Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is one of my absolute favorite authors. I’ve read many of her books like ‘The Mistress of Spices’, ‘Sister of my Heart’, ‘Palace of Illusions’, ‘Oleander Girl’ and ‘One Amazing Thing’ among others. I’ve loved them all. I would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite. Her short story collection, ‘Arranged Marriage’, is easily one of the best books I’ve read till date. Her works are set in India and the United States and are mostly stories of South Asian immigrants. She writes across genres—realistic fiction, historical fiction, magical realism, and fantasy. And she does it all with equal flair. Her latest book, ‘The Last Queen’ is a well-researched retelling of Punjab’s history before the British invasion as well as the story of Rani Jindan Kaur, the youngest wife of the first maharaja of the Sikh Empire, Ranjit Singh. Historically speaking, Rani Jindan Kaur is lesser known than say Rani Laxmi Bai or Padmavati. But, during her time, she was famous for her beauty, strength and courage. She became the Queen Regent when her son was crowned at the age of five, following the assassinations of three successors before him. She was replaced after Punjab lost the Anglo-Sikh war but her power and influence continued and, infuriated by it, the British imprisoned and exiled her. The Last Queen is part true, part not, and Divakaruni does a wonderful job of telling a gripping story where the lines between fact and fiction are blurred.

The story opens at the death bed of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Jindan is watching him from the foot of the bed. The story then goes back in time to tell us how she got there. It was never Jindan’s ambition to become rich and powerful but she got there by following her heart. She fell in love with a man who turned out to be the king of Punjab. The novel is split into four sections: Girl, Bride, Queen, and Rebel. We see Jindan’s grow and transition from a meek daughter of a dog-trainer to a king’s wife and then ultimately a much-feared and loved queen.

The novel picks up pace really fast, falters a little in the middle, and then wraps up nice and neat in the end. I love Divakaruni’s writing style. It’s simple but smooth. There are lines I could read over and over again. Her character and setting descriptions help you clearly conjure the scenes in your head. Not all authors are able to get the story, setting and characters right but Divakaruni manages this feat with ease. The result is a poignant story of love and leadership that will haunt you long after you’ve turned the final page. Four stars Fiction The Last Queen Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni Published: 2021 Publisher: Harper Collins Pages: 354, Paperback