Comments on: Review: Angels of Albion, Jane Robinson

By: Eva

Eva — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:56:44 +0000

Boo to that. 🙁 I’ve found, when I read nonfiction books about India and don’t know the nationality of the author before starting to read it, within a few pages I know if it’s an American or Brit. And I’ve finally decided to just avoid British authors writing about India…I’ve yet to find one who’s attitude wasn’t imperialist. Which is annoying, because they often write books that SOUND awesome (I’m looking at you William Dalrymple) and then make me think “Wow. Still missing the Empire much?'” (To clarify: I’m not saying all Brits are racist…just that I’ve had bad luck with nonfiction written by Brits about India.)

My library doesn’t have Bluestockings either, and it makes me SO CRANKY.

By: Iris

Iris — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:23:44 +0000

It annoys me a lot when I don’t get what the point of a book is. I’m sorry you had that experience with this one.

By: She

She — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:53:11 +0000

I mean… it is kinda funny in a not funny kinda way, haha.

By: Shelley

Shelley — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:02:18 +0000

That’s the time period of my writing, so my ears pricked up when you mentioned The Thirties. Off to my library website to see if they have it!

History (real history, not the dumbed-down textbooks) is endlessly fascinating.

By: Alyce

Alyce — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:15:33 +0000

I read that last quote seriously and thought it was sad and disturbing. But then I read your comment, and I do have two irreverent little boys, so I could see them joking around this way.

By: Nymeth

Nymeth — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:51:43 +0000

What a pity this was so one-sided : But do read Bluestockings anyway! Also, I actually knew about the rebellion and it took me a while to remember where from. Turns out it’s from White Teeth.

By: The Literary Omnivore

The Literary Omnivore — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:42:29 +0000

This sounds like it would have been vastly improved if Robinson had included information on Indian women and children throughout, instead of devoting just one chapter to it, despite the lack of records. Yeesh.

By: Aarti

Aarti — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:38:15 +0000

Hmm, I never like when I don’t know what the POINT of a book is. I just read a fictional book in which I had no idea what the main idea was, and it can be very frustrating! I shall try something else by this author first.

By: bookssnob

bookssnob — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:36:08 +0000

This is a shame, as I was planning on reading it some day when a library near me had it, seeing as I enjoyed Bluestockings so much and everything. However the one sidedness does put me off. I think JR is a bit like that though as Bluestockings left several sides of stories unexplored that I felt could have been probed better. You should try and get hold of E M Delafield’s Women Who Love from somewhere – one of the stories in it is a terrifying account of the mutiny.