Primarily, The Glass Palace, as a novel, depicts how forces of history and politics change family life. It has a sweeping canvas that spreads two centuries, three families and three countries, in its course documenting events of the past century, in Burma, Malaya and India.
The novel offers deeply interesting human and historical insights. It is a scathing critique of the British imperial rule of India. It traces the invasion of Burma by the British in 1880, the toppling of the Burmese Monarchy, their imprisonment in Ratnagiri (India) and the capitalist exploitation of Burma. A romantic book on human survival, the movement and the agony of refugees are portrayed in a positive and spirited manner.
In addition to the sad story of a King and Queen in exile, and besides the intricate twists and turns of the family saga, what immediately arrests interest in The Glass Palace, is the dilemma of Indians soldiers in the British armed forces, a significant part in the later half of this novel. As India struggled for its independence, the role of Indians in the British armed forces became more controversial and questionable. The dilemmas faced by the Indian soldiers during World War II, figuring out whom they should be loyal to, what they are fighting for, and such associated historical and political issues and conflicts are dealt with a great deal of maturity, not merely painting the situation in black and white, but bringing out the predicament of human complexities involved.
Both a political novel and a family saga, mixing within itself the stories of three families and to a lesser extent, of the Burmese Royalty, The Glass Palace is a refreshing book, as fresh characters and settings are introduced very frequently in the novel, giving it an appealing variety. The reader’s interest is easily held with the numerous exotic locales and swift changes of the characters and situations. There is a great deal of good reading material here in fine local colors of Burma, Bengal and Ratnagiri.
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The Glass Palace is the love story of Rajkumar, a young Indian boy in Burma and Dolly, an attendant to the Burmese Queen. Much of the early part of the novel focuses on the exile of the Burmese Royal family to Ratnagiri. Rajkumar has a poor background and rises to create an empire in Burma’s Teak Forests along with his mentor Saya John.
Rajkumar marries Dolly with help from Uma, wife of the district collector of Ratnagiri. The family saga centered mainly around the families of Rajkumar, Saya John and Uma. Their next generations who criss-cross each others’ paths forming a bulk of the later half.
Rajkumar and Dolly’s final journey back to India and a dogged determination to survive, during the World War II is riveting stuff. World War II rolls around to bring in turmoil and towards its end the novel fleetingly depicts modern Myanmar (Burma), with Aung San Suu Kyi in a cameo. The continuing thread of the Burmese Royal family in exile and then back in Burma is quite fascinating and well-done.
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This is certainly not a book for readers who do not enjoy extensive details on issues not very germane to the main plot. However, I love such meanderings in a novel (even in MS reviews, for that matter) and don’t mind them, provided they hold one’s interest. Imparts some kind of an audacious variety to the plot.
At the same time, he touches upon important twists of the novel very fleetingly and this too this would exasperate readers who would want the author to go into more depth. The end though spellbinding and jam-packed with events, is rather rapid and drastic, leaving the reader goggling.
The Glass Palace has an almost whimsical and remarkably uneven pace. In fits and starts it races, while at most times it simply plods.
However, the novel is certainly neither a daunting nor a dull task to embark on. At the completion of its 500 odd pages, it gives you a vague feeling that you have ended up reading 3-4 disparate and distinct novels instead of one, and I guess that’s the beauty of this bestseller.
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