A Mosaic of Wings
by Kimberly Duffy
About the book
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.
My Thoughts
This debut novel from author Kimberly Duffy had me fascinated and intrigued.
All about a lady entomologist in the 1880s, which intricate details about that particular science, and lots of beautiful descriptions of the country of India, this new author has talent that is worth watching.
I am absolutely not a lover of insects, but after reading this story, I almost wished I was.
I loved reading about butterflies and their intricate little details.
The characters I found fascinating, if infuriating at times. I enjoyed reading about Nora, but her actions left me wondering about her on occasion.
She faces some extremely hard choices, and well, she may or may not make the right ones. This shows humanity as it really is.
Owen, is of course the hero. At first, I was fairly certain I disliked him. However, he was a character that also kind of grew on me. I especially liked seeing his character grow and change as a person.
I do believe, however, that my favorite parts of the book were the detailed descriptions about India. It’s obvious that the author has personally experienced the rich culture there. Her descriptive words brought the scenes to life before my eyes. The colors, the smells, the textures. I almost felt like I was there, and I now feel like I must go to actually see it.
Because this was the first book I read by this author, I had no idea what to expect. (exciting and also a bit nervewracking…lol) …it felt like anything could happen!
This is a historical fiction, but there are twists and turns in the story, and it definitely left me with some heart-stopping moments. I liked it even more than I’d dared to hope I would, and I will definitely be reading anything else Ms. Duffy writes!
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
All-of-a-kind Mom 