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bookish_selkie 's review for:
The Secrets of the Tea Garden
by Janet MacLeod Trotter
The Secrets of the Tea Garden was an engaging and enjoyable read. I received a copy of this book right before an airplane flight and found it to be a pleasant traveling companion. Previously, I had not read any books in the series and it functions well as a standalone. This novel is exquisitely detailed, well-paced, and fulfilling.
Unhappy in England after WWII, Libby wants to return to India, the land of her birth and to visit her father. Libby is looking for a renewed sense of purpose and she dreams of re-uniting her parents, who have been separated for many years. Despite it being a time of great upheaval in India, it doesn’t take long for Libby to persuade her mother to allow her to travel there. Libby meets a host of interesting companions along the way, including characters from earlier books in the series.
During 1974 in India, the British were leaving India after years of occupation. Due to the Partition of India, India and Pakistan are in the process of splitting apart. This creates challenges for Libby and this period of history is a riveting backdrop to what is essentially a love story. While the book was very thorough with details, I found myself curious about aspects of culture and history that had to be somewhat glossed over in order for the novel to stay concise and primarily focused on Libby, Ghulam, and Adela.
Libby’s story is a tale of love for both India and Ghulam. Ghulam is a freedom fighter who is deeply opinionated and educates Libby about what India looks like outside the tea plantation where she grew up. He provides a necessary depth to the story and provides enlightenment about the dangerous and tumultuous political climate. Libby and Ghulam were an interesting lens to view this chapter of history through and their story was a pleasure to read. At times, certain scenes dragged on for a bit longer than necessary, but overall the story was well-paced. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, with underlying romance. Thank you to Goodreads giveaways, the author, and publisher for giving me a free copy of The Secrets of the Tea Garden in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Unhappy in England after WWII, Libby wants to return to India, the land of her birth and to visit her father. Libby is looking for a renewed sense of purpose and she dreams of re-uniting her parents, who have been separated for many years. Despite it being a time of great upheaval in India, it doesn’t take long for Libby to persuade her mother to allow her to travel there. Libby meets a host of interesting companions along the way, including characters from earlier books in the series.
During 1974 in India, the British were leaving India after years of occupation. Due to the Partition of India, India and Pakistan are in the process of splitting apart. This creates challenges for Libby and this period of history is a riveting backdrop to what is essentially a love story. While the book was very thorough with details, I found myself curious about aspects of culture and history that had to be somewhat glossed over in order for the novel to stay concise and primarily focused on Libby, Ghulam, and Adela.
Libby’s story is a tale of love for both India and Ghulam. Ghulam is a freedom fighter who is deeply opinionated and educates Libby about what India looks like outside the tea plantation where she grew up. He provides a necessary depth to the story and provides enlightenment about the dangerous and tumultuous political climate. Libby and Ghulam were an interesting lens to view this chapter of history through and their story was a pleasure to read. At times, certain scenes dragged on for a bit longer than necessary, but overall the story was well-paced. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, with underlying romance. Thank you to Goodreads giveaways, the author, and publisher for giving me a free copy of The Secrets of the Tea Garden in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.