When Marian, an earnest romantic and idealist, goes missing in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, her prim and pragmatic twin sister, Ruthie, journeys from Canada to search for her. When Ruthie uncovers Marian's passion for a Bhutanese monk and her hazardous trek over a mountain pass to Tibet, she fears the worst. And those fears only intensify when a sinister Tibetan reveals that he is also in pursuit of Marian. As the sisters struggle to reach each other, they must overcome the demands of their own hearts and spirits.
In easy, poetic prose, Elsie Sze paints an enchanting picture of Bhutan as she spins a tale of mystery, adventure, and romance, recounting the two sisters' physical and spiritual journeys to find each other and their true selves.
Elsie Sze grew up in Hong Kong and currently lives in Toronto. A former teacher and librarian, she now devotes her time to fiction writing. Sze travels often to unfamiliar places which form the settings for her stories. Countries she has visited include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Turkey, Tanzania, South Africa, most of the countries in Europe, China, Russia, India, and Egypt. Her first novel, Hui Gui: A Chinese Story, was nominated for Foreword Magazine's Fiction Book of the Year Award in 2006. Her newest book, The Heart of the Buddha, was inspired by her trips to Bhutan.
|