The temples and teahouses of Kyoto are the scene of a Frenchwoman's emotional awakening in the stunning fifth novel by international bestseller Muriel Barbery.

Muriel Barbery is a former lecturer in philosophy and the bestselling author of four previous novels, including the IMPAC-shortlisted The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Published in France in 2006 and in the UK in 2008, the novel was translated in 44 countries and has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, and was described by Le Figaro as 'the publishing phenomenon of the decade'. Barbery has lived in Kyoto, Amsterdam and Paris, and now lives in the French countryside.