Synopses & Reviews
Set in India during four searing pre-monsoon days in May 1942, The Splendor of Silence is internationally bestselling author Indu Sundaresan's most unforgettable accomplishment yet, merging her Indian and American backgrounds into a heartrending tale of love and clashing cultures in a time of war.
Sam Hawthorne, a twenty-five-year-old U.S. Army captain, arrives at the princely state of Rudrakot in search of his missing brother, Mike, carrying with him wounds from combat in Burma and several secrets. But Sam's mission is soon threatened by the unlikeliest of sources -- he falls hopelessly in love with Mila, daughter of the local political agent. Mila, unexpectedly attracted to Sam, nurtures a secret of her own and finds herself torn between loyalty to her family and Sam.
The Splendor of Silence opens twenty-one years later with Olivia, Sam's daughter, receiving a trunk of treasures from India, along with a letter from an unknown narrator that finally fills all the silences of her childhood -- telling her the story of her parents' passionate and enduring love for each other that throws them in the path of racial prejudice, nationalist intrigue, and the explosive circumstances of a country and a society on the brink of independence from British rule.
Sweeping and poignant, reminiscent of Paul Scott's Raj Quartet novels, The Splendor of Silence will draw a host of devoted new fans to this hugely gifted storyteller.
Review
"There's no question that Sundaresan is a gifted storyteller with an obvious passion for history."
-- USA Today
Review
"Sundaresan unfolds her bittersweet story in flashbacks that are full of sharply drawn details and adroit dialogue. It's a riveting read."
-- The Seattle Times
Review
"Finely researched and full of evocative details, this sweeping tale of intrigue brings to life a fascinating era with richly drawn characters and a story that is engrossing, deep, and surprising."
-- Samina Ali, author of Madras on Rainy Days
Review
"Indu Sundaresan expertly blends together history, memorable characters, and the sights, colors, and smells of India to create a hugely compelling novel. It is, quite literally, a feast for the senses." -- David Davidar, author of The House of Blue Mangoes
Synopsis
When Sam Hawthorne, a twenty-five-year-old U.S. Army captain, arrives at the princely state of Rudrakot in May of 1942, it is on a personal quest to find his missing brother. But Sam's mission is soon threatened by the unlikeliest of sources -- he falls hopelessly in love with Mila, daughter of the local political agent. And Mila, unexpectedly attracted to Sam, finds herself torn between loyalty to her family and the man she loves.
A sweeping and poignant story of forbidden love, The Splendor of Silence opens twenty-one years later with Olivia, Sam's daughter, receiving a trunk of treasures from India, along with an anonymous letter that finally fills the silences of her childhood. She finally learns the heartrending story of her parents' passionate and enduring love affair -- throwing them in the path of racial prejudice, nationalist intrigue, and the explosive circumstances of a country on the brink of independence from British rule.
About the Author
Indu Sundaresan was born in India and grew up on Air Force bases all over the country. Her father, a fighter pilot, was also a storyteller—managing to keep his audiences captive and rapt with his flair for drama and timing. He got this from
his father, Indu's grandfather, whose visits were always eagerly awaited. Sundaresan’s love of stories comes from both of them, from hearing their stories based on imagination and rich Hindu mythology, and from her father's writings.
After an undergraduate degree in economics from India, Sundaresan came to the U.S. for graduate school at the University of Delaware and has an MS in operations research and an MA in economics. But all too soon, the storytelling gene beckoned.
The Twentieth Wife, Sundaresan’s first novel, won the 2003 Washington State Book Award. Her second novel, The Feast of Roses, is a sequel to the first and continues the story of Mehrunnisa, Empress Nur Jahan’s life as the most powerful woman of the Mughal dynasty that ruled India.
Reading Group Guide
The Splendor of Silence
Indu Sundaresan
Synopsis:
In 1960s Seattle, a young woman named Olivia, reeling from the death of her father, receives a trunk from India containing, among other treasures, a letter from an unknown narrator. Olivia reads it, finally learning about her father's time in India and about the mother she never knew -- a history that has lived in silence for her whole life.
Thus begins the story of four days in May of 1942 and the events that would shake the fragile peace in the small kingdom of Rudrakot in northwestern India, for many years under the rule of the British Raj. It is the story of Sam, an American soldier in search of a missing brother, and Mila, the free-spirited daughter of the local political agent, and of their sudden love for one another, ignited dangerously within the social tinderbox of a country on the verge of change.
Sweeping and poignant, filled with evocative details from a fascinating time and place, The Splendor of Silence paints an unforgettable portrait of a rapidly changing society and a love ahead of its time.
Discussion Questions:
- Though the central story of The Splendor of Silence is the romance between Sam and Mila, many other types of love are depicted as well. How does Mila's love for her father and her brother color her relationships with Jai and Sam? In what ways are each of the central characters in search of or driven by love? Do Mila's familial attachments and Sam's devotion to his brother devalue their love for one another or lend it more depth and meaning?
- The settings in the novel are described in intricate detail. Does this create a sense of exoticism or more of a sense of fleshed-out reality? How do these physical details juxtapose with less concrete elements, such as the ghosts of Chetak's tomb and the shifting passions of the characters?
- The central narrative of May 1942 is interspersed with the story of Sam's passage through Burma a month prior and framed by Olivia's perspective in 1963 Seattle. How do the tones and writing styles of these three sections differ? How does the immediacy of Sam's experience in April inform the decisions he makes in Rudrakot?
- How do the structure of the novel and the repeated foreshadowing tie into the author's themes of karma and fate? In what ways do the future and past exist alongside the present? How does this inform the novel's vision of India?
- Mila keeps her work in the Lal Bazaar a secret from everyone in her life. What does her work tell you about her character? How is this complicated by her secrecy?
- In describing Raman's relationship with his late wife, Sundaresan writes that she "had satisfied his ego, for all love - despite popular opinion - is not selfless at its very beginning."(Pg. 160) Do you agree with this statement? Are Mila's relationships self-serving? What about Ashok and Vimal, and Kiran's relationship with the British soldiers?
- The "silence" of the title is a theme that is repeated in several ways, including the physical silence before the windstorm. How does this natural silence operate as a symbol? In which sense is silence seen as a positive force, and in which negative? What, ultimately, is the splendor of silence?
- The social and political climate of 1940s India is depicted as heated and complex, with issues of race, class, and gender inequality creating daily tension and upheaval. Does the revelation of Ashok's homosexuality complicate the discussion more so than the other issues? If so, why?
- Why did Mila neither leave with Sam nor provide him with an explanation? Does her death indicate that she made the wrong decision, or was it the only choice she could have made?
- The novel ends with Jai inviting Olivia to visit India. Continue the story for yourself. What do you think the visit will mean to her? Why is it important for Jai to break the silence and to see Olivia again?
Enhance Your Book Club:
- Interested in finding out more about the author? Visit her website at www.indusundaresan.com where you'll find some of her short works, including an essay on the women of the Taj Mahal.
- Included in The Splendor of Silence are some enticingly detailed descriptions of Indian meals. Why not hold a meeting at an Indian restaurant, or even try some of the recipes for yourselves?
- Visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Independence_Movement to learn more about the Indian Nationalism movement and the context of the novel.