The story of an unusual life for an extraordinary character

By Lisa.
All the rave reviews of this book really made me want to read it and I admit to not being disappointed.
Despite beginning a bit long and slow (but surely necessary to highlight the wealth of upcoming events ...) is entered quickly in the history of this young woman, Mary, who leaves his native Scotland to go marry an Englishman she hardly knows, China where it is installed as a British military attache.
Through her diary and the letters she sends to her mother and her friend, we discover with it the beginning of 1900. China then His life will change dramatically and while the book will eventually turn into romance as initiatory this young woman will change during the trials of his life. It will mature by the force of things and know an incredible life in many ways.
His journey full of pitfalls and victories upsets us many times, and the author managed to keep us in suspense throughout the book through an epistolary style with occasional palm of several years.
His life in Japan will be just as hectic and it is a treat to discover the customs of this country and the approach well experienced 2 world wars.
This strong woman will experience loneliness, humiliation, disgrace, poverty and distress of a mother, but every time she gets up and continues to move forward!
Mary will remain all his life a stranger to his host country, Japan, and become a for Scotland, a country that has turned its back.
Very nice time reading.
Just a little explanation about why 4 stars and not 5: I found pity not follow this formidable woman to the end of his life. Shame ...