A Mosaic of Wings - by Kimberly Duffy (Paperback)

About the Book

Determined to uphold her father's legacy, newly graduated Nora Shipley joins an entomology research expedition to India to prove herself in the field. In this spellbinding new land, Nora is faced with impossible choices--between saving a young Indian girl and saving her career, and between what she's always thought she wanted and the man she's come to love.

Book Synopsis

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.

From the Back Cover

"A Mosaic of Wings inspires and entertains. This is one novel you won't want to miss!"--Laura Frantz, Christy Award-winning author

Nora Shipley has one goal--to carry on the legacy of her late father by taking over the scientific journal he started. To that end, she's fought to be taken seriously among her male classmates and graduate as valedictorian of Cornell's entomology program. When pressures to settle down rise to a fever pitch, she impulsively joins a research expedition in Kodaikanal, India, to prove herself in the field and win a scholarship.

But India holds several surprises--she is impressed not only by the beauty of its natural wonders, but also by the gentle nature she discovers in the rival classmate who accompanied her, Owen Epps. Instead of exploring, however, she is forced by the expedition leader to stay at camp and illustrate exotic butterflies the men of the team find without her. During the many quiet days, 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.

"Duffy is an author to watch. She presents a unique look at society's expectations for women in two different cultures in the late 19th century. . . . This historical romance is recommended for readers of Tracie Peterson and Jody Hedlund."--Library Journal

"In this exceptional novel, Duffy tells a powerful story about personal transformation and legacy. From the picturesque falls of Upstate New York to stunning sites in India, Duffy shines in elegant, flowing prose and delicate precision that underscores the nineteenth-century setting. A Mosaic of Wings examines the rhythm of change, the sense of loss that accompanies a passing season, and fear and excitement of journeying into the unknown. Science, culture, and romance intersect enjoyably in Duffy's tale of academia, while the tensions of gender and social norms circa 1885 add complexity to her memorable characters." - Booklist starred review

"A nineteenth-century entomologist is caught between social expectations and desire in Kimberly Duffy's A Mosaic of Wings, a novel about wanderlust and women's empowerment. . . . India's allure is captured with appreciative details of its spices and embroidered saris. . . . A Mosaic of Wings is a religious romance that pays tribute to trailblazers and field research as a captivating, down-to-earth bluestocking dares to let her own dreams take flight."--Foreword Reviews

"The excursions through the Indian landscape and late 1800s Ithaca, New York, are well detailed and enchanting. . . . The stakes are high, and so are the emotions surrounding the choices Nora makes. The book had its hooks in me early on with its trailblazing female lead and her captivating uphill climb. Recommended."--Historical Novels Review

About the Author

Kimberly Duffy is a Long Island native currently living in Southwest Ohio, via six months in India. When she's not homeschooling her four kids, she writes historical fiction that takes her readers back in time and across oceans. She loves trips that require a passport, recipe books, and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of twenty years. He doesn't mind. You can find Kimberly at www.kimberlyduffy.com.