Under the Jewelled Sky (Paperback)

McQueen effortlessly captures India at a crucial turning point in its history - the country is described so vividly that it becomes a character in itself .... with a heartbreaking ending, this is truly a captivating tale * THE LADY *
Bursting with the evocative glow of long-forgotten India, UNDER THE JEWELLED SKY lures you into a beautiful story of scandal, of hope, and the kind of love that marks us forever. An unforgettable, irresistible tale that wraps around your heart and won't let go * Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of The Kitchen House *
From the drama of partition to the remnants of colonial life, Alison McQueen paints a vivid picture of a vast country and its rich culture, and against this exotic, atmospheric backdrop she sets her bittersweet romance * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
McQueen expertly captures the innocence and passion of young love-and how it can so quickly turn into something tragic when politics and the realities of adulthood get in the way. This historical page-turner deals out hope and heartbreak in turn, hurtling the reader toward its devastating denouement * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *
Beautiful and brave and bittersweet -- a moving story of how love in all its forms binds us together and endures, in spite of everything * Susanna Kearsley, New York Times bestselling author of The Firebird and The Winter Sea *
McQueen has a fine sense of place and character... A richly imagined story of love, politics and fate * KIRKUS *
Rich with history and a candid view of the racism, discrimination, and sexism of the day, McQueen's historical novel provides more than a compelling story set in an exotic locale. Part mystery, part romance, it defines love's bond through time * BOOKLIST *
Under the Jewelled Sky is a truly breathtaking novel. Set in India at the moment of Partition and Independence, a decade unfolds in an amazing Indian Romeo & British Juliet tragic adventure, with evocative elements of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie. Stunning detail and language * REBEL HOUSEWIFE *
This novel reminded me of a hot summer evening. Slow-moving, languid and sensual... Worth staying up all night to read? Yes. Beautiful, yet painfully, romantic * The Insomniac Bibliophile *
McQueen ensnares the reader's imagination in a story about forbidden love, second chances and confronting your past * BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH *
A superbly written, informative and deeply emotional story, well worth reading * TELEGRAPH & ARGUS *