Moonglotexas“Nora Shipley’s ears buzzed as though a thousand bees were trapped inside her head.”
Opening line of “Mosaic of Wings” by Kimberly Duffy
This is my first experience of Kimberly Duffy and wow, “Mosaic of Wings” is beautifully written and I look forward to reading more books from this author. Nora is a fascinating character, her combination of heart and scientific thinking make her a delight! Owen is all openness and kindness and is a perfect balance to Nora. The two entomologists set off on a wild adventure through India learning more about life and love than insects!
Fighting against prejudice, Nora graduates with her degree and sets her sights on a masters. An expedition to India is the ideal opportunity to convince the university to provide her with a much needed scholarship as well as get her out of an unhappy home.
Owen, too, wants the scholarship and so joins the trip to India escaping a family who don’t believe in his work. His belief in Nora’s capabilities allow her to stay in India and work. Soon, he findsdefending and supporting Nora is a full time commitment as she fights for the rights of the less privileged and runs into trouble with authority on a regular basis. Many of the anecdotes are humourous and the dialogue amusing! The descriptions of India are gorgeous, reading this one is an escape to a far away land! Whilst I can’t stand stabbing insects, the bugs play a crucial role in illustrating elements of the story in visually interesting ways!
Once begun, I couldn’t out this one down, I had to know how it would all work out and, is often the case in life, the resolution God provides isn’t the predicted one but is better! Kimberly pulls all the threads together in such a way as gives satisfaction and hope. It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended.
From the back cover
It’s 1885, and all Nora Shipley wants, now that she’s graduating from Cornell University as valedictorian of the entomology program, is to follow in her late father’s footsteps by getting her master’s degree and taking over the scientific journal he started. The only way to uphold her father’s legacy is to win a scholarship, so she joins a research expedition in Kodaikanal, India, to prove herself in the field.
India isn’t what she expects, though, and neither is the rival classmate who accompanies her, Owen Epps. As her preconceptions of India–and of Owen–fall away, she finds both far more captivating than she expected. Forced by the expedition leader to stay at camp and illustrate exotic butterflies the men of the team find without her, Nora befriends Sita, a young Indian girl who has been dedicated to a 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.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
