This is interesting historical fiction that will take the reader to Ceylon. It's a well crafted and informative read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Set in Sri Lanka in the 1800's, The elephant keeper and his wife have a 3rd daughter, which is secretly raised as a boy. During the brutal British colonization invasion, the family scatters and Phera (the daughter/son), no longer needs to pretend to be a boy. This book conveys the struggles and devastation of this invasion, of its violent nature and the hope to be free. Cultural differences are in sharp contrast in the story, and much viciousness as well as kindness comes to the surface. A girl raised as a boy finds much courage, as gender roles are examined too. An interesting and captivation historical novel! Thank you NetGalley for the e-reader for review. All opinions are my own.

Wonderful characters. Interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. I felt every emotion. Simply a GREAT read!

I don't abandon books lightly, but a third of the way through this book began the most violent description of rape and murder I have ever read. Especially in light of what's going on in our society currently, I can't make myself finish reading this. I'll rate it based on how I found the quality of writing up to that point, but I can't read any further.

Translated into English, this book was a little tough to get through in parts, but I think it was because of the subject matter rather than the translation. 

Phera is presented with many huge challenges through her shortish life. She's brought up as a boy, but it's only when she reaches puberty (and sees other boys skinny dipping) that the truth comes out; After the English come in, and perform extreme violence against the natives (including killing or kidnapping the men of the village), the village turn to her as the natural leader and she needs to decide whether to stand up for her village and sacred tree, or to give up and disappear  To complicate things she finds she's falling in love with Henry, the opium addicted brother of the army captain reigning terror on the locals as he tries to get a railway line built. 

Henry and his brother Charles are so markedly different - Henry may be a drug addict, but he does his best in his role as army doctor. Charles on the other hand is sadistic and evil (perhaps a little too evil?), showing violence and  hatred towards the locals - it was if he had been driven crazy (through the malaria, the heat or feeling "stuck" in Ceylon and looking for the best way out.

Some of the scenes are rather graphic - perhaps necessarily so - and therefore not suitable for those who are faint of heart.

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Phera is born into a time that is male dominated. She is raised as a boy so that she can become an Elephant Keeper.

An interesting idea although surely not unique. There are many books of women who disguise themselves as men to be able to have opportunities they normally wouldn't have. However the setting and occupation make this story very unique. I haven't read much about this time period, so I was very eager to learn more. An interesting read.

A review to be posted in the June 2018 issue of the Historical Novels Review magazine. It will be updated here when published.

In 18th century Ceylon, the elephant keeper has traditionally always been a male, but Phera, a girl raised as a boy, keeps her father's succession as keeper going. Bonding with royal elephant Siddhi, Phera finds the violence of the British colonists has affected her whole life, forcing her to concentrate on survival, as well as her fight for the freedom of her people.

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Set in 1800's Sri Lanka, the story follows Phera. To ensure the family line, her parents raise her to believe she is a boy until she is 12. Then the British invade and destroy their way of life so she no longer needs to be a boy.

Some of the conversational language was rather sophomoric and stilted. And I never understood why Charles was so purely evil. His hatred made no sense. Was the character made a villian just to have a really evil villian in the story? His brother Henry was completely the opposite and reminisces about their pleasant childhood. Ying and Yang? Good and bad?

There was some pretty graphic scenes of rape and torture. Appropriate for ages 15 and above.

3☆

An enjoyable novel from a time period and place I don't often read about. I liked the plot and the characters. It's definitely an interesting and entertaining read.

Phera, the third daughter of the royal elephant keeper, is raised as a male so that there is an heir. (Okay, side note: great now they have an heir! But how are they expecting the line to live past Phera?) However, when the British invade and the king is forced into exile, Phera's life is turned upside down and her family flees. Now Phera can enjoy being a female but misses the freedoms of being male! That all becomes a moot point when the British track down her family. The writing in this book is rich and descriptive, the setting is beautiful. This provides a stark contrast to the actions of the invading British. Phera makes for a strong female character and it was enjoyable to read how she overcomes her struggles and protects her family!

I have a weak spot for historical fiction, especially if they are set in an era or country I'm not all that familiar with. I was instantly intrigued when I first read about The Elephant Keeper's Daughter, with its promises of a country/culture I don't know much about as well as the era the story takes place. The 19th century history of Ceylon (now called Scri Lanka) is a fascinating background for this story and the descriptions of both the country itself and the customs and culture are lavishly and thoroughly described. It is really easy to imagine how Ceylon would have looked like from the descriptions alone! And it also shows the background for this story was very well researched and put together. Sadly, somehow I didn't manage to get a proper feel for The Elephant Keeper's Daughter though. While I love thorough descriptions, especially of places that are foreign to me, I started to wonder about the balance of those descriptions and the actual plot. It is true that the descriptions help set the right atmosphere and foreign setting/era, but they also slowed down the pace considerably. And not just the pace, because I also felt the transition from background descriptions to the more active parts was quite haltered and as a consequence the story didn't really flow. I can't put my finger on the why exactly, but I think my mixed feelings had a lot to do with the general tone and writing style as well. Both seemed distant and not natural, and the second especially stood out in the dialogues. And in general, even though they story describes some pretty barbaric events, it doesn't seem to be able to provoke true emotions due to this feeling of distance. The Elephant Keeper's Daughter has a lot of potential and the main characters have an interesting story, but sadly I wasn't able to enjoy this story better. I'm still wondering if part of my problem with the tone and writing style could have been due to the fact this novel is a translation though, and some of its original charm might have been lost.

Brief synopsis from the book cover:
Ceylon, 1803. In the royal city of Kandy, a daughter is born to the king’s elephant keeper—an esteemed position in the court reserved only for males. To ensure the line of succession, Phera’s parents raise her as a boy.
As she bonds with her elephant companion, Siddhi, Phera grows into a confident, fiercely independent woman torn between the expectations of her family and her desire to live life on her own terms. Only when British colonists invade is she allowed to live her true identity, but when the conquerors commit unspeakable violence against her people, Phera must add survival to the list of freedoms for which she’s willing to fight.
Possessed by thoughts of revenge yet drawn into an unexpected romance with a kindly British physician, the elephant keeper’s daughter faces a choice: Love or hatred, forgiveness or retribution?

Story: 4 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Review:
The story is well told and gives you an idea what live would have been like for local population in Sri Lanka during colonial times. The story is full of intrigue and it tells of the story of a young girl who is forced to grow up as a boy because of her parent’s deception to the king. It’s hard to live with the consequences her parent’s deceit but it also means having tremendous freedoms she wouldn’t have had as a girl one of which is being able to care for her loyal elephant Siddhi. When the British invade and the king is overthrown she can finally be herself. The cruel events that happen during colonial rule forge Phera and she turns into a tremendously independent strong woman. Who despite everything is still able to love.
The characters are realistic; you feel their love, pain, torment, and anguish. It felt like I was there in the jungle with Phera and her elephant. The writing was so vivid you smell the flowers, the pungent aroma of food being cooked, the moist odours of the jungle after the rains. You hear the chirping of the birds and the sounds of animals moving through the undergrowth.
Overall this is a great story set in an interesting location and time. , I would recommend it for fans of historical fiction and woman’s fiction fans of Renita D’Silva will like it.

Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a honest review

I don't know if it was the translation or the original text, but the writing didn't flow very well and put me off this immediately. DNF.

If this is how my year's going to be in terms of books that make me come undone, then, by all means, bring it on.
This book unravels a disruption that Phera's family never imagined would come upon them with the British invasion. Their heritage, their homes, their faith, dignity and life all become undone on one night when one of their own betrays their King and has him exiled to create room for the British.
In all this, Phera stood out as the youngest child to be born to the Elephant Keeper of the Palace. She's born female but has to live the first twelve years of her life as male because of a lie her family told the King. She cannot declare the truth too because according to their custom only males would be Elephant Keepers and she loves Siddhi-her elephant cow, too much to jeopardize that.
The authors invite you into Sri Lanka, into Phera's world and you see it through her eyes, feel it through her heart beat and her anguish becomes your own and her people's death and brutal treatment at the hands of the British makes you wonder just how much a person could take.
It is a tale that reminds me of an African proverb, Until the story of the hunt is told by the lion, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.
I am glad to have gotten the chance to read this book courtesy of NetGalley. My views on it are on the tale and for such a long time colonization has often bragged about introduction of civilization into colonies but with this tale, and as with many more, I beg to differ.
If you are into historical fiction, then I'd recommend you read this book. It'll break your heart, challenge your beliefs, but it's a well told story that's bound to make you want to walk through that jungle with Phera and her elephant cow.