"Sundaresan unfolds her bittersweet story in flashbacks that are full of sharply
drawn details and adroit dialogue. It’s a riveting read."
—The Seattle Times
"Splendor of Silence is a lush, poetic and exquisitely crafted novel...[Sundaresan]
treats all of her characters, however flawed, with respect, and their decisions
and sacrifices are surprising but believable...The magical and detailed descriptions
of local Indian culture and landscape contrast with the artificial, rigid order
of the British administration. Despite, or perhaps because of, the historical realism,
Sundaresan’s story is absorbing and romantic, and a pure pleasure to read.
Indu Sundaresan’s previous two novels were international bestsellers, and readers
would be wise to pick up a copy of Splendor of Silence and figure out why."
—bestsellers.about.com
"Indian-American writer Sundaresan (The Twentieth Wife, A Feast of Roses)
sets her latest historical novel in the China-India-Burma theater during World War
II...Sundaresan seamlessly blends disparate stories of forbidden love, secret wartime
missions, and a daring prison escape into an exotic adventure. It's enough to make
you forget the chill in the air."
—Military.com
"Sundaresan (A Feast of Roses) returns to her native India for a sprawling
story of forbidden love set against the backdrop of WWII and the struggle for Indian
independence...Sundaresan renders Rudrakot vividly and the sympathetic (if doomed)
characters generate enough friction to keep the pot boiling."
—Publishers Weekly
"Sundaresan's (The Feast of Roses) latest book is about interconnectivity,
with the protagonists all seemingly linked to one another...Sundaresan's descriptive
writing style makes for a colorful, engrossing read."
Library Journal
"Indu Sundaresan expertly blends together history, memorable characters, and
the sights, colours, and smells of India to create a hugely compelling novel. It
is, quite literally, a feast for the senses."
—David Davidar, author of The House of Blue
Mangoes
"With her third novel, Indu Sundaresan continues to display her talents as
a great novelist of historical fiction. Finely researched and full of evocative
details, this sweeping tale of intrigue brings to life a fascinating era with richly
drawn characters and a story that is engrossing, deep, and surprising. Sundaresan
will certainly please her many enduring fans as well as drawing in a wave of new
ones."
—Samina Ali, author of Madras on Rainy Days