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The Last Queen
From the back cover:
'I am Rani Jindan, Mother of the Khalsa. That is my identity. That is my fate.'
While we have all heard tales of Rani Lakshmi Bai and Padmavati, not many of us are familiar with another Indian queen.
Daughter of the royal kennel keeper, the beautiful Jindan Kaur went on to become Maharaja Ranjit Singh's youngest and last queen; his favourite. She became regent when her son Dalip, barely six years old, unexpectedly inherited the throne. Sharp-eyed, stubborn, passionate, and dedicated to protecting her son's heritage, Jindan distrusted the British and fought hard to keep them from annexing Punjab. Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil and conducted state business in public. Addressing her Khalsa troops herself, she inspired her men in two wars against the 'firangs'. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, including her son. She was imprisoned and exiled. But that did not crush her indomitable will.
An exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, and a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's unforgettable novel brings alive one of the most fearless women of the nineteenth century, an inspiration for our times.
'I am Rani Jindan, Mother of the Khalsa. That is my identity. That is my fate.'
While we have all heard tales of Rani Lakshmi Bai and Padmavati, not many of us are familiar with another Indian queen.
Daughter of the royal kennel keeper, the beautiful Jindan Kaur went on to become Maharaja Ranjit Singh's youngest and last queen; his favourite. She became regent when her son Dalip, barely six years old, unexpectedly inherited the throne. Sharp-eyed, stubborn, passionate, and dedicated to protecting her son's heritage, Jindan distrusted the British and fought hard to keep them from annexing Punjab. Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil and conducted state business in public. Addressing her Khalsa troops herself, she inspired her men in two wars against the 'firangs'. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, including her son. She was imprisoned and exiled. But that did not crush her indomitable will.
An exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, and a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's unforgettable novel brings alive one of the most fearless women of the nineteenth century, an inspiration for our times.
372 pages, Hardcover
First published January 20, 2021
700 people are currently reading
17782 people want to read
About the author
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
62 books7,028 followersChitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an award-winning author and poet. Her themes include the Indian experience, contemporary America, women, immigration, history, myth, and the joys and challenges of living in a multicultural world. Her work is widely known, as she has been published in over 50 magazines, including the Atlantic Monthly and The New Yorker, and her writing has been included in over 50 anthologies. Her works have been translated into 29 languages, including Dutch, Hebrew, Hindi and Japanese. Divakaruni also writes for children and young adults.Her novels One Amazing Thing, Oleander Girl, Sister of My Heart and Palace of Illusions are currently in the process of being made into movies. http://www.chitradivakaruni.com/books.... Her newest novel is Before We Visit the Goddess (about 3 generations of women-- grandmother, mother and daughter-- who each examine the question "what does it mean to be a successful woman.") Simon & Schuster.
She was born in India and lived there until 1976, at which point she left Calcutta and came to the United States. She continued her education in the field of English by receiving a Master’s degree from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.
To earn money for her education, she held many odd jobs, including babysitting, selling merchandise in an Indian boutique, slicing bread in a bakery, and washing instruments in a science lab. At Berkeley, she lived in the International House and worked in the dining hall. She briefly lived in Illinois and Ohio, but has spent much of her life in Northern California, which she often writes about. She now lives in Texas, which has found its way into her upcoming book, Before We Visit the Goddess.
Chitra currently teaches in the nationally ranked Creative Writing program at the Univ. of Houston. She serves on the Advisory board of Maitri in the San Francisco Bay Area and Daya in Houston. Both these are organizations that help South Asian or South Asian American women who find themselves in abusive or domestic violence situations. She is also closely involved with Pratham, an organization that helps educate children (especially those living in urban slums) in India.
She has judged several prestigious awards, such as the National Book Award and the PEN Faulkner Award.
Two of her books, The Mistress of Spices and Sister of My Heart, have been made into movies by filmmakers Gurinder Chadha and Paul Berges (an English film) and Suhasini Mani Ratnam (a Tamil TV serial) respectively. Her novels One Amazing Thing and Palace of Illusions have currently been optioned for movies. Her book Arranged Marriage has been made into a play and performed in the U.S. and (upcoming, May) in Canada. River of Light, an opera about an Indian woman in a bi-cultural marriage, for which she wrote the libretto, has been performed in Texas and California.
She lives in Houston with her husband Murthy. She has two sons, Anand and Abhay (whose names she has used in her children’s novels).
Chitra loves to connect with readers on her Facebook author page, www.facebook.com/chitradivakaruni, and on Twitter, @cdivakaruni.
For more information about her books, please visit http://www.chitradivakaruni.com/, where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
She was born in India and lived there until 1976, at which point she left Calcutta and came to the United States. She continued her education in the field of English by receiving a Master’s degree from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.
To earn money for her education, she held many odd jobs, including babysitting, selling merchandise in an Indian boutique, slicing bread in a bakery, and washing instruments in a science lab. At Berkeley, she lived in the International House and worked in the dining hall. She briefly lived in Illinois and Ohio, but has spent much of her life in Northern California, which she often writes about. She now lives in Texas, which has found its way into her upcoming book, Before We Visit the Goddess.
Chitra currently teaches in the nationally ranked Creative Writing program at the Univ. of Houston. She serves on the Advisory board of Maitri in the San Francisco Bay Area and Daya in Houston. Both these are organizations that help South Asian or South Asian American women who find themselves in abusive or domestic violence situations. She is also closely involved with Pratham, an organization that helps educate children (especially those living in urban slums) in India.
She has judged several prestigious awards, such as the National Book Award and the PEN Faulkner Award.
Two of her books, The Mistress of Spices and Sister of My Heart, have been made into movies by filmmakers Gurinder Chadha and Paul Berges (an English film) and Suhasini Mani Ratnam (a Tamil TV serial) respectively. Her novels One Amazing Thing and Palace of Illusions have currently been optioned for movies. Her book Arranged Marriage has been made into a play and performed in the U.S. and (upcoming, May) in Canada. River of Light, an opera about an Indian woman in a bi-cultural marriage, for which she wrote the libretto, has been performed in Texas and California.
She lives in Houston with her husband Murthy. She has two sons, Anand and Abhay (whose names she has used in her children’s novels).
Chitra loves to connect with readers on her Facebook author page, www.facebook.com/chitradivakaruni, and on Twitter, @cdivakaruni.
For more information about her books, please visit http://www.chitradivakaruni.com/, where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,057 reviews
January 24, 2021
'Your kismet has already spoken. You are not only a wife and a mother, but a queen as well. And a queen who is a mother must play the royal game more skillfully because she has more to lose.'
Rani Jindan, the queen of Punjab is a symbol of grace, wit and honour. The Last Queen is a book that showcases the deep devotion that Rani Jindan had for her family, her religion and her country. The book is a timeless tale of a lady that will excite you with a spirit of patriotism and bravery.
The book is divided into the phases of Rani Jindan's life- Girl, Bride, Queen and Rebel. The growth of Jindan from a daughter who is fierce and excited, to a mother who is cautious yet brave had me enchanted. Divakaruni's immersive storytelling style clubbed with a narration that compliments the timeline, this book is a must read. The story had a solid building with a lot of much needed time given to the setup of the plot. The history fanatic in me, was intrigued by the inner workings of the durbar and the strategic moves taken by the characters.
A book like this gives emotions to history, the kind that will etch in your mind and inspire you from within. Each chapter made my heart ache with sorrow and also with pride on our heritage.
Rani Jindan, the queen of Punjab is a symbol of grace, wit and honour. The Last Queen is a book that showcases the deep devotion that Rani Jindan had for her family, her religion and her country. The book is a timeless tale of a lady that will excite you with a spirit of patriotism and bravery.
The book is divided into the phases of Rani Jindan's life- Girl, Bride, Queen and Rebel. The growth of Jindan from a daughter who is fierce and excited, to a mother who is cautious yet brave had me enchanted. Divakaruni's immersive storytelling style clubbed with a narration that compliments the timeline, this book is a must read. The story had a solid building with a lot of much needed time given to the setup of the plot. The history fanatic in me, was intrigued by the inner workings of the durbar and the strategic moves taken by the characters.
A book like this gives emotions to history, the kind that will etch in your mind and inspire you from within. Each chapter made my heart ache with sorrow and also with pride on our heritage.
February 1, 2021
3.5 stars. Felt a little lack lustre though it was a great story overall.
February 10, 2021
This review may contain SPOILERS.
2.5 stars
(Please note that this review is ONLY for the book and the characters contained within the book, NOT for actual historical figures)
My only reaction is, what the hell did I just read? Having loved The Palace of Illusions, I’m shocked at how badly this is written.
First off, literally none of the main characters are likeable. I couldn’t connect with any of them. The King, for whom our narrator hopelessly falls for, is just impossible to like. He is so shocked that a woman can be smart that he just can’t believe it. He is obsessed with surrounding himself with beautiful women. He treats his many, many, many wives and concubines as literal trash. Thank God our narrator is beautiful, otherwise he obviously couldn’t marry her! Even the love story seems forced.
Our narrator, The Last Queen, who is thoroughly praised for her ‘rare blend’ of beauty with brains, proves to be an irrational ruler. Many of the decisions she takes are horrible, which she realises, but takes them anyway. When these terrible decisions backfire, she cries that she’s suffering simply because she is a woman. Now, I’m not denying that she had to be answerable for a lot of things that a male in her place wouldn’t be answerable for, but to put it all on gender and deny her complicity isn’t right.
Jawahar, who is shown as an adorable big brother, transforms into a character you simply can’t stand. Lal, a character who finally seemed likeable, turned out to be a coward and a traitor. Then he changed his mind! Pick a side, please!
Dalip, who is God’s perfect child, grows up to be a British puppet. Towards the end he somewhat changed his mind, but there isn’t enough character development to fully justify it. His character is left as a big grey blob. All the characters you do like play minor parts or are cut off abruptly, as in the case of Mangla.
The last 40 percent of the book is just British bashing. Although what is written is true, it doesn’t do anything for the novel.
The book is supposed to be about Rani Jindan’s life, yet the last chapters focus so much on Dalip that she becomes a secondary character. Her death feels less about her and more about her son. Even then, the book doesn’t offer a complete ending to either character. There is so much conflict unresolved that the book feels incomplete.
Despite not liking this book, I know that Chitra Banerjee is a fantastic writer and The Palace of Illusions continues to be one of my favourite novels ever. Waiting for her next novel eagerly.
2.5 stars
(Please note that this review is ONLY for the book and the characters contained within the book, NOT for actual historical figures)
My only reaction is, what the hell did I just read? Having loved The Palace of Illusions, I’m shocked at how badly this is written.
First off, literally none of the main characters are likeable. I couldn’t connect with any of them. The King, for whom our narrator hopelessly falls for, is just impossible to like. He is so shocked that a woman can be smart that he just can’t believe it. He is obsessed with surrounding himself with beautiful women. He treats his many, many, many wives and concubines as literal trash. Thank God our narrator is beautiful, otherwise he obviously couldn’t marry her! Even the love story seems forced.
Our narrator, The Last Queen, who is thoroughly praised for her ‘rare blend’ of beauty with brains, proves to be an irrational ruler. Many of the decisions she takes are horrible, which she realises, but takes them anyway. When these terrible decisions backfire, she cries that she’s suffering simply because she is a woman. Now, I’m not denying that she had to be answerable for a lot of things that a male in her place wouldn’t be answerable for, but to put it all on gender and deny her complicity isn’t right.
Jawahar, who is shown as an adorable big brother, transforms into a character you simply can’t stand. Lal, a character who finally seemed likeable, turned out to be a coward and a traitor. Then he changed his mind! Pick a side, please!
Dalip, who is God’s perfect child, grows up to be a British puppet. Towards the end he somewhat changed his mind, but there isn’t enough character development to fully justify it. His character is left as a big grey blob. All the characters you do like play minor parts or are cut off abruptly, as in the case of Mangla.
The last 40 percent of the book is just British bashing. Although what is written is true, it doesn’t do anything for the novel.
The book is supposed to be about Rani Jindan’s life, yet the last chapters focus so much on Dalip that she becomes a secondary character. Her death feels less about her and more about her son. Even then, the book doesn’t offer a complete ending to either character. There is so much conflict unresolved that the book feels incomplete.
Despite not liking this book, I know that Chitra Banerjee is a fantastic writer and The Palace of Illusions continues to be one of my favourite novels ever. Waiting for her next novel eagerly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2021
The last queen by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is the story of the last queen of Lahore, Jindan Kaur. The story starts in Lahore, 1839 where Maharaja Ranjit Singh is sick and Jindan and his other Queen's are worried. Jindan has recently given birth to a son who is not even a year old yet.
The book talks about how Rani Jindan becomes the Queen from a mere village girl. She fights for herself and her child after King Ranjit Singh dies. From traveling to Jammu, and later Amritsar, coming back to Lahore and facing the British has been a hell of f journey for the Queen.
But she does not give up, she fights back and becomes a rebel, hence know as The Last Queen, Rani Jindan fought till her last breath and sacrificed herself. This was my first Book by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, and omgg I am amazed with her writing.
I am a person who enjoys historical fiction novels, but this one was whole another level of a journey. It was fast paced with one thing after the another lined up perfectly. The plot was full of twists and turns and adventure. I absolutely loved the book and cannot wait to read her previous books.
The book talks about how Rani Jindan becomes the Queen from a mere village girl. She fights for herself and her child after King Ranjit Singh dies. From traveling to Jammu, and later Amritsar, coming back to Lahore and facing the British has been a hell of f journey for the Queen.
But she does not give up, she fights back and becomes a rebel, hence know as The Last Queen, Rani Jindan fought till her last breath and sacrificed herself. This was my first Book by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, and omgg I am amazed with her writing.
I am a person who enjoys historical fiction novels, but this one was whole another level of a journey. It was fast paced with one thing after the another lined up perfectly. The plot was full of twists and turns and adventure. I absolutely loved the book and cannot wait to read her previous books.
January 26, 2021
Such a poignant tale of Rani Jindan who had to go through so much. I did not know her story earlier, thanks to Chitra I now am also aware of how our Kohinoor was snatched from us by the Britishers. The book is extremely intriguing and I did not feel like keeping it down. A must read for everyone. This is my 3rd book from this author which I have loved! Amazing writing style as always.
June 13, 2021
The book falls in the genre of historical fiction, so I will not find faults with historical facts. But there are occasional slips about cultural nuances which can be spotted by a Punjabi, robbing the story of an authentic ambience. It's a simple story telling without much depth or complexity of plot. May be read when one does not want to tax one's mind too much.
February 7, 2021
The last queen by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is the story of the last queen of Lahore, Jindan Kaur. The story starts in Lahore, 1839 where Maharaja Ranjit Singh is sick and Jindan and his other Queen's are worried. Jindan has recently given birth to a son who is not even a year old yet.
The book talks about how Rani Jindan becomes the Queen from a mere village girl. She fights for herself and her child after King Ranjit Singh dies. From traveling to Jammu, and later Amritsar, coming back to Lahore and facing the British has been a hell of f journey for the Queen.
But she does not give up, she fights back and becomes a rebel, hence know as The Last Queen, Rani Jindan fought till her last breath and sacrificed herself. This was my first Book by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, and omgg I am amazed with her writing.
I am a person who enjoys historical fiction novels, but this one was whole another level of a journey. It was fast paced with one thing after the another lined up perfectly. The plot was full of twists and turns and adventure. I absolutely loved the book and cannot wait to read her previous books.
The book talks about how Rani Jindan becomes the Queen from a mere village girl. She fights for herself and her child after King Ranjit Singh dies. From traveling to Jammu, and later Amritsar, coming back to Lahore and facing the British has been a hell of f journey for the Queen.
But she does not give up, she fights back and becomes a rebel, hence know as The Last Queen, Rani Jindan fought till her last breath and sacrificed herself. This was my first Book by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, and omgg I am amazed with her writing.
I am a person who enjoys historical fiction novels, but this one was whole another level of a journey. It was fast paced with one thing after the another lined up perfectly. The plot was full of twists and turns and adventure. I absolutely loved the book and cannot wait to read her previous books.
February 20, 2021
Does our history books really tell the stories of women? As far as I remember my history textbook, I've learnt about only two women rulers — Razia Sultan and Rani Laxmibai. Why haven't I ever heard of Rani Jindan Kaur? History is largely written by men; maybe that's the reason women remain unknown throughout it.
The Last Queen is the tale of Rani Jindan Kaur, the last and the youngest queen of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The book is neatly divided into four parts — Girl, Bride, Queen, Rebel. Through the first part, we are introduced to Jindan as a little girl. Since her childhood, she had this rebel inside her, ready to revolt anytime. She didn't liked the society's preconceived notions about women — she was outspoken and intelligent. During the endmost chapters, she falls in love with Maharaja Ranjit Singh and he promises to marry her. In the second part, we see Jindan as a young bride in Lahore, trying to make her place as a queen. What troubled me the most was the age-gap between Jindan and Ranjit Singh, it was nearly 40 years! But the grace in this part was the sisterly bond between Jindan and Guddan, who was one of the Maharaja's wives. During the last chapter of this part, the Maharaja dies and all hell breaks loose in Lahore. In the third part, Jindan remains in hiding for some time to protect her son, Dalip. Deaths, murders and assassinations keeps happening. When almost all the heirs of the throne dies, Dalip is made the king and Jindan becomes the queen regent. Defying tradition, Jindan steps out of the zenana and sits in the durbar to look after the state matters. And then, Jindan's dear brother, Jawahar is killed by the Khalsa army. Jindan is filled with vengeance. Finally after a series of events, the British occupies the Sikh empire. In the last chapter of this part, Jindan is separated from her son and trusted maidservant, Mangla. In the final part, Jindan is exiled and the British is trying hard to crush her spirit. The British snatches away her son from her, sends him to England, makes him feel ashamed about his own country and culture, makes him forget his mother tongue, converts him to Christianity, makes him an Englishman and occasionally gives him gifts to show their courtesy. But Jindan is indomitable! Finally in the end, she dies.
All through the story, Jindan was flawed and vulnerable, yet fierce and indomitable. The characters were amazingly sketched. It was my first book by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and the writing style was simply brilliant. The historical accuracy was amazing. There's a moment when Jindan describes the time when a portrait (the one which is on the cover) of her was made by George Richmond. Jindan also talks about the First War of Independence of 1857. She constantly talks of her anger for the British because they snatched away everything from her. Reading this book was an amazing experience. We need more women stories like this!
Recommended to those who want to read historical fiction and those who want to read an amazing woman's story!
The Last Queen is the tale of Rani Jindan Kaur, the last and the youngest queen of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The book is neatly divided into four parts — Girl, Bride, Queen, Rebel. Through the first part, we are introduced to Jindan as a little girl. Since her childhood, she had this rebel inside her, ready to revolt anytime. She didn't liked the society's preconceived notions about women — she was outspoken and intelligent. During the endmost chapters, she falls in love with Maharaja Ranjit Singh and he promises to marry her. In the second part, we see Jindan as a young bride in Lahore, trying to make her place as a queen. What troubled me the most was the age-gap between Jindan and Ranjit Singh, it was nearly 40 years! But the grace in this part was the sisterly bond between Jindan and Guddan, who was one of the Maharaja's wives. During the last chapter of this part, the Maharaja dies and all hell breaks loose in Lahore. In the third part, Jindan remains in hiding for some time to protect her son, Dalip. Deaths, murders and assassinations keeps happening. When almost all the heirs of the throne dies, Dalip is made the king and Jindan becomes the queen regent. Defying tradition, Jindan steps out of the zenana and sits in the durbar to look after the state matters. And then, Jindan's dear brother, Jawahar is killed by the Khalsa army. Jindan is filled with vengeance. Finally after a series of events, the British occupies the Sikh empire. In the last chapter of this part, Jindan is separated from her son and trusted maidservant, Mangla. In the final part, Jindan is exiled and the British is trying hard to crush her spirit. The British snatches away her son from her, sends him to England, makes him feel ashamed about his own country and culture, makes him forget his mother tongue, converts him to Christianity, makes him an Englishman and occasionally gives him gifts to show their courtesy. But Jindan is indomitable! Finally in the end, she dies.
All through the story, Jindan was flawed and vulnerable, yet fierce and indomitable. The characters were amazingly sketched. It was my first book by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and the writing style was simply brilliant. The historical accuracy was amazing. There's a moment when Jindan describes the time when a portrait (the one which is on the cover) of her was made by George Richmond. Jindan also talks about the First War of Independence of 1857. She constantly talks of her anger for the British because they snatched away everything from her. Reading this book was an amazing experience. We need more women stories like this!
Recommended to those who want to read historical fiction and those who want to read an amazing woman's story!
April 18, 2021
Thoroughly riveted by the book at the start (along with CBD's brilliant writing as usual), this book speaks of Maharajah Ranjit Singh and all that he did to ensure Punjab remained gloriously untouched by the Britishers. Things started going downhill after he died when Maharani Jindan Kaur made some horrid decisions, one after the other. It's like she took a beautiful glass vase that was protected all its life, wore strong boots and crushed the vase under her heel. She cried about the destruction of the vase and how she has ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA why it shattered and then continued to remove her shoes to crush the vase further along with hurting herself in the process. Absolutely ridiculous, this 'queen' made me so MAD throughout the latter 25% of the book with her ridiculous self righteousness and terrible decision making ability. Right up until the end, where she's about to die, she schemes and plots to better things for her son when infact she's jist worsening everything with her non existent decision making abilities.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2021
Fast and pacy read. However, lacks the punch and the humour of her previous books. Something was missing...
It’s good that the queen isn’t over-glorified and is shown with her short-comings. However, you don’t get insights into the queen’s persona though the writing is in first person. It’s more like history through her eyes....hence I felt it lacked the depth.
But kudos to the author for bringing forth a part of Indian history that isn’t covered in history text books and making one want to know more about it.
It’s good that the queen isn’t over-glorified and is shown with her short-comings. However, you don’t get insights into the queen’s persona though the writing is in first person. It’s more like history through her eyes....hence I felt it lacked the depth.
But kudos to the author for bringing forth a part of Indian history that isn’t covered in history text books and making one want to know more about it.
May 5, 2021
I am an ardent fan of Banerjee's the Palace of Illusions. Expecting the same from this book, I started reading it with a lot of expectations - the rise of glory of an ordinary woman to the Last Queen of one of the biggest empires. The book really taught me a lot; this is a part of India's history that I was completely unaware of and I really got to know some of the extent to which the Britishers led India to its doom. However, Maharani Jind Kaur from this book does not have any of the nuances that Draupadi from Palace of Illusions has. Although her history seems to be so influential, the book failed to capture any of it and never did I feel awed, sad or angry for the protagonist, all of which I experienced feeling for Draupadi. It seems like the author focused too much on getting the facts right and by the end of the novel, it felt like she really stopped attempting to describe what the protagonist was going through. Not very impressed, to be honest.
December 3, 2023
It was a very difficult read as the indignities suffered by the poor Indian rulers and their progeny at the hands of the British were portrayed in detail, and I felt as if I were an eye witness. Every insult and indignity felt like a fresh wound. I wept for the freedom fighters of the yore.
I hadn't known about maharaja Ranjit Singh or his successors other than in a single line in my school history book. This fictionalized history gave a fresh perspective.
I value my freedom much much more, now.
I hadn't known about maharaja Ranjit Singh or his successors other than in a single line in my school history book. This fictionalized history gave a fresh perspective.
I value my freedom much much more, now.
January 15, 2022
Chithra Banerjee is changing the History of India, by re-writing one woman at a time. The Last Queen, Rani Jindal, who didn't make it to the history books here, finally shines through Banerjee's writing. The book is the tale of the Khalsa clan and the end of it. It's fast paced, adventurous and from the Rani's POV. Banerjee keeps her promise of a lovely story telling.
July 20, 2022
Overlong.
A life like hers is so outlier that I would not recommend this book except for a glimpse into the moving components within the 1800's in this Northern India surrounds. Brutal warfare, constant killing of noble classes upon each other for dominance. Religious strictures that are beyond my ability to relate for their despicable practices. (Almost all re women, like the live immolation on her husband's death pyre).
The last half is various placements geographically for her later life in exiles and hierarchy of wealth and position. And increasingly sad.
Not a system I would like to read about in such detail at all again. Better Indian continent reads in the modern absolutely are out there. Thrity Umrigar for sure.
A life like hers is so outlier that I would not recommend this book except for a glimpse into the moving components within the 1800's in this Northern India surrounds. Brutal warfare, constant killing of noble classes upon each other for dominance. Religious strictures that are beyond my ability to relate for their despicable practices. (Almost all re women, like the live immolation on her husband's death pyre).
The last half is various placements geographically for her later life in exiles and hierarchy of wealth and position. And increasingly sad.
Not a system I would like to read about in such detail at all again. Better Indian continent reads in the modern absolutely are out there. Thrity Umrigar for sure.
September 28, 2022
Let me begin this review with the disclaimer that all the feelings I have from this read are directed at the characters, the book and its author - NOT at the historical figures.
And now let me tell you just how atrocious this book was to get through.
Like this is not the Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni I grew up reading to begin with. What happened to the lyrical writing that ended up feeling like a rich, heavy silk Banarasi sari spun with gold threads and strands of magic? Gone. Nonexistent in this book. The writing is so painfully lackluster, it raises not only the frikken eyebrows on my face but also the questions in my mind. Is this the same person writing?? Because it sounds like not to me. It even gets so awkward and weird in place, I am confused. I need answers.
Besides the weird ass writing that I had to get through, there's on one hand the complete alteration of historical events to fit whatever it was the author had in mind - which, good for you I guess - and on the other hand there are the plot devices that are just... ugh not cute anymore. Does a woman have to be her husband's favourite wife to be interesting? No, I would actually love to read about the women who were disregarded. Not that Datar Kaur (Ranjit Singh's actual favourite wife) is more talked about - I tried googling her but you just get basic info. But that doesn't make the other wives less interesting.
Do you have to make one of the other wives a complete bitch to make your characters look oh so pitiful? Again, no. And listen, I get it. There are women out there who are bitches and absolutely hate their rivals, I know that that is a thing but the whole narrative here was structured to make Jindan look like a little righteous bechari next to Datar Kaur. And it didn't even work because Jindan was also portrayed as such a... dumbass - for lack of a better word - that I can't even empathise with her LMAO. She's so stupid and selfish and almost childish at times. Flawed character, yeah I get it but JEEZ, flawed to the point where I can't see her as anything but repulsive? Doesn't help that the writing is repulsive as heck too. I could at no point root for this girl.
Fuck. I did not expect for the author to disappoint me like this LOL. Whatever happened to her. I am so mad right now.
And now let me tell you just how atrocious this book was to get through.
Like this is not the Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni I grew up reading to begin with. What happened to the lyrical writing that ended up feeling like a rich, heavy silk Banarasi sari spun with gold threads and strands of magic? Gone. Nonexistent in this book. The writing is so painfully lackluster, it raises not only the frikken eyebrows on my face but also the questions in my mind. Is this the same person writing?? Because it sounds like not to me. It even gets so awkward and weird in place, I am confused. I need answers.
Besides the weird ass writing that I had to get through, there's on one hand the complete alteration of historical events to fit whatever it was the author had in mind - which, good for you I guess - and on the other hand there are the plot devices that are just... ugh not cute anymore. Does a woman have to be her husband's favourite wife to be interesting? No, I would actually love to read about the women who were disregarded. Not that Datar Kaur (Ranjit Singh's actual favourite wife) is more talked about - I tried googling her but you just get basic info. But that doesn't make the other wives less interesting.
Do you have to make one of the other wives a complete bitch to make your characters look oh so pitiful? Again, no. And listen, I get it. There are women out there who are bitches and absolutely hate their rivals, I know that that is a thing but the whole narrative here was structured to make Jindan look like a little righteous bechari next to Datar Kaur. And it didn't even work because Jindan was also portrayed as such a... dumbass - for lack of a better word - that I can't even empathise with her LMAO. She's so stupid and selfish and almost childish at times. Flawed character, yeah I get it but JEEZ, flawed to the point where I can't see her as anything but repulsive? Doesn't help that the writing is repulsive as heck too. I could at no point root for this girl.
Fuck. I did not expect for the author to disappoint me like this LOL. Whatever happened to her. I am so mad right now.
May 10, 2021
This is the story of the daughter of the royal kennel keeper Jindan Kaur, who went to become Maharaja Ranjit Singh's youngest and last queen and his favorite. She became regent when her son Dalip, barely six years old, unexpectedly inherited the throne.
This is an exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, and a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child.
This is the synopsis of the book according to the book, but I have a lot of issues with this one.
I can say that this is one of my least favorite books by Chitra Banerjee, one of my favorite authors.
The character of Jindan was not very fierce, not a very challenging queen. She did not play out the character of a strong personality as it should be of a queen.
I find a lot of flaws with this character. First of all, is her falling in love with the Maharaja, it was so dramatic and did not feel real. Her loyalty toward the king was only sustainable till the king lived.
She lived her life at the mercy of others, why she was not killed when other queens and their children were assassinated for the throne is still a big question for me.
And finally, she literally became the sole reason for the downfall of Punjab with her jealously and her immature and bad decisions which later she regretted.
This is an exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, and a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child.
This is the synopsis of the book according to the book, but I have a lot of issues with this one.
I can say that this is one of my least favorite books by Chitra Banerjee, one of my favorite authors.
The character of Jindan was not very fierce, not a very challenging queen. She did not play out the character of a strong personality as it should be of a queen.
I find a lot of flaws with this character. First of all, is her falling in love with the Maharaja, it was so dramatic and did not feel real. Her loyalty toward the king was only sustainable till the king lived.
She lived her life at the mercy of others, why she was not killed when other queens and their children were assassinated for the throne is still a big question for me.
And finally, she literally became the sole reason for the downfall of Punjab with her jealously and her immature and bad decisions which later she regretted.
July 1, 2021
Fascinating story but was disappointed with the writing.
February 10, 2023
I just need a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film based on this literary masterpiece.
February 20, 2021
My bookshelf has a fair number of books by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, and for good reason too. Her books all make for compelling stories. When I heard of ‘The Last Queen,’ I immediately put in a call to one of my favorite bookshops to buy it. Historical fiction isn’t a genre I have read much of, and Indian history even less.
With characteristic élan, Divakaruni retells the story of Rani Jindan - the last queen of Punjab. I don’t want to qualify her as the ‘mother of Duleep’ and the ‘wife of Ranjit Singh,’ as if she existed only in relation to the men in her life. But she was a fierce woman and in this retelling, I was taken to a long-forgotten path of India’s history - a history stained with the blood and pain of a thousand sacrifices that bears little resemblance to the petty jingoism of today.
If I have to complain, I would say that Divakaruni gives us too less of the queen. The last few years of her life seemed compressed and the intense political battles can make your head reel if you aren’t paying attention. Yet, a powerful tale by one of India’s most gifted writers with meticulous research and what I sense is Divakaruni’s rage at the actions of a British empire that cheated a woman of her kingdom. Much like all women.
With characteristic élan, Divakaruni retells the story of Rani Jindan - the last queen of Punjab. I don’t want to qualify her as the ‘mother of Duleep’ and the ‘wife of Ranjit Singh,’ as if she existed only in relation to the men in her life. But she was a fierce woman and in this retelling, I was taken to a long-forgotten path of India’s history - a history stained with the blood and pain of a thousand sacrifices that bears little resemblance to the petty jingoism of today.
If I have to complain, I would say that Divakaruni gives us too less of the queen. The last few years of her life seemed compressed and the intense political battles can make your head reel if you aren’t paying attention. Yet, a powerful tale by one of India’s most gifted writers with meticulous research and what I sense is Divakaruni’s rage at the actions of a British empire that cheated a woman of her kingdom. Much like all women.
January 28, 2023
This book tells the story of Rai Jindan Kaur, who was the last wife/queen taken by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the greatest of the Sikh rulers. She was the mother of Ranjit Singh’s youngest son and served as his regent when he inherited the throne at age six. In a direct flaunting of tradition, Jindan left the zenana – and often her veil – and became politically active. She was deemed a threat by certain Indian factions and was considered an extreme threat by the British who imprisoned her and sent her young son to England. The heart of this story is the strength of a young woman who came from abject poverty to become the powerful wife of a ruler, but who fought against internal and external political forces and plots every hour of every day. Her life was a constant struggle. She was strong in spirit and will, but we see that she, too, became involved in political scheming – at times in a manner detrimental to the future of her and her son. This novel painted an excellent picture of the Sikh empire – from the lavishness of court life to unending internal and external struggles for power. For me it read more like non-fiction – lots of wonderful period detail (but not contemplative writing).
July 9, 2021
This is a fairy tale fictional account – albeit based on historical facts – of a strong-willed village belle who rises to become the Queen Regent (and not the Queen, mind you) of the remnants of the Sikh empire. This daughter of the royal dog-trainer, besotted by an aged king, strives against palace intrigues, schemes of the wily British, treachery, betrayals and bad decisions on her part to try and protect her son and kingdom. Whether she succeeds or fails makes for gripping reading. I plan to read diplomat/author Navtej Sarna's The Exile: A Novel Based On The Life Of Maharaja Duleep Singh next.
December 10, 2023
“Beneath my smile, my vow of revenge burns like a fire covered with ashes.”
“But the world is cruel to women who love.”
Books that tell the untold stories of the powerful women will always get me.
The force that is a mother’s love for her child keeps me up at night.
“But the world is cruel to women who love.”
Books that tell the untold stories of the powerful women will always get me.
The force that is a mother’s love for her child keeps me up at night.
June 29, 2022
Book : THE LAST QUEEN
Writer : Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Publisher : Harper Collins
Pages : 354
Store : Amazon
The story revolves around a girl Jindan whose father was a dog trainer , in maharaja Ranjit Singh’s kingdom.
During the first meeting with the king Jindan , she developed a strong love feeling towards him.
Being a maharaja , he married many women ( for military purposes ), and after marrying maharaja she started facing the real problems in her life.
After the demise of maharaja her condition was worse and the british was a big threat for the kingdom .
Personally I liked two things in the book , first one while the death of his husband , Jindan was very young . And after sometiome she started liking Lal ( person in the ministry ). Without suppressing her feelings , she opened it towards him …
Second one , life of Jindan after she moved to England . She spent a large part of her life in Jail and she got separated from her son too. Jindan tried hard to patch up all the lost time with her son .
I don’t want to spoil your reading experience and thanks jaya for suggesting this book .
புத்தகங்களை படிப்போம் , பயன் பெறுவோம்,
புத்தகங்களால் இணைவோம் ,
பல வேடிக்கை மனிதரைப் போலே ,
நான் வீழ்வேனென்று நினைத்தாயோ – மகாகவி .
Happy reading …..
Subasreenee Muthupandi ❤
Writer : Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Publisher : Harper Collins
Pages : 354
Store : Amazon
The story revolves around a girl Jindan whose father was a dog trainer , in maharaja Ranjit Singh’s kingdom.
During the first meeting with the king Jindan , she developed a strong love feeling towards him.
Being a maharaja , he married many women ( for military purposes ), and after marrying maharaja she started facing the real problems in her life.
After the demise of maharaja her condition was worse and the british was a big threat for the kingdom .
Personally I liked two things in the book , first one while the death of his husband , Jindan was very young . And after sometiome she started liking Lal ( person in the ministry ). Without suppressing her feelings , she opened it towards him …
Second one , life of Jindan after she moved to England . She spent a large part of her life in Jail and she got separated from her son too. Jindan tried hard to patch up all the lost time with her son .
I don’t want to spoil your reading experience and thanks jaya for suggesting this book .
புத்தகங்களை படிப்போம் , பயன் பெறுவோம்,
புத்தகங்களால் இணைவோம் ,
பல வேடிக்கை மனிதரைப் போலே ,
நான் வீழ்வேனென்று நினைத்தாயோ – மகாகவி .
Happy reading …..
Subasreenee Muthupandi ❤
February 28, 2021
Rating: 3.5/5
Summary: The Last Queen tells the tale of the courageous Rani Jindan, the youngest wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who later goes on to become the Regent of the Sikh Empire. The book humanizes her larger than life character, and portrays her struggles in a way that we can relate to, while we appreciate the momentous tasks she had to undertake to preserve her Empire. Her story is compelling and hard to ignore, and Chitra Banerjee ensures that in this fascinating novel.
Our Take: Rani Jindan is renowned for her courage and strong willed character, yet the book creates the journey that shows how she truly become the powerful woman she was, as she navigated through her struggles. What we loved about the book was it's honest depiction. She has her own faults, but her resilience to go on, her loyalty to her kingdom, and to her ideals, make her truly admirable. Although the depth of her character is missing at some points, her internal struggles have been remarkably captured and poignantly worded.
Summary: The Last Queen tells the tale of the courageous Rani Jindan, the youngest wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who later goes on to become the Regent of the Sikh Empire. The book humanizes her larger than life character, and portrays her struggles in a way that we can relate to, while we appreciate the momentous tasks she had to undertake to preserve her Empire. Her story is compelling and hard to ignore, and Chitra Banerjee ensures that in this fascinating novel.
Our Take: Rani Jindan is renowned for her courage and strong willed character, yet the book creates the journey that shows how she truly become the powerful woman she was, as she navigated through her struggles. What we loved about the book was it's honest depiction. She has her own faults, but her resilience to go on, her loyalty to her kingdom, and to her ideals, make her truly admirable. Although the depth of her character is missing at some points, her internal struggles have been remarkably captured and poignantly worded.
February 16, 2022
In India's rich history, for a moment in the wheel of time, we forget the stories of brave heroes such as Rani Jindan, Mother of the Khalsa. This book speaks volumes of the bravery,courage, wisdom, power of an amazing woman who was a true match for the Lion of Punjab, Ranjit Singh.
It also talks about the sad recurrence of disunity among Indians which is a curse to the day which has been the reason for us being slaves at one time or other to foreign enemies or domestic enemies. The author deserves the credit and heartfelt thanks for bringing to life the story of Maharani Jindan who rose from depths of poverty to becoming a queen by the virtue of both beauty and brains. The characters of the stories such as Wazir Dhian Singh, the Dogras, Afghans, British and most importantly the brave Sikhs are part of a rich tapestry of history and legend.
It also talks about the sad recurrence of disunity among Indians which is a curse to the day which has been the reason for us being slaves at one time or other to foreign enemies or domestic enemies. The author deserves the credit and heartfelt thanks for bringing to life the story of Maharani Jindan who rose from depths of poverty to becoming a queen by the virtue of both beauty and brains. The characters of the stories such as Wazir Dhian Singh, the Dogras, Afghans, British and most importantly the brave Sikhs are part of a rich tapestry of history and legend.
February 27, 2021
Chitra Bannerjee Divakaruni has done it again. . Woven a tale out of known facts, that keeps the readers hooked till the very end. Having known about Rani Jindan Kaur from William Dalrymple's Koh-i-noor, which wasn't much, I must say this book serves as a good introduction to the forgotten 'Lioness of Punjab'- her strength of character and her purpose.
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Thoroughly enjoyed this book and now off to overthink about what I read and Google about the last Maharaja of Punjab.
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Thoroughly enjoyed this book and now off to overthink about what I read and Google about the last Maharaja of Punjab.
July 6, 2025
Really interesting colonial history with a good story told- kinda depressing though
February 17, 2024
Instead of just reading history books in preparation for this book, the author should have studied some Punjabi culture too. In many instances, you can see the lack of knowledge in Punjabi culture throughout the book. This applies to Sikhi too, from kissing at the Gurudwara, to claiming that hands are held during the ceremony of anand karaj, which is quite insulting. Additionally, it seems like the Sikhs are just seen as pawns in the book. Jind sees the Khalsa army as disposable. Of course, they're an army, they're meant to fight, however, Maharaja Ranjit Singh claims that they're "no good at strategy", even though the leader of the Khalsa army, Hari Singh Nalwa, was an amazing strategiest and Ranjit Singh himself is a Sikh too. It just feels degrading.
I feel bad for Jind Kaur's legacy because this book made me dislike her. Someone who approaches this book knowing nothing about the Sikh Empire would definitely dislike her too. Not because of how things played out in history, but the way her character is written. I know she's supposed to go from "pampered" to "ruler", but her character is stupid and annoying in both scenarios, sorry. Basically, the book just isn't written well.
If you ask a Punjabi Sikh about Maharani Jind Kaur, they will speak of her with utmost respect. This book would make you think the opposite.
Who is this book written for? Because as a non-Indian, it would be difficult to understand words written in Punjabi, but as a Punjabi, I can not take the book seriously. Maybe it's just written for Indians who don't know much about Punjabi or Sikhi, which seems like a group the author herself belongs to.
I feel bad for Jind Kaur's legacy because this book made me dislike her. Someone who approaches this book knowing nothing about the Sikh Empire would definitely dislike her too. Not because of how things played out in history, but the way her character is written. I know she's supposed to go from "pampered" to "ruler", but her character is stupid and annoying in both scenarios, sorry. Basically, the book just isn't written well.
If you ask a Punjabi Sikh about Maharani Jind Kaur, they will speak of her with utmost respect. This book would make you think the opposite.
Who is this book written for? Because as a non-Indian, it would be difficult to understand words written in Punjabi, but as a Punjabi, I can not take the book seriously. Maybe it's just written for Indians who don't know much about Punjabi or Sikhi, which seems like a group the author herself belongs to.
September 1, 2024
colonization sucks
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