second best

by stellachiara on December 6, 2007

An intriguing novel about a group of Anglo-Irish nuns who try to establish a convent in the Himalayas in the 1930's. The question which the author invites the reader to answer is whether their misadventures are caused by the mysterious dark past of the location, or reflect only the bumpy roads and wrong turns of their own spiritual journeys. The characters and plot are less well developed than Godden's In This House of Brede, also set in a convent, but this is still an enjoyable read.