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Maggie's Reviews > Black Narcissus
Black Narcissus
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3 and 1/2 stars
The nuns appear to have little compassion or understanding of the local people, perhaps an accurate description of how settlements such as this one were established. "The Church" has decided to establish a school and hospital service to assist the locals - I wonder did they ask whether it was required? Did the locals need / want it? The local people are presented as simple folk who honour the Holy Man - they are described not quite as the noble ignorant savages but coming close. However the nuns are shown with all their faults on display, and come off poorly. Good writing by Rumer Godden sets the atmosphere so descriptively that the reader has a clear picture of not only the wonderful mountain setting but of the growing tension between the nuns themselves.
The nuns appear to have little compassion or understanding of the local people, perhaps an accurate description of how settlements such as this one were established. "The Church" has decided to establish a school and hospital service to assist the locals - I wonder did they ask whether it was required? Did the locals need / want it? The local people are presented as simple folk who honour the Holy Man - they are described not quite as the noble ignorant savages but coming close. However the nuns are shown with all their faults on display, and come off poorly. Good writing by Rumer Godden sets the atmosphere so descriptively that the reader has a clear picture of not only the wonderful mountain setting but of the growing tension between the nuns themselves.
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I love Rumer Godden's writing, think I own most of her books and have read most of them at least once. I also now have the DVD - picked it up last week at Big W for $5.
P.S. Rumer and her sister also wrote a joint autobiography, at least of their childhood in India, "Two Under The Indian Sun". Very interesting and likeable tale of what it was like for youngsters during the Raj. One aspect interested me, though it was only one or two sentences long. The British in India needed as many servants as possible, not because they needed them all, but because of the Indian caste system. For instance, a member of one caste could carry wine to the table, but couldn't pour it! Another individual of different caste did that. Fascinating.
I've been wanting to read/ see both. I just looked it up on Amazon and there's a 99c ebook "Rumer Godden, Zinglam and Black Narcissus" about how it was based on reality and how the movie apparently got some details wrong. The only one of her books I have read is The Doll's House, a kid's book and very different.
Maggie wrote: "I love Rumer Godden's writing, think I own most of her books and have read most of them at least once. I also now have the DVD - picked it up last week at Big W for $5."It's many years since I read the book, so my memory may not be equal to the details. Though you must remember the time frame during which it was written - paternalistic attitudes to aboriginal peoples were the norm. Certainly far different to those of today.
But Rumer's writing remains superb.
Happy reading,
Monya(aka Mary)