Seeta

The third and final in a series, Seeta is an eponymous novel, set against the backdrop of Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, or the First War of Indian Independence as it is now regarded. The first and second parts are Tara and Ralph Darnell respectively.

Written by [Philip] Meadows Taylor, this novel narrates the story of the widow Seeta and her husband, a British civil servant, and what they and their friends and family undergo before, during and after the uprising. Other than the uprising, some incidents, such as the dacoity that the novel opens with – Taylor himself was engaged in its trial in the district court – are authentic; others are products of his creativity – as are the characters and some locations. However, the situations and events are all believable, the characters are well-drawn and relatable, and the book is free of the prejudice that one often sees in novels of that era.

The author has not succumbed to the temptation of describing the horrific details of the massacres of 1857 uprising, but has, instead, presented it as an episode in the novel, only mentioning it when necessary. The events unfold seamlessly, and naturally, making this book an unputdownable.