To Paradise

More about the book

This novel is a fin de siècle masterpiece that showcases emotional brilliance. Its profound impact stems from the author's deep understanding of the yearning to protect loved ones—partners, family, and friends—and the heartache that arises when we fail to do so. Set in an alternate 1893 America, New York is depicted as part of the Free States, where love seems unrestricted. A young heir from a prestigious family resists marrying a suitable match, instead falling for a charming but impoverished music teacher. In 1993 Manhattan, amidst the AIDS crisis, a young Hawaiian man conceals his troubled past while living with his wealthy older partner. By 2093, in a plague-ridden world under totalitarian rule, a scientist's damaged granddaughter struggles to navigate life and uncover the mystery of her husband's disappearances. These three narratives intertwine, with recurring themes enhancing their depth: a townhouse in Greenwich Village, illness and costly treatments, wealth versus poverty, and the complexities of race and family. They explore the dangerous righteousness of the powerful and revolutionaries, the quest for an earthly paradise, and the realization of its impossibility. Ultimately, the characters confront the fundamental aspects of humanity: fear, love, shame, need, and loneliness.