It is the eve of 1941 and World War II is engulfing the globe. Newlywed Nerys Watkins leaves rural Britain to accompany her husband on a missionary posting to India, but when he leaves her in the exotic lakeside of Srinagar to take on a complicated mission elsewhere, she discovers a new world. Here, in the heart of Kashmir, the British dance, flirt, and gossip against the backdrop of war and Nerys soon becomes caught up in a dangerous liaison. By the time she is reunited with her husband, she is a very different woman.
Years later, Nerys's granddaughter Mair Ellis clears out her dead father's house and finds an exquisite shawl — a kaleidoscope of silvery blues and greens. Wrapped in the folds of this delicate object is a lock of a child's curly hair. With nothing else to go on, Mair decides to trace her roots back to Kashmir, embarking on a quest that will change her own life forever.
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| Click on map to enlarge it |
DISCUSSION
Author's web siteNovel's opening lines
Party with the characters (at Essencia Island)
Answer a question or two (or make up your own) in the comments:
1. Which character could you relate to best?
2. Were there any other especially interesting characters?
3. Was the book different from what you expected?
4. Was location important to the story?
5. Was the time period important to the story?
6. Would you recommend this book?
7. What did you like most about the book?
8. What did you like least?
9. Did you like the way the book ended?
If the video quits working, view it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOblbxEumlk
51 comments:
Mary/Zorro posted a comment on my book blog that everybuddy in this discussion with us should see:
"I am enjoying this trip through Kashmir, though it is awfully rough on these mountain trails. But the view from the top is glorious. Glad we left the husband behind!"
Thank you for the map and video link that you posted to enrich this read, Bonnie.
After learning that the book was lost in the stacks at the library, I ordered my own copy. The first chapter has definitely drawn me into the book and Mary's intriguing comment about the glorious view from the top after the rough mountain trails makes me more eager to take this trip.
I thought I was posting here! I never has figured out this blogging site. It is impossible!
Sorry it's so confusing, Mary/Zorro. Both are also "BB" blogs, making it even worse.
Bonnie's Books = where I talk about books I'm reading or reviewing or considering, along with my thoughts about mindfulness, odd words, family, and life in general.
Book Buddies = where we discuss books together.
I'm glad the map is helpful to you, Shirley. I have always loved maps. With the characters traveling to various places in this book, it seemed especially important to have a map for reference.
I agree, Mary, that this isn't the most user friendly site, but it has sure been a nifty way to discuss books. I was glad that it does now allow posters to request being e-mailed when new comments are posted.
I agree, Mary, that this isn't the most user friendly site, but it has sure been a nifty way to discuss books. I was glad that it does now allow posters to request being e-mailed when new comments are posted.
I think we would have more participation at a more user friendly site, like goodreads.
I am really enjoying my trip through Kashmir with Mare. And although time travel is not my favorite style of reading, Narys and Myrtle are making the time travel interesting.
I am not sure how far in my journey I should discuss, because of spoilers, but we all had a terrible scare last night and even with all his money, Bruno may not find a solution to this problem, since we are in such a remote area. I am very worried.
Mary, since we would have better participation on Goodreads, how about starting a discussion there and tell us how to join you. I'm not on Goodreads.
Mary, I'm not at all sure what you mean by "time travel" in this book. The author switches back and forth between Mair in the present time and her grandmother Nerys in her earlier time. Neither character "travels" to a different time.
As a reader, I travel with the characters back and forth in time. Relax, Bonnie. Don't you 'get' my way of reporting my experience of the story? As if I were participating in this adventure?
Except possibly for the identification of the source of the shawl and hair, I am not sensitive to "spoilers".
Have both of you finished the book? I am starting chapter 3.
Chapter 2 was especially interesting with the tour of the fiber processing since a coworker of mine was immersed in "sheep to shawl" textile work.
I am ten pages into Chapter 6.
As I begin Ch. 6, I leave present day Kashmir, with Bruno, Karin, Lotus, and Mair in a very precarious situation and travel back in time to pre-war Kashmir, with Myrtle and Narys. We has journeyed by mule from the mission outpost, leaving the Presbyterian missionary husband to sacrifice himself for his GOD in serving the people of remote areas of Kashmir.
We are now sitting in the club, getting sloshed on gin fizzes and gossiping about the others in our little social caste.
I had better start previewing -- I meant "have" not "has "
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/25608
I would not start a new group, but I sincerely invite you to join our group The Book Nook at goodreads. Some of us have been reading together since Oprah, and some of us have been in book groups with Bonnie years ago.
Actually that last comment is from Zorro, not Cori, Brian and Olivia (Zorro's children)
Yes, I can vouch for that, having lunched with Mary/Zorro and Cori and Donna all at the same table! They are not the same person.
I have sent a request to join the Book Nook.
It is great seeing more comments on Book Buddies! Maybe this won't be the last read together after all????
Shirley, I see you have been approved at The Book Nook! Are you already a member of goodreads?
That's great! I was already a member of goodreads, but was a lurker rather than a participant. I plan to participate in the discussions at Book Nook. The current read of Leaving Time is on my request list at the library, but I don't know if I'll get it in time for the discussion. Later this month, I'll check on The Cuckoo's Calling.
Be sure to introduce yourself and let the others at Book Nook know you are coming from Book Buddies.
Thanks, Mary. I followed your suggestion and have posted an introduction post.
I have been enjoying Naryls' and Myrtle's travels and developing a dislike of Evan.
Bonnie, Margie is asking about you at Book Nook. This month she is leading a Jodi Picoult book, Leaving Time.
I set up a side read for The Kashmir Shawl, in case any of them want to discuss it with us.
Bonnie, I hope you will join us at goodreads.
Thanks, Mary. I read Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult six months ago, in November 2014. That's a long time ago in terms of remembering details and discussion. I'll consider joining, but right now I'm overwhelmed by trying to do too many things.
I sure agree with Mary and hope you join us, Bonnie, at the Book Nook!
The early discussion of the elephants in Leaving Time (I was able to get it from the library so am now reading it and The Kashmir Shawl) reminds me of the detailed info on monarchs in Barbara Kingsolver's Flight Behavior. Kingsolver is really on my mind lately as I also thought of her Poisonwood Bible while reading about the missionaries in The Kashmir Shawl.
Good connection, Shirley. We discussed The Poisonwood Bible in Oprah's first book club, in the late '90s. It's one of our discussions Oprah "threw away" when she reorganized that AOL board, then later moved us to Oprah.com. Too bad we don't still have access to what we said about the books we read back then.
1. Which character could you relate to best?
Although I am only on chapter eight, I thought I'd try to generate some discussion and indicate the character I could most relate to and also guess the ones that Bonnie and Mary most relate to.
So far, Nerys is the one I most identify with. She tried to be traditional in her marriage (followed her man, wanted children, etc.) yet she had a yearning for more out of life.
I'm guessing that Bonnie can identify with Mair. Like Mair, Bonnie is intrigued by mysteries and instead of just wondering seems to be willing to do what is needed to find answers to questions.
I'm not sure about Mary, but I wonder if her best match might be Karen who seems to be exploring life even if it involves changing religions.
Interesting Shirley, I have to think about who I relate to....no one yet!
I've been thinking about your analysis since the day you posted it, Shirley. I think I DO most identify with Mair. Thanks for sharing the one you most relate to, and why. I returned the book to the library after finishing it in April, so I must admit that I don't remember which one is Karen.
Mair met Karen when Karen's daughter, Lotus, was in the midst of a tantrum. Mair distracted her by doing flips (I wish that I had such an amazing talent to help ease the tensions of my 2 year old grandson). Mair became friends with Karen and Karen's husband Bruno.
I can relate to Karin most except....I would never take my child along on a trip of this kind into a very rugged country. Then on top of that -- without shots! Very irresponsible.
With two stories running here, it is hard for me to remember all the characters, much less RELATE to them!!
Thanks, Shirley. I thought maybe that's the one who was Karen, since much of my thinking about the book pivots around what happened to Lotus that eventful day.
I agree, Mary/Zorro, that it was difficult to keep the two stories separate, as different groups of people flowed in and out of the story (or as you said, stories), often in the same small towns in Kashmir.
Having the two stories from the two different time periods involving both Nerys and her granddaughter Mair did make it more of a challenge to keep track of the characters. This would not have made a very good audible book.
Although the two stories in one book makes reading it more challenge, I have enjoyed the read so far.
I am enjoying th book too. Not very interested in the romances, but the experiences and visuals of Kashmire are very enlightening. I have never read about Kashmire before.
Donna, I have also read little about Kashmir (or even India) so the adventure learning about the area has been enjoyable.
A plus of fiction is learning about many things including geography, history, and the making of shawls while having a good read can't be beat.
Fiction has the advantage of also letting one inside the shoes of the people as well. Even though romance in itself isn't my favorite topic, it is part of human emotions and I'm finding the way it is handled in The Kashmir Shawl to be tasteful and intriguing so far.
Donna is AuntyDon, but she hasn't joined us in reading this book.
Mary is Zorro, which I usually write as Mary/Zorro. She also posted a few times using her daughter Cori's name: "Cori, Brian and Olivia."
We three are the only ones discussing this book: Mary, Shirley, and Bonnie.
Characters I liked:All the women characters were interesting to me. But the men were harder to know and harder to like (except Bruno and Rainer) The women were stronger and more fully developed by the writer. Nerys and Myrtle were especially well written, I thought.
Was the book different from what you expected?
I did not expect the short,somewhat explicit sex scenes, did you?
I did not have any info about the book before I started reading,so had no expectations.
Whoops! Thank you, Bonnie, for letting me know that Zorro is Mary rather than Donna.
I am still reading the book so am commenting just based on what I've read (I'm up to the chapter when Rainer returns injured to Nerys).
I had first read about The Kashmir Shawl in a review in Chinaberry's catalog (an excellent resource primarily of children's books as well as some toys and games). The review was an excellent summation that made me add the book to my mental list of books to read. It stated:
"This book captured my imagination and heart so completely, I found myself lingering over pages just to make the whole experience last as long as possible. When Mair clears out her father's Welsh cottage, she finds a beautiful Kashmir shawl that belonged to her grandmother Nerys. The shawl is obviously a treasure and tucked in its folds is a mysterious lock of hair.
"Mair senses that both the shawl and hair are a gateway to a whole part of her grandmother's life that has been shrouded in mystery for years. So Mair goes to India to retrace the steps Nerys made when she married Evan and they set out in 1941 to be missionaries. What happens to Nerys and why she ends up bringing a shawl and lock of hair back home to Wales are the elements of one of the finest historical novels I have ever read.
"Thomas's details of colonial India, the culture of the Kashmir territory, her research into how the traditional shawls are made, and her ability to weave it all with Mair's present-day quest make this book riveting and remarkable. I can't recommend it enough."
I think that the review was spot on so my expectations of the book have been met.
Was location important to the story?
5. Was the time period important to the story?
I found out so much about Kashmire and its people through the book. Both time period and location were of course central to the story. What a beautiful way to learn about a place and a time in that place. I really enjoyed this novel.
MaryZorro
Agreed! I have learned a lot about Kashmir and shawl making while reading this book. Both the location and the time were key elements in making the book a good read.
Would you recommend this book?
7. What did you like most about the book?
I will recommend this book. I enjoyed learning about Kashmire, the beauty of the mountains and the ways of the people.
Shirley, thank you for recommending this one!
Mary/Zorro
I would also recommend the book. The plot and the interesting characters made the book a fun read and I also learned more about Kashmir.
8. What did you like least?
9. Did you like the way the book ended?
What I liked least about the book was that I hated for it to end. The ending left so many questions unanswered (what happened to Mair and Bruno? Zahra?) that I wanted to read more. This doesn't happen to me very often as I usually am glad to come to the end of the book and to move on to a new read.
This makes me think, too, about our group. Is this book the finale? I had hoped that Mary's link on The Book Nook would draw some newbies, but it doesn't look like it did.
Book Buddies has sure been a wonderful experience for me--I often have "linking" moments in which reads we've discussed come to mind.
Shirley, reading your comment about the ending of Book Buddies reminds me of the last four lines of T. S. Eliot's 1925 poem, "The Hollow Men":
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
FINAL NOTE
The email telling me you had posted this comment gave me the option of publishing or deleting it. Just so everybuddy know, comments are not automatic here after 30 days, but will be moderated by me to keep out spam. I posted this on April 22nd. This was an excellent book for our final discussion.
Thanks, everybuddy, for taking part in the discussions with us. Do you remember how to party on our Essencia Island blog? Each buddy is approved to post there, rather than comment (no comments at all on that blog). If you don't know how to party with us, email me at: emerging [DOT] paradigm [AT] yahoo [DOT] com.
I'm currently sitting over in the corner talking with Mair. All the characters, dead or alive, will be at the party. And I've already set out colorful fruit and some cookies for everybuddy. Click on the Essencia Island photo at the top right, or click this link:
http://essenciaisland.blogspot.com/
Aha! But a sincere whimper at that.
Although I found the Essencia Island parties interesting, I fear that I am the ultimate party pooper as my creativity is obviously nil.
I'll be thinking though and see if I can think of something to add to the party.
Shirley said, 'I had hoped that Mary's link on The Book Nook would draw some newbies, but it doesn't look like it did.'
I think that the Book Nook may be entering its final throes, just like Book Buddies. The postings there are not appearing nearly as spontaniously as they once did. Many of the old timers have moved on and it is not the same as it once was. I hope we can keep a book groups going here or there.
The enthusiasm for reading that Oprah encouraged has disappeared somewhat, hasn't it.
I hate to have the online book groups fizzle out. It seems that there have been spurts of activity in the Book Nook and hope that there are enough participants to allow the group to continue. I've sure enjoyed being a part of the groups.
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