of life on the nineteenth-century Silk Road continues. As Anis and Sherine settle into a new life built on love and friendship, tragedy and destruction have thrown the Eihons' village into turmoil. Conflict with neighboring tribes has taken its toll, leaving Pariya's family home in ruins. Though no one was hurt, little survived the assault, including the fabrics meant for Pariya's dowry. Her passionate, frank personality has made things difficult for Pariya in the past, and being forced to delay marriage talks--now that she's finally found an interested suitor--drives her to despair. Despite her anxieties, staying with the Eihons during the reconstruction gives Pariya the opportunity to learn from Amir and her family and build up her self-confidence as she prepares for a hopeful future. Crafted in painstaking detail, Ms. Mori's pen breathes life into the scenery and architecture of the period in this heart-warming, slice-of-life tale that is at once wholly exotic, yet familiar and accessible through the everyday lives of the characters she has created.