The Splendor of Silence

By: Indu Sundaresan

Narrated by: Sneha Mathan

Length: 15 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

From internationally best-selling author Indu Sundaresan comes a heartrending tale of tragic love and clashing cultures in World War II India.

In 1942 Sam Hawthorne, a young U.S. Army captain, arrives in a tiny, princely state in western India. He carries combat wounds and several secrets, one of which is the real reason behind his visit: to find his brother Mike, an idealistic American soldier who disappeared after joining the local struggle for independence from the British.

But Sam's mission is soon threatened when he falls in love with Mila, daughter of the local political agent. Betrothed to the local prince, Mila draws Sam into a doomed affair that places them both in the path of dynastic intrigue, racial prejudice, and the explosive circumstances of a country torn between imperialism and nationalism.

©2006 Indu Sundaresan (P)2006 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

The story seemed forced

I am an Indu Sundaresan fan and have thoroughly enjoyed the Taj trilogy. In fact it is only because of those three books that I have learnt so much about the Mughal rulers, their zenana and the various facets of that period. It was with that very pleasant experience in mind that I downloaded this book. I was disappointed. The story seemed forced. The Burmese portions seemed incomplete and unnecessary as if the author was lightly touching the tips of a detail and then abandoning it without further embellishment. The jumping between two periods left me with a feeling of never being able to get my teeth into the story. And t]hough it was Rajasthan being described, the local feel, customs and descriptions were not in tandem. All in all it was not a satisfactory experience. The story did not make any sense whatsoever.
Sneha Mathan was her usual excellent self. Her narration and the different accents that she has used have carried this mediocre tale and placed it way above where it actually belongs.

Good Listen!

This book was not as captivating for me that her other books (the 20th Wife and A feast of roses) was, but it got better halfway through. It's the wonderful job that Sneha Mathan does narrating these books that make them so wonderful to listen too that makes the download worth it. I am looking forward to the next book written by Indu S. to come available.

Could be better

The story jumps from one time period to another and it's confusing when listening to the audiobook. The story is also a little slow with some plot points did not make sense. Overall I give it 4 stars because of the performance.

Loved this audiobook

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. I read not so great reviews somewhere else. So I was pleasantly surprised. The narrator really makes this book a great listen! I have now heard all of Indu Sundaresan's books on audible and I really enjoyed them.

Just loved this book

Would you consider the audio edition of The Splendor of Silence to be better than the print version?

I absolutely loved this book. I must admit it was a bit slow at first, but when I finished the book I re-listened to the first 2 chapters and they were bitter sweet after hearing the whole book and knowing the ending.
The narrator is unknown until the end of the book, and is beautifully revealed. It is a really beautiful storey and worth the listen.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the performers various accents, the rich detail of landscape and food in India

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved the only real love scene between Mia and Mike.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, after I got through the slow start

The book could use more silence

In a great book, the author knows what to leave unsaid. This book would be improved by cutting half the overly detailed and sometimes overwrought description. You could practically hear the violins playing in the background when hero and heroine meet. We already know from previous heavy hints that they are to be star-crossed. Description sets scene and mood, but each detail should also serve a purpose in moving the story forward. There may be an engrossing story buried here, but I lost interest.

Lush descriptions

What does Sneha Mathan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

her narration is wonderful. Many narrators have atrocious accents, but she is wonderful at all accents, emotions, and even narrative passages. I enjoyed this book, but her narration improved it immensely.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. This book is best savored in bite-sized pieces.

A Nice Enough Romance ( and I HATE Romances)

This does not start like your standard romance and it doesn't end like it either. Which is to its favor. There is also a subplot ( although I'd have liked to see it developed more) that has nothing romantic about it.
However, I was terribly weary of how very much these people were attracted to each other. Endlessly.
All of this need to take into account that I normally never read romance, and I generally loath it as being sadly delusional.
The accent was charming and appropriate. And the writing was written to be read aloud which I did appreciate.
It was a very interesting look into India in the Raj days, and that was what got me through. If you like romances, I suspect you'll like it very much.

Ok Story

Got this one on the $4.95 sale so was not completely disappointed, the novel was well researched and I did learn about some aspects of Indian culture and history during the World War II era and British Colonialism. The character development was ok but could have been better.

Hard to get through

I listened to other books by this author and highly enjoyed them (Taj Mahal trilogy). This book started out interesting, but got so boring and predictable that it took me weeks to get through. I finished and it just never got exciting. I also found the setting weird with the letters. It's unclear who writes them which may be the point... But once you find out who wrote the letters it just feels so super weird when thinking back about what had been written. It's unrealistic that person would have known all of those facts.