Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni | 20 Questions: THE LAST QUEEN
Author Guest / May 17, 2022

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE LAST QUEEN 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? This is a novel about the adventures of an amazingly valiant woman largely forgotten by history, Rani Jind Kaur, a queen in India who battled the British with ingenuity and courage. They thought they had defeated her, but they were wrong! It is a book about resistance and resilience under challenging circumstances. I was greatly inspired by Jindan’s never-give-up attitude and believe that readers will feel the same way. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? History decided that for me! Jindan lived in Punjab, in the magnificent city of Lahore, for much of her life. She was imprisoned in the horrific and heavily guarded Fortress of Chunar. She escaped and lived as a refugee in the mountains of Nepal. She spent her last days, still resisting the British, in their own stronghold: London. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely! Apart from being a great fighter, Jindan was a wonderful and dedicated mother. Her husband, Maharajah Ranjit Singh, died when her son less than a year old. She dedicated her life…