The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Ewen

From the Publisher

Set in Siam and Europe during the 1920s, a glittering decade of change, The Moon in the Mango Tree is based upon the true story of Barbara Bond, a beautiful young opera singer from Philadelphia who is forced to choose between her fierce desire for independence—a desire to create something of her own to give purpose and meaning to her life—and a deep abiding love for her faithful missionary husband whose work creates a gap between them. But when you choose between two things you love, must one be lost forever? Endorsements “Written in gorgeous prose, Pamela Binnings Ewen’s remarkable novel enthralled me like no other has for a very long time. Set in exotic Siam and pre-war Europe, this story of a young woman seeking the truth of herself captured my heart.”

—Bev Marshall, author of Walking Through Shadows and Right as Rain

“The Moon in the Mango Tree is an old-fashioned—I mean that in the best sense—tale of love, adventure, faith, and the clash of desire and duty. The writing is wonderful, the story compelling.”

—Bret Lott, author of Jewel (an Oprah's Book Club pick), editor of The Southern Review

“Lush with the detail of tropical jungles and the richness of the palaces of Siam, author Pamela Binnings Ewen takes us on a journey we hope will never end. Truly a beautifully crafted story told with music that sings still in my ears.”
—Jane Kirkpatrick, author of A Mending at the Edge

“Absolutely wonderful! I couldn't put it down. I picked up The Moon in the Mango Treewith some trepidation as it wasn't the type of book I usually read. But I was immediately drawn into the story and into the life of the novel's main character, Babs. Beautifully written, authentically told, Pamela Binnings Ewen has created a compelling story that hits all the right notes.”
—Erica Spindler, New York Times bestselling author of Last Known Victim and See Jane Die

"Ewen is a talented writer, and this is a strong addition to Christian fiction."
—Publishers Weekly

"You will have to read this one to see just how far one sometimes has to go to discover what it really is that they want in life, what will make them feel complete. A MUST READ!"
—Beyond Her Book (a Publishers Weekly blog)

"An excellent book."
—aRomanceReview.com

Pamela Binnings Ewen practiced law for twenty-five years before following in the authorial footsteps of relatives such as James Lee Burke (The Tin Roof Blowdown) and Andre Dubus III (The House of Sand and Fog). The Moon in the Mango Tree is her second novel.

Publishers Weekly

In her rich and heartfelt sophomore novel, Ewen (Walk Back the Cat) bases the story line on her grandmother's life as a missionary's wife in the 1920s in what is now Thailand. Barbara is a gifted opera protégée who gives up her dreams when she marries Harvey Perkins, a medical doctor bound for Siam. Feeling stifled and afraid, she loses her comfortable Christian faith amid the rigid fundamentalism of the poverty-stricken mission in rural Nan. The couple returns home after Barbara has a nervous breakdown, but Harvey's zeal for his work soon lands them in Siam again. The love between the two is endearing, and Ewen skillfully portrays Harvey's inability to understand his wife's deepest needs and her inability to understand what drives him. Ewen's prose is laudably rich in specific and colorful detail, which becomes a problem when it slows down the pacing. Judicious cutting would have improved this overlong narrative. Barbara's questions of faith constitute the core of the book, as she struggles to define what makes up a meaningful life. Some readers will be disappointed by her final choice, while others will cheer at the ending. Ewen is a talented writer, and this is a strong addition to Christian fiction. (May)

Tamara Butler - Library Journal

Set in the 1920s and inspired by a true story, this debut novel revolves around a woman who chooses the love of a man over her desire to become an opera singer. She follows her missionary doctor husband to Siam, where she discovers a greater and more meaningful passion for the people she helps.

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