What do readers think of The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jefferies? Write your own review.

Set in the early 1900s, this book provides a bit of everything needed for a "summer read." There are complex relationships between men and women, lush settings, mysteries and an interesting historical backdrop. The main character - Gwen - is brought to a tea plantation in colonial Ceylon by her older husband. Young and newly married, this English woman must learn how to manage her husband and her native house staff as well as how to navigate the "local society." Compassionate and naïve, she makes mistakes that result in unforeseen consequences. Everyone seems to be keeping secrets that are revealed as the story evolves. The writing keeps the story moving and provides vivid descriptions of the country and the people. The mysteries and "twists" keep it interesting. Would be interesting book group selection.

The setting is early 20th Century Ceylon, now Sri Lanka and represents the waning days of the British Empire before transition of colonies to independent states; nevertheless, change is in the air. Our characters, wealthy English tea plantation owners encounter changing expectations by their line workers.

Nineteen-years-old and newly wedded, Gwen is just arriving in Colombo, Ceylon, to join her husband Laurence. Their story and that of associated characters is told in a straightforward manner with references to past events—a first wife and young child who both died at an early age—which provide the unknown elements that impact Gwen's life and trigger the reader's curiosity and anticipations.

Jeffries writes in a straightforward, clearly understandable manner. Similarly, her characters are straightforward (except for their secrets) though not especially complex. Descriptions paint the picture, though are not particularly lyrical.

The author's great strength is her ability to ensure ongoing interest through the ever-increasing pace of the tale. This book is a page-turner and even if you are able to solve the conundrum early on, clever red herrings and roadblocks will keep you second-guessing yourself to the last page. The Tea Planter's Wife is a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable read.

It was an okay book, predictable. The descriptions of the area were well done, however, I could not warm up to any of the characters. I wouldn't recommend it to a Book Club.

Life on a Ceylon colonial plantation is vividly portrayed in Dinah Jefferies's historical novel about a young girl's marriage to a widowed tea planter. The Prologue cleverly draws the reader in with an intriguing story of a mother and child living in Ceylon thirteen years before Laurence and Gwen's marriage. I was anxious to read further to discover what happens to this mother and baby and how they impact the story. This is the first of many twists and turns the storyline takes, telling a tale of secrets, miscommunication, and heartache. At times I found it hard to relate to some of Gwen's choices but felt that the author did an excellent job of putting these actions in historical context. Laurence's character was very flat. A fuller development of his character would have provided some rationale for some puzzling behaviors. It was interesting to learn about the political and societal attitudes of the time and how they influenced individual characters. While at times the storyline stretched ones imagination that so many tragic events could collide, it did keep my attention. I recommend this book for those interested in reading books about marriage in a historical context.

If you are a fan of Jane Austen's stories or romance novels, read no further. You KNOW you will love it!

The story takes place in colonial Ceylon from 1912 through 1934 - nearly the same timeline as Downton Abbey - as a young bride from England comes to her new husband's tea plantation on the island. There is love, romance, sex, jealousy, secrets, and treachery. The author has described the local atmosphere well.

A very young bride arrives in Ceylon to join her new husband and take up residence on his tea plantation. His first marriage had ended in tragedy, and now we are faced with the uncovering off many secrets and mysteries. I wanted to like this book more than I did. Unfortunately, the mysteries weren't too mysterious. I had them figured out early on. I would have hoped that the author would have elaborated on the political situation a little more. It certainly would have added some interest to an extremely mundane narrative. The only reason I gave it a 3 instead of a 1 or 2 was that it did hold sufficient interest to finish.

For summer reading, it was OK. As an International Best Seller, I was disappointed. The plot was thin and had no mystery. Dinah Jefferies's characters also seemed to lack depth and feelings. Perhaps that is just the cool English stereotype reserve and I did not get it. I expected to learn more about tea cultivation and the country of Ceylon (today's Sri Lanka).

I wanted very much to like this book. The premise was intriguing: a story about tea planting and picking in Ceylon in the early years of the twentieth century. As I read this historical novel, I really enjoyed the historical parts -- the caste system, the growing unrest among the poorer classes, the vast differences between the lives of masters and servants, the rampant brutality. As for the fiction part, I enjoyed that much less. The writing was overwrought, many of the characters stereotypical, and so many of the words and phrases repetitious. There were too many "tears filled his/her eyes" and "he/she pulled a face." Perhaps more stringent editing would have made this a better book.