This new debut novel tells two stories
and it is not until you are half way through the book that you
understand how they are related. The first story follows an eccentric
group of missionaries to one of the remotest regions on the earth in
1923. Kashgar is a city north of Tibet and south of the USSR in
China. The party is led by zealous Millicent assisted by beautiful
Lizzie who is under her spell and Lizzie's sister, Eva. Eva doesn't
really believe in evangelism but comes for the experience of travel.
This ill matched triplet cause chaos and confusion in Kashgar and
their woes increase as there is an uprising. Eva's story dominates
this part of the narrative as she completes her project – the
cyclists guide. The author brings to life the colonial attitudes and
reality of life in remote places for British women in the 1920s.
Alongside this is a story set in
present day London based on Frieda, who dissatisfied with her life,
sets off on a new journey of discovery with a Yemeni refugee that she
finds on her doorstep. Together they discover the tale of Kashgar and
how I relates to her confused life.
It is a moving adventure story as well
as a profound examination of the way that well meaning families can
fail their children.
It was on the whole well written, but I
have three criticisms of it. The title is misleading as there is
little about cycling in it. I found it difficult to engage with the
characters in the book as they all were to some extent weird! And
third, there were so many story lines that sometimes it got a bit
confusing.
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