Book Review: The Last Queen by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
When I first picked up The Last Queen, I was brimming with excitement. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, the master storyteller behind the enchanting The Palace of Illusions, had promised us a dive into the life of Rani Jindan—a woman often overshadowed in the epic tapestry of history. How could I resist? But as I navigated through the pages, my excitement swiftly turned into bewilderment, leaving me to ponder, “What the hell did I just read?”
Unlikable Characters and Stilted Plotlines
At the heart of The Last Queen lies a cast of characters that, to my dismay, were more frustrating than relatable. From our heroine, the Queen herself, to the King for whom she pines, I found myself grappling with an overwhelming sense of disconnect. The King is presented as a half-hearted figure, more in love with his many wives’ beauty than their intellect, and his shock at a woman’s intelligence serves less as a character quirk and more as a sad commentary on gender dynamics. This leads to a love story that feels painfully contrived. If I were to fall for a character in a historical romance, I would at least hope for a spark of authenticity—something that was sorely lacking here.
Our narrator, the titular Last Queen, is another puzzle. Praised for her “rare blend” of beauty and brains, she makes decision after decision that leaves readers shaking their heads in disbelief. While I sympathize with the societal pressures placed upon her, her tendency to deflect blame onto her gender felt unearned. Yes, Rani Jindan faced struggles, but the victim narrative weakened her complexity as a ruler.
Additional characters, like Jawahar and Lal, shifted from endearing to infuriating, which left me yearning for consistency. And Dalip, who initially seemed to be an innocent, turns into a lackluster British puppet whose development felt, well, incomplete. By the time I reached the last chapters, the central character’s presence shrank in favor of her son, diminishing her journey into a secondary plotline wrapped in unresolved conflicts.
Writing Style and Themes
Divakaruni’s writing, while still poetically woven, falters in its pacing. The initial chapters offer potential but spiral into a tedious, drawn-out exposition of British antagonism that serves as little more than a backdrop. It fails to enrich the characters or propel the story, leaving me longing for depth where there was none.
Though the book fails to deliver a fulfilling arc, I know Divakaruni is capable of crafting nuanced narratives that ring true emotionally. My love for The Palace of Illusions keeps me hopeful for her future work; the disappointment I felt reading this one will not deter my enthusiasm for her next novel.
Conclusion: Who Might Enjoy This Journey?
If you’re a reader drawn to strong female figures entwined in historical narratives, you may still want to give The Last Queen a chance. However, approach it with tempered expectations. The book could serve as a conversation starter about gender and power dynamics, though it may leave you pondering more questions than answers.
In the end, I emerged from this reading experience feeling like a ship that had been tossed around in a storm—disoriented but alive, eager for the next voyage. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, with her remarkable talent, has left me waiting eagerly for her next creation, hoping it will bring back the magic I once cherished.
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