Pearls in the Ashes by Shelagh MeagherMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A fantastic foray into the history of the persecution of Buddhists and the rise of Communism in Mongolia from the 1930s until the 1990s. Pearls in the Ashes was not on my to-read list, but for some reason I downloaded it anyway. This book was so beautifully written, simple in style and plot but so rich and complex with details. Dash, the main character, is not always likable and not always pitiable. But when he finally gets the chance to redeem himself, I felt powerfully exactly who he was meant to be.
It's a quick read, even though it's a couple hundred pages long (the e-book edition I read was 138 but the description says it's more than 200). The flow is easy and the terminology is also relatively easy to understand. There is a glossary at the back in case you forget what something means.
Beautifully written, and I recommend it to anyone interested in Buddhism, Mongolian history, religious persecution, and stories of hope.
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