What do readers think of A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson? Write your own review.

Can't believe this book is already recommended in the latest issue of O magazine, but it is that good. It's truly two books in one and both are so impressive, you find yourself wanting more of the one you're reading when it flips to the other. Three women on their own in the '20s in the middle east? Hard to fathom but the author makes it less farfetched than you'd think. At the end, both stories are pulled together and you're left with (as Oprah says) an AHA! moment.

'A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar' is a compelling novel that weaves two stories that take place in separate times and places, but come together in a surprising and expertly conceived twist. The ‘local color’ is exceptional and the character development is realistic. This will be a great book for book groups – with the issues of parenting, the work of missionaries, war-torn countries, justice, and even self-mutilation in the name of mystical awareness. This is an extremely enjoyable read.

When three missionary ladies traveling saw a young girl in the middle of the road having a baby, they stopped and helped her. There were other travelers who stood and watched but did not help. The mother died and the missionary ladies were accused of killing the mother. The author describes every scene so vividly that I felt I was there. With the descriptions of the food, such as nutneg and cottage cheese sandwiches, I was glad I wasn't. The book gives wonderful description what life was like in1923 in Kashgar.

This book is two stories in one with some chapters taking place in the early 1920s and the other chapters set in present day. The first part of the book, I'm sorry to say, bored me, but I felt obligated to read on. About half way through the book, the present day story started to show signs of becoming interesting. At that point, I continued to read only the chapters that took place in present day and that part of the book turned out to be a decent story. I have no desire to go back and read the unread chapters.
I was somewhat irritated to read the back cover of the book where it equated this book to Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, two of my favorite books; in my opinion, this book was not in the same league.

There are quite fine passages mixed in with others that did not measure up. She shows sensitive insights to those from vastly different cultures. With maturity there is almost a certainty she will become a fine, creative writer. The negatives will not prevent reading every page.

Suzanne Joinson's novel is engaging, weaving an adroitly balanced story set in the time frames of 1923 and today. The book grabbed me at the first page and kept my interest throughout. The pacing between the two time periods was exceptionally well done. The characters and locations, as well as the tensions between the Moslem and Christian worlds, came to life on the page. My only let-down was that the book ended. Ms. Joinson left me wanting to read her next book.

This book was very interesting moving back and forth as it does between present day London and 1923 Turkistan. There is a little mystery, a little romance, some intrigue and danger. The author did a great job of describing the 1923 desert landscape and made me feel like I was there. I had a little problem with a couple of the important, but not major, characters in that I wanted to know more about them and what motivated them. The main characters were very well drawn however. I think this might be a good book for a book club because there is a lot of meat to the story with a lot to talk about.

The action starts in the first few pages of this debut novel with the birth of a baby in the desert. Eva continues her story of living at a mission in a remote village in China in 1923 through her journal of notes intended for publication as a travel book. The hardships and intrigues of this adventure pull the reader in immediately.
   The alternating third-person account of Frieda, a businesswoman in present-day London who is left a mysterious inheritance, is a little slower to get into, but about halfway through the book I could not put it down and was eager to find out what happens to both of these women.