Reviews

This novel, which can be read on different levels, tells the adventures of three adults and a child finding themselves in Mingoria, an Asian country on the verge of civil war. There they become involved with a local resident of the country, on whom they have to rely for safe passage. Duncan Hardwick is a historian from Oxford, recently widowed and suffering from an unrequited love; he is travelling to Mingoria with an ancient guide-book and a desire for escape. Martin is a music teacher whose partner has left him, taking his beloved child, four year-old Sam. Martin kidnaps Sam and looks for a safe place for the two of them to 'be' together; hes thought no further. They find themselves totally reliant on a character called Van. Who is the enigmatic Van? And who indeed are they? Alternatively, the book can be viewed as a psychological novel, in which the divorcee, April, a corporate lawyer in her 20s, having suffered years of abuse from her father, has been working in Bangkok. She is a woman who has learnt to live without emotion until she meets the young Mingorian activist, Mo. Hoyland delves into her characters minds, their strengths and weaknesses. Can they ever find their true selves, and then, if they survive, live with the personae theyve built around themselves? Eloquently written, Hoylands prose is reminiscent of James Hiltons Lost Horizons, together with the innocence of Steinbeck, and yet it is a highly original novel. Kate Hoyland, now a journalist and counselor, was a producer for the BBC World Service, where she specialised in Asian affairs. This is apparent in the picture she paints of the people, their culture and the mesmerizing ambience. A hallucinogenic masterpiece. Norma Penfold It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council. Gellir defnyddio'r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. -- Welsh Books Council