The Faraway Bride

In the tumultuous Manchuria of the late 1920s, the Malinin family finds itself in dire straits. Old Sergei, inexplicably blind, grapples with the aftermath of a Red Army raid that has decimated their shop. Their survival hinges on the meager earnings of daughter Anna’s needlework and son Seryozha’s timber efforts. A glimmer of hope appears in Sergei's memory: a decade-old loan of two hundred yen to his friend Gavril Ilitch Isaev, now a substantial sum. The money is in Seoul, a three-week trek through the Korean mountains—an adventure Seryozha eagerly embraces, especially with the timely arrival of an English-educated Chinese lawyer offering guidance. Against a backdrop of political upheaval and cultural collision, this unlikely pilgrimage unfolds. Stella Benson's most celebrated novel, originally titled *Tobit Transplanted*, masterfully reworks the ancient Apocryphal tale of Tobit into a vibrant, modern narrative. By relocating the story to 1920s Manchuria, Benson creates a rich tapestry of languages and customs, infusing the narrative with a surprising vein of dark comedy without sacrificing deep empathy for her characters. It's a testament to resilience and the enduring human spirit, offering a unique window into a forgotten geopolitical landscape through a lens both humorous and profoundly moving.