A mosaic of wings : a novel /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

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.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

DEBUT Nora dreams of becoming an entomologist and publishing the journal originally owned by her father once she graduates from Cornell University in 1885. However, her stepfather, who believes that the only suitable roles for a woman are wife and mother, is in financial trouble and is pressuring her to marry a man she does not love in order to pay his debts. After her stepfather burns her insect collection, she decides to spend the summer in India with a research team in the hope that she can win a scholarship to Cornell's master's program. Her chief competitor, Owen, is also on the team. When she rescues an Indian girl from a life of prostitution, she finds herself in conflict with societal and cultural norms. Simultaneously she finds her career and scholarship chances in jeopardy. VERDICT 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. Only by losing all she has held dear can Nora gain a love and passion she cannot live without. This historical romance is recommended for readers of Tracie Peterson and Jody Hedlund.--Margaret Bentley, Shiawassee Dist. Lib., Owosso, MI

Booklist Review

With her entomology degree in hand, Nora Shipley faces only one obstacle to a postgraduate scholarship at Ithaca College: her academic rival, Owen Epps. Owen's complacency toward his talent grates at Nora, whose passion for studying insects is a bond to her late father. When Owen and Nora are invited to India on a field research expedition, a world full of professional and personal discovery opens for both. But the journey is not without setbacks. Faiths and cultures clash, endangering the entire expedition, and Nora must choose to cocoon herself within what's familiar or allow her dreams to take flight. 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 the 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.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

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.