Editorial Content for The Last Queen: A Novel of Courage and Resistance
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is one of the world’s most famous Indian novelists. THE LAST QUEEN is her highly anticipated new book, a very broad and imaginative look at the royal family of the Singhs. Despite being an intensely researched novel of Punjab history at the time of Queen Victoria, it reads much more like a love story and a search for a young woman’s independence from social constrictions. Its tone is personal, and the writing is charming, plaintive even.
"[T]his unforgettable novel is a truly inspirational tale about a woman who refused to back down in the face of what was most important to her, her country, her culture --- and especially her family."
As the daughter of the royal kennel keeper, Jindan Kaur is a beautiful young woman whose future will be determined by her family. Soon she becomes the wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, taking her place as the youngest and last queen (well known to be his very favorite). Jindan raises her profile when she becomes the mother to a young son, Dalip, who, at the age of six, inherits his father’s throne. Now a regent, she passionately dedicates herself to protecting her son's heritage.
In real life, Jindan worked as an activist to keep the British from annexing Punjab. She stepped out of the zenana, cast aside her veil and conducted state business in public --- basically becoming an outspoken supporter of her country and using her agency to protect her people from the British powers.
Jindan takes her position quite seriously, even addressing the Khalsa troops on her own. She so inspired the men in the army that they fought tirelessly in two consecutive wars against the “firangs.” Fearing an uprising, the British kept careful watch over her activities, eventually robbing this rebel queen of everything she called precious, including her own child, the young king. Even as the ties that bind her to the royal family strengthen with every breath her son takes, the last queen knows that she will have to be louder than expected in order to keep her world safe.
THE LAST QUEEN gives us a gently fictional look at a strong female figure who used her voice at a time when women were supposed to sit back, stay quiet, look good and love. The way that Jindan tells readers her story in her own gentle but firm voice makes the book a true page-turner. In this climate of political repression rising around the world, this unforgettable novel is a truly inspirational tale about a woman who refused to back down in the face of what was most important to her, her country, her culture --- and especially her family.
Teaser
Sharp-eyed, stubborn and passionate, Jindan was known for her beauty. When she caught the eye of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, she was elevated to royalty, becoming his youngest and last queen. When her young son unexpectedly inherited the throne, Jindan assumed the regency. She transformed herself from pampered wife to warrior ruler, determined to protect her people and her son’s birthright from the encroaching British Empire. Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil and conducted state business in public, inspiring her subjects in two wars. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, but nothing crushed her indomitable will.
Promo
Sharp-eyed, stubborn and passionate, Jindan was known for her beauty. When she caught the eye of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, she was elevated to royalty, becoming his youngest and last queen. When her young son unexpectedly inherited the throne, Jindan assumed the regency. She transformed herself from pampered wife to warrior ruler, determined to protect her people and her son’s birthright from the encroaching British Empire. Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil and conducted state business in public, inspiring her subjects in two wars. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, but nothing crushed her indomitable will.
About the Book
She rose from commoner to become the last reigning queen of India’s Sikh Empire. In this dazzling novel, based on true-life events, bestselling author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni presents the unforgettable story of Jindan, who transformed herself from daughter of the royal kennel keeper to powerful monarch.
Sharp-eyed, stubborn and passionate, Jindan was known for her beauty. When she caught the eye of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, she was elevated to royalty, becoming his youngest and last queen --- and his favorite. And when her son, barely six years old, unexpectedly inherited the throne, Jindan assumed the regency. She transformed herself from pampered wife to warrior ruler, determined to protect her people and her son’s birthright from the encroaching British Empire.
Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil and conducted state business in public, inspiring her subjects in two wars. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, but nothing crushed her indomitable will.
An exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child, and an inspiration for our times, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s novel brings alive one of the most fearless women of the 19th century, one whose story cries out to be told.
Audiobook available, read by Sneha Mathan
