Euphoria

This is not a self-published book by an indie author.

"Inspired by events in the life of revolutionary anthropologist Margaret Mead, Euphoria is a captivating story of desire, possession and discovery from one of our finest contemporary novelists."

THE BLURB:

National best-selling and award-winning author Lily King’s new novel is the story of three young, gifted anthropologists in the 1930s caught in a passionate love triangle that threatens their bonds, their careers, and, ultimately, their lives.

English anthropologist Andrew Bankson has been alone in the field for several years, studying a tribe on the Sepik River in the Territory of New Guinea with little success. Increasingly frustrated and isolated by his research, Bankson is on the verge of suicide when he encounters the famous and controversial Nell Stone and her wry, mercurial Australian husband Fen. Bankson is enthralled by the magnetic couple whose eager attentions pull him back from the brink of despair.

Nell and Fen have their own reasons for befriending Bankson. Emotionally and physically raw from studying the bloodthirsty Mumbanyo tribe, the couple is hungry for a new discovery. But when Bankson leads them to the artistic, female-dominated Tam, he ignites an intellectual and emotional firestorm between the three of them that burns out of anyone’s control. Ultimately, their groundbreaking work will make history, but not without sacrifice.

MY THOUGHTS:

Beautiful and heartbreaking.

This book stirred up a huge wave of nostalgia in me, bringing back memories of my time as an anthropology student a decade ago. In addition to all of the fascinating cultural tidbits here, the novel showcases what makes us as individuals different, and what makes us the same; how we can change in the context of the people around us.

I am left a tiny bit unsatisfied with one thing though: 

*SPOLIER ALERT*

So Fen "vanished" after being implicated in his wife's death. But we're never told if he ever sold the flute to a museum. He must have, since that's what he went through all the trouble for. But if he had, wouldn't it show up in the museum collection of the Sepik tribes at the very end of the book?

*END SPOILER*

A very good book, although it's going to take me a little while to shake off the sadness it leaves you with. It totally left me with a thirst for more novels with an anthropological flavor.

MY RATING:

5 booksies!

 Author website: http://www.lilykingbooks.com/