Darkness Calls the Tiger is set in Burma (now Myanmar) during World War Two. It’s set in a small Christian mission in the Kachin mountains, which is close to the borders of both China and India.
Kailyn Moran has grown up in Burma’s Kachin mountains, surviving the loss of her mother and the alienation of her missionary father. The arrival of a new missionary, teacher Ryan McDonough, changes her life as war approaches.
The first part of the book takes place before the war reaches the village. Parts of this are a hard read, but it’s a fascinating insight into a foreign culture and into a character who’s unlike any I’ve read in Christian fiction before.
There were two things that bugged me about the story. The first was Kailyn’s nickname: “kai” is food in Maori (and it’s water or sea in Hawaiian). It’s a word I see often, and that was a distraction.
The other thing that bugged me was Kai’s father. While I didn’t doubt his dedication to God or to his mission, I do think his critical attitude and behaviour weren’t likely to be effective in bringing the villagers to Jesus, which made Ryan’s role doubly difficult.
But they are minor complaints in comparison to the overall story which had so many plusses: great characters, unpredictable plot, fascinating and unique location, and a deep Christian message.
Author Janyre Tromp must have undertaken a huge amount of research in order to even conceive this novel, let alone write it. Her words take the reader to the far-off mountains of Burma, yet the focus of the novels is always on the story—on Kai and Ryan, on the village and the war. That’s a true achievement.
This is not the book to pick up if you want a quick and entertaining binge-read. It’s got a lot of depth, will stay with you long after you’ve finished the book, and will certainly benefit from a re-read.
Recommended for historical fiction fans, or for those looking for something a little deeper than the norm.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
About Janyre Tromp
Janyre Tromp is a developmental book editor who has worked in the publishing industry for more than twenty years, spending time in both marketing and editorial. She’s the author of Shadows in the Mind’s Eye and contributor to It’s a Wonderful Christmas, a Christmas novella collection with other award-winning authors, including Julie Cantrell and Lynne Gentry. When she isn’t writing, she’s a Bible study leader, writers conference speaker, ACFW member, wife, and mom of two kids and their menagerie of slightly eccentric pets.
Find Janyre Tromp online at:
About Darkness Calls the Tiger
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Imperial Japan devours the southern portion of Burma, intent on taking over mainland Asia. Unaware of the coming darkness, Kailyn Moran drifts in her role as the only daughter of a widowed missionary. As whispers of war snake through the Kachin mountains, Kai’s father is convinced God will protect the mission. He entrusts the village to her and the kind yet inexperienced new missionary, Ryan McDonough, while he makes routine visits to neighboring villages.
War descends like a tempest upon the mountain peaks, and an unbreakable bond forms between Kailyn and Ryan as they unite to provide solace to both villagers and the flood of refugees. Despite their tireless efforts, a brutal enemy shatters almost everything they love, pushing Kailyn to embark on a path of unrestrained vengeance.
Afraid he’s losing the woman he loves, Ryan fights to protect Kai from the deadly consequences of her choices. But in the face of destruction, can he convince her of the power and freedom of forgiveness?
