The Map of Lost Memories
A Novel
by Kim Fay
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Pub Date Aug 21 2012 | Archive Date Oct 08 2012
Random House Publishing Group | Ballantine Books
Description
Suspense
and secrets are woven together in this engrossing fiction debut by Kim Fay. The
Map of Lost Memories takes readers on a daring expedition to a remote land,
where the search for an elusive treasure becomes a journey into the darkest
recesses of the mind and heart.
In 1925, the international treasure-hunting scene is a man's world, and no woman
knows this better than Irene Blum, who is passed over for the coveted curator
position at Seattle's renowned Brooke Museum. But she is not ready to accept
defeat. Skilled at acquiring priceless, often illicitly trafficked artifacts,
Irene is given a rare map believed to lead to a set of copper scrolls that
chronicle the lost history of Cambodia's ancient Khmer civilization. Such a
find would not only restore her reputation, it would be the greatest
archaeological discovery of the century.
As Irene travels from Seattle to Shanghai to the Cambodian jungles, she will
encounter several equally determined companions, including a communist temple
robber and a dashing nightclub owner with a complicated past. As she and her
fellow adventurers sweep across borders and make startling discoveries, their
quest becomes increasingly dangerous. Everyone who comes to this part of the
world "has something to hide," Irene is told-and she learns just how true this
is. What she and her accomplices bring to light will do more than change
history. It will ultimately solve the mysteries of their own lives.
Born in Seattle and raised throughout the Pacific Northwest, Kim Fay lived in Vietnam for four years and still travels to Southeast Asia frequently. A former bookseller, she is the author of Communion: A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam, winner of the World Gourmand Cookbook Awards' Best Asian Cuisine Book in the United States. She is also the creator/editor of a series of guidebooks on Southeast Asia. Fay now lives in Los Angeles. This is her first novel.
For hi-res covers and author photos, please visit: http://smartpublic.randomhouse.com/teams/
Advance Praise
Praise
for The Map of Lost Memories
"Fay's extraordinary first novel has everything great historical adventure
fiction should-strikingly original setting, exhilarating plot twists, and a
near-impossible quest . . . Every word of this evocative literary expedition
feels deliberately chosen, each phrase full of meaning." -Booklist,
(starred review)
"Thrilling and ambitious, this is a book to get lost in, a book that homes
in on the human drama of the quest and never lets go. A rich debut." -BookPage
"[The Map of Lost Memories] is a thrilling mix of adventure and
personal discovery set in Southeast Asia in the 1920s . . . Fay crafts an
intricate page-turner that will keep readers breathless and guessing." -Publishers
Weekly
"Fay's debut is intriguing, beautifully written, colorful and multilayered
like a lovely tapestry."-Romantic Times
"In The Map of Lost Memories, Kim Fay draws us into a universe as
exotic, intense, and historically detailed as the ancient artifacts her
unforgettable heroine seeks. It's a deliciously unexpected journey: Indiana
Jones meets Somerset Maugham meets Marguerite Duras; all culminating in a
glorious traipse through a forgotten Asian world. This novel will stay with me
for a long, long time."-Jennifer Cody Epstein, author of The Painter from
Shanghai
"Kim Fay's engaging debut novel, The Map of Lost Memories, not only
weaves together a smart, compelling story of a quest for scrolls believed to
contain the lost history of Cambodia's ancient Khmer Empire, but also gives us
a glimpse into 1920's China and Indochina during the time of transition from
colonialism to the beginnings of communism. With deftness and clarity, Fay
brings her world to life and gives us a captivating read."-Gail Tsukiyama, author
of A Hundred Flowers
"In The Map of Lost Memories, Fay updates the archaeological
adventure tale with an ambitious heroine and a cast of morally ambiguous
characters in a race to discover an ancient temple in the jungles of colonial
Cambodia. Fay's assured, absorbing prose will compel readers with its lush
detail, multiple plot twists and keen insight into this politically combustible
period of history."-Aimee Phan, author of The Reeducation of Cherry
Truong
"Kim Fay breathes new and original life into the Westerner-in-Asia novel with The
Map of Lost Memories, going beyond the intrigues of 1925 Shanghai to the
remote reaches of the Cambodian jungle. An enchanting, absorbing first novel,
all the more remarkable for its effortless portrayal of a bygone world, now
nearly forgotten."-Nicole Mones, author of Lost in Translation
"The Map of Lost Memories is the best book I have read this year.
Exotic, thrilling, and brimming with fascinating historical detail, it had me
hooked from page one and sent me to a world I knew existed but never really
understood, never really felt, until now. Kim Fay is a wonderful
storyteller who truly masters the art of crafting a riveting story with heart
and elegance. The result is utterly mesmerizing."-Anne Fortier, author of Juliet
"Kim Fay writes with such mesmerizing authority that it's hard to believe that The
Map of Lost Memories is her first novel. Rarely do we find a book that
combines gripping adventure with exquisitely crafted prose, but Fay's novel
does just that, bringing together the beauty and complexity of Marguerite
Duras's The Lover with the thrilling breathlessness of Indiana Jones.
The result is breathtaking."-Dana Sachs, author of If You Lived Here
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9780345531346 |
| PRICE | $26.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 336 |
