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London, July 1826: Lady Sophia Raffles is left widowed and in debt after the sudden death of her husband, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, later remembered as the ‘founder of Singapore’. Determined to restore his name after he is cleared of the East India Company’s charges, Sophia takes on the formidable challenge of compiling an account of his life. Her Memoir of the Life and Public Service of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles is published to critical acclaim in 1830.
Accomplished at enormous personal and financial cost, at a time when women did not write memoirs, it is a remarkable feat. It becomes the single most important source for all later accounts of her husband, saving him from obscurity and shaping his legacy. But Sophia must also confront shadowy truths behind the glory she feels bound to uphold, and face doubts about the marriage she thought she knew. Set against vivid impressions of Sumatra, Java, Penang and Singapore, her journey spans the transformation from grief-stricken widow to powerful arbiter of history.
About the author
Jennifer Lindsay is an award-winning translator, essayist, columnist and academic who has spent three decades in Indonesia. This is her first novel.
Praise
‘Woven around the indomitable character of one remarkable woman, this novel lives at many levels. Sophia Raffles’ tenacity in securing her husband’s legacy is an exceptional tale brilliantly told.’ Peter Carey, Fellow Emeritus, Trinity College, Oxford
‘An evocative portrayal of how Sophia Raffles’ grief and determination shaped British colonial history.’ Annabel Gallop, author of Early Views of Indonesia
‘It is not Raffles’ but Sophia’s story, as she confronts the past, tears down the mansplaining by the Company men, and deals with concerned male members of the Raffles clan.’ Chor Lee Lin, former director, National Museum of Singapore
‘A deeply moving novel that brings history to life.’ Jack C Richards, author and honorary professor, University of Sydney
Paperback 9781915310729
Ebook 9781915310736
Extent 288pp
Category Historical Fiction
