marilynsaul's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this much better the second time around. It had so many spiritual moments that I'm amazed I only gave it three stars back in 2013. It was really quite a gripping adventure!
marilynsaul's review
5.0
Another great read by Gilman. She is great at character development, and it shows as she gathers seven disparate people together in a pagoda, being held prisoners by the Red faction of the revolutionaries in Burma. But, better still is the thread of Buddhist philosophy that keeps Gen from despairing, and the "presence" of U Ba Sein, the puppetmaster.
quietjenn's review
4.0
It's a very different sort of Gilman tale, but one in which it's easy to see the threads of her other work. Very affecting. I loved that, rather than being a sort of rip-roaring adventure story, it was more a tale of a group of people who come together and make connections under incredibly trying circumstances.
clairebearrich's review
3.0
Started off a little slow, but it picked up. Not one of my favorite Gillman books though.
mcj911's review
3.0
Dorothy Gilman has managed to pack an incredible story into a 120 page novel. A rag tag group of European travelers is thrown together under unbelievable circumstances, yet somehow by the end of their journey they've become a family. Don't deny yourself their adventure. Dorothy Gilman is magic!
kailey_luminouslibro's review
3.0
This is a surprising spy story! The combination of adventure, character development, plot twists, philosophical reflections, supernatural experiences, and unexpected connections gives a unique voice to this author's writing! Love it!
kklompien's review
4.0
I so love Dorothy Gilman, what a gift her writing is to me and so many others. This is not a Mrs. Polifax book, but takes a similar tone of discovery and appreciation of non-Western cultures--this time, Burma.
luann's review
4.0
I highly recommend this to all Dorothy Gilman fans - who, of course, should read everything she's ever written. This isn't her typical mystery or spy thriller - if that's how you think of the Mrs. Pollifax books. This does have the exotic setting and an unlikely hero with great survival skills. It also has a touch of mysticism and a great supporting cast of interesting characters.