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The House of Blue Mangoes Audiobook
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(3.01) - 571 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In 1899, in the south Indian village of Chevathar, renowned for its groves of a rare variety of blue mango, Solomon Dorai is contemplating the imminent destruction of his world and everything he holds dear. As the thalaivar, or headman, of Chevathar, he seeks to preserve the village from both catastrophe and change, and the decisions he makes will mark his family for generations to come.
Richly emotional and abundant in historical detail, The House of Blue Mangoes is a gripping family chronicle that spans nearly a half century and three generations of the Dorai family as they search for their place in a rapidly changing society. Whether recruited into the burgeoning independence movement, apprenticed in ancient medical arts, or managing a British tea plantation, the Dorai men nevertheless find themselves drawn back to their ancestral land by profound emotional ties that transcend even the most powerful forces of history.
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"Amazing cultural sweep, arching generations which made me consider my position as a twenty-something female in 21th century America. I consider what it would be like to be a daughter in the turn of the 19th century India, and how much I take for granted my quick temper and tongue. "
— Megan (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Lush, densely detailed, sweeping family saga…A tale of grand scope.”
— Time -
“Thoroughly engrossing…a sweeping and generous view of India’s fractured history.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“[Vance] employ[s] a straightforward delivery without flourishes or stylization. To his credit, however, he does not condescend. The novel traces a proud landowning family in India as the country breaks from British control. [He] does not shy from the distinctive Indian accent, and he delivers with great dignity.”
— AudioFile -
“Skilled and charming…Davidar works on a panoramic scale not unlike that of James Michener as he dramatizes conflicts over caste, religion, race, imperialism, and the status of women, and depicts everything from mango and tea growing to siddha medicine, riots, and weddings, in this enormously appealing and welcoming novel.”
— Booklist -
“An epic sweep and several strikingly imagined characters are the most impressive features of this…debut: an ambitious three-generational saga that embraces the early twentieth-century history of the Indian subcontinent, Gandhi’s pacifist revolution, and the collapse of the British Raj…A lavish tale.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Awards
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One of the 2002 New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books for Fiction
The House of Blue Mangoes Listener Reviews
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" couldn't finish this one... got bored with all the historical details. "
— Dyna, 1/18/2014 -
" This follows three generations of a powerful family in India as they deal with personal matters and the coming independence from Great Britain. Sounds great...but ended up being a little dry and boring. "
— Jennifer, 1/16/2014 -
" set in Southern India, with a vast canvass of characters and underlying stories...somewhat like Roy's 'God of small things'..a good read.. "
— Geetanjali, 1/15/2014 -
" I got about halfway through this book and just got bored. Parts of it were interesting to me, such as the descriptions of caste tensions, the festivals and other traditions. But, the plot itself was just not that interesting to me. It moved very slowly in parts and then too quickly in others, but ultimately didn't compel me to keep reading. "
— Rachel, 1/15/2014 -
" Pretty slow book. I just couldn't really get into it. Took me 6 weeks to finally finish it! "
— Tanya, 1/4/2014 -
" Good and long read. Pretty insightful. Filled with intense strife between the good and the bad within one's self. Runs through the household chores of a South Indian village, a different perspective of the turbulent times in South India during the freedom struggle, and lot more. "
— Vineet, 1/2/2014 -
" Perhaps a little dry, but I think it was not the right time to read the book. Ever had the experience of feeling like a book could be so much better, but you're just not giving it the proper attention? "
— Heather, 12/9/2013 -
" A saga of trials and tribulations across three generations of a family in Tamil Nadu. Interesting nuggets in narrative and characterization here and there, but generally a drag. Good and accurate use of cultural and linguistic references, thankfully not anglicized. "
— Nithya, 9/16/2013 -
" Very slow, and the plot didn't seem to move forward. Had to stop reading it because it just didn't hold my interest. "
— Darshna, 8/24/2013 -
" Got this one used at a library sale. I love those multi-generational pieces, of which this is one. It happens to have some fascinating mango history/trivia embedded in it, too. Mmmmmm, I love mangoes. "
— brooke, 5/20/2013 -
" I liked it and found it easy to get into but I would have liked to have seen more development of the character of Harrison and the killings in Pulinad at the end of the story. "
— Rosie, 5/10/2013 -
" Loving this, and taking my time. "
— Melinda, 3/14/2013 -
" So huge a story it could gave been a trilogy. A very classy read "
— Geraldine, 2/2/2013 -
" Lovely book following three generations of a Tamil family in southern india. It does a great job of bringing the end of colonialism to life. "
— Oliva, 11/18/2012 -
" It was an interesting family saga! "
— Rizwana, 7/27/2012 -
" An interesting book spanning three generations. "
— Manjul, 7/15/2012 -
" Great book to read about extended families and a peep inside South India's social culture as it spans a few generations. "
— Anusanthee, 5/23/2012 -
" Amazing cultural sweep, arching generations which made me consider my position as a twenty-something female in 21th century America. I consider what it would be like to be a daughter in the turn of the 19th century India, and how much I take for granted my quick temper and tongue. "
— Megan, 5/8/2012 -
" Lovely style of narration. the complexity of Indian society and the evolution has been brought out quite well. The only minus is the slightly repetitive plot. "
— Sriram, 3/2/2012 -
" I can't put it down "
— Maureen, 11/9/2011 -
" set in Southern India, with a vast canvass of characters and underlying stories...somewhat like Roy's 'God of small things'..a good read.. "
— Geetanjali, 5/23/2011 -
" This rich and textured book follows the complexities of caste and family heritage in a fictional south Indian town during the 20th century. A pleasure to read, and a tale of very grand scope.<br/>Recommended. "
— Tom, 8/8/2010 -
" it's always nice to be reminded that americans aren't the only racist imperialist assholes out there. i like getting some history with my fiction, so this was an interesting read. "
— Elisa, 8/27/2009 -
" A saga of trials and tribulations across three generations of a family in Tamil Nadu. Interesting nuggets in narrative and characterization here and there, but generally a drag. Good and accurate use of cultural and linguistic references, thankfully not anglicized. "
— Nithya, 12/7/2008 -
" Loving this, and taking my time. "
— Melinda, 8/20/2008 -
" This follows three generations of a powerful family in India as they deal with personal matters and the coming independence from Great Britain. Sounds great...but ended up being a little dry and boring. "
— Jennifer, 4/1/2008 -
" Perhaps a little dry, but I think it was not the right time to read the book. Ever had the experience of feeling like a book could be so much better, but you're just not giving it the proper attention? "
— Heather, 2/21/2008 -
" couldn't finish this one... got bored with all the historical details. "
— Dyna, 8/12/2007 -
" Lovely book following three generations of a Tamil family in southern india. It does a great job of bringing the end of colonialism to life. "
— Oliva, 6/23/2007
About David Davidar
David Davidar began his career in journalism and now works in publishing. He is married and lives in New Delhi.
About Simon Vance
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.