The Peacock Spring
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The Peacock Spring
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See moreThe Peacock Spring by Rumer Godden is a beautiful and heartbreaking novel of loss of innocence and coming-of-age from the acclaimed author of Black Narcissus.
The Peacock Spring by Rumer Godden is a beautiful and heartbreaking novel of loss of innocence and coming-of-age from the acclaimed author of Black Narcissus.
At fifteen and twelve, the daughters of diplomat Sir Edward Gwithiam have already seen more of the world than most girls of their age. But when Una and her younger sister, Halcyon, are summoned from their English boarding school to join their father in New Delhi, they encounter a reality unlike anything they have ever experienced.
For Hal, India is a glorious adventure, filled with exotic sights and sounds, and a host of interesting new people. But Una feels like an outsider in this world of ingrained racial prejudice and cultural elitism left over from the days of the British Raj.
Then Ravi, a young Indian gardener, brings a welcome light into Una's life, relieving her sadness and loneliness with poetry and compassion. But what begins as a simple friendship soon blossoms into a love forbidden by society, threatening to end in scandal and disaster.
The Peacock Spring is a beautiful and heartbreaking novel of loss of innocence and coming-of-age from the acclaimed author of Black Narcissus and The Greengage Summer.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Adolescent romance evolves into deep passion and turmoil as Una confronts the racial and social tensions of post-colonial India. Praised for its lush depiction of Delhi contrasted with rigid British societal norms, the novel is described by the Daily Mail as rich and expansive, revealing hidden secrets behind every character. Orville Prescott lauds Rumer Godden as one of the finest English novelists.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781529078480
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 09 February 2023
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Pan Books
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 28.0mm
Width: 130.0mm
Height: 197.0mm
Weight: 240g
Pages: 336
About the Author
Rumer Godden (1907-1998) was the author of more than sixty works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and children's literature, and is considered by many to be one of the foremost English language writers of the twentieth century. Born in Sussex, England, she moved with her family to Narayanganj, colonial India (now Bangladesh) when she was six months old. Godden began her writing career with Chinese Puzzle in 1936 and achieved international fame three years later with her third book, Black Narcissus. She returned to the United Kingdom for good at the end of the Second World War and continued her prolific literary career with the acclaimed novels The Greengage Summer, In This House of Brede and numerous others. Godden won the Whitbread Award for children's literature in 1972, and in 1993 she was named an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Nine of her novels have been made into motion pictures. She died at the age of ninety in Dumfriesshire, UK.
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