The Midnight Rose
In the heyday of the British Raj, eleven-year-old Anahita, from a noble but impoverished family, forms a lifelong friendship with the headstrong Princess Indira, the privileged daughter of Indian royalty. As the princess' official companion, Anahita accompanies her friend to England just before the outbreak of WorldWar I. There, she meets young Donald Astbury;reluctant heir to the magnificent, remote Astbury Estate and his scheming mother.
Ninety years later, Rebecca Bradley, a young American film star, has the world at her feet. But when her turbulent relationship with her equally famous boyfriend takes an unexpected turn, she is relieved that her latest role, playing a 1920s debutante, will take her away from the glare of publicity to a distant corner of the English countryside. Shortly after filming begins at the now-crumbling Astbury Hall, Ari Malik, Anahita's great-grandson, arrives unexpectedly, on a quest for his family's past. What he and Rebecca discover begins to unravel the dark secrets that haunt the Astbury dynasty . . .
A multilayered, heartbreaking tale filled with unforgettable characters caught in the sweep of history, The Midnight Rose is Lucinda Riley at her most captivating and unforgettable.
Review: I won a copy of this book as a giveaway on Goodreads.
This novel traverses from 1911 to present day, from India to England and spans four generations. The novel begins in 2000 with the 100th birthday of Anahita Chaval, an Indian woman who spent periods of her life in England. Anahita asks her great grandson to look into the supposed death of her three year old son many years before. The novel then goes back in time to reveal Anahita's life and the disappearance of her young son. Meanwhile, in present day England, a young movie star, Rebecca Bradley, travels to England to film a period movie about the 1920s in the same great home where Anahita stayed as a young woman. Slowly the two story lines begin to intersect as Rebecca learns more about Anahita and the past of the great home where she is a guest.
I enjoyed this novel far more than I thought I would. In fact, it reminded me a lot of the historical fiction novels of Kate Morton, which also slowly unravel a historical mystery as the plot progresses. Anahita was an interesting character, and I enjoyed learning more about her past, including her childhood in India, and her experiences nursing in World War I.
I did not like the conclusion of this tale, which seemed way too farfetched to me. I really liked that the two storylines became increasingly interconnected as the story progressed, but I could have done without the kidnapping/drugging of poor Rebecca. There was a very sinister quality throughout Rebecca's stay in the great mansion with such foreshadowing as "she had the uncanny feeling there was another presence in the room, someone watching..." (212). I think the novel could have been concluded without the bizarre twist in Lord Anthony's characterization. Additionally, I think the novel had some loose ends that could have been tied up better. For example, Rebecca is repeatedly told she resembles a former lady of the great estate, Lady Violet. However, she was a foster child, so has no idea whether there is even a possibility that she could be related. These details are left hanging. Also, Anahita's childhood friend Indira, who plays a very substantial role in Anahita's early life, and is very pivotal to key plot developments, seems to have been forgotten in the latter end of the book.
The title refers to a plant on the estate, "It's named the Midnight Rose and it's rather a mysterious plant. It's been here as long as I have and should have died many years ago. Yet, every year without fail, it blooms as though it's just been planted" (42). Likewise, Anahita's legacy survived, only to be resurrected nearly 90 years later.
Stars: 3
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