A Passage to India Book download in PDF, ePub & Mobi

A Passage to India is a historical fiction novel written by E.M. Forster and originally published in 1924.

The novel takes place in the city of Chandrapore (India), where a civil servant is visited by his mother, Mrs. Moore, and his future wife, Miss Quested. They are determined to escape the prejudices of the Anglo-Indian community and decide to explore the real India.

However, they have different visions for each other. While Mrs. Moore is genuinely interested in the culture and the local inhabitants, Miss Quested is only interested in the exoticism of the place compared to her native England without caring about the local inhabitants.

They are guided through the country by charming young Indian doctor Dr. Aziz when, in the Marabar caves, the young doctor is accused of verbal assault in a misunderstanding with Miss Quested before which all the English join in accusing him without proof....

The book is an uncomfortable read as it is one of the most incisive critiques of colonialism and imperialism of the late 19th century, prior to the Great War, especially focusing on England's treatment of its Indian colony in the reign of Victoria I.

"Except for the Marabar Caves—and they are twenty miles off—the city of Chandrapore presents nothing extraordinary. Edged rather than washed by the river Ganges, it trails for a couple of miles along the bank, scarcely distinguishable from the rubbish it deposits so freely."