• The Jewel in the Crown

  • Raj Quartet
  • By: Paul Scott
  • Narrated by: Sam Dastor
  • Length: 21 hrs and 2 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (266 ratings)

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The Jewel in the Crown  By  cover art

The Jewel in the Crown

By: Paul Scott
Narrated by: Sam Dastor
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Publisher's summary

In the India of 1942, two rapes take place simultaneously - that of an English girl in Mayapore, and that of India by the British. In each, physical violence, racial animosity, the coercion of the weak by the strong all play their part, but playing a part too are love, affection, loyalty, and recognition that the last division of all to be overcome is the colour of the skin. The whole spectrum of Anglo-Indian relations is vividly evoked in a brilliant assessment of emotions, personal clashes and historical reasons that eventually prised India - the jewel in the Imperial Crown - from its setting.

©1966 N.E. Avery Scott (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"It takes a masterful reader to captivate listeners for 21 hours. Sam Dastor, winner of numerous Earphones awards, does it again. His elegant interpretation makes Scott's prose seem even more eloquent than it is. Even more impressive is his brilliant dramatization of individual characters... Sam Dastor should get a jewel for his crown!" ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Jewel in the Crown

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This is one to get

Would you listen to The Jewel in the Crown again? Why?

I would listen to this again as it seems so rich in human experience that I expect to find more in it every time I read it.

What other book might you compare The Jewel in the Crown to and why?

It's often compared to A Passage To India, but Paul Scott's knowledge and interest in both India and the Raj clearly dwarfs Forster's. Forster's book is largely satire (and written long before the tragedies Scott describes), whereas Scott's much longer work feels populated with real people in serious situations.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh and cry, in equal measure.

Any additional comments?

Sam Dastor was born to narrate this book -- his astonishing mastery of a wide range of British and Indian accents, as well as characters, is unparallelled in my experience. Please somebody persuade him to perform the last three books in the series. I cannot imagine anyone else ever coming up to his standard.

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15 people found this helpful

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Terrific narrator and great novel

If you have ever wanted to read the Raj Quartet, The Jewel in the Crown narrated by Sam Dastor couldn't be better. His rendition of the characters' voices as well as their accents is so good that much of the time I forgot that this was the same narrator doing all the different voices. Now that I have listened to the first book in the Quartet, I plan to read the other three. My preference would have been to listen to the rest of the quartet as audiobooks, but unfortunately the samples of Richard Brown reading have convinced me that I would not like his narration at all. Oh, to have the rest of the Quartet read by Sam Dastor! Audible, are you listening?

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14 people found this helpful

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Great Audio Book!

This is an engrossing story and the narrator gives a fantasic performance, with a different voice for each character. I wish he did the rest of the series but this seems to be the only volume available with him. Well worth listening to.

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12 people found this helpful

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An achievement by any standard

Broad and deep with great vision,empathy,and intellect. A cut far above comparable novels in every sense. Skillfully read.

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6 people found this helpful

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Favorite brought to life

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, a wonderful experience.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Jewel in the Crown?

Kumar interviewed in prison while Lady Manners watched.

Which character – as performed by Sam Dastor – was your favorite?

All

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

See above memorable moment

Any additional comments?

Have always loved these books. A wonderful read.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Outstanding

Any additional comments?

An outstanding performance of a complex, multicultural, layered novel. Hoping Sam Dastor will record the rest of the quartet.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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My favorite books

What did you love best about The Jewel in the Crown?

This novel and the ones that follow are about as nearly perfect as books could be for me. The story is compelling, the characters are unforgettable, the history is fascinating. I have read all these books before (The Raj Quartet) and have watched the PBS series probably twenty-five times and I have never tired of them.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters in this novel are simply unforgettable: Daphne Manners, Hari Kumar, Ronald Merrick, and so many more.

Any additional comments?

I listened to an earlier sound recording of this series, and this one is far superior. The reader is awesome at becoming different characters in a completely believable fashion.

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3 people found this helpful

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Gives a frank portrait of the Raj and racism

I so enjoyed the film adaptation of the book, and the original story was even better, made real and richer by the excellent narration.

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2 people found this helpful

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All-time Fave Story Novel TV Series & Audio Book

This has long been a favorite and haunting story and this narration is perfect. Will look for more Sam Dastor work in the future.

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1 person found this helpful

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one of my favorite reads!!!!

Couldnt wait to hear it read to me..much more vibrant when read how it was written.. Enjoyed the TV series as well. .off to the next books..ENJOY!

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1 person found this helpful