A Singular Hostage

October 7, 2002
What's a Victorian girl to do? Twenty years old, not quite beautiful, more interested in military history than in conventional female doings, Mariana Givens sets off for India with Gov.-Gen. Lord Auckland's enormous party in hopes of finding a husband. Several eligible British officers are ready to propose, but Mariana would rather study Urdu with wise Munshi Sahib or hang out with the elephants. The officers are weepy or large-eared, except for Harry Fitzgerald, who turns out not to be eligible, after all. It's the eponymous hostage who steals her heart: Saboor, a luminous infant who was kidnapped by the ailing, one-eyed Maharajah Ranjit Singh, ruler of the Punjab, whom Lord Auckland is on his way to meet. After Saboor's mother is poisoned, Mariana is readily enlisted to return Saboor to his father, Hassan Sahib. Will she come to love Hassan as much as she loves Saboor? Although the ending is inconclusive, suggesting a sequel (one is in the works; called A Beggar at the Gate, it will be published in 2003), Mariana is unlikely to return to flower-arranging in Sussex. Sometimes lyrical and zippy, sometimes predictable and plodding, this richly populated novel is notable for an odd combination of strengths: a compelling mysticism, a convincing historicity and a flare for slapstick comedy sending up both the Indian and British patriarchies. Old-time Olympia Press readers will warm to the hair-waxing scene as Mariana is prepared for a sham (or is it?) wedding to Hassan. Agent, Jill Kneerim.

April 1, 2003
Adult/High School-Mariana Givens is not a proper Victorian young lady; at 20, she is impetuous, outspoken, and inquisitive. Sent to relatives in India in 1838 to find a husband among the eligible suitors in the British officer corps, she is allowed a Muslim munshi, or teacher. An eager, apt pupil of Hindustani language and culture, Mariana becomes a translator for the straitlaced sisters of the Governor-General of India and travels with his entourage to Punjab, where he hopes to persuade the Maharaja to aid the British army in its invasion of Afghanistan. Mariana finally meets a dashing officer, but their romance is cut short. When a charismatic boy held hostage by the ailing Maharaja, who believes the child has curative powers, disappears, his rescuers are led to Mariana, who agrees to hide him. The rest of her adventure, robust and satisfying as a cup of Darjeeling tea, centers on Saboor, her determination to return him to his father, and the lengths to which she will go to protect this child who has so entranced her. The Maharaja, the Governor-General, his sisters, and other players are all historical figures. By contrasting the British view of Indian culture and its people with the view of Punjabis themselves, rich and poor, this mesmerizing tale helps readers better understand a vitally important area of the world.-Molly Connally, Chantilly Regional Library, VA

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2002
To ensure his courtiers are loyal to him, the Maharajah Ranjit Singh of the Punjab keeps their babies hostage in his Citadel. The aged ruler grows so attached to one child, Saboor, he decides that the toddler has magical powers essential to Singh's survival. Insanely jealous, the queens of the court poison Saboor's mother and set out to starve the baby to death. Meanwhile, Mariana Givens, a member of Lord Auckland's grand entourage, is participating in a 1,200-mile trek across India to win the political support of the maharajah. Mariana is there not only to act as interpreter but also to find a husband. In a surrealistic turn of events, she finds herself becoming Saboor's rescuer and eventually his father's unwilling bride. Enlivened by captivating descriptions, Ali's seductive tale is a wonderful blend of adventure, court intrigue, historical fact, and Sufi mysticism, and it will appeal to all the readers who enjoy popular Indian fiction, as well as fans of M. M. Kaye's " The Far Pavilions" (1978).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)