Očajnički prkos
Desperate Defiance (1936) is a romance novel in which Cartland masterfully combines romance with adventure, criticizing the social norms of the 1930s: the pressure on women to choose between tradition and freedom.
The plot follows the young and beautiful Vivian Carrow, daughter of Professor Carrow, a British expert on Asia. Her heart is broken after a divorce from her lover in Monte Carlo, where she first tasted the luxury of a social life full of casinos, balls and flirtations. In desperation, Vivian decides to accompany her father on a dangerous mission to Tibet, assigned by the British government. The goal is to investigate the secrets of Himalayan monasteries and political intrigues in isolated mountain villages.
The journey to Tibet is fraught with dangers: snowstorms, deep ravines and ominous narrow gorges. Vivian faces the harsh living conditions of the local population - filthy huts and infectious diseases - far from the glamour she left behind. Her desperate defiance is expressed in conflicts with an arrogant captain, whom she suspects of being a murderer and a spy, a greedy Indian prince addicted to drugs and bandit monks who guard ancient secrets.
At the heart of the story lies Vivian's emotional struggle: between the allure of forbidden adventures and her deep longing for true love. The captain, initially hateful, slowly reveals his noble side, and their hatred turns into a passionate attraction amidst deadly threats. Vivian risks death in an icy crevasse or captivity in ominous monasteries, but her courage and faith in love carry her through the trials.
One copy is available
