The Jewel in the Crown

Raj Quartet

By: Paul Scott

Narrated by: Sam Dastor

Length: 21 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

In the India of 1942, two rapes take place simultaneously - that of an English girl in Mayapore, and that of India by the British. In each, physical violence, racial animosity, the coercion of the weak by the strong all play their part, but playing a part too are love, affection, loyalty, and recognition that the last division of all to be overcome is the colour of the skin. The whole spectrum of Anglo-Indian relations is vividly evoked in a brilliant assessment of emotions, personal clashes and historical reasons that eventually prised India - the jewel in the Imperial Crown - from its setting.

©1966 N.E. Avery Scott (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"It takes a masterful reader to captivate listeners for 21 hours. Sam Dastor, winner of numerous Earphones awards, does it again. His elegant interpretation makes Scott's prose seem even more eloquent than it is. Even more impressive is his brilliant dramatization of individual characters... Sam Dastor should get a jewel for his crown!" ( AudioFile)

Still such a relevant book

I read the Raj Quartet about 40 years ago and loved it then. I’m sure it helped me formulate some of my understanding of history and my attitudes towards social structure. The looted jewels are still in the crown (yes, I know the jewel here is a metaphor). The book, so beautifully written, is still so relevant, especially given the upcoming coronation of Charles III and the overwhelming mourning of the loss of QEII, who also wore those jewels. (In case it is not obvious, I am an anti-monarchist). This book depicts the evils of colonization and the rampant racism that goes with it, and yet does not whitewash the inherent problems in Indian society (such as caste). Paul Scott, through Daphne, articulates for us what so many would not see or understand. The narration is superb and it is a shame that Audible did not do the other volumes in the Raj Quartet.

Great Audio Book!

This is an engrossing story and the narrator gives a fantasic performance, with a different voice for each character. I wish he did the rest of the series but this seems to be the only volume available with him. Well worth listening to.

All-time Fave Story Novel TV Series & Audio Book

This has long been a favorite and haunting story and this narration is perfect. Will look for more Sam Dastor work in the future.

On my top ten list

I listen to many audiobooks and this one is fabulous. The reading is amazing, and the story is truly epic and has many resonances today.

An achievement by any standard

Broad and deep with great vision,empathy,and intellect. A cut far above comparable novels in every sense. Skillfully read.

A great story well told

Scott tells of a monumental clash of civilizations through a tight cast of people trying to live good lives. I'm sorry I kept this on my bookshelf for 40 years before reading it. Thanks Audible, I will soon be Staying On for the rest of the Raj Quartet.

Terrific narrator and great novel

If you have ever wanted to read the Raj Quartet, The Jewel in the Crown narrated by Sam Dastor couldn't be better. His rendition of the characters' voices as well as their accents is so good that much of the time I forgot that this was the same narrator doing all the different voices. Now that I have listened to the first book in the Quartet, I plan to read the other three. My preference would have been to listen to the rest of the quartet as audiobooks, but unfortunately the samples of Richard Brown reading have convinced me that I would not like his narration at all. Oh, to have the rest of the Quartet read by Sam Dastor! Audible, are you listening?

My favorite books

What did you love best about The Jewel in the Crown?

This novel and the ones that follow are about as nearly perfect as books could be for me. The story is compelling, the characters are unforgettable, the history is fascinating. I have read all these books before (The Raj Quartet) and have watched the PBS series probably twenty-five times and I have never tired of them.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters in this novel are simply unforgettable: Daphne Manners, Hari Kumar, Ronald Merrick, and so many more.

Any additional comments?

I listened to an earlier sound recording of this series, and this one is far superior. The reader is awesome at becoming different characters in a completely believable fashion.

So worthwhile reading, in myriad ways

Masterfully presented intimate portrait of India in the waning days of its British occupation...superbly detailed characters without exception, brilliant manner of story telling...and so much more. I have read these books over and over since the 80s. Beautifully narrated. This should be required reading. For anyone.

So rich, so sad, so exciting, so exasperating, so intriguing, so worth while reading.

Excellent narration!

Sam Dastor is excellent as the narrator. Unfortunately, he only narrates The Jewel in the Crown. The other three books have Richard Brown and he is beyond bad. He ruins it.