Sustenance

The Elsewhere Hotel in Bali has dreamy villas, a sparkling pool and lush gardens – *Find Yourself*, promises the hotel’s brochure. The Elsewhere also has Perpetua de Mello weaving her mother’s wisdom with her own multicultural heritage to prepare sumptuous meals for tired Western guests.

It should be the perfect holiday getaway for the newlyweds on their first trip overseas; for the French family in shock; for food writer Rex Broadfoot, who may have more than a professional interest in Perpetua de Mello.

But this paradise has a dark side, and discontent simmers barely beneath the surface. When the peace of the Elsewhere is shattered, it is Perpetua who emerges as an unlikely heroine. As she nourishes them all with her food and compassion each of her guests, unsure if they still have a future, is compelled to look within and consider the real worth of the life they’ve lived so far.

• Year of Publication: 2010
• Genre: Literature
• Audience: Adult