CONFLUENCE by Mary Elizabeth Gillilan – Contemporary Fiction, Travel Novel, Buddhism

In Confluence by Mary Elizabeth Gillilan, Maya has lived much of her life where she feels safe—at home with her Buddhist mother in the small town of La Conner, Washington. But a surprise discovery about Maya’s past pushes her to explore a wholly unfamiliar corner of the world.

Living with cerebral palsy, and a self-professed homebody, Maya is the queen of getting out of plans. But at sixty-five, two years after her mother passed, Maya finds a suitcase with her grandmother’s diary, several photos, and a letter written by her mother hidden inside.

In the letter, Maya learns she was born in a place called Sangam and her father could still be living there. The letter names a nun who helped deliver Maya and founded a hospital in that area, Yeshe Maya. Hesitant to leave her comfort zone, Maya waits to write to Yeshe Maya for a year. It takes even longer for Maya to work past all that is holding her back from the call of adventure.

Maya’s neighbor Jack, who’s like a brother to her, is a seasoned world traveler and supports her in facing her fears. Bolstered by her own desire to learn about her origins and reunite with her father, Maya begins the long journey to Sangam.

As a sacred place, Sangam’s location is a secret closely guarded from outsiders. A well-known guru wants to find Sangam to use for his own exorbitantly priced retreats. He decides to follow Maya’s movements after he learns the significance of her origin story.

A journey of unleashing one’s own inner strength, and a love letter to a beautiful location and way of life, Confluence is a gem of a novel.

Within the first page, the setting and Maya’s character are masterfully established. As a shorter novel, Confluence keeps up this efficient pace. Gillilan’s prose flows easily and carries the plot with natural speed. The shorter chapters provide readers a perfectly-sized break with an uplifting story.

Confluence is a reminder to step out of your comfort zones because you never know what life there is to live if you don’t go and find it.

The story is influenced by Buddhist ideology, but Gillilan makes its messages accessible and impactful to readers regardless of their familiarity with Buddhism.

Mary Elizabeth Gillilan creates her characters with heart. Finding inner strength to seek all the love and wonders life has to offer is a challenge, but it’s one we can all benefit from. In Confluence, we are reminded how that first step, while it may be difficult to take, opens the door to experiences and people that add so much to our lives.