Rosalind is the fifteen year old daughter of a British Army General and his wife who have been stationed in India her whole life.
It settles you with a colonial family living in India in 1919, immediately after World War I, at the time when Ghandi was beginning his peaceful demonstrations to free Indians from British rule. It is a delight and an eye-opener at the same time. There's a nice little glossary in the back, and also an interesting Author's Note, which I recommend reading before plunging into the story.Īn extraordinary little book that draws you to its warm-hearted characters and introduces you to a part of history that called for great changes, which were achieved through 'small acts of amazing courage'. As a youngster I would have been thrilled just to be swept away to India by a book like this. The story can be a wonderful jumping-off point for young readers to explore further in other books. I do think the level of detail is age appropriate. It would have been worth reading a longer book to get more of that depth. The passages containing rich detail were so captivating.
There were parts that felt a little rushed. My only wish was for a little more of everything. It touches on a lot of important themes, most notably Gandhi's teachings on nonviolence to counteract the prejudice and hypocrisy of colonialism. The book is meant for middle-grade readers, but middle- aged readers can enjoy it too. Father ships Rosalind off to her aunts in London, but even this doesn't stop her from following her conscience and working for social change. She's also in danger of being considered disloyal to Mother England. Her new activities involve associating with "inferior" people. She saves an Indian baby from a terrible fate, then attends a gathering to hear Gandhi speak. Things take a turn when she becomes aware of her ability to make a difference in the lives of those who are suffering. She's fifteen and has managed to avoid being shipped off to school in England. But their real love, the home of their hearts, was always India. They were strictly required to always think of England as "home," and were often shuttled back and forth between India and England to satisfy British notions of propriety. It's a good way to introduce young readers to the lives of children of the British Raj. I loved this little story about Rosalind's awakening to her own capacity for compassion.
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