On the whole this was a popular read. People enjoyed the droll commentary on the British in India, their discomfort with the heat and culture, their arrogance about ‘progress’ and ‘civilisation’ and their capacity to continue fierce disputes amongst themselves when under fire. Despite the blood and guts of many scenes, it was full of comic turns: the Maharajah’s son whose English education has given him a love of pointless invention; the busts of Socrates and Plato striking more fear into the enemy than the cannon they were propping up; Lucy, ‘the fallen woman’ having black insects wiped from her naked body by the stiff covers of a Bible. And then there was the fate of Chloe, the cute spaniel brought to India as an aid to flirtation not faring so well amongst the local pariah dogs. However, despite their arrogance and ridiculousness of the British, there was also the enormous resourcefulness, inventiveness and optimism of the garrison, culminating in the firing of all their cutlery at the enemy. The take-home message seemed to be ….beware invading Empires as ultimately, however powerful you think you are, you are also foolish. Average score was 7.3 with a range from 5 to 9.
