"Part spiritual quest, part scholarly inquiry, part travel memoir, Prodigal Daughter is as richly layered as the civilization [Kostash] explores." - The Edmonton Journal
A deep-seated questioning of her inherited religion resurfaces when Myrna Kostash chances upon the icon of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica. A historical, cultural and spiritual odyssey that begins in Edmonton, ranges around the Balkans, and plunges into a renewed vision of Byzantium in search of the Great Saint of the East delivers the author to an unexpected place-the threshold of her childhood church. An epic work of travel memoir, Prodigal Daughter sings with immediacy and depth, rewarding readers with a profound sense of an adventure they have lived. This book will appeal to readers interested in Ukrainian-Canadian culture, the Eastern Church, and medieval history, as well as to fans of Kostash's bold creative nonfiction.
" Prodigal Daughter is at one and the same time an anthropological, cultural, and religious quest on two levels: the personal, autobiographical and the wider sociological and cultural. It is both deeply spiritual and intellectually satisfying." -Tom Harpur, former author, journalist, TV host
"Written in lyrical, vibrant prose, Prodigal Daughter is part travelogue and part memoir-a detailed account of findings from her travels to Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia and Macedonia ... Winner of the 2011 City of Edmonton Prize, Prodigal Daughter is a thought-provoking book." - Prairie Fire Review of Books
"It may just be her best book to date ... a shockingly honest and open articulation of a spiritual quest, one that is rich with possibilities." -Lindy Ledohowski, Canadian Literature