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New Writer

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Hardev
Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: January 2022
Currently reading: The Patient Assassin
Interest in HF: Interested in Indian History at time of the British Raj.
Currently researching the partition of India in 1947 and the resulting crisis because my father's family were caught up in that.
Favourite HF book: Night Runners of Bengal - by John Masters
Preferred HF: Indian History 19the & 20th century
Location: Derbyshire, UK

New Writer

Post by Hardev » Tue January 11th, 2022, 10:43 pm

Good evening everyone and thank you for letting me join this group.

I am 62 years old, a semi retired accountant (based in UK but of Indian origin) who has always longed to write but circumstances were never quite right. Now being semi retired, I began work on my family tree and background to give my grandkids an idea of their ancestral history. There were many gaps due to the lack of records but the research captivated me so that I turned it into a work of fiction.

My novel traces my father's family caught up in the partition of India when the British left in 1947. My father's family were caught up in the turmoil and anarchy of the time as they fled as refugees when their home fell into Pakistan.

I am at a rough draft stage but want to make it as compelling as possible. Therefore, I would greatly appreciate your feedback as enthusiasts of historical fiction to the following please:

1) What do you look for in a historical novel ?
- Do the historical events take precedence or should they just form a general backdrop to the main story
- the portrayal of the surroundings, customs, smells and sounds
- the strength of the characterisation
or does a strong plot matter the most.

2) I initially thought of writing it from a first person's point of view (through the eyes of my father) but now think third person would be better as it would enable a wider view of what was happening and how the events unfold.

I hope you will be able to assist and look forward to your views.

Thank you all in advance.

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