Rebel Queen

For a book ostensibly about Rani Lakshmibai and her rebellion, this book sure spent a lot of time on things that were utterly made up and not at all about Rani Lakshmibai.

I couldn't help but compare it to “The Moon In The Palace”, about similarly cool historical lady, Empress Wu. Bu where “The Moon In The Palace” was narrated by the Empress and slowly explored the palace intrigues and the people who made up her court, this book is narrated by an invented character about her invented family life and spent an inordinate amount of time showing us characters who had nothing to do with the Rani. The amount of the book taken up with “the Rani didn't call me into her chambers for a month, so I'm going to pine over this random love interest” was fucking ridiculous. If I wanted to read about court women who didn't get to do anything interesting, I would have picked up a romance. I started reading this book because I wanted to read about Rasni Lakshmibai! Hell, the rebellion that gave her the title used for the novel doesn't even appear until the last 10 percent of the book.

I enjoyed the first quarter, until I realized that the book relished all of the bullshit fictional characters way more than it gave a crap about providing me an enlightening view of a fascinating historical figure.

Review below. Image links to guest post.



I believe when I originally added this book to my to-reads shelf it was called “The Last Queen of India.” I do believe that title captures the story better for me, yet I see in the events where “Rebel Queen” was chosen. It's a bit difficult to try not to give anything away, but what I can tell you is that this book brought me back. I found myself reading well into the night and wanting to go on for more.

Michelle Moran is a great author. (Read here guest post on CreativeMadnessMama.com from a few weeks ago in February http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2015/02/24/janam-kundlis-rebel-queen/). She brings history alive and off the page. Easily she is, for me, a put in on the shelf for keeps even before I've read the story. Each novel of Michelle's has given me and my imagination a side glance vivid view to a historical heroine that leaves me thirsting for history books and research.

This story is of an average girl in a rough time that trains and hones herself to extraordinary. Rebel Queen is viewed from a Durga Dal (an elite group of female guards trained to protect the rain aka Queen to the Raja) lens. Like Nefertiti, like The Heretic Queen, and like Cleopatra's Daughter as a female in historic times it is difficult to understand the culture one is born into, yet even like Madame Tussaud it is also difficult to comprehend a new culture thrust upon your own. Getting a glimpse of the annex-attempt upon portions of India is eye-opening and tragic.

While this story has action, it also has personality and plenty of introduction and spark for dialogue. It is great for just good reading, but it is even better for education discussion. I'm glad the story ended. However I'm sad the book ended. I hope there will be many historic heroines to spark the imagination of Michelle to ‘what it would be like to have been there' in the future for the page and our reading pleasure.

I received this product free for the purpose of reviewing it. I received no other compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are my personal, honest opinions. Your experience may vary. Please read my full disclosure policy for more details.

posted: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2015/03/02/rebel-queen-last-queen-india-michelle-moran/