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pujadev's review against another edition
3.0
I LOVE Ms. Massey's work. I feel like she is the perfect balance of great writing, historical fiction and just excellent characters. I think I would have like this series a lot more had I not already read the Parveen Mistry series which I cannot recommend enough.
mg_in_md_'s review
5.0
This novella-story collection contains four stories with memorable female protagonists who triumph despite the societal hurdles each of them face. I previously read and reviewed the second novella included in this collection (THE AYAH'S TALE), which was an excellent historical fiction tale set in 1920s Bengal, and was eager to read the other offerings. Each of the four tales are strong in their own right, but, together they make for an exceptional collection that will stick with you long after you finish reading it. This collection would appeal to fans of historical fiction and mysteries alike, as well as readers who like strong, smart female leads. The stories explore many themes and relationship dynamics that will surely strike a cord with modern readers and cause them to think.
The first (OUTNUMBERED IN OXFORD) introduces Perveen Mistry and her best friend Alice who are enrolled at St. Hilda's College in Oxford between WWI and WWII. The historical mystery begins with the disappearance of an Indian servant who may have stolen an important mathematical proof. When Perveen is asked to investigate her fellow countryman's disappearance, she enlists Alice's help and the two use all of their wits and ingenuity to uncover the truth. I loved both characters and the historical aspects of the story, and found the mystery satisfying. According to the Author's Note at the end, a full-length novel set in 1920's India featuring Perveen and Alice is planned for 2017 and I, for one, cannot wait to read more of their adventures!
The third (INDIA GRAY) will undoubtedly be a hit with fans of [b:The Sleeping Dictionary|17354205|The Sleeping Dictionary (Daughters of Bengal, #1)|Sujata Massey|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378705896s/17354205.jpg|24097024], as the story centers around Kamala Lewes and her British husband who have traveled to Assam, India during WWII to volunteer at a military hospital. Some of the patients at the hospital are veterans of the Indian National Army, which seeks to free India from Britain. The reader wonders how far Kamala will go to help the patients and whether she will remain loyal to her husband. While you can read and enjoy this story as a stand-alone, you should definitely read more about Kamala in THE SLEEPING DICTIONARY if you haven't had the pleasure of discovering that book yet.
The final offering (BITTER TEA) is a contemporary tale set in early 21st-century Pakistan. The heroine of this story is a 15-year-old girl named Shazia whose village has been overrun by fundamentalists who have imposed strict rules on the female residents in particular. When Shazia learns that one of the secluded girls has been threatened by the head cleric, she attempts a rescue plan that will either save her friend or result in her own execution.
The first (OUTNUMBERED IN OXFORD) introduces Perveen Mistry and her best friend Alice who are enrolled at St. Hilda's College in Oxford between WWI and WWII. The historical mystery begins with the disappearance of an Indian servant who may have stolen an important mathematical proof. When Perveen is asked to investigate her fellow countryman's disappearance, she enlists Alice's help and the two use all of their wits and ingenuity to uncover the truth. I loved both characters and the historical aspects of the story, and found the mystery satisfying. According to the Author's Note at the end, a full-length novel set in 1920's India featuring Perveen and Alice is planned for 2017 and I, for one, cannot wait to read more of their adventures!
The third (INDIA GRAY) will undoubtedly be a hit with fans of [b:The Sleeping Dictionary|17354205|The Sleeping Dictionary (Daughters of Bengal, #1)|Sujata Massey|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378705896s/17354205.jpg|24097024], as the story centers around Kamala Lewes and her British husband who have traveled to Assam, India during WWII to volunteer at a military hospital. Some of the patients at the hospital are veterans of the Indian National Army, which seeks to free India from Britain. The reader wonders how far Kamala will go to help the patients and whether she will remain loyal to her husband. While you can read and enjoy this story as a stand-alone, you should definitely read more about Kamala in THE SLEEPING DICTIONARY if you haven't had the pleasure of discovering that book yet.
The final offering (BITTER TEA) is a contemporary tale set in early 21st-century Pakistan. The heroine of this story is a 15-year-old girl named Shazia whose village has been overrun by fundamentalists who have imposed strict rules on the female residents in particular. When Shazia learns that one of the secluded girls has been threatened by the head cleric, she attempts a rescue plan that will either save her friend or result in her own execution.
leavingsealevel's review against another edition
3.0
Good, but of course the two stories I liked the best were the two shortest stories.
komet2020's review
5.0
"INDIA GRAY" is a collection of 4 stories of varying lengths ('Outnumbered at Oxford', 'The Ayah's Tale', 'India Gray', and 'Bitter Tea'), all of which are set in venues as diverse as 1919 Britain and the Asian subcontinent from the time of the British Raj to the early 21st Century.
Sujata Massey is the type of writer who has a rare skill in creating characters who are real and easily relatable to the reader, and in also educating the reader about the cultural nuances, history and relationships among people through economical, insightful prose. What is more: each story is centered around 4 remarkable women (Parveen Mistry, a law student at St. Hilda's College, Oxford; Menakshi Dutt, a young Bengali woman working as an ayah for a wealthy British family in 1920s Bengal; Kamala Lewes, a Bengali polyglot, married to a British civil official, and working for the Red Cross in a military hospital in Assam, India during the spring of 1945; and Shazia, a teenaged Pakistani living with her family in a village in NW Pakistan controlled by a Muslim fundamentalist), who --- despite the social and cultural restrictions of their time --- show remarkable resourcefulness and strength of character in dealing with a variety of challenging situations.
I so much enjoyed reading "India Gray" and felt pained after reading the last page. More please.
Sujata Massey is the type of writer who has a rare skill in creating characters who are real and easily relatable to the reader, and in also educating the reader about the cultural nuances, history and relationships among people through economical, insightful prose. What is more: each story is centered around 4 remarkable women (Parveen Mistry, a law student at St. Hilda's College, Oxford; Menakshi Dutt, a young Bengali woman working as an ayah for a wealthy British family in 1920s Bengal; Kamala Lewes, a Bengali polyglot, married to a British civil official, and working for the Red Cross in a military hospital in Assam, India during the spring of 1945; and Shazia, a teenaged Pakistani living with her family in a village in NW Pakistan controlled by a Muslim fundamentalist), who --- despite the social and cultural restrictions of their time --- show remarkable resourcefulness and strength of character in dealing with a variety of challenging situations.
I so much enjoyed reading "India Gray" and felt pained after reading the last page. More please.
beebeereads's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this up on Kindle Deals because it contains a mystery novella which serves as a prequel to The Widows of Malabar Hill which I read last year and enjoyed. That was a fun read. Another novella included in the collection was The Ayah’s Tale, a touching story about the relationship between an English boy and his Indian ayah (nanny). The author used a clever invention to tell the story using both voices. I would rate that novella on its own a 4 star read. The other short stories were less intriguing to me, one about India just after WWII and the other set in Pakistan in a village taken over by the Taliban. The stories themselves were interesting, but I am not fond of short stories as I prefer to get to know character and place better in a longer plot line. I will continue to read the mystery series as new ones are published. Her writing is warm and readable for a break from heavy topics.
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