Here is my stop on the Blog Tour for The Woman in The Painting by Renita D'Silva.
DESCRIPTION:
Discover the secret of the girl in the painting today.
India, 1926: English Margaret arrives with her new husband Suraj at his family home, set amidst beautiful rolling hills, the air filled with the soft scent of spices and hibiscus flowers. Margaret is unwelcome, homesick and lonely, but her maid Archana, a young woman from an impoverished family, reminds her of her long-lost sister, a tiny glimpse of home in a faraway place.
As Margaret and Archana spend more time together, an unexpected friendship blooms. But in British India the divide between rich and poor, English and Indian, is wide, and the clash between Margaret’s modern views and the weight of tradition on Archana will lead to devastating results…
England, 2000: When Emma’s grandmother gives her a mysterious painting, and asks her to take a message of forgiveness to an old friend in India, Emma is relieved to have some time and space to make a decision about her future. But as she fulfils her grandmother’s wish, a secret kept for over seventy years is finally revealed – the story of a day spent painting by a stream full of water lilies, where a betrayal tore three lives apart forever…
Perfect for fans of Kathryn Hughes, Lucinda Riley and The Storyteller’s Secret, Renita D’Silva’s exquisite novel explores the strength it takes to do what is right, no matter the cost.
Buy LINKS
Apple Books: https://tinyurl.com/yasdhyj9
Googleplay: https://tinyurl.com/y8ohel49
Author: Renita D'Silva
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bookouture
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 503
No. of Pages: 503
Date of Publication: April 11, 2019
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Emma is a loving granddaughter who follows through to check out her dying grandmother’s house in India. It is year 2000, and this beautiful saga shifts and becomes a story of past and present when Emma promises to give a mysterious painting to someone called Archana.
Leaving England to head to India could not have come at a better time for Emma as her relationship is greatly suffering. As a mother to eight-year-old Sophie, Emma is forced to make difficult choices.
The story shifts back to the early 1900’s, during and after World War I, and tells of the difficult and tragic life of Margaret, Emma’s grandmother. It also tells of Archana, someone who played a pivotal role in Margaret’s life, who Emma struggles to locate. Both Margaret’s and Archana’s stories are tragic and their lives are expertly chronicled.
Reading this stunningly amazing book by Renita D’Silva was very much like watching a captivating mini-series. There were many stories told, with much sadness, yet this book managed also to deliver hope and joy. The storytelling by this talented author was done with exquisite perfection.
Some of the things I enjoyed during this read were the intense drama, romance, family and learning of Indian culture. Times were hard after the war, so there were some difficult passages, such as tragic experiences. This compelling read was very difficult to put down and I felt for all three women, Emma, but especially Margaret and Archana. Their lives held such drama, and it felt so very real.
This wonderful read is definitely highly recommended. I haven’t read anything by this author before, but I will definitely look for both previous and future works.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
Renita D'Silva loves stories, both reading and creating them. Her short stories have been published in 'The View from Here', 'Bartleby Snopes', 'this zine', 'Platinum Page', 'Paragraph Planet' among others and have been nominated for the 'Pushcart' prize and the 'Best of the Net' anthology. She is the author of 'Monsoon Memories','The Forgotten Daughter', 'The Stolen Girl', 'A Sister's Promise', 'A Mother's Secret', 'A Daughter's Courage', 'Beneath An Indian Sky'.
Leaving England to head to India could not have come at a better time for Emma as her relationship is greatly suffering. As a mother to eight-year-old Sophie, Emma is forced to make difficult choices.
The story shifts back to the early 1900’s, during and after World War I, and tells of the difficult and tragic life of Margaret, Emma’s grandmother. It also tells of Archana, someone who played a pivotal role in Margaret’s life, who Emma struggles to locate. Both Margaret’s and Archana’s stories are tragic and their lives are expertly chronicled.
Reading this stunningly amazing book by Renita D’Silva was very much like watching a captivating mini-series. There were many stories told, with much sadness, yet this book managed also to deliver hope and joy. The storytelling by this talented author was done with exquisite perfection.
Some of the things I enjoyed during this read were the intense drama, romance, family and learning of Indian culture. Times were hard after the war, so there were some difficult passages, such as tragic experiences. This compelling read was very difficult to put down and I felt for all three women, Emma, but especially Margaret and Archana. Their lives held such drama, and it felt so very real.
This wonderful read is definitely highly recommended. I haven’t read anything by this author before, but I will definitely look for both previous and future works.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Author Social Media Links
TWITTER: @RenitaDSilva
WEBSITE: http://renitadsilva.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
this one is new to me, thanx for the info
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an emotional one. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGemma @ Gemma's Book Nook
This looks like one I would really enjoy. Thanks for putting it on my radar.
ReplyDeleteWow, this sounds awesome!
ReplyDeleteSounds fascinating!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for this beautiful review, Robin
ReplyDeleteI've seen this book about a lot recently. I reviewed a book a few years ago with the same title. Great review
ReplyDeleteI don't read a lot of books similar to this but you've got me intrigued by your review - I think I'll have to add it!
ReplyDeleteGreat review!
ReplyDelete