Book excerpt: First published in 1919, Star of India tells the story of a young woman yearning for a more exciting life. Feeling trapped by her uptight relatives and their rigid way of life, she marries an officer in the Indian Civil Service in order to escape the doldrums of daily life. Though she is indifferent to romance - and disenchanted with her husband - the allure of adventure in a foreign land, and the appearance of a dashing young Junior officer, force her to think deep about what she wants from her life.