I finally picked up the book from the library on Thursday and have finished the first four chapters! I made some notes as I read so I wouldn't forget what I wanted to say.
Prologue: I enjoyed the suspense of the prologue, but the worst part was the monkey being killed.
Ch 1: I love the detail in this book. Which is weird, because in many books the detail is more of a distraction from the story and I skim a lot, but here, India is another character in the story and the detail fleshes her out. Avery proves himself to be the kind of person I would dislike upon meeting them. I was irritated at his insistence that the natives should learn English when he couldn't be bothered to learn Hindoostanee. And his rudeness when entering Blake's home in his refusal to remove his shoes.
Ch 2: A part of me loved the notion of Avery being surprised that Blake knew his hero Mountstuart. I do not trust Buchanan.
Ch 3: I was very surprised by Macpherson's death the first time I read this book, and dreading it this time. I felt bad for Avery having lost his friend and having to leave so much that was ~familiar behind, but I rolled my eyes when he started drinking and agreed to gamble after having just paid off his debts. (Why wasn't there a place he could store those things?!! Seems there should have been.)
Ch 4: I really like how Mir Aziz appears to have taken Avery under his wings and explain things to him. I would not want to travel this way, and yet I found Avery's complaining and expectation of servants to do everything, very irritating. Also, he is quite a trouble magnet.
I hadn't thought about the culture shock and missing home and depression having anything to do with Avery's actions, but that certainly sounds right. I also thought it was bad form for Avery to tell Mir Aziz how good they have it with the Company there. *eye roll*
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Prologue: I enjoyed the suspense of the prologue, but the worst part was the monkey being killed.
Ch 1: I love the detail in this book. Which is weird, because in many books the detail is more of a distraction from the story and I skim a lot, but here, India is another character in the story and the detail fleshes her out. Avery proves himself to be the kind of person I would dislike upon meeting them. I was irritated at his insistence that the natives should learn English when he couldn't be bothered to learn Hindoostanee. And his rudeness when entering Blake's home in his refusal to remove his shoes.
Ch 2: A part of me loved the notion of Avery being surprised that Blake knew his hero Mountstuart. I do not trust Buchanan.
Ch 3: I was very surprised by Macpherson's death the first time I read this book, and dreading it this time. I felt bad for Avery having lost his friend and having to leave so much that was ~familiar behind, but I rolled my eyes when he started drinking and agreed to gamble after having just paid off his debts. (Why wasn't there a place he could store those things?!! Seems there should have been.)
Ch 4: I really like how Mir Aziz appears to have taken Avery under his wings and explain things to him. I would not want to travel this way, and yet I found Avery's complaining and expectation of servants to do everything, very irritating. Also, he is quite a trouble magnet.
I hadn't thought about the culture shock and missing home and depression having anything to do with Avery's actions, but that certainly sounds right. I also thought it was bad form for Avery to tell Mir Aziz how good they have it with the Company there. *eye roll*