I recently listened to the third of Kimberly Duffy‘s books set in India. I loved the exotic feel of Every Word Unsaid and the appreciation that main character Augusta Travers had of the uniqueness of India. This is an historical novel that features a woman’s place both in American and Indian society. If you like traveling to foreign lands, even from an armchair, then I highly recommend trying this book out.
Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family’s constant disappointment. As the nation’s most fearless–and reviled–columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal, an opportunity to leave America offers the perfect escape.
Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and escapades that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel’s sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing. But slowing down means facing all the hurts of her past that she’s long been trying to outrun. And that may be an undertaking too great even for her.
Kimberly Duffy is a Long Island native currently living in Southwest Ohio. When she’s not homeschooling her four kids, she writes historical fiction that takes readers back in time and across oceans. Her books feature ahead-of-their-time heroines, evocative settings, and real-life faith. Kimberly loves trips that require a passport, recipe books, and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of 20 years. He doesn’t mind.
You can find Kimberly at:
http://www.kimberlyduffy.com
My Impressions:
Kimberly Duffy has ignited my imagination in her books. Every Word Unsaid is just the latest to bring another place and time to life for me. Augusta Travers, or Gussie, is a main character to love. Her need to find a place in the world, to do something important, is at odds with her family and societal expectations. But as she runs to India to photograph and document its wonders for her magazine’s readers, Gussie grows in her understanding of the world and herself. India was not all she expected, and neither is her renewed relationship with her childhood friends. Every Word Unsaid seems like a coming of age story for Augusta as she discovers the beautiful, the tragic, and the horrific world of early 1900s India. Readers will discover the tenuous place women had in society, the domination of colonial rule in everyday life, and the necessity to see people as they are — unique and valued. There’s adventure, suspense, and romance all wrapped up in a beautifully written story. (I am in awe of Duffy’s facility for creating a wonderfully crafted narrative.) You’ll fall in love with all of the characters, not just Gussie. The audiobook was excellently narrated, and I was immediately swept up in the story.
For those seeking an immersive reading experience, I highly recommend Every Word Unsaid.
Highly Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
I read a Mosaic of Wings, but never got back to reading her next book. This sounds wonderful!