Rains Came: A Novel of India

by Louis Bromfield

Book Overview

Hindus and Moslems, Brahmins and Untouchables, western missionaries and British colonial bureaucrats, the famous novelist brings to life the social conditions of the last decade of the British Raj. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1590989376
• ISBN13: 9781590989371
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Wooster Book Co.
• Length: 608 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Rich and exotic, a favorite!

I have loved this book for 20 years. It makes you dream of India as a British colony. Each character is complete, fascinating and endearing. It reminds us of old concepts, like adventure, bravery, love and romance. All written in an exquisite style.I hungrily read more of Bromfield's work after that, but I never found another book that could even come close to the magic of The rain cames. To me, it's by far his masterpiece.

Neglected Masterpiece

Although he published a score of acclaimed bestsellers and won the 1927 Pulitzer Prize, (as well as the 1929 O. Henry Award for Best American Short Story), Louis Bromfield remains an undeservedly obscure novelist. Works like The Rains Came exhibit his typical brilliance and bravado, while also offering a profound moral and philosophical engagement. Unlike many "classic" texts, The Rains Came is an exhilirating, entertaining, and ambitious read -- Bromfield was a master storyteller who valued, above all else, the richness and vibrancy of realistic fiction. Drama, suspense, action, romance, intrigue, and intellectual insight...this novel has it all. The Rains Came is undoubtedly an astonishing performance from an author who will hopefully reclaim his status in the literary canon. Louis Bromfield is one of the most remarkable talents of the twentieth century! Also recommended: Bromfield's early books, collected under the umbrella title of Escape: The Green Bay Tree, Possession, Early Autumn, A Good Woman; as well as later novels such as The Strange Case Of Miss Annie Spragg, The Farm, Mrs. Parkington, Pleasant Valley, and Mr. Smith.

Engrossing.

I'm a sucker for any books set in colonial India and this one didn't disappoint. I'll admit that it borders on schmaltz a bit, but it also offers rings very true in many spots and is well written. Its host of characters are all very interesting and the plot includes not only several love stories but also some unexpected (to me) adventure and drama. The book also offers some genuine insights into yesterday's India (and a bit of Europe, as well). Thumbs up. There was a movie made of it, too, in the 1930s. I watched it and enjoyed it, but it leaves out much too much.

The Rains Came

This is a fantastic book about race rela tions in India between the Indians and the British and about a love story set amidst the monsoon season in India.