The last of Earth A novel

Edgar winner Anappara (Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line) offers a vivid narrative of two 1869 expeditions into Tibet at a time when it was still closed off to outsiders and its rivers and mountains were mostly uncharted. The first is guided by Balram, a surveyor for an English captain attempting to trace the origins of the Tsangpo River. The other is mounted by Katherine, the illegitimate daughter of an English colonial officer and an Indian sex worker. Balram is determined to rescue his best friend Gyan, who was accused of spying for the British and held prisoner by monks in Shigatse, while Katherine is driven by the death of her sister, Ethel, and is attempting to be the first Western woman to reach Lhasa. Balram and Katherine are each met along the way by the mysterious Chetak, who tells ghost stories, such as one about an English officer haunted by a village girl who turned to stone after he raped her. While the pace is bogged down by dense descriptions of the landscape and its history, Anappara pulls off a fresh mix of spooky folklore and intense naturalism, as in scenes where Balram's ever-dwindling crew of bearers succumb to the elements, leading to a power struggle between Balram and the captain. It's an accomplished tale. Agent: Peter Straus, RCW. (Jan.)

Tibet in 1869 is an isolated country that forbids European visitors as part of its effort to protect itself from Western imperialism. Despite this, two Europeans are separately making their way toward Lhasa, Tibet's largest city. One is a woman counting on her biracial appearance to cloak her until she becomes the first European woman to reach Lhasa, while the other is a British captain planning to darken his skin with walnut oil long enough to chart the course of a river and win glory back home. The captain's Indian guide, Balram, has agreed to assist for a very different reason than fame: he heard that a friend who earlier assisted the British has been arrested and is being held as a spy deep within Tibet. As the parties move toward Lhasa and a charismatic stranger crosses paths with both groups, they must ask themselves whether what they hope to gain is worth what they stand to lose. VERDICT Anappara (Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line) delivers a beautifully written, character-driven novel about colonialism that blends stunning descriptions of the Tibetan landscape with flawed and fascinating protagonists. Recommended for readers looking for an immersive story worth slowing down and taking one's time with.--Mara Bandy Fass