In 1947, an American anthropologist named Martin Mitchell wins a Fulbright Fellowship to study in India. He travels there with his wife, Evie, and his son, determined to start a new chapter in their lives. Upon the familyβs arrival, though, they are forced to stay in a small village due to violence surrounding Britainβs imminent departure from India. It is there, hidden behind a brick wall in their colonial bungalow, that Evie discovers a packet of old letters that tell a strange and compelling story of love and war involving two young Englishwomen who lived in the very same house in 1857. Drawn to their story, Evie embarks on a mission to uncover what the letters didnβt explain. Her search leads her through the bazaars and temples of India as well as the dying society of the British Raj. Along the way, a dark secret is exposed, and this new and disturbing knowledge creates a wedge between Evie and her husband. Bursting with lavish detail and vivid imagery of Bombay and beyond, The Sandalwood Tree is a powerful story about betrayal, forgiveness, fate, and love.
The Sandalwood Tree hadΒ great historical references and good love stories that endure within friendships, marriages and children. Expat couple living in India move int0 the same home that two women had lived in 100 years earlier. Each of the twosomes have engaging stories and interesting relationships with one another. This book proves the fact that a hand written letter can stand the test of time and change lives long after the letter is written. Look forward to reading more from this author.
Quotes I Liked:
Itβs not that the past doesnβt matter, itβs that the future matters more, and the present matters most of all.β
Review:Mercury by Amy Jo Burns is a story that shows the dysfunction of family in a pretty dysfunctional small town in Pennsylvania. When Marley comes to town with her single mother, she is the one that sets the crux of the book in motion. Her power over the Joseph boys is remarkable and her maturity at this young age was immense. She seemed to be omnipresent at times because she got into all of the Joseph families heads. The authorβs strength is in her multi-layered character building. I felt like a knew each character quite well. I found the discord between Elise and Marley to be incredibly well written. They were the adage of: so close and yet so far.Themes of mental illness, egotistical misogyny, sibling relationships, motherhood, and mystery were all woven through the storyline. Book clubs will get a good discussion out of this one.@burnsamyjo @celadonbooksπ: Do you have any sisters or brothers? #newbookreview #bookreview #bookstagram#bookreader #tbr #addtoTBR #bookreviewer#goodbookfairybookreview #goodbookfairy... See MoreSee Less
Miss your smile. Miss your face. Miss your calls. Miss your laughter. Miss your honesty. Miss you telling me what I needed to hear when I was too fragile to hear it. Miss you telling me the hard truths when I couldn't see straight. Miss not celebrating our birthdays together. I just plain miss you. Enjoy your lemon drop πΈ in Heaven. ... See MoreSee Less