Marion and Shiva are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon. Orphaned by their mother’s death and their father’s disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution. Moving from Addis Ababa to New York City and back again, the novel explores love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miracles—and two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined.

This book made me cry…TWICE. What a unique and beautiful story! It was both heartbreaking but uplifting and has a beautifully poignant ending. Verghese’s medical prowess shines through the narrative, but what astounded me beyond his medical knowledge was his beautiful writing ability. The prose was incredibly elegant. At times the plot was slow, but the novel was so rich with detail that I didn’t mind. Each character was incredibly well developed. I am curious how much is the author’s history was written into this novel, as he shares a lot on common with Marion. This was my book club book for the month and I’m excited for our discussion!