The Journey's End
by Jane Woolfenden
Description
Lee Kim Cheng leaves behind his shattered business in Malaysia and travels to London in search of a qualification he believes will open new doors for him. Three months later we find him living in a run-down bedsitter, wrapped against the cold and struggling to make ends meet. Just a few streets away, Isabel Raines is on her way to a first date with the man who will become her husband.
Two people, seemingly strangers, going about their lives in the city where people can disappear; two people, both haunted by memories of a former love.
Moving between the wet and windswept streets of London and the intense, tropical sunlight of Malaysia, The Journey’s End tells the bittersweet story of a brief but tender affair that was never allowed to run its natural course. Global issues of modern tourism in a fragile environment and a sinister backcloth of terrorism are two of the novel’s underlying themes. The book also reflects on contemporary issues such as the tensions of a failing marriage and the hardships encountered by international students away from home; and because the narrative crosses boundaries – cultural as well as geographical – the book would appeal to an international readership.
But above all it is the timeless tale of two people who fall in love; and it is the slow burn of real love between Isabel and Lee that is at the heart of this novel. Theirs is a brief encounter but its aftermath continues to haunt them long after they have gone their separate ways.
More Information
Reviews
“This powerful first novel is intelligently written; interweaving the tender love that grows between two people, with an awareness of the environmental problems in Malaysia. The author's confident style of writing is apparent as the pages are turned, and I soon felt an empathy with the main characters. I wanted to read on and get to the end of the book, but not to finish it.”
“I have waited for many years for such a talented author. You cannot wait to turn the pages to see what happens next. Jane's depth of research is why the book is so well written and accompanying the love story is the revelation of the devastation and destruction caused by the tourism trade to the natural habitat of Malaysia, and one man's quest to slow it down. It is an engrossing novel and will surely touch the lives of each and every reader. Jane's prose sings, dances, made me smile and broke my heart, each word is carefully chosen, so perfect in placement that it is as if a master craftsman has put it there."
“ I simply loved this story and could not put it down. Jane Woolfenden's wonderfully descriptive story about Isabel and Lee really played with my emotions in a way I wasn't expecting. The main characters are so wonderfully human that I defy any reader not to get caught up in their story. This book had me feeling so many different emotions, something I attribute to the author's brilliant storytelling.”
"I was gripped by the atmosphere of this novel, down to the detail of life in such a steamy clime. Even better, it captures the atmosphere of a Somerset Maugham with characters you believe in and like ... This is a really really good Summer read."
"A beautiful book that I couldn't put down. If you are looking for a gentle and romantic story then this could very well be it."
"I have read many books in my life, but none has touched me quite as completely as this one. The scenes, both in London and Malaysia, are so perfectly written ... Jane's skill in writing, attention to fine detail, and the story itself, make this a wonderful book. I couldn't put it down!"
“A delicate & intricately crafted tale of love thwarted by missed opportunities and insecurities. So vivid were the descriptions of beautiful Malaysia, I could sense the heat, taste the wonderful food, feel the mosquito bites, smell the precious Rainforest. A tremendous first book!"
"This is the story of the love between two people from very different countries and cultures. Jane Woolfenden is able, with great skill, to convey the atmosphere of both Malaysia and London as appropriate settings for the blossoming of a tender but lasting love. Read this book slowly, savour the language, feel the warmth of the tropical evenings and smell the scents of the flowers, and you will be rewarded."
Bibliographic Information
- Publisher Blue Gecko Books
- Publication Date January 2014
- Orginal LanguageEnglish
- Publication Country or regionUnited Kingdom
- FormatPaperback
- Primary Price 10.99 GBP
- ReadershipGeneral
- Publish StatusSelf-Published
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