Being so close to Burma (I refuse to call it Myanmar, as requested by the bloody dictatorship) for so much of the last few years, I am always fascinated by books about life inside this impoverished country. That's what led me to pick this book up in the first place. But I couldn't put it down, once I started reading, because of Karen Connelly's masterful storytelling. It ends up being a tale of the human condition that could occur in any solitary prisoner situation. I cried during the ending....the departure scenes will break your heart, full of hope and sadness at the same time. If you know nothing of living under a military government, or nothing about life in a prison in a third world country, this book will open your eyes. If you care to read about love and compassion and hope in the midst of utter despair, this book fills that need. My only regret is the author leaves no clue how an American like me can be of any service to the people in Burma who are living this tale today, even as you read this.