The Kashmir Shawl

By: Rosie Thomas

Narrated by: Nerys Hughes

1939: Nerys Watkins leaves rural Wales to accompany her husband on a missionary posting to India. Travelling from lonely Ladakh, high in the Himalayas, Nerys discovers a new world in the city of Srinagar.

Here, in the exquisite heart of Kashmir, the British live on carved wooden houseboats and dance, flirt and gossip as if there is no war. But the battles draw ever closer. Nerys is caught up in a dangerous friendship, and by the time she is reunited with her husband, the innocent Welsh bride has become a different woman.

Years later, when Mair Ellis clears out her father’s house, she finds an exquisite antique shawl which holds a lock of child’s hair. Tracing her grandparents’ roots back to Kashmir, Mair embarks on a quest that will change her life forever.

©2011 Rosie Thomas (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

vintage Rosie Thomas

What made the experience of listening to The Kashmir Shawl the most enjoyable?

Truly vintage Rosie Thomas, a captivating story in a fabulous setting.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters were so real, so varied and so believable.
The setting between rural Wales & vibrant India transported the reader.
The thread of the story made it un-put downable.

What about Nerys Hughes’s performance did you like?

I read the book but was unsure of the pronounciations so her reading helped to bring it to life for me.

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

I loved the description of the shawl being spread out & drifting with all the beautiful colours being seen for the first time.

Any additional comments?

I rated this book as highly as "Sun at midnight " & "White" which I have always considered superb stories.

Panoramic, Beautiful, Smart Historical Drama

Any additional comments?

This is an extraordinary historical drama. It mostly concerns the fortunes of three British women living during the British Raj period in India. They are the wife of a missionary, a hapless and naive soldier's wife, and an engineer's wife. Their characters grow--or are crushed--as the story develops. The setting and time are shown in both their brutality and beauty. The story shifts back and forth between the present day descendant of the missionary's wife and the 19th c. era, with the emphasis on the latter. Some aspects of this book are truly heart breaking, but in a way that gives the book a great sense of historical authenticity and emotional truth. The narration is spectacular, with Welsh, Scottish, English, and Indian accents effortlessly limned. There is romance, but it is far, far more than a sappy romance. Can NOT recommend this highly enough.

Beautiful

This was a lovely listen. Epic, beautiful, interesting and entertaining. I'd love more from this author available on audible. Yes!

Talented author/narrator, book just didn't do it f

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes and no. Rosie Thomas has a gift for beautiful descriptions of lush unfamiliar landscapes, Nerys Hughes' accents were compelling, but her dialogue was a bit flat and I found myself not being able to relate to the main characters.

Did Nerys Hughes do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

For the most part. Her accents were good, but her pitch differentiation was not so much.

Any additional comments?

I will definitely check out other Rosie Thomas books. Those who have read her other books seem to think that this is not her best work.

Loved the Book

I loved this book , the story and the characters but feel the narrator was not a good fit. She tried to do different voices, but most of them sounded the same. She made everyone sound quite old, which they were not. This made the story more difficult to imagine in the Audible version.

Loved it

Very well written the story lines meshed and I hope Bruno and Mytah live happily ever after

Adventure and Romance

Where does The Kashmir Shawl rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have always wanted to travel to Kashmir, so I loved how the setting of the novel was portrayed! The contrast between life as a privileged Brit and poor native people was well-researched and believable. The natural beauty of Kashmir, and the descriptions of the houseboats were also intriguing. The end of the British Raj was an epic time in human history, and I thought the flashbacks between then and now were an effective method of spinning a wonderful mystery. As to the romance: I did not find the main character's extra-marital affair very sympathetic or compelling. I enjoyed the narrator's voice and thought it contributed well to the story.

I LOVE KASHMIR

I read this book because I love KASHMIR.
It is historical fiction set into a story about a “PASHIMA”, a handmade Kashmiri shawl. Rosie Thomas built a story quiet cleverly using the Kashmir shawl as a focal point. I enjoyed this book. Several points of Kashmir history were incorporated of which I was not aware. ❤️

This book has lingered with me

I LOVED this book. There was literally such a rich tapestry to the story, and the characters. I find myself super curious about this part of the world now. It has lingered with me and I can’t bring myself to start another book yet because I am still savoring this one. DELICIOUS.
My only small complaint, and it is so minor as to be ridiculous, however I noticed it as an irritant so I will mention it here. The narrator’s American accent was not good. The other accents were fine and her voice and story telling was engaging so don’t let this dissuade you from listening.

nice story, easy listen

What made the experience of listening to The Kashmir Shawl the most enjoyable?

i actually enjoyed the grandmothers staory most i think that could have been a book on its own! not sure why the granddaughters story was such a big part, it was a bit of a let down

Have you listened to any of Nerys Hughes’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

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

yes but i dont want to spoil it!