The Splendor of Silence

By: Indu Sundaresan

Narrated by: Sneha Mathan

From internationally best-selling author Indu Sundaresan comes a heartrending tale of tragic love and clashing cultures in World War II India.

In 1942 Sam Hawthorne, a young U.S. Army captain, arrives in a tiny, princely state in western India. He carries combat wounds and several secrets, one of which is the real reason behind his visit: to find his brother Mike, an idealistic American soldier who disappeared after joining the local struggle for independence from the British.

But Sam's mission is soon threatened when he falls in love with Mila, daughter of the local political agent. Betrothed to the local prince, Mila draws Sam into a doomed affair that places them both in the path of dynastic intrigue, racial prejudice, and the explosive circumstances of a country torn between imperialism and nationalism.

©2006 Indu Sundaresan (P)2006 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

An amazing love story set in India during British occupation

The reader had perfect accents (Indian, American, British, and Japanese, ) The story itself was a beautiful tale and true to the time and the place.

The story seemed forced

I am an Indu Sundaresan fan and have thoroughly enjoyed the Taj trilogy. In fact it is only because of those three books that I have learnt so much about the Mughal rulers, their zenana and the various facets of that period. It was with that very pleasant experience in mind that I downloaded this book. I was disappointed. The story seemed forced. The Burmese portions seemed incomplete and unnecessary as if the author was lightly touching the tips of a detail and then abandoning it without further embellishment. The jumping between two periods left me with a feeling of never being able to get my teeth into the story. And t]hough it was Rajasthan being described, the local feel, customs and descriptions were not in tandem. All in all it was not a satisfactory experience. The story did not make any sense whatsoever.
Sneha Mathan was her usual excellent self. Her narration and the different accents that she has used have carried this mediocre tale and placed it way above where it actually belongs.

Interesting book but a little long.

The end of the book almost finishes in the last five minutes of the audiobook. The meaning of the title explained. Other than that, it gives a very vivid elaborate picture of INDIA under the British with the stirrings of the national movement for freedom. The narrator has mispronounced a couple of words. But that can be ignored.
In all a good listen.

Good Listen!

This book was not as captivating for me that her other books (the 20th Wife and A feast of roses) was, but it got better halfway through. It's the wonderful job that Sneha Mathan does narrating these books that make them so wonderful to listen too that makes the download worth it. I am looking forward to the next book written by Indu S. to come available.

Could be better

The story jumps from one time period to another and it's confusing when listening to the audiobook. The story is also a little slow with some plot points did not make sense. Overall I give it 4 stars because of the performance.