“A Place in the World,” by Cinda Crabbe MacKinnon, is a serene, affecting, and poignant debut novel by a gifted storyteller. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and devoured it completely in a single day. I rarely allow books to keep me up past my bedtime, but this gentle, meditative novel ramped up the tension toward the end and morphed into a genuine thriller, one that I could not turn away from. It is important to understand why I couldn’t put this book down: it was because the author created a world that was wholly realistic and honest. I lost myself in that world. I disappeared into the story. I lost track of time. In fact, everything about this novel pulsated with authenticity—the place, the characters, the animals, the community, the rebels, the indigenous tribesmen, and most of all, the everyday drama of what happens in that unique, mysterious, and wondrous place.

This novel tells the story of a twenty-two-year-old American woman—a budding biologist and naturalist—who finds herself permanently transplanted to the cloud forests of Colombia through a series of events mostly beyond her control. In the early chapters, it is a story of young love, passion, deception, betrayal, and friendship against the backdrop of a beautiful unknown world. In the middle chapters, it is the story of a determined woman struggling against incredible odds to sustain a decent life for herself and her child; and finally, toward the end, it is the story of one woman’s slow progression toward mature love and a fulfilling sense of community.

When I finished this book, I felt like I’d taken a rewarding journey alongside a fascinating tenacious woman determined to find her place in the world. I put the book down with a heartfelt sense of loss, because I wanted to remain with that woman and her story. To me this is always the sign of a genuine five-star story.

There is much about this book that reminded me of “Out of Africa” by Isak Dinesen. Both books tell a similar type of tale, but Dinesen’s writing is far more literary, lyrical, and profound. That does not mean that MacKinnon’s book is less noteworthy; the two books are in different classes and should not be compared. Dinesen’s book is outstanding literary fiction; MacKinnon writes outstanding popular fiction with lovely lyrical overtones. There’s a place for both. It is possible to give five stars to both novels and not have to measure one against the other.

I’m sure MacKinnon’s book will have wide appeal among a large variety of readers. It is predominantly an extraordinary and amazing story and that’s what most readers want when they pick up a novel. This book delivers a remarkable story that seems as credible as real life. I recommend it highly. ( )