The Golden Key of Gangotri

Harley Green is about to finish her course at Columbia University in New York. Her mother is encouraging her to enter a master’s program to further her career options. But Harley wants desperately to find out what happened to her father. He disappeared eight years ago in India. He was searching for an ice cave in the Himalaya’s which is the source of the sacred Ganges river. The last letter he wrote to Harley was from the town of Gangotri, and he sent her a necklace with a golden key pendant that helps keep his memory alive. Harley feels drawn to a journey of her own in the hopes of finding out more about her father’s last days. Her mother is against the trip, and so is her professor, Dr. Shelby whom Harley confided in after taking his course on Eastern cultures. But Harley has made up her mind, dangerous or not; she’s headed to India to discover what she can.
I loved getting to know Harley. She’s strong and determined and not afraid to chart her own course, even if she has no idea how she’s going to reach her goal. I like that she’s looking for more out of life than a steady job in a safe environment. She wants to explore. All of which aligns with the different stages of life mentioned throughout the book. The themes covered, which revolve around finding your path in life and finding happiness and acceptance once you discover the meaning of your journey, are something that many of us can relate to. The fact that Harley learns the real meaning behind the golden key also brought the story full circle.

Overall, I think this story is nicely developed and works very well. To my mind, it can be read on two levels. The first is a tale of a girl looking for her father. The second is a metaphor for what it means to have a dream that brings awakening, understanding, and peace, and acceptance within if were are open to finding our true nature. I do, however, think that it needed more careful editing. There were a few areas where the wrong name of a character appeared. Other than that, I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable read. It was engaging, positive, and uplifting with well-developed, interesting characters. All of whom were on a journey to find acceptance, forgiveness, and awakening. I would have loved for it to continue with another chapter featuring Harley’s return to Inda and what happened with Ragou.