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The Pink Mutiny
Her man carries terrifying secrets. But if she escapes, will the world treat her with any more kindness? 1857. Amelia Lawrence refuses to let her husband hurt her ever again. Attempting to flee India in the dead of night, her frantic exodus falters when she stops to help an apparently homeless woman. And pursued by both her angry spouse and soldiers, the desperate refugee finds herself forced to pick a side in a bloody rebellion. Lost and hunted in a strange land and desperate for money, Amelia hides in plain sight by becoming a local dancer. And though relentless men continue to hunt her, feelings flare when she catches the eye of a wealthy businessman. Will she find refuge in the arms of a new lover before her time runs out? The Pink Mutiny is a fast-paced powerhouse of a historical thriller. If you like rich settings, spicy sex scenes, and explorations of Nineteenth-Century gender politics, then you'll love A E Spencer's suspense-laden tale. Buy The Pink Mutiny to race to freedom today!
- GenresHistorical Fiction
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2021
71 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
December 20, 2021
Rich in culture and history this historical book is written during the time Britain ruled India.Two alpha women one British and one Indian help each other through important and troubling times. Dramatic and interesting.
I was given a complimentary copy.
All opinions expressed are my own.
I was given a complimentary copy.
All opinions expressed are my own.
May 13, 2021
The Pink Mutiny was a thrilling page turner debut novel set in 1857 India when the British controlled the country. Spencer did an excellent job of bringing these characters alive for me, with culture aplenty. I particularly recommend The Pink Mutiny by A E Spencer to those who enjoy reading novels where the characters and plot are richly developed.
I would like to thank the author for the copy in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I would like to thank the author for the copy in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
October 26, 2021
Very well written it holds your interest to the very end
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2023
This book is really something.
I hadn’t read many books with stories happening in India. I’m not really familiar with most of their culture and history. So reading this books was super interesting. The main characters explain so much about the society, social cast and the position different people could live to have. The two female protagonist, Amelia and Sehnaz are incredible. I loved to read about the similarities and differences of their background. The place women have and how they find sorority despite the context tells so much about women’s unity and power.
I hadn’t read many books with stories happening in India. I’m not really familiar with most of their culture and history. So reading this books was super interesting. The main characters explain so much about the society, social cast and the position different people could live to have. The two female protagonist, Amelia and Sehnaz are incredible. I loved to read about the similarities and differences of their background. The place women have and how they find sorority despite the context tells so much about women’s unity and power.
April 7, 2021
Captivating
I was immediately drawn to this title when this came up in my ‘Recommended for You’ list.
After reading Alka Joshi’s The Henna Artist, I was looking for a similar book and I found this. Once I settled down to read, I couldn’t go anywhere else and finished the book in just 2 sittings.
Set on 1857 Lucknow (City of Nawabs) in India and the famous Sepoy Mutiny burning the country, the protagonist Amelia learns a secret of her Brigadier husband about his first wife and runs for her life. Born in London, she was a woman ahead in centuries and one day she was dreaming to be an empowered woman, helping the downtrodden women in India (she had heard about the practice of Sati- widows forcefully cremated alive in their husbands’ pyres). She happily married Brigadier Colin posted in Lucknow (British-India) as she thought she could achieve her dream in India.
She takes the help of a courtesan (Sehnaz) and travels with her in a boat so that she could arrive at Calcutta and take a ship to London. But on the way she finds another secret Sehnaz was carrying. A secret that could cause a massacre of tens of thousands of English families in The Residency, a secured British colony in Lucknow, the place where she once lived with her husband. And here the story becomes thrilling and mysterious.
The story brilliantly took me to India as it was during British rule in 1857, The Courtesans of Lucknow, and their lives, Kings and Nawabs in their exquisite palaces, caste system in India, poverty and also a growing awareness against the colonial rulers. This is both a character-driven and plot-driven story. Characters are well developed. The imagery is so stunning and also fluid that the story envelops you.
I was immediately drawn to this title when this came up in my ‘Recommended for You’ list.
After reading Alka Joshi’s The Henna Artist, I was looking for a similar book and I found this. Once I settled down to read, I couldn’t go anywhere else and finished the book in just 2 sittings.
Set on 1857 Lucknow (City of Nawabs) in India and the famous Sepoy Mutiny burning the country, the protagonist Amelia learns a secret of her Brigadier husband about his first wife and runs for her life. Born in London, she was a woman ahead in centuries and one day she was dreaming to be an empowered woman, helping the downtrodden women in India (she had heard about the practice of Sati- widows forcefully cremated alive in their husbands’ pyres). She happily married Brigadier Colin posted in Lucknow (British-India) as she thought she could achieve her dream in India.
She takes the help of a courtesan (Sehnaz) and travels with her in a boat so that she could arrive at Calcutta and take a ship to London. But on the way she finds another secret Sehnaz was carrying. A secret that could cause a massacre of tens of thousands of English families in The Residency, a secured British colony in Lucknow, the place where she once lived with her husband. And here the story becomes thrilling and mysterious.
The story brilliantly took me to India as it was during British rule in 1857, The Courtesans of Lucknow, and their lives, Kings and Nawabs in their exquisite palaces, caste system in India, poverty and also a growing awareness against the colonial rulers. This is both a character-driven and plot-driven story. Characters are well developed. The imagery is so stunning and also fluid that the story envelops you.
February 27, 2022
This detailed historical fiction shows us the Indian Mutiny or Sepoy Mutiny through the eyes of two men and two women on opposing sides.
Somehow it's almost a staple now that in tales of the British Empire abroad, the new husband turns out to be harsh, unfeeling, and maybe violent towards his English-schooled wife. Perhaps this is what forces the woman to look outside her marriage for interest, support and love. In 'The Pink Mutiny,' the second wife of an arrogant officer flees at the time the mutiny is getting under way, afraid that her husband may have harmed his late first wife, and determined not to endure him any longer.
Meeting a risk-taking Indian woman early on her journey, this lady starts anew and falls into dangers, unexpected companionships and occasional refuges, growing as a person, coming to understand the rebel point of view.
The deserted husband has crimes to hide and tries to blame a domestic manservant, who disappears into the river and takes other work, weeping for his family. All four threads will combine by the end of the book.
I learnt a great deal about the day, and no doubt the author had to omit much research, so I hope she will return with another story for us. The book can feel hard to read, because of the oft-mentioned brutality, attitudes to women and local people, and some strong language. This is set in context and we get other points of view. I've just finished reading 'The Himalayan Summer' so the tale of the Mutiny was a good counterpoint. I recommend the suspenseful book to anyone keen to find out more about this period, but it's not a standard romance, and I don't recommend it to anyone too tender of heart.
I was sent an e-ARC. I chose to read and review in my own time. This is an unbiased review.
Somehow it's almost a staple now that in tales of the British Empire abroad, the new husband turns out to be harsh, unfeeling, and maybe violent towards his English-schooled wife. Perhaps this is what forces the woman to look outside her marriage for interest, support and love. In 'The Pink Mutiny,' the second wife of an arrogant officer flees at the time the mutiny is getting under way, afraid that her husband may have harmed his late first wife, and determined not to endure him any longer.
Meeting a risk-taking Indian woman early on her journey, this lady starts anew and falls into dangers, unexpected companionships and occasional refuges, growing as a person, coming to understand the rebel point of view.
The deserted husband has crimes to hide and tries to blame a domestic manservant, who disappears into the river and takes other work, weeping for his family. All four threads will combine by the end of the book.
I learnt a great deal about the day, and no doubt the author had to omit much research, so I hope she will return with another story for us. The book can feel hard to read, because of the oft-mentioned brutality, attitudes to women and local people, and some strong language. This is set in context and we get other points of view. I've just finished reading 'The Himalayan Summer' so the tale of the Mutiny was a good counterpoint. I recommend the suspenseful book to anyone keen to find out more about this period, but it's not a standard romance, and I don't recommend it to anyone too tender of heart.
I was sent an e-ARC. I chose to read and review in my own time. This is an unbiased review.
January 24, 2022
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
The book was a decent read and had a lot of promise. However, it needs to be thoroughly edited. There are a lot of grammatical errors and in many places the wording is either awkward or just doesn’t make sense.
That being said, the story itself was still entertaining, if a bit jumbled. We start off with a runaway, abused wife who just happens to run into her husband’s enemy’s courtesan. The two start a journey across the country until they are separated. From there we have naked nuns, courtesan training, romance, and, of course, the bad guy coming for everyone.
Amelia was a likeable main character from the start. I wanted her to make it through all her challenges. What I didn’t like about her was when she started talking about how she dreamed of being a wife and having the perfect husband – however, this is what would have been the norm during the time of this book.
Chetan, oh Chetan. This poor man. He went through so much in this book. He might be my favorite character. He developed so much through the book and became a kind of hero at the end.
I am looking forward to finding out what happens next in the sequel. I give this book 4 stars.
The book was a decent read and had a lot of promise. However, it needs to be thoroughly edited. There are a lot of grammatical errors and in many places the wording is either awkward or just doesn’t make sense.
That being said, the story itself was still entertaining, if a bit jumbled. We start off with a runaway, abused wife who just happens to run into her husband’s enemy’s courtesan. The two start a journey across the country until they are separated. From there we have naked nuns, courtesan training, romance, and, of course, the bad guy coming for everyone.
Amelia was a likeable main character from the start. I wanted her to make it through all her challenges. What I didn’t like about her was when she started talking about how she dreamed of being a wife and having the perfect husband – however, this is what would have been the norm during the time of this book.
Chetan, oh Chetan. This poor man. He went through so much in this book. He might be my favorite character. He developed so much through the book and became a kind of hero at the end.
I am looking forward to finding out what happens next in the sequel. I give this book 4 stars.
January 22, 2022
A Diary of Mutiny and War💔🔪🔫🔥💣
ADULT Victorian Fictional Novel about the TRUE 1857 Sepoy mutiny or revolt against the British India Tea Company. The book details the fates and stories of several intertwined characters, both Indian and British.
The book is quite violent and shows the depravity of the actions of individuals on both sides of the conflict, as well as ordinary people caught in the middle. The ordinary people are just trying to survive and keep from being killed.
ARC Provided by Hidden 💎Gems
I also got this ebook from Amazon 📚with Amazon Free!
Great world 🌎 building throughout this long, but well written, fascinating, and absorbing tale. The book is also a frightening look at the utter depravity of Brigadadier Sir Colin Lawrence👺🍆⛲💪👊 a Senior officer in the British India Tea Company, and his violent obcession over his second wife, Amelia, whom he beats and abuses terribly until she runs away.
ADULT Victorian Fictional Novel about the TRUE 1857 Sepoy mutiny or revolt against the British India Tea Company. The book details the fates and stories of several intertwined characters, both Indian and British.
The book is quite violent and shows the depravity of the actions of individuals on both sides of the conflict, as well as ordinary people caught in the middle. The ordinary people are just trying to survive and keep from being killed.
ARC Provided by Hidden 💎Gems
I also got this ebook from Amazon 📚with Amazon Free!
Great world 🌎 building throughout this long, but well written, fascinating, and absorbing tale. The book is also a frightening look at the utter depravity of Brigadadier Sir Colin Lawrence👺🍆⛲💪👊 a Senior officer in the British India Tea Company, and his violent obcession over his second wife, Amelia, whom he beats and abuses terribly until she runs away.
June 11, 2021
Wonderful and thrilling
I think India is a country that is filled with culture and color. It’s a country I’d love to visit one day and experience all its beauty and wonder.
Author AE Spenser has done a wonderful job at taking me to India through his writing. Not only did I travel to India but I also travelled in time to 1857, a much particular and intense time in India where the British ruled. Through the story we meet two fierce and strong women, one British and other Indian.
They help each other overcome big and troubling times.
I personally enjoyed this book very much! It’s got the right amount of girl power, action and historic events. I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy culture, history and a good story!
I think India is a country that is filled with culture and color. It’s a country I’d love to visit one day and experience all its beauty and wonder.
Author AE Spenser has done a wonderful job at taking me to India through his writing. Not only did I travel to India but I also travelled in time to 1857, a much particular and intense time in India where the British ruled. Through the story we meet two fierce and strong women, one British and other Indian.
They help each other overcome big and troubling times.
I personally enjoyed this book very much! It’s got the right amount of girl power, action and historic events. I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy culture, history and a good story!
June 12, 2021
Historical and dramatic read
When I started reading this story, I was a bit unsure how I would feel with the historical genre being intertwined with drama, however, the author played this one out nicely and I'm glad I chose to give it a shot. The scene depiction was written so well that I felt as if I were transported back into the 1800s in India in just a matter of pages. Amelia is a likable character from the beginning, though she seems to stray a bit towards the dramatics. This one is definitely a page turner and certainly one that could easily be completed in one sitting due to the pull these characters have on the mind and heart while reading.
When I started reading this story, I was a bit unsure how I would feel with the historical genre being intertwined with drama, however, the author played this one out nicely and I'm glad I chose to give it a shot. The scene depiction was written so well that I felt as if I were transported back into the 1800s in India in just a matter of pages. Amelia is a likable character from the beginning, though she seems to stray a bit towards the dramatics. This one is definitely a page turner and certainly one that could easily be completed in one sitting due to the pull these characters have on the mind and heart while reading.
June 8, 2021
The Pink Mutiny by author A E Spencer is a captivating novel. It combines alluring and well-developed characters in a plot driven story, with the suspense and mind-bending of a psychological thriller. And, of course, there is no lack of mystery, sex scenes and intrigue. As a result, this is one of the most engaging books in the genre I have encountered. Once I started reading, it was difficult to stop because I wanted to know what will happen next.
All in all, the book is exciting, gripping, and fast-reading, and I think any novel reader wouldn't want to miss it. So, I recommend it specially to those who like the psychological thriller genre.
All in all, the book is exciting, gripping, and fast-reading, and I think any novel reader wouldn't want to miss it. So, I recommend it specially to those who like the psychological thriller genre.
June 9, 2021
Written by the gifted A E Spencer, The Pink Mutiny is a riveting novel set in the mid 19th century where women suffer from gender inequality. Yet, in this novel the two female protagonists are ahead of her generations and they will play an important role in the Residency's destiny. Mystery, action and suspense fill the pages of this captivating book, not to mention the jaw-dropping unexpected twists. The characters and the descriptions are rich in detail and I felt like another character of that period. I felt absorbed by the book and was inspired by these two women from the beginning. I’m sure people of all ages and gender will definitely enjoy this plot!
June 10, 2021
Set in the 1850’s in the British society, The Pink mutiny deals with a topic in vogue at that time, the equality, or possibly equality, between men and women. The main protagonist, Amelia, has allowed me to get immersed in this table immediately. After getting married, her life changes completely when she discovers her husband is not the person she thought.
In 33 chapters, author Spence has been able to craft an amazing narrative written in the first person in which all the characters are well-depicted.
The author has done a great job combining fiction, historical and cultural themes and he has done so in a way the tale never gets boring or hard to follow.
This tale has left me at the edge of my seat for entire afternoons. I loved it!
In 33 chapters, author Spence has been able to craft an amazing narrative written in the first person in which all the characters are well-depicted.
The author has done a great job combining fiction, historical and cultural themes and he has done so in a way the tale never gets boring or hard to follow.
This tale has left me at the edge of my seat for entire afternoons. I loved it!
June 11, 2021
This book is my new favorite, after discovering the author, Spencer, on social media. It is the first time I read a title from this writer but undoubtedly it won’t be the last one.
I love reading about some historical events mixed with mystery and drama, and I dare to say that this author did the job in an extraordinary way.
This is an amazing story, with vivid characters and descriptions that set me right in the scene, as if I was watching a movie.
Even the minor characters are 3 dimensional, some, like Sehnaz, have the best lines in the book and I adored it. The story touches on so many themes relevant to today's world that I couldn’t put it down and I finished it in only three nights.
I enjoyed it a lot. It is a fantastic work to explore!
I love reading about some historical events mixed with mystery and drama, and I dare to say that this author did the job in an extraordinary way.
This is an amazing story, with vivid characters and descriptions that set me right in the scene, as if I was watching a movie.
Even the minor characters are 3 dimensional, some, like Sehnaz, have the best lines in the book and I adored it. The story touches on so many themes relevant to today's world that I couldn’t put it down and I finished it in only three nights.
I enjoyed it a lot. It is a fantastic work to explore!
June 8, 2021
“The Pink Mutiny” is an absorbing read! I mean, I finished it in three sittings. But this piece of writing caught my attention instantly because it contains the ingredients that I like in a good story: drama and history.
This piece of writing is set in the 1850s and it tells the story of a girl called Amelia who, after getting married, discovers that her husband is not the person she thought and now her life is in danger. What should she do?
To conclude, I give this book my highest recommendation, five deserved stars. This middle length book was a perfect weekend read.
This piece of writing is set in the 1850s and it tells the story of a girl called Amelia who, after getting married, discovers that her husband is not the person she thought and now her life is in danger. What should she do?
To conclude, I give this book my highest recommendation, five deserved stars. This middle length book was a perfect weekend read.
June 11, 2021
Interesting from the very first word
“The Pink Mutiny” written by Spencer, is an interesting book set in colonial times.
The book presents a woman of novel ideas as a main character, a woman whose views and thoughts did not correspond to society’s thoughts during that period.
I believe this is an unputdownable thriller, but it is the exciting and well-developed characters that I liked the most.
The reader can be finished in days because the plot is highly entertaining. The main events develop slowly, but, at the same time, this is what kept me going.
I recommend this historical thriller to lovers of great pieces of writing!
“The Pink Mutiny” written by Spencer, is an interesting book set in colonial times.
The book presents a woman of novel ideas as a main character, a woman whose views and thoughts did not correspond to society’s thoughts during that period.
I believe this is an unputdownable thriller, but it is the exciting and well-developed characters that I liked the most.
The reader can be finished in days because the plot is highly entertaining. The main events develop slowly, but, at the same time, this is what kept me going.
I recommend this historical thriller to lovers of great pieces of writing!
January 24, 2022
Good read with lots of interesting historical facts.
Excellent character development depicting a lot of support between the main female roles. People tends to think some problems are unique to certain social standings, cultures and backgrounds, not realizing how many similarities prevails across the board.
I received a complimentary copy and gladly leaves my two cents worth of a review :)
i
Excellent character development depicting a lot of support between the main female roles. People tends to think some problems are unique to certain social standings, cultures and backgrounds, not realizing how many similarities prevails across the board.
I received a complimentary copy and gladly leaves my two cents worth of a review :)
i
January 24, 2022
Really enjoyed this book. Couldn't put it down.
January 23, 2022
There are various genres I've read - romance, erotica and absolute bakwas ( rubbish in Hindi) A.E.Spencer's The Pink Mutiny falls in the third category.
I've read 96 pages and am still baffled as to the actual plot. Except for a stray map exchanging hands nothing is mutinous in this "historical book". The language and the many sexual passages are crude and coarse. Frankly, I've been so embarrassed and tortured it's taken me 4 days to put up a review. I'm also baffled as to how this book is a dedication to "all the women who are still rotting in the 21st Century behind the iron curtain of Religious Practices and so- called moral standards of societies. "
Loosely, the story supposedly revolves around a couple of tormented, abused and repeatedly raped women looking for Independence and freedom from dictating men - " He thinks he owns me -my foot!"
Amelia,a British lady is aboard the "Bride Ship" to India where she's to meet her fiancé Colin ,marry and start her life. She's all excited at this arranged marriage because Colin is a high ranking officer in the East India Company and she hasn't stopped dreaming of how much good she can do and "charge on a horse like a Knight in shining armour to save women from.being burnt on their husband's pyre". Wow!! She's supposed to have gone to hight school during the 1850's and has dreams of working in an office. She's disappointed that maths is not taught as a subject to girls, but are taught Latin and Music. She's also sent to hight school to learn to be loyal to her husband. 🤔. Colin is a very disturbed officer in his mid 30s and has already killed his first wife.
Amelia is introduced to Nawab Wajid Ali Shah and his right hand guy, Rupen Naik and here comes the twist. It's love at first sight for Amelia with a "brown skinned devil" and actually mentally fat shames her husband.
Colin is a typical lecherous man who's checking out other women's "bubbies" in front of his newly wed wife. And so on and so forth there are mutilple disgusting rapes scenes/ sexual acts but what has this got to do with the Mutiny??
There are other women too just so tortured and abused. I really couldn't read any further- physical abuse,mental breakdown ,fat shaming , and just pure coarseness of thought and vocab.
So many historical errors with respect to women- dear author women didn't receive any formal education around the 1857 First War of Independence -neither British women nor Indians. So, how did Sona go to primary school??
The portrayal of tawaiffs is pathetic. Shehnaz wants to be a tawaiff to gain independence from.men ?? Hello, tawaifs were prostitutes so,.... what freedom??
Indian women have always been taught the importance or sanctity of covering oneself whether Brahmin or Shudra , Hindu or Muslim. And im sure the same would have been taught to the British girls . So all those nude scenes ...seriously?? India always had very small houses - which woman in 1850's had the luxury of a full length mirror and the time to preen over herself- naked??
The only absolutely authentic information is that the 1857 FWI started in Lucknow over the Enfield bullets and the river Gomti flows by Lucknow.
Many thanks to the author for providing me with a copy to give my honest opinion regarding her novel. I'm sorry it didn't work out for me.
Recommended: 😱👎
I've read 96 pages and am still baffled as to the actual plot. Except for a stray map exchanging hands nothing is mutinous in this "historical book". The language and the many sexual passages are crude and coarse. Frankly, I've been so embarrassed and tortured it's taken me 4 days to put up a review. I'm also baffled as to how this book is a dedication to "all the women who are still rotting in the 21st Century behind the iron curtain of Religious Practices and so- called moral standards of societies. "
Loosely, the story supposedly revolves around a couple of tormented, abused and repeatedly raped women looking for Independence and freedom from dictating men - " He thinks he owns me -my foot!"
Amelia,a British lady is aboard the "Bride Ship" to India where she's to meet her fiancé Colin ,marry and start her life. She's all excited at this arranged marriage because Colin is a high ranking officer in the East India Company and she hasn't stopped dreaming of how much good she can do and "charge on a horse like a Knight in shining armour to save women from.being burnt on their husband's pyre". Wow!! She's supposed to have gone to hight school during the 1850's and has dreams of working in an office. She's disappointed that maths is not taught as a subject to girls, but are taught Latin and Music. She's also sent to hight school to learn to be loyal to her husband. 🤔. Colin is a very disturbed officer in his mid 30s and has already killed his first wife.
Amelia is introduced to Nawab Wajid Ali Shah and his right hand guy, Rupen Naik and here comes the twist. It's love at first sight for Amelia with a "brown skinned devil" and actually mentally fat shames her husband.
Colin is a typical lecherous man who's checking out other women's "bubbies" in front of his newly wed wife. And so on and so forth there are mutilple disgusting rapes scenes/ sexual acts but what has this got to do with the Mutiny??
There are other women too just so tortured and abused. I really couldn't read any further- physical abuse,mental breakdown ,fat shaming , and just pure coarseness of thought and vocab.
So many historical errors with respect to women- dear author women didn't receive any formal education around the 1857 First War of Independence -neither British women nor Indians. So, how did Sona go to primary school??
The portrayal of tawaiffs is pathetic. Shehnaz wants to be a tawaiff to gain independence from.men ?? Hello, tawaifs were prostitutes so,.... what freedom??
Indian women have always been taught the importance or sanctity of covering oneself whether Brahmin or Shudra , Hindu or Muslim. And im sure the same would have been taught to the British girls . So all those nude scenes ...seriously?? India always had very small houses - which woman in 1850's had the luxury of a full length mirror and the time to preen over herself- naked??
The only absolutely authentic information is that the 1857 FWI started in Lucknow over the Enfield bullets and the river Gomti flows by Lucknow.
Many thanks to the author for providing me with a copy to give my honest opinion regarding her novel. I'm sorry it didn't work out for me.
Recommended: 😱👎
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2021
This book has a great story set in the colonial period in India. Something hugely drew me to the title. A brilliant debut novel depicting two women, Amelia from England and Sehnaz, the courtesan of Lucknow, and both compete in their own spheres to be the alpha woman.
March 21, 2023
I hate doing this because I received an ARC from the author, but I feel I have no choice. This book was so difficult to read. It seemed like it had been translated from another language or written by someone whose first langue is not English. Some of the words used just made me feel awkward—bubbies was a common word (is that a word?) for breasts, and at one point the phrase “mammary glands” was used, and it was supposed to sound sexy. “Her large mammary glands sprang out in pride.” I cannot stress this enough…EWWW.
At one point, the word “complicacy” was used. Based on context, I’d say the word was supposed to be “complications.” The sex was described in ways that just made me feel icky, and I found myself embarrassed to be reading. No one knew what I was reading; I was embarrassed for myself. Some of the words used for body parts or actions were either creepy or medical-sounding. Not a bit of romance in sight. No human connection. No foreplay. No conversations. Just random observations told in a nearly clinical manner with sometimes vulgar words. I seriously wonder if A.E. Spencer is a man—no offense to men, per se. Whoever they are, they don’t know how to write a story that connects the characters to the reader. Specifically, this reader.
The story is told from alternating POVs, but in a weird way. Amelia’s POV is first person, present tense. All other characters (her husband Colin, her friend Sehnaz, and a guard from her home, Chetan) are third person, past tense—even when the dates coincide. It was disconcerting, to say the least. About ¼ of the way into the story, I was so frustrated, I just wanted to stop, but I accepted the ARC and felt a responsibility to finish it. By ¾ of the way, I was ready to scream. Still, I kept going. Eventually, I made it to the end, and I’m hoping to save other readers the trouble.
There were so many inconsistencies and nonsensical scenes. In one scene where Chetan is questioned by Colin, he swears he will tell the truth, in all respects. He tells Colin he cannot read. A short time later, he finds a long letter in a dead soldier’s pocket, reads it, and decides to save it for the soldier’s family. Still later, he tells some of the other characters he cannot read, and it’s clear he’s not lying.
Amelia meets Harry one time, sharing only a few words, and the second time he sees her, he swears to her that he loves her. Based on what? He also has a lot of personal information about her that he shouldn’t have, and it’s never explained how he obtained this information. Of course, she claims she loves him too, but based on Amelia’s personality, it seems she’s more in love with the idea of him since she doesn’t know him either.
Everything comes together in the final pages, but it was all so mechanical. I honestly could not care less what happened to any of these characters. Reading about Colin’s abuses was disturbing, but in the same way I’d be disturbed if I read it in the newspaper and had no relationship to the victim. Yes, it’s sad it happened and it makes my heart hurt, but I don’t know the person it happened to so I won’t be haunted by it. I never really knew any of these characters, least of all, Amelia.
There were some words of wisdom thrown into the story, so I feel like I should mention those to give the author some credit for including them (even if not for the actual words used since they were probably quotes):
“A man’s destiny is lying beneath a leaf, but a woman’s destiny is buried beneath stone.”
“Male pride, it is like a dried bamboo stick. Even though it has hardly any strength left, but it wouldn’t bend, rather break.” (Ok, that one may have been in the author’s own words.)
Here’s the other problem. When the book ends, it’s revealed that the story is actually Amelia’s diary. That’s all well and good, but how could she have followed any of the other characters or gotten into their minds, as the narrator did? How did Amelia know what was going on with anyone else who wasn’t with her? It just doesn’t make any sense.
Also, if this is Amelia’s diary and she was educated in England (including high school, but not maths or science), why was her grammar so horrendous? She sounded like a simpleton trying out big words from a thesaurus. They didn’t actually fit the sentence but were listed as synonyms so were chosen to add some variety or to make her sound smarter. They didn’t. At least, that’s the impression I got. You can’t just randomly pick words from a thesaurus without knowing the common usage of those words. That kind of idiocy would have me using “agile” and bold” interchangeably to mean “smart,” in terms of intelligence, because they’re both listed. I feel like passive voice was also used to excess to give the impression of a voice of authority. Overall, I advise against wasting your time on this book. There are so many other great books out there. I’ve been gifted a copy of The Black Waters, but I cannot bring myself to read it.
At one point, the word “complicacy” was used. Based on context, I’d say the word was supposed to be “complications.” The sex was described in ways that just made me feel icky, and I found myself embarrassed to be reading. No one knew what I was reading; I was embarrassed for myself. Some of the words used for body parts or actions were either creepy or medical-sounding. Not a bit of romance in sight. No human connection. No foreplay. No conversations. Just random observations told in a nearly clinical manner with sometimes vulgar words. I seriously wonder if A.E. Spencer is a man—no offense to men, per se. Whoever they are, they don’t know how to write a story that connects the characters to the reader. Specifically, this reader.
The story is told from alternating POVs, but in a weird way. Amelia’s POV is first person, present tense. All other characters (her husband Colin, her friend Sehnaz, and a guard from her home, Chetan) are third person, past tense—even when the dates coincide. It was disconcerting, to say the least. About ¼ of the way into the story, I was so frustrated, I just wanted to stop, but I accepted the ARC and felt a responsibility to finish it. By ¾ of the way, I was ready to scream. Still, I kept going. Eventually, I made it to the end, and I’m hoping to save other readers the trouble.
There were so many inconsistencies and nonsensical scenes. In one scene where Chetan is questioned by Colin, he swears he will tell the truth, in all respects. He tells Colin he cannot read. A short time later, he finds a long letter in a dead soldier’s pocket, reads it, and decides to save it for the soldier’s family. Still later, he tells some of the other characters he cannot read, and it’s clear he’s not lying.
Amelia meets Harry one time, sharing only a few words, and the second time he sees her, he swears to her that he loves her. Based on what? He also has a lot of personal information about her that he shouldn’t have, and it’s never explained how he obtained this information. Of course, she claims she loves him too, but based on Amelia’s personality, it seems she’s more in love with the idea of him since she doesn’t know him either.
Everything comes together in the final pages, but it was all so mechanical. I honestly could not care less what happened to any of these characters. Reading about Colin’s abuses was disturbing, but in the same way I’d be disturbed if I read it in the newspaper and had no relationship to the victim. Yes, it’s sad it happened and it makes my heart hurt, but I don’t know the person it happened to so I won’t be haunted by it. I never really knew any of these characters, least of all, Amelia.
There were some words of wisdom thrown into the story, so I feel like I should mention those to give the author some credit for including them (even if not for the actual words used since they were probably quotes):
“A man’s destiny is lying beneath a leaf, but a woman’s destiny is buried beneath stone.”
“Male pride, it is like a dried bamboo stick. Even though it has hardly any strength left, but it wouldn’t bend, rather break.” (Ok, that one may have been in the author’s own words.)
Here’s the other problem. When the book ends, it’s revealed that the story is actually Amelia’s diary. That’s all well and good, but how could she have followed any of the other characters or gotten into their minds, as the narrator did? How did Amelia know what was going on with anyone else who wasn’t with her? It just doesn’t make any sense.
Also, if this is Amelia’s diary and she was educated in England (including high school, but not maths or science), why was her grammar so horrendous? She sounded like a simpleton trying out big words from a thesaurus. They didn’t actually fit the sentence but were listed as synonyms so were chosen to add some variety or to make her sound smarter. They didn’t. At least, that’s the impression I got. You can’t just randomly pick words from a thesaurus without knowing the common usage of those words. That kind of idiocy would have me using “agile” and bold” interchangeably to mean “smart,” in terms of intelligence, because they’re both listed. I feel like passive voice was also used to excess to give the impression of a voice of authority. Overall, I advise against wasting your time on this book. There are so many other great books out there. I’ve been gifted a copy of The Black Waters, but I cannot bring myself to read it.
April 19, 2021
“That is terrific, Madhuri. I have always believed that God has to be a male. We always address God as HE. But you have a female God, and she is called Infinite Energy, that means Supreme Power. Then why are the women of the world so weak? Always depending upon menfolk for basic survival?”
- Amelia from ‘The Pink Mutiny,’
In the parallel universe, two souls are struggling to come above in a society dominated by men. But in the year 1857, that seems totally impossible. Even when the progressive English ruling class in India also believe girls should be educated to become better wives.
We see the protagonist Amelia who, during her childhood in London, fights to study the subjects like Maths, which was considered a boys’ subject. And she also dreamt of becoming a female knight and come to India to rescue the widows who she was told were forcibly cremated along with their dead husbands. She marries an army officer posted in the magnificent city of Nawabs, Lucknow in north India. But it shattered her dreams when she has to flee from a psycho husband for saving her own life, and that too when the armed rebel (Called Sepoy Mutiny) was burning the nation.
While trying to escape from Lucknow, she accepts the offer of another local woman, Sehnaz. To her surprise, Amelia notices Sehnaz is the alpha woman she was one daydreaming for herself.
A E Spencer has weaved the characters vividly in the beautiful storyline. The interaction between two women who are already a century ahead in their outlook, their mutual mistrust, love to hate each other are interesting. With all these, they still have a soft corner for each other.
This brilliant novel is on my highly recommended list.
- Amelia from ‘The Pink Mutiny,’
In the parallel universe, two souls are struggling to come above in a society dominated by men. But in the year 1857, that seems totally impossible. Even when the progressive English ruling class in India also believe girls should be educated to become better wives.
We see the protagonist Amelia who, during her childhood in London, fights to study the subjects like Maths, which was considered a boys’ subject. And she also dreamt of becoming a female knight and come to India to rescue the widows who she was told were forcibly cremated along with their dead husbands. She marries an army officer posted in the magnificent city of Nawabs, Lucknow in north India. But it shattered her dreams when she has to flee from a psycho husband for saving her own life, and that too when the armed rebel (Called Sepoy Mutiny) was burning the nation.
While trying to escape from Lucknow, she accepts the offer of another local woman, Sehnaz. To her surprise, Amelia notices Sehnaz is the alpha woman she was one daydreaming for herself.
A E Spencer has weaved the characters vividly in the beautiful storyline. The interaction between two women who are already a century ahead in their outlook, their mutual mistrust, love to hate each other are interesting. With all these, they still have a soft corner for each other.
This brilliant novel is on my highly recommended list.
June 1, 2024
I love, love, loved this book. Indian history retold through the eyes of a young, intelligent and adventurous woman educated in Victorian England. It is much more a fast moving adventure than a romance but that doesn't do it justice.
The central theme is the awakening of Amelia's awareness of her yearning for physical and emotional autonomy resulting in separation from an abusive husband at the moment of the Indian Sepoy uprising against the oppressions of the East India Company. It is a fast moving story, yet ebbing and flowing with the mood of the great rivers.
The story depicts a series of amazing coincidences that become believable in the almost poetic weaving of the stories of the various players. We start to understand their varied motivations and goals while gaining an appreciation of the clash of the great religions of Christianity, Hinduism and Islam.
Amelia is thrust into the folds of each at different times in order to achieve safety but also a growing awareness of her own independent womanly being. There is no gratuitous sex in this novel but it does depict Amelia's increasing awareness of her own sexuality and desires, until she finally grows comfortable in her own independence.
None of the leaders can be proud of the horrors of this period depicted as a backdrop to this story. The history is however of a period that should not be forgotten. Everyone can benefit from an understanding of the reasons behind this mutiny in the hope that humanity does not continue to repeat the same acts of inhumanity at individual or community level.
The central theme is the awakening of Amelia's awareness of her yearning for physical and emotional autonomy resulting in separation from an abusive husband at the moment of the Indian Sepoy uprising against the oppressions of the East India Company. It is a fast moving story, yet ebbing and flowing with the mood of the great rivers.
The story depicts a series of amazing coincidences that become believable in the almost poetic weaving of the stories of the various players. We start to understand their varied motivations and goals while gaining an appreciation of the clash of the great religions of Christianity, Hinduism and Islam.
Amelia is thrust into the folds of each at different times in order to achieve safety but also a growing awareness of her own independent womanly being. There is no gratuitous sex in this novel but it does depict Amelia's increasing awareness of her own sexuality and desires, until she finally grows comfortable in her own independence.
None of the leaders can be proud of the horrors of this period depicted as a backdrop to this story. The history is however of a period that should not be forgotten. Everyone can benefit from an understanding of the reasons behind this mutiny in the hope that humanity does not continue to repeat the same acts of inhumanity at individual or community level.
April 13, 2021
An absolutely stunning debut
“The Pink Mutiny” captivated me from the opening pages, and I finished the book in just two days. The prose is beautiful and rich. The plot is full of unanticipated surprises.
The book is a perfect blend of character-driven and plot-driven. The characters are richly developed.
Coming to the story- Amelia is born in England and revolts against the girls’ education having the only goal ‘to help the girls become better wives”. She dreams one day she will be as independent and energetic as men. When she hears that widows in India are forcibly cremated alive along with their husbands’ bodies, she dreams of one day coming to India and rescue those helpless women. She jumps to a marriage proposal from Brigadier Colin posted in Lucknow city of India and arrives in India.
But her dream is shattered when she learns a secret about her husband’s dead first wife and fearing her own life, she runs away. The timing is wrong as the historical Sepoy Mutiny (Armed rebellion of 1857) breaks out and she finds herself with a courtesan who is also carrying a secret that could help in a massacre of English lives in The Residency (the British residential fort where thousands of British families lived).
Turning through the pages, I was in the beautiful historical city of Lucknow (City of Nawabs) and Varanasi (Modern day Benares), in the 1857s. I loved the book so much that I ordered an actual physical copy to keep with me, though I read this first on Kindle.
“The Pink Mutiny” captivated me from the opening pages, and I finished the book in just two days. The prose is beautiful and rich. The plot is full of unanticipated surprises.
The book is a perfect blend of character-driven and plot-driven. The characters are richly developed.
Coming to the story- Amelia is born in England and revolts against the girls’ education having the only goal ‘to help the girls become better wives”. She dreams one day she will be as independent and energetic as men. When she hears that widows in India are forcibly cremated alive along with their husbands’ bodies, she dreams of one day coming to India and rescue those helpless women. She jumps to a marriage proposal from Brigadier Colin posted in Lucknow city of India and arrives in India.
But her dream is shattered when she learns a secret about her husband’s dead first wife and fearing her own life, she runs away. The timing is wrong as the historical Sepoy Mutiny (Armed rebellion of 1857) breaks out and she finds herself with a courtesan who is also carrying a secret that could help in a massacre of English lives in The Residency (the British residential fort where thousands of British families lived).
Turning through the pages, I was in the beautiful historical city of Lucknow (City of Nawabs) and Varanasi (Modern day Benares), in the 1857s. I loved the book so much that I ordered an actual physical copy to keep with me, though I read this first on Kindle.
July 12, 2023
‘Divide and rule’
And how well did that work out for the British, in the end?
This book is sooo full of very heavy topics; some, that still need to be addressed and corrected.
Paternalistic colonial mindset:
‘If you don’t understand Hindus are sensitive of killing cows and Muslims hate pork, then you don’t deserve to rule them.’
‘India has many kings. Brish East India Company is alive because of the infights [among] them. Our people are experts in keeping those differences alive. In return, the Company not only survives, it thrives.’
Misongyny:
‘The man who can’t control his wife foesn’t deserve to control a battalion.’
‘Whether a man will dance to your tune or you to a man’s, depends on if you are a wife or a mistress.’
Generational trauma:
When boys her their mothers abused and see their mothers beaten – even when they know it is wrong – they are being taught to follow that example when they become men.
‘Men who were not mentally stable or vulnerable inside often attacked women.’
They then can also be used by other men due to their irrational emotional state.
Regardless of one’s upbringing or other issues in their past, ‘a life without self-respect is worse than hell’.
May we all live a life of freedom, health, love, and safety.
Get ready to set sail to the Andaman Islands in the sequel - ‘The Black Waters’. I prepared for my trip via Wiki and YouTube (even watched a trailer of 'Kaalapani').
And how well did that work out for the British, in the end?
This book is sooo full of very heavy topics; some, that still need to be addressed and corrected.
Paternalistic colonial mindset:
‘If you don’t understand Hindus are sensitive of killing cows and Muslims hate pork, then you don’t deserve to rule them.’
‘India has many kings. Brish East India Company is alive because of the infights [among] them. Our people are experts in keeping those differences alive. In return, the Company not only survives, it thrives.’
Misongyny:
‘The man who can’t control his wife foesn’t deserve to control a battalion.’
‘Whether a man will dance to your tune or you to a man’s, depends on if you are a wife or a mistress.’
Generational trauma:
When boys her their mothers abused and see their mothers beaten – even when they know it is wrong – they are being taught to follow that example when they become men.
‘Men who were not mentally stable or vulnerable inside often attacked women.’
They then can also be used by other men due to their irrational emotional state.
Regardless of one’s upbringing or other issues in their past, ‘a life without self-respect is worse than hell’.
May we all live a life of freedom, health, love, and safety.
Get ready to set sail to the Andaman Islands in the sequel - ‘The Black Waters’. I prepared for my trip via Wiki and YouTube (even watched a trailer of 'Kaalapani').
April 9, 2021
The Pink Mutiny by A E Spencer is a vivid look at life in India in the 1850s and a woman’s search for empowerment. Amelia, who has recently come from London to Lucknow following an arranged marriage with Brigadier Colin. But she has to run for her life the English rulers are facing the greatest freedom battle by the Indian rebels; the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Travelling in a boat in the river Gomti along with only two more in the boat; a woman passenger and a boatman, she realises she is now among the rebels. The female passenger Sehnaz is a courtesan of Lucknow who is carrying sensitive information for the rebels that could result in massacre of thousands of English families in Lucknow, and the boatman is a rebel Indian soldier.
This book is an interesting tale of 2 women from 2 distinct and distant cultures, one English and the other Indian. Their interesting interaction, mutual mistrust, competition to attain the alpha woman’s position all that happened in an era when an ordinary woman’s life in India was full of desperation. The caste system, poverty, oppression by the English rulers had broken the backbone of the society.
The book is a page turner. I finished the book in just one day. A five star from me.
This book is an interesting tale of 2 women from 2 distinct and distant cultures, one English and the other Indian. Their interesting interaction, mutual mistrust, competition to attain the alpha woman’s position all that happened in an era when an ordinary woman’s life in India was full of desperation. The caste system, poverty, oppression by the English rulers had broken the backbone of the society.
The book is a page turner. I finished the book in just one day. A five star from me.
April 22, 2021
After settling down to read The Pink Mutiny by AE Spencer, I knew I wouldn’t be doing anything else that evening and it was going to be the late-night before I would see my bed. The novel is set in 1857, British were ruling over India.
The principal character Amelia, who came to Lucknow city of India after marrying Brigadier Colin with lots of dreams that she would change the fate of illiterate and oppressed Indian women, at least a few of them. But she finds her husband had a first wife who is dead and possibly a murdered by Colin himself. She also learns the man is a psycho. She flees home during the dangers of the civil war.
A courtesan of Lucknow, Sehnaz, helps her flee. Amelia finds Sehnaz is the alpha woman and is in a position in society which she had one day envisioned for her, other than being a courtesan.
The book is full of thrills, suspense, romance and unpredictable twists and turns. Each character is well developed, and believable.
Such a colourful story, with culture and characters aplenty. I was hooked to the many twists of the story. Shattered, happy, anxious, surprised everything.
The ending is the best, well wrapped, and brought a smile to me. I am expecting a sequel we can continue with Amelia’s new adventures.
The principal character Amelia, who came to Lucknow city of India after marrying Brigadier Colin with lots of dreams that she would change the fate of illiterate and oppressed Indian women, at least a few of them. But she finds her husband had a first wife who is dead and possibly a murdered by Colin himself. She also learns the man is a psycho. She flees home during the dangers of the civil war.
A courtesan of Lucknow, Sehnaz, helps her flee. Amelia finds Sehnaz is the alpha woman and is in a position in society which she had one day envisioned for her, other than being a courtesan.
The book is full of thrills, suspense, romance and unpredictable twists and turns. Each character is well developed, and believable.
Such a colourful story, with culture and characters aplenty. I was hooked to the many twists of the story. Shattered, happy, anxious, surprised everything.
The ending is the best, well wrapped, and brought a smile to me. I am expecting a sequel we can continue with Amelia’s new adventures.
June 5, 2021
A page Turner
If you love a fast-paced great read, then this book is for you. The plot and characters are well developed, and the ending is unpredictable.
I’m from Fiji and my ancestors had come from India 150 years ago. When the novel took me back to 1850s great cities of India like Lucknow, Sultanpur and Varanasi, I envisioned my ancestors living in those beautiful historical cities. I could hear the music of the ankle bells of the courtesans as they dance for their patrons, smell the mouth-watering Mughlai foods and feel the pain of Amelia who had to run away from her husband’s home when the civil war is in full swing between the ruling British and the rebels.
I have watched Bollywood movies depicting courtesans, but this book has shown them in a different flavour. I loved the way the courtesan Sehnaz maneuverer between two rival factions. The book has some sex scenes but I feel they are appropriate for the story.
If you love a fast-paced great read, then this book is for you. The plot and characters are well developed, and the ending is unpredictable.
I’m from Fiji and my ancestors had come from India 150 years ago. When the novel took me back to 1850s great cities of India like Lucknow, Sultanpur and Varanasi, I envisioned my ancestors living in those beautiful historical cities. I could hear the music of the ankle bells of the courtesans as they dance for their patrons, smell the mouth-watering Mughlai foods and feel the pain of Amelia who had to run away from her husband’s home when the civil war is in full swing between the ruling British and the rebels.
I have watched Bollywood movies depicting courtesans, but this book has shown them in a different flavour. I loved the way the courtesan Sehnaz maneuverer between two rival factions. The book has some sex scenes but I feel they are appropriate for the story.
May 18, 2022
An eye-opening story of life in mid 19th century India
This the story of a very brave woman, living a sad life being married to a British officer of the East India Company. He treats her like a piece of property rather than a wife. When she escapes from him, her life of danger and adventure begins.
There are so many stories in this book that I would spoil the excitement of reading for yourself if I told about each one. There are graphic descriptions of violence in the war of rebellion and of the thrilling life of a courtesan, both of which involve Amelia, the wife who has escaped her tormenting husband.
Thank goodness she has loyal friends and kind people she meets along the way. In the end she is faced with the prospect of dying at the hands of her estranged husband, and the ending will surprise you.
This the story of a very brave woman, living a sad life being married to a British officer of the East India Company. He treats her like a piece of property rather than a wife. When she escapes from him, her life of danger and adventure begins.
There are so many stories in this book that I would spoil the excitement of reading for yourself if I told about each one. There are graphic descriptions of violence in the war of rebellion and of the thrilling life of a courtesan, both of which involve Amelia, the wife who has escaped her tormenting husband.
Thank goodness she has loyal friends and kind people she meets along the way. In the end she is faced with the prospect of dying at the hands of her estranged husband, and the ending will surprise you.
April 12, 2021
I loved this fast-paced book, so beautifully written. If I closed my eyes, I could see, smell and feel Lucknow city of India, its palaces, the traditions of the nawabs and dances of the courtesans of Lucknow. Fabulous storyline, which kept me in tenterhooks until I finished. If you want a novel that will transport you to another country, culture of another century, this is the one. I loved the interesting interaction between the protagonist Amelia, who is English and married to a Brigadier posted in Lucknow and Sehnaz, the courtesan who is helping the rebels against the British masters. Their mutual mistrust blended with a womanly affection for another woman in a dangerous situation makes the book spicier. 4.5 Stars
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