A Mosaic of Wings

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RANDOM RETRO READ

DUFFY, KIMBERLY

A MOSAIC OF WINGS

Nora Shipley has one goal -- to carry on the legacy of her late father by taking over the scientific journal he started. To that end, she's fought to be taken seriously among her male classmates and graduate as valedictorian of Cornell's  entomology program. When pressures to settle down rise to a fever pitch, she impulsively joins a research expedition in Kodaikanal, India, to prove herself in the field and win a scholarship.

But India holds several surprises -- she is impressed not only by the beauty of its natural wonders, but also by the gentle nature she discovers in the rival classmate who accompanied her, Owen Epps. Instead of exploring, however, she is forced by the expedition leader to stay at camp and illustrate exotic butterflies the men of the team find without her. During the many quiet days, Nora befriends Sita, a young Indian girl who has been dedicated to the goddess against her will.

In this spellbinding new land, Nora is soon faced with impossible choices -- between saving Sita and saving her career, and between what she's always thought she wanted and the man she's come to love.

My Review:

Published in 2020

I discovered a second copy during my major shelf re-shuffle, so here she is, ready to go adventuring in the great wide world. Good luck!

---

Laura Frantz-esque in a different time period with a wider world view.

What a stunning debut novel! Duffy's rich, decadent prose creates such a thrilling ambiance. Seriously, she nearly had me swooning over bugs! I did not think I could connect with an etymologist heroine but I was wrong. Nora is a fascinating woman of her time. She's passionate about her future involving more than a suitable husband and nursery full of babies. She's brilliant and competitive and prone to rash actions, thinking things through only once she's in the middle of the aftermath which makes things interesting -- and frustrating -- for all involved, including the reader!

At the beginning of the novel we meet an opinionated, strong-willed Nora. Sometimes, she gives the impression of being stuck-up and aloof in her drive to pursue her education in a male dominated environment. While I found some of that off-putting, I could see where the attitude was coming from. Duffy shows the sharp contrasts in the expectations (or lack of) in 19th century women compared to their male counterparts.

And then there's Owen (did my heart just skip a beat?) Stalwart hero material. So patient and protective and encouraging. Content to embrace the multi-faceted Nora, prickles and all. A couple of reviewers mentioned an Anne and Gilbert vibe to their romance (Anne of Green Gables) which I found funny because that's exactly what came to my mind too. Great minds think a like and all that.

A Mosaic of Wings is a coming of age story that spans continents.It's a journey of self-discovery, shifting thought processes and the hope of new love. Nora's transformation is both exhilarating and terrifying. And she doesn't always get it right but, like us all, she's a work in progress.

"There is a peace here I have never felt before. It feels like a sanctuary hidden deep in the country of a thousand idols. A place where God's fingerprints point to His plan." (p 121)

A breath-taking, complex read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  A Mosaic of Wings, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 27 2022 . Offer open to 

A Tapestry of LIght

 

GIVEAWAY

DUFFY, KIMBERLY

A TAPESTRY OF LIGHT

In 1886 Calcutta, Ottilie Russell is adrift between two cultures, British and Indian, belonging to both and neither. In order to support her little brother, Thaddeus, and her grandmother, she relies upon the skills in beetle-wing embroidery that have been passed down to her through generations of Indian women.

When a stranger named Everett Scott appears with the news that Thaddeus is now Baron Sunderson and must travel to England to take his place as a nobleman, Ottilie is shattered by the secrets that come to light. Despite her growing friendship with Everett, friend to Ottlie's English grandmother and aunt, she refuses to give up her brother. Then tragedy strikes and she is forced to make a decision that will take Thaddeus far from death and herself far from home. 

But betrayal and loss lurk in England too, and soon Ottilie must fight to ensure Thaddeus doesn't forget who he is, as well as find a way to stitch a place for herself in a cold, distant land.

My Review:

Well, I'm stunned gobsmacked! Teetering on a crest of bibliophile speechless euphoria that is making it hard to string words together let alone a comprehensive review. So I'm resorting to a list of random impressions in no particular order.

Exquisite prose. Evocative imagery. Duffy's words catapulted me into a different time and place, engaging all my senses. The first half of the book is set in India and I'd actually experience culture shock when I looked up from the page and found myself in ordinary ol' Canada. :-)

The respect and care the author has for India and her native people. The beauty of the language, the depth of meaning in a phrase, the exotic celebration of traditions. But she doesn't shy away from the harsher realities either. The poverty, the prejudice, the brutality and unfairness of the British colonization. Especially when it comes to the Eurasian community and Ottilie's struggle to find a place she can belong.

Ottilie might be one of my favourite heroines ever. Devoted sister and granddaughter. Fiercely protective of what's left of her little family. She struggles with understanding God's plan for her life. Well, she's begun to doubt he actually has one! She doesn't quite draw away from Him, but she's always questioning, challenging. And she can be stubborn and impetuous. But she's also innately kind and compassionate. A complex, richly layered heroine who has to draw on every last ounce of inner strength and fortitude to not only survive, but thrive despite the circumstances she finds herself in.

All the characters are finely crafted. Even smaller secondary roles make a huge impact in a variety of ways. I felt like I knew them all by the end of the read. And I love how the author swayed my opinion on some of them during the course of the story. :-)

Faith is intrinsically woven into the very fiber of this novel. So many startling beautiful truths in the midst of sorrow and despair. Joy too.

And I can't forget to mention Everett! The man who turns Ottilie's world upside down. We had a love/hate relationship, Everett and I...well, hate might be too strong a word. But one particular notion he stuck to made me want to purse-whomp  him more than once. :-) In the end, I was ably to extend him some grace since he does have his reasons...but, still.....Thankfully, he comes to his senses in time.

A lush, resplendent, decadent kind of story that is well worth the read.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a  paperback copy

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Tapestry of Light, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winners announced on Saturday May 22  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

A Mosaic of Wings

GIVEAWAY

DUFFY, KIMBERLY
A MOSAIC OF WINGS

Nora Shipley has one goal -- to carry on the legacy of her late father by taking over the scientific journal he started. To that end, she's fought to be taken seriously among her male classmates and graduate as valedictorian of Cornell's  entomology program. When pressures to settle down rise to a fever pitch, she impulsively joins a research expedition in Kodaikanal, India, to prove herself in the field and win a scholarship.

But India holds several surprises -- she is impressed not only by the beauty of its natural wonders, but also by the gentle nature she discovers in the rival classmate who accompanied her, Owen Epps. Instead of exploring, however, she is forced by the expedition leader to stay at camp and illustrate exotic butterflies the men of the team find without her. During the many quiet days, Nora befriends Sita, a young Indian girl who has been dedicated to the goddess against her will.

In this spellbinding new land, Nora is soon faced with impossible choices -- between saving Sita and saving her career, and between what she's always thought she wanted and the man she's come to love.

My Review:

Laura Frantz-esque in a different time period with a wider world view.

What a stunning debut novel! Duffy's rich, decadent prose creates such a thrilling ambiance. Seriously, she nearly had me swooning over bugs! I did not think I could connect with an etymologist heroine but I was wrong. Nora is a fascinating woman of her time. She's passionate about her future involving more than a suitable husband and nursery full of babies. She's brilliant and competitive and prone to rash actions, thinking things through only once she's in the middle of the aftermath which makes things interesting -- and frustrating -- for all involved, including the reader!

At the beginning of the novel we meet an opinionated, strong-willed Nora. Sometimes, she gives the impression of being stuck-up and aloof in her drive to pursue her education in a male dominated environment. While I found some of that off-putting, I could see where the attitude was coming from. Duffy shows the sharp contrasts in the expectations (or lack of) in 19th century women compared to their male counterparts.

And then there's Owen (did my heart just skip a beat?) Stalwart hero material. So patient and protective and encouraging. Content to embrace the multi-faceted Nora, prickles and all. A couple of reviewers mentioned an Anne and Gilbert vibe to their romance (Anne of Green Gables) which I found funny because that's exactly what came to my mind too. Great minds think a like and all that.

A Mosaic of Wings is a coming of age story that spans continents.It's a journey of self-discovery, shifting thought processes and the hope of new love. Nora's transformation is both exhilarating and terrifying. And she doesn't always get it right but, like us all, she's a work in progress.

"There is a peace here I have never felt before. It feels like a sanctuary hidden deep in the country of a thousand idols. A place where God's fingerprints point to His plan." (p 121)

A breath-taking, complex read.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  A Mosaic of Wings, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 15 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck