Three Continents

by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and ruth-prawer-jhabvala

Book Overview

Three Continents is a tale of the clash between the easternized West and the westernized East. Twins Harriet and Michael -- spoiled, quixotic, and extremely wealthy -- have eschewed the vapid world of cocktail parties and adulteries that seems to be their inheritance. In constantly searching to complete themselves, they become the perfect fodder for the charismatic Rawul of Dhoka and his sinister Sixth World Movement.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688071848
• ISBN13: 9780688071844
• Release Date: January 1987
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Enthralling and frightening

This was the first book I read by this author (although I loved the movie version of her other book "Heat and Dust") and I was impressed by her ability to hold my attention consistently as I read this book. We've all heard about spiritual cults, about the kind of people who lead them and the other kinds of people who fall for them, but this was the first time I got a good idea of what goes on in their heads and the kind of lies people tell others and themselves. I had trouble putting this book down even though I really did not like the main characters at all. I give the book 4 stars because the end left me terribly disappointed but then again, I do not like weak female characters at all, even if I understand how they got to be that way (had bad parents, got spoilt, etc). This book really haunted me and even freaked me out a bit after I put it down so that says a lot for this author being able to touch a chord in my soul. I consider myself an avid, discerning reader so this is not something every author can do.

An assured voice

I have now read 2 books by Jhabvala, "Three Continents" and "Heat and Dust." Her relation of details is consistently clear and inviting; almost journalistic in its simplicity. Believe me, I have read a good heap of fiction from and about India, and Jhabvala's precise simplicity and focus on character development (rather than focusing on the reader's understanding of antiquated local customs or Indian mannerisms or terms -- sorry, Paul Scott, but you drove me nuts!) makes her works universal and appealing. Here is a coming-of-age tale, an Indian Peter Pan with a chilling twist: thanks to their involvements with a svengaliesque trio of sophisticated cult leaders, a pair of young, very rich English twins misses their chance to grow up. Jhabvala's mastery of the million and one ways in which one human being can manipulate another had this reader shopping for her cues -- for descriptions of touches, glances, smiles, shadows between the three cult leaders and their captives, young Harriet and Michael. I found myself suffering narrator Harriet's dilemma: am I being teased? Flirted with? Is he sincere? What is really going on in this room? What is this disagreement really about? Also, please don't read the end of this book right before you go to sleep -- because you won't sleep if you do, trust me.