A Black Englishman

Rating:
Summary: Potential not fully realized
Review: I had high hopes for this novel after reading reviews in PW. The descriptions are lush and sensual, the social observations are on target, and the theme of a taboo Anglo\Indian love was intriguing. Yet for all its attractions Black Englishman remained largely unsatisfying.

Perhaps I've known too many Indians too long to be able to accept the lack of circumspection in much of the action. The main characters seemingly throw themselves into a relationship at a moment's notice. The novel describes their devotion but fails to show how that devotion came about. Reading it, I continually had the impression that the characters were being manipulated by strings, rather than logically nurturing a relationship. I wanted to believe that this Indian man of some social and economic standing and passionate woman would be together, but their quickness to disregard social conventions and hop into the sack strains credibility. Frankly, it takes more than sex to build the sort of passion these people supposedly shared.

When it comes to historical fiction of this sort, I want to be swept away by a believable story. Sadly, Black Englishman isn't it.