--- product_id: 14466155 title: "The Glass Palace: A Novel" price: "S/.106" currency: PEN in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.pe/products/14466155-the-glass-palace-a-novel store_origin: PE region: Peru --- # The Glass Palace: A Novel **Price:** S/.106 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Glass Palace: A Novel - **How much does it cost?** S/.106 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.pe](https://www.desertcart.pe/products/14466155-the-glass-palace-a-novel) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW AND LOS ANGELES TIMES “A rich, layered epic that probes the meaning of identity and homeland— a literary territory that is as resonant now, in our globalized culture, as it was when the sun never set on the British Empire.”— Los Angeles Times Book Review Set in Burma during the British invasion of 1885, this masterly novel tells the story of Rajkumar, a poor boy lifted on the tides of political and social chaos, who goes on to create an empire in the Burmese teak forest. When soldiers force the royal family out of the Glass Palace and into exile, Rajkumar befriends Dolly, a young woman in the court of the Burmese Queen, whose love will shape his life. He cannot forget her, and years later, as a rich man, he goes in search of her. The struggles that have made Burma, India, and Malaya the places they are today are illuminated in this wonderful novel by the writer Chitra Divakaruni calls “a master storyteller.” Praise for The Glass Palace “An absorbing story of a world in transition, brought to life through characters who love and suffer with equal intensity.” —J. M. Coetzee “There is no denying Ghosh’s command of culture and history. . . . [He] proves a writer of supreme skill and intelligence.” — The Atlantic Monthly “I will never forget the young and old Rajkumar, Dolly, the Princesses, the forests of teak, the wealth that made families and wars. A wonderful novel. An incredible story.” —Grace Paley “A novelist of dazzling ingenuity.” — San Francisco Chronicle Review: GHOSH IS A TALENTED AND QUALIFIED WRITER FOR THIS STORY - THE GLASS PALACE REVIEW Indian writer Amitav Ghosh is uniquely qualified to take his readers on a historical journey through the exotic lands of India, Burma (now known as Myanmar), and Malaya. Ghosh, born in Calcutta, spent his childhood in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and India and studied in Delhi, Oxford, and Alexandria. The cities of Calcutta, Mandalay, Rangoon, and Singapore that invoke flights of fancy in both literature and music play a major part in his remarkable novel, “The Glass Palace.” Ghosh is caught up in the politics and nationalism of India and its surrounding countries and it shows in his writing. He asserts that colonialism has had ruinous effects on underpopulated countries by removing natural resources. In Burma’s case it is the oil, timber, and ivory. In “Palace” he is particularly harsh on the presence of Great Britain. This disturbs some critics, although Ghosh is factual in his reporting and his complaints are well documented. Nevertheless, Ghosh writes with a beautiful and descriptive style that is captivating. His scenic sketches are mesmerizing. His characterizations are immaculate; there’s not a single character in “Palace” that doesn’t strike the right chord with the reader. The book is a lengthy read but I never lost interest in his story. The basic storyline involves a young Burmese orphan, Rajkumar, who, at eleven, possesses the acumen and drive to rise to be a wealthy rubber tree plantation owner, highly respected by both family and community. Some one hundred years of familial relationships and national turmoil are reported covering a vast geographical area. Wars are fought. There are complicated alliances across cultures and countries. Rebellions develop and are crushed. Personal relationships ebb and flow. Fortunes are earned and then slip away in the clutches of war and colonialism. Through it all, the reader is treated to thoughtful and accurate writing with historical detail being carefully drawn. The splendor of the Burmese kingdom is destroyed by the unceremonial removal of the royal family, an astute move by the British to both humiliate and remove the King from public memory. Burma’s valuable natural resources were then easily plundered and the gentle life became chaotic. The invasion by Japan causes further disruption and war scenes containing both benevolence and cruelty are vividly depicted. When the war ends relationships are re-established and shattered families are reunited. Although the book is filled with tragedy, war, dislocation, and death, I never viewed it as a tragedy. It was an eventful look at the vagaries of life as experienced by this family. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Schuyler T Wallace Author of TIN LIZARD TALES Review: Empires Fall - Don't be surprised to see Amitav Ghosh's epic, elegiac novel serialized on "Masterpiece Theater" next year. It has all the right elements: historical sweep, operatic drama, and deeply realized characters moving in prominent family constellations. But though the work would find a comfortable spot in Alistair Cook's revered collection, perhpaps right next to "The Flame Trees of Thikka," in the loving hands of its author it soars beyond any hint of cliche. It's a unique and memorable novel that transcends its genre to challenge not only the intellect, but the imagination as well. Beginning in Burma during the British invasion of 1885, "The Glass Palace" tells the story of many empires. The death of one gives rise to another throughout the book, always with life-altering results for the main characters and earth-shattering consequences for the world. At the outset we meet Rajkumar, an eleven year old ethnic Indian orphan caught up by sheer happenstance in the usurpation of the Burmese King Thebaw by his British "protectors". As the events unfold and sear themselves on Rajkumar's psyche, he gleans a sense of a world filled with danger for the ignorant and reward for the insightful. As the royal couple and their retinue, including Rajkumar's secret love Dolly, leave for exile in India, Rajkumar embarks on a journey filled with wild success, hidden passion, and a tragic finale made bearable only by the fact that he has survived and is not alone. It's Rajkumar's adventures that set the stage for the rest of the novel, though he fades out as a main character about half-way through the book. His progeny and those of his friends and colleagues take center stage after Rajkumar has put in place a multi-million dollar teak conglomerate and rendered his family independent. But his struggles,and those of everyone in his orbit, continue through all the wrenching and violent disturbances of the twentieth century, culminating in the devastating Japanese attack on Burma in December 1941. Empires rise up, consume, and recede over and over again in "The Glass Palace". For the most part this process spells death, displacement and heartache for those caught up in its vortex. But redemption here, as in many great works of fiction, comes through the bonds formed by people under the most hopeless of circumstances. It's then that real humanity shines through, and it's also then that "The Glass Palace" shows its true worth as a document of a tormented age. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #182,153 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #945 in Historical British & Irish Literature #7,337 in Literary Fiction (Books) #8,296 in Historical Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 4,129 Reviews | ## Images ![The Glass Palace: A Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71ob0MXOuhL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ GHOSH IS A TALENTED AND QUALIFIED WRITER FOR THIS STORY *by S***E on February 24, 2015* THE GLASS PALACE REVIEW Indian writer Amitav Ghosh is uniquely qualified to take his readers on a historical journey through the exotic lands of India, Burma (now known as Myanmar), and Malaya. Ghosh, born in Calcutta, spent his childhood in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and India and studied in Delhi, Oxford, and Alexandria. The cities of Calcutta, Mandalay, Rangoon, and Singapore that invoke flights of fancy in both literature and music play a major part in his remarkable novel, “The Glass Palace.” Ghosh is caught up in the politics and nationalism of India and its surrounding countries and it shows in his writing. He asserts that colonialism has had ruinous effects on underpopulated countries by removing natural resources. In Burma’s case it is the oil, timber, and ivory. In “Palace” he is particularly harsh on the presence of Great Britain. This disturbs some critics, although Ghosh is factual in his reporting and his complaints are well documented. Nevertheless, Ghosh writes with a beautiful and descriptive style that is captivating. His scenic sketches are mesmerizing. His characterizations are immaculate; there’s not a single character in “Palace” that doesn’t strike the right chord with the reader. The book is a lengthy read but I never lost interest in his story. The basic storyline involves a young Burmese orphan, Rajkumar, who, at eleven, possesses the acumen and drive to rise to be a wealthy rubber tree plantation owner, highly respected by both family and community. Some one hundred years of familial relationships and national turmoil are reported covering a vast geographical area. Wars are fought. There are complicated alliances across cultures and countries. Rebellions develop and are crushed. Personal relationships ebb and flow. Fortunes are earned and then slip away in the clutches of war and colonialism. Through it all, the reader is treated to thoughtful and accurate writing with historical detail being carefully drawn. The splendor of the Burmese kingdom is destroyed by the unceremonial removal of the royal family, an astute move by the British to both humiliate and remove the King from public memory. Burma’s valuable natural resources were then easily plundered and the gentle life became chaotic. The invasion by Japan causes further disruption and war scenes containing both benevolence and cruelty are vividly depicted. When the war ends relationships are re-established and shattered families are reunited. Although the book is filled with tragedy, war, dislocation, and death, I never viewed it as a tragedy. It was an eventful look at the vagaries of life as experienced by this family. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Schuyler T Wallace Author of TIN LIZARD TALES ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Empires Fall *by J***R on January 27, 2004* Don't be surprised to see Amitav Ghosh's epic, elegiac novel serialized on "Masterpiece Theater" next year. It has all the right elements: historical sweep, operatic drama, and deeply realized characters moving in prominent family constellations. But though the work would find a comfortable spot in Alistair Cook's revered collection, perhpaps right next to "The Flame Trees of Thikka," in the loving hands of its author it soars beyond any hint of cliche. It's a unique and memorable novel that transcends its genre to challenge not only the intellect, but the imagination as well. Beginning in Burma during the British invasion of 1885, "The Glass Palace" tells the story of many empires. The death of one gives rise to another throughout the book, always with life-altering results for the main characters and earth-shattering consequences for the world. At the outset we meet Rajkumar, an eleven year old ethnic Indian orphan caught up by sheer happenstance in the usurpation of the Burmese King Thebaw by his British "protectors". As the events unfold and sear themselves on Rajkumar's psyche, he gleans a sense of a world filled with danger for the ignorant and reward for the insightful. As the royal couple and their retinue, including Rajkumar's secret love Dolly, leave for exile in India, Rajkumar embarks on a journey filled with wild success, hidden passion, and a tragic finale made bearable only by the fact that he has survived and is not alone. It's Rajkumar's adventures that set the stage for the rest of the novel, though he fades out as a main character about half-way through the book. His progeny and those of his friends and colleagues take center stage after Rajkumar has put in place a multi-million dollar teak conglomerate and rendered his family independent. But his struggles,and those of everyone in his orbit, continue through all the wrenching and violent disturbances of the twentieth century, culminating in the devastating Japanese attack on Burma in December 1941. Empires rise up, consume, and recede over and over again in "The Glass Palace". For the most part this process spells death, displacement and heartache for those caught up in its vortex. But redemption here, as in many great works of fiction, comes through the bonds formed by people under the most hopeless of circumstances. It's then that real humanity shines through, and it's also then that "The Glass Palace" shows its true worth as a document of a tormented age. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ As haunting as its setting *by J***L on September 10, 2009* What exactly can one say about "The Glass Palace?" Amitav Ghosh, with his lyrical prose, intricate characters, and extraordinary gift for research, never ceases to amaze. How many other writers could offer a work of such sweep -- following an extended family's triumphs and travails through 115 years of Burmese history - enwrapping the reader in each moment and personality so completely that you find yourself holding your breath? If you consider yourself reasonably well educated and have only thought about Burma in so much as is ruled by a murderous junta with an endless appetite for superstition and poor taste in names for their country, Ghosh has a lot to tell you. As with all of his novels, this is no small part of the pleasure that comes with reading "The Glass Palace," receiving a fascinating education folded so delicately into a great story that you often fail to realize how much you are learning. Who knew that Burma was considered the most valuable province in the British Empire for much of the 20th century, worth more than all of India? I didn't. Likewise, I was as ever mesmerized by Ghosh's treatment of the complex social dynamics of colonial India. Yet more than an education, this novel shines for its perfectly constructed characters and their wonderful, complex relationships. The love stories which thread through the story come as touching, warm, and as often as not, heart rending. At times I found myself almost weeping for their failures, even as I cheered their successes. At times, one feels an almost Tolstoy like intricacy in these characters' relationships. For those unfamiliar with Ghosh, "The Glass Palace" is a great place to begin a journey with one of the world's great living novelists. Once you take this one step with him, you really won't want to stop, and will run to read another of his novels. Yes, he's that good. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.pe/products/14466155-the-glass-palace-a-novel](https://www.desertcart.pe/products/14466155-the-glass-palace-a-novel) --- *Product available on Desertcart Peru* *Store origin: PE* *Last updated: 2026-06-08*