Smoke and Ashes vs The Pool in the Desert: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: India, British, History, Fiction

Smoke and Ashes

Smoke and Ashes Abir Mukherjee · 2018 ★★★★☆ 4.2 352 pages · ≈ 6 h 31 m · Moderate Find on Amazon

The Pool in the Desert Sara Jeannette Duncan · 1903 ★★★☆☆ 3.4 204 pages · ≈ 3 h 47 m · Demanding Find on Amazon

The verdict

Readers rate Smoke and Ashes higher: 4.2 vs 3.4 from 43 votes.
The Pool in the Desert is the quicker read — about 3 hours vs 6 for Smoke and Ashes.
Smoke and Ashes is the easier read (Moderate), The Pool in the Desert more demanding (Demanding).