow Saroj, Savitri, David and Nat in their journey through life to see what composite picture is finally revealed as their lives interweave.

[Margot · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me crazy. I loved loved loved the first 400 pages. Interesting characters, compelling story. then for some unknown reason, Maas shifts the book into a complicated, yet totally predictable, over written soap opera. I could not wait wait to be done with it. My favorite stories of all are Indian sagas and this one left me so frustrated. It was so well researched-- it could have been so wonderful!!!! 2.5

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite. It's amazing. I bought it abroad and haven't seen it in the states, so it's not too popular yet but absolutely worth getting from Amazon. A great read!

[Lakshu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read in a while and I was more than satisfied to begin with this particular novel. "Of Marriageable Age" spins a story about three people - Savitri, Saroj and Nat - who are connected very intricately. It is about their journey from young and innocent children to the adults that they mature into.

I realise that from the storyline, it may appear to be quite dull and not so original - undoubtedly, this is not the case. From the first page to the last, Sharon Maas had me swimming in the depth of the characters. I was near tears when moments of sadness came to be, and I especially love the very relatable character of Saroj. Her very realistic portrayal had me frustrated and disheartened; however, it was truly her development that made the novel a stand-out piece. The author leaves no stones unturned in justifying all the actions and all the decisions made by the three stars of the book.

Language was another praiseworthy feature of the book. I felt I was seeing exactly what was being described and that is something I have trouble in many other books. The descriptive language is never ending and does not fail to connect the reader to what is being narrated.

Overall, I enjoyed reading it tremendously. The last quarter of the book had me flipping pages nonstop and a little saddened when it was finished. The book is a journey where one can definitely learn quite a lot from its pages.

[Jo Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Souvent, il ne faut pas beaucoup pour adhérer à la prose d'un écrivain. Il suffit d'un livre qu'on n'a pas pu poser avant de l'avoir terminé, et l'univers de cet auteur est indéniablement ancré en nous. C'est le cas de Sharon Maas. Je me sens proche de Maas, par ses origines multiples, son côté vadrouilleur, sa littérature métissée...
J’ai lu « Of marriageable age » de Sharon Maas avec soif. Ce sont trois histoires, trois époques et contextes différents. Une même contrainte : aussi jeunes soient-ils, ils sont tous en âge de se marier !
Voilà un roman comme je les aime, des personnages qui se croisent, qui se haïssent, qui s’aiment, qui partent… c’est un constant changement, comme dans ma vie. Et une belle histoire n’a pas besoin d’avoir un happy end.

[Carinya Kappler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This first novel of author Sharon Maas is an extremely moving account of lives moulded, redirected and destroyed by prejudice, cultural boundaries, war and poverty. I found the over-riding theme to be one of forgiveness, tolerance and a belief that it is never too late for change.
Her characters in this novel span 2 generations and a multitude of religions, beliefs and customs set in South America, Singapore and England. I found the author’s sympathetic approach to the predicament of each character made the story more believable, enjoyable and poignant.
This is a book I could recommend to any age group; beautifully written, interesting and thought provoking.

Carinya

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

TITLE/AUTHOR: OF MARRIAGEABLE AGE by Sharon Maas
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Fiction, 1999, 528 pgs
CHARACTERS: Savitri, Saroj, Nat
TIME/PLACE: 1950-1970's, India, British Guyana, London/UK
COMMENTS: Chapters through each voice alternate -- a bit
tedious in the beginning to have so many starts & stops.
It isn't until almost 300 pgs where the characters all
are linked and then the story flies. Arranged marriages
in the Indian culture both in India & abroad.

[Dr.Javed Rasheed · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read, though 500 and odd pages.. Explores the tensions between traditional Indian customs (like arranged marriages) and Western influences, set against British colonial struggles. Explores love that defies racial and cultural divides, especially within Indian diaspora communities. The novel intertwines these three separate storylines, gradually revealing the mysterious connections and shared history that bind them.A family saga following three interconnected characters—Savitri, Nataraj, and Saroj—across India, Britain, and Guyana from the 1920s-1960s, exploring forbidden love, class, race, and tradition amidst colonial upheaval, as their seemingly separate lives converge through hidden parentage and shared, painful histories. It’s 4 stars from my side.
Dr. Javed Rasheed

[Shree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note : This Review has been published in my blog Book and Ink

A story set in Madras, Guyana and London in the British era – enticing for a reader like me. The publishers decided to surprise me this time by sending across this book without a mail and I’m extremely glad they did. It’s a beautiful book which I would have purchased as soon as it was published had I known about it earlier. This book is one of the most soulful books that I have read in recent times. With eloquent writing, this book turned out to be an absolute pleasure to read.

The story, set across three locations is about three generations of women and men who are bound together by one woman who is the actual protagonist of the story. Savitri is that woman who binds all the threads of this story. Writing anything more than this about the story line would actually qualify as a spoiler as all the characters eventually point to one character – Savitri in one or the other way. There are so many surprising twists and turns in the book that elaborating the storyline simply results in spoilers.

In the age where writing is more and more becoming like instant coffee – tasteless and bland, this book seemed to a welcome change. With vivid description and extraordinary characterization, the book bewitched me from start. With exemplary writing, the story was just too perfect. Though one character – Savitiri was the show stealer, the writer managed to give equal importance to all the other characters. In fact, she managed to show all shades for all the characters which I know is an extremely difficult job. Slow character building is tricky and there is there is a big room for the story turning into a deadbeat one. Obviously, this writer mastered the art of slow and gradual character building. In spite of the having a lot of characters, multiple time lines and geographical boundaries, the transition between all that was smooth and effortless. A well written story that was deeply moving!

MY SAY: Phenomenal writing, Magnetic story line. Nothing short of true literary beauty.
RATING:

PLOT : 4 /5

NARRATION: 5/5

CHARACTERISATION: 5/5

BOREDOM QUOTIENT: 1/5 (Lower the better)

OVERALL RATING: 5/5

[Rama Ramaswamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharon Maas's debut book is a saga... a lengthy novel, written beautifully interweaving 3 seemingly unattached stories into one by the end. And for once, there was no telling till almost the end what it is that connected them all together. For this, I credit the author; though she has waxed eloquent prose in the book wherever she could, I didn't really find myself flipping pages to get away to the next event in the narrative. This is also the first book that I've come across that is set in Guyana; I never knew South America had/has a decent Indian presence. I've also not read an Indian book set in Madras; everyone just obsesses with Bombay. I loved reading the book and found myself going back to it every little chance I got. I also appreciate how the author has kept every character headstrong; each is his or her own person with their own individualistic traits and values.

The book is lengthy, it takes a while to get the story going in the beginning. But once you are hooked, it is an easy read.

The end, when it comes, comes together with too many twists, quickly one after the other, like a typical B- Grade potboiler. Also, how can one not put in some quintessential Indian drama - healing golden touch hands, conversing with animals and bowing down to king cobras, the poverty and the filth - you just can't make a story about India without all these, can you? Having said that, Ms Maas has not overdone it; she doesn't fill you with a sense of distaste - she almost makes it feel like a fairy tale narrative when she tells us how little Savitri heals with her touch and talks with the peacock and bows her head down to the king cobra with reverence. Because even with all this, Savitri towers above the rest, making her mark as the strongest character in the book.

Recommended read.

[Nancy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing story with three main characters. As the story progresses, the reader tries to guess what the ultimate relationships will be between the various person, but would never guess how the story actually turns out. It takes place in Guyana, India, and London, ranging from the time period of World War II through the 1970s. It is an absorbing story that you will not want to put down. The author imbues the story with so much meaning, emotion, and intrigue that you just keep reading to see what happens to the characters. There is great tragedy, intense family drama, betrayal, historical detail, love, and ultimately, healing. The ending will surprise you in ways you could not have imagined. This is an excellent read.

[penelopewanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here as a ring.
At first I was a bit irritated by the flipping back and forth chronologically and might have to take some time to ponder over why Maas chose the order she did... This being said, after a while I knew who the various characters were and was happy to plunge back into their separate narratives, guessing soon enough that they would somehow merge. Saroj's intransigency was grating, but in some ways also authentic, I think, and not all that unusual - just not so pleasant. Very good read.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book so far except that there is too much idealization of characters. All the Indian girls are supple and liquid-eyed and mysterious. I kind of like the way the stories are told separately yet clearly are intertwined--some characters are obviously in other people's stories, a lot older. I always get drawn into stories about India having lived there. Partly it's all the frangipani trees and hibiscus and references to food I love :)

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed very much this novel detailing a different culture and real people. The author was born in Belize has lived in London and India. Definitely not told from the white man's point of view. I think many people can enjoy this book. romantic in places, surprising and good character development. Coul do with a bit more editing. I give it it 5 stars but relly it should be 41/2 because it does need a bit of concision in places.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book...

I was lucky enough to have chosen to read this book while I was traveling in India for a family wedding. The colors and images of this book came alive for me. I did NOT want to have this book end.

I don't think this book was "perfectly" written, but it was easy to overlook the grammatical errors and sentence structure concerns as I became lost in this "epic" story.

I highly recommend.

[Ebony Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the way Maas weaved the stories together, leaving hints and clues along the way for the reader to pick up and wonder if there is a connection. Beautifully written, I could almost smell India and Guyana and London, I grew to know and love every single character, there was not one moment when a characters actions surprised me. Flawless, seamless, moving.

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure I really liked the ending but it's a great Guyanese saga.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The one book I refer to as carrying around like a teddy bear after reading over several times.

[Ross Dias]

Riveting tale that keeps you hoping for a happy ending, and a happy ending it provides! A must-read for everyone.

[Emma Britton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, different read. Really enjoyed it

[Sonia Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a fascinating book..was hooked on to it till the end...

[Rykae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story, with of course a wonderful ending! It only took one week to get through all 525 pages!

[Sharan Kaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started off rather draggy but it slowly unfolded as d characters came to life. Just when i thought that the mystery and grief was over there was yet another mystery awaiting.

[Nathalie Okeefe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story, one of my favorite book of all time !

[Cynthia Sillitoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just what I needed....a thick read about foreign lands. I did feel some things wrapped up too neatly, but I can't believe it's a first novel. Great start to a writing career!

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of Marriageable Age was a fascinating novel to read. It follows the stories of 3 main characters---Savitri, Nataraj, and Sarojini through 5 decades (1920's to 1970's) on 3 continents: India, British Guyana, and England.

Savitri's story starts in the 1920's when she is a young girl, daughter of servants to a wealthy British family living in India. She has an unusual upbringing being allowed to run free as a playmate to David, son of the British family. However, her life changes dramatically when David tries to persuade her to run away wih him and she is punished.

Nataraj's story begins in the 1940's when he is adopted at the age of 4 from an orphanage in India by a white doctor who has made India his home and works in a village. Eventually Nat goes to England to study to become a doctor himself and that is when his story really begins.

Sarojini's story begins in the 1950's as young girl, daughter of Indian parents, growing up in the city of Georgetown in British Guyana. Her parents were both born in India and her father emigrated to British Guyana. Her mother was imported from India to become a 2nd wife to Sarojini's father and mother to her and 2 brothers. Saroj is in a constant battle between her father's expectations and rules for her.

Each of these characters are connected but the connection is not disclosed until the latter part of the novel.

This is a very ambitious novel with many themes in it---racial prejudice, prejudice between classes of the same race of people, Indian marriage traditions, coming of age as a young person, clashes between different cultures. The main characters were very different, unique people and the character development was well done.

My review really doesn't do justice to this novel. There are some flaws in the writing but they are not significant. I especially recommend this novel to those who enjoy reading about people in other cultures.