Baskets of laundry lay wrinkling, longing to be folded or hung. Plants are thirsty. The carpet needs a thorough vacuuming. Family members shushed and neglected. I’m moving next week, and it would be a really great idea to start organizing and packing and planning.

I’ve been shirking my responsibilities for the better part of a week now to read a book. A really, very good book.

The Far Pavilions (DB66098) by M. M. Kaye has captured my attention and imagination fully, and there’s nothing I’d rather be doing than reading and day dreaming through the beautiful, dangerous and exotic epic tale of Ash and Juli in 19th century India and their intertwining destiny. The story spans generations and intimately explores the pains of love, loyalty and patriotism in time of unrest. The characters’ complexity shows through their relationships and their development as they age and encounter new challenges in their paths. Kaye’s prose is lyrical and flowery and feels befitting of a foreign enchantment that you can’t help but desire.

I haven’t had it this bad in a long while, and it’s a painful reminder of this bittersweet dilemma of loving a story so much that you get a mite consumed with it. I stayed up till 2 AM last night! What has happened to me! This isn’t me!

Not only am I deep in the thick of the near 600 page volume, but there’s a second volume that my responsibilities will have to continue to contend with. For our “more is more” patrons, always in search of the expansive stories, the digital version clocks in at 55 hours and 48 minutes. And I’m telling you, you won’t regret a minute of it… Or maybe… you will?