Song of the Sacred Mountain

A seventeen-year-old academic prodigy from a small village in central Java, Lestari wants nothing more than to become a modern, self-determined woman. But she swims against powerful currents. Raised by her father, the revered guardian of an active volcano, she joins the many offerings to the sacred mountain yet begins to question their effectiveness. The more Lestari learns about science and geology, it seems, the less she believes in ritual.
When a young Dutch entrepreneur arrives in their village to explore Indonesia’s potential for geothermal energy, Lestari befriends and falls for the charming stranger, and the rift between father and daughter widens. In the weeks leading up to her high school graduation, the volcano begins to erupt, blanketing the village in ash. Shockingly, a set of tiger prints is discovered in the dust, sending villagers into a panic. What follows is the haunting, unforgettable story of a daughter’s search for truth and a father’s unyielding loyalty. It is about the courage to question tradition, the faith to uphold it, and the love that ultimately binds them together. An impressive debut novel, Song of the Sacred Mountain is nothing short of a triumph, an enduring, cautionary tale of a daughter’s doubt, a father’s faith, and a love that refuses to die.