Star of India

by Alice Perrin

"Star of India" by Alice Perrin is a novel written in the early 20th century. The narrative centers around Stella Carrington, a spirited girl chafing against the confines of her stifling home environment and yearning for adventure and a life beyond the small village she inhabits. Struggling with her identity amidst familial expectations and societal norms, Stella grapples with her desires and aspirations while witnessing friends embark on their own paths, especially as she becomes infatuated with the grandeur of India. The opening of the book introduces the reader to Stella during a church service, where she reflects on the tedium of her life with her strict grandmother and aunts while noticing her former playmate Maud Verrall, who is transformed into an alluring young lady. Stella's frustrations boil over during lunch, revealing her longing for excitement and change. This discontent leads her to explore her family's storied past in India, instilling in her a desire for the adventure her relatives once experienced. As the narrative unfolds, we find Stella’s life facing a pivotal change with the arrival of Colonel Crayfield, her father's old friend, leading to the development of a plan that promises to take her away from The Chestnuts and into the rarefied adventures of India—an escape from her monotonous existence into a future filled with hope and uncertainty.