The daughter of a tea planter, she drew upon her personal observations and experiences to create the vivid characters and setting for the story. Shona patel has a natural talent for enabling the reader to step into the shoes of character telling the tale, to experience all the color and smells of india, both aromatic and unpleasant. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. One book in particular i would especially recommend. I have never forgotten her vivid descriptions of india and the wonders she depicted on the pages of books such as the far pavilions and shadow of the moon. Patel has won several awards for creative writing and is a trained graphic designer. Despite being born under an inauspicious horoscope, she is raised to be educated and independent by her eccentric grandfather. Shona patel teatime for the firefly changing hands bookstore. Lovely descriptions and anecdotes of conditions and life for the people of the tea plantations.
Teatime for the firefly read online free book by shona. Read teatime for the firefly by shona patel available from rakuten kobo. The only quibble i had with this book is that on occasion the descriptions would go on a tad long, bogging us down a bit in the details. But everything began to change for me one spring day in 1943, when three.
Teatime for the firefly by shona patel fantastic fiction. Teatime for the firefly kindle edition by patel, shona. Shona patel was born and raised in a remote tea plantation in assam, india. Teatime for the firefly ebook by shona patel rakuten kobo. Jan 01, 20 i highly recommend shona patels debut novel, teatime for the firefly. Teatime for the firefly, book by shona patel paperback. You see this makes her an unlucky one according to local superstition, and. Written by shona patel, audiobook narrated by marisa vitali. Sep 24, 20 shona patel is the author of the critically acclaimed novel teatime for the firefly harlequinmira october 20.
Not a real problem for me but for readers who prefer lots of action it could be a bit daunting. Early on, biren sees firsthand what befalls those unfortunate women who become. Teatime for the firefly paperback september 24, 20 by shona patel author. An influential, wellread man, he is dadmoshai to layla. Despite being born under an inauspicious horoscope, she is raised to be educated and. Shona patel is represented by april eberhardt literary. The sky gathered her dark, voluminous skirts and swept over the himalayas into tibet, leaving behind a drizzle like a sprinkling of fairy dust. Shona patel, the daughter of an assam tea planter, drew upon her personal observations and experiences to create the vivid characters and setting for her critically acclaimed debut novel teatime for the firefly. Debut author shona patel on teatime for the firefly. Im always looking for unusual historicals, and a book set in 1940s india certainly qualifies. Teatime for the firefly kindle edition by shona patel. Teatime for the firefly, shona patel april eberhardt literary.
Rivers divide and merge, they braid and weave, the form complex wholes. Apr 17, 2015 shona patel, the daughter of an assam tea planter, drew upon her personal observations and experiences to create the vivid characters and setting for teatime for the firefly. Debut author patel offers a stunning, panoramic view of a virtually unknown time and placethe colonial british tea plantations of assamwhile bringing them to life through a unique characters perspective. The daughter of a tea planter, she drew upon her personal observations and experiences to create the vivid characters and setting for teatime for the firefly. Teatime for the firefly is a charming tale of unexpected romance between two misfits in traditional indian society. Categories assam tea, blogging, book clubs, publishing, tea, teatime for the firefly, writing tags assam ctc, assam tea, benefits of caffeine, flame tree road, shona patel, teatime for the firefly, upton tea its pub day. They move apart only to rejoin at a defferent point. Shona patel is the author of the critically acclaimed novel teatime for the firefly harlequinmira october 20. In the second, flame tree road, she takes that topic a step further and makes their welfare the spur that motivates her protagonist, biren roy, to get a topnotch british education, and become a lawyer. Im always looking for unusual historicals, and a book set in 1940s. In the mid1940s, an unconventional young indian woman manages to defy the odds and her own inauspicious legacy to marry the man of her dreams, then must adjust to life in a remote tea garden amid the nationalistic, racial and religious discord of the times. Teatime for the firefly is accurately categorized as historical fiction rather than genre romance, and while the relationship between layla and manik is important to the story, there is little conflict since they are married early in the book. For a young girl growing up in india in a time where womens lives were predeterminedif not by the stars, then by centuries of family tradition and social orderthis is bad news. Shona patel s debut novel is a fishoutofwater love story told partially through letters, and set within an exotic and enchanting world where social upheaval and the threat of world war ii lingers on their doorstep.
Her second book, song of the flame tree, is a prequel that will be out next year. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Layla roy is an orphan whos been brought up by her progressive grandfather. Shona patels debut novel is a fishoutofwater love story told partially through letters, and set within an exotic and enchanting world where social upheaval and the threat of world war ii lingers on their doorstep. Buy a cheap copy of teatime for the firefly book by shona patel. Oct 09, 20 shona patel, the daughter of an assam tea planter, drew upon her personal observations and experiences to create the vivid characters and setting for teatime for the firefly. Debut author patel offers a stunning, panoramic view of a virtually unknown time and placethe.
Dec 30, 20 there is plenty written on the subject and i have listed some books in the acknowledgments section of teatime for the firefly. Life of chai introducing shona patels teatime for the. Teatime for the firefly ebook king county library system. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Nov 07, 20 shona patel s teatime for the firefly, a transporting novel of 1940s india looking at an unopened copy of teatime for the firefly, you may take it to be a delicate work of womens literature, something involving teadrinking and love letters, perhaps with an international flair. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading teatime for the firefly. The earth turned a shrill and noisy green, vibrant as a parrot. Teatime for the firefly by shona patel booksamillion. As i had spent part of my childhood in assam and had visited the tea plantations teatime with fireflies brought. Teatime for the firefly by shona patel book cover, description, publication history. Buy the paperback book teatime for the firefly by shona patel at indigo.
Shona patel, teatime for the firefly even though water chooses the path of least resistance, it ultimately defines its own course. May 27, 2015 in conversation with shona patel author of teatime for the firefly on growing up in assams tea gardens, and a novel set there. I was invited to over 50 book related events in the past year and most of them hosted tea parties and insisted on serving the very same assam tea i drink. It takes them a while to become intimate, and the scenes leading to that moment are sweetly depicted, but this is really a story of laylas and maniks life in the tea plantation, with the transition from colonialism providing a backdrop that comes. It is the story of layla, a beautiful and reclusive young girl who is astrologically doomed never to marry and manik, a man whose career and arranged marriage are charted for success. Shop amongst our popular books, including 5, teatime for the firefly, flame tree road and more from shona patel. For a young girl growing up in india, this is bad news. Jan 29, 2018 my debut novel published by harlequin mira september 24, 20.
But everything began to change for me one spring day in 1943, when three unconnected incidents, like tiny droplets on a lily leaf, tipped and rolled into one. Try prime kindle store go search en hello, sign in account. Teatime for the firefly has generated an overwhelming interest and enthusiasm for assam tea. Teatime for the firefly, shona patel april eberhardt. But everything began to change for me one spring day in 1943, when three unconnected incidents, like tiny droplets. Moreover, it is written by an author of indian origin, telling the fictionalized story of her parents and larger family. Patel has won several awards for creative writing and is a trained graphic and architectural designer. Patel was born and raised in a remote tea plantation in assam, india. Teatime for the firefly by shona patel overdrive rakuten. See more ideas about tea time, novels and book worms. Teatime for the firefly is an engrossing and beautifully written story of a young woman who finds love, adventure, and a new life with her husband on a tea plantation in a remote area of india in the 1940s. Shona patel quotes author of teatime for the firefly.
Her second novel flame tree road was published in june 2015. An honors graduate in english literature from calcutta university, ms. Teatime for the fireflies paperback january 1, 20 by shona patel author. Shona patel presents her debut novel teatime for the firefly. Im afraid it doesnt offer a lot more beyond that, except it does show us some indian customs and traditions and superstitions and just overall way of life during that time as well.
Author of the critically acclaimed teatime for the firefly and flame tree road miraharper collins, july, 2015. And, by cleverly manipulating the hand fortune has dealt her, she has even found. I found this book very easy to read quickly both the charactarisation and flow of the story were good and easy to keep track of. The characters are fully formed, the imagery is strong and the story is well developed throughout with an especially strong conclusion which opens the door to future books. Rivers divide and merge, they braid and weave, they form complex wholes. Teatime for the firefly by shona patel librarything. Handout patel was born in 1959, a transitional era when the british for the most part still ran the tea plantations. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Shona patel author shona patel, the daughter of an assam tea planter, drew upon her personal observations and experiences to create the vivid characters and setting for teatime for the firefly. Teatime for the firefly by shona patel dear author. Teatime for the firefly by shona patel is an interesting womens fiction set in 1940s india. Teatime for the firefly my name is layla and i was born under an unlucky star. Teatime for the firefly is set in 1940s india, a volatile and transitional time in the countrys fight for independence. You see this makes her an unlucky one according to local superstition, and the hindu horoscope.
Sep 24, 20 buy the paperback book teatime for the firefly by shona patel at indigo. For fans of alka joshis the henna artist, comes a compelling love story set against a culture grounded in tradition, ab. Teatime for the firefly by shona patel, paperback barnes. Despite being born under an inauspicious horoscope, she is raised to be educated and independent by her eccentric grandfather, dadamoshai. Shona patel, the daughter of an assam tea planter, drew upon her personal observations and experiences to create the vivid characters and setting for teatime for the firefly. It diffuses outer reality and reflects only what the heart wants to see.
They move apart only to rejoin at a different point. Shona patel s debut novel is a fishoutofwater love story told partially through letters, and set within an exotic and enchanting world where social. Teatime for the firefly by shona patel, book cover. In her debut, tea time for the firefly, shona patel touched on the plight of widows in india of the last century. Teatime for the firefly i was carried away by this story, to another time and place a country i have never visited in all my travels. My name is layla and i was born under an unlucky star.
1516 566 950 934 1523 1079 959 745 571 1070 375 139 647 988 719 1565 247 756 1075 1569 52 1117 318 52 101 1141 953 455 1085 1038 380 1226 1219 484 1181 769 1291 593 1259 399 296 32 433 1264 265