Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Mar 2007
352 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Information
Mariana Givens aches to return to the rose-scented city of Lahore, home of Hassan Ali Khan, the Muslim stranger she has come to love, his mystical family, and his prescient little son. But her own reckless behavior has sent her into exile at the British cantonment near Kabul, on the eve of the First Afghan War. There, she embarks on a dangerous double life, pretending to be a proper young Victorian lady while secretly traveling Kabul’s violent, fascinating streets to visit the Sufi seer who possesses the answers she needs.
But the mystic’s help comes with a price, and her family wants her to marry a British officer. As Afghanistan descends into violence and her hopes of rescue fade, Mariana must make a fateful decision: can she abandon her old life and allow herself to be drawn toward her destiny—whatever it may be?
"The detail she offers (including mystic writings from a variety of traditions) is nicely wedded to the plot, which moves with brisk and engaging efficiency." - PW.
"This is a perfect ending to an excellent trilogy." - Booklist.
"Despite the historical context, the clash between Christianity and Islam seems contemporary and relevant given current world events." - Library Journal.
"Painstaking reconstruction of a period with great contemporary relevance, marred by one-note characters and the use of heavy-handed shtick such as dreams to advance the plot." - Kirkus.
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This paperback original is the final installment of Thalassa's Paradise Trilogy, following A Singular Hostage and A Beggar at the Gate.
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