"Black Narcissus" is one of my all time favourite classic films. Moody, brooding with a stunning backdrop although it was never filmed outside the UK! Who can forget the chilling scenes as Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron) descended into madness, the very young and beautiful Jean Simmons as the wayward Kanchi and of course Sabu as The Young General nicknamed by Sister Ruth as Black Narcissus for the perfume he used.

So I was really pleased to find this reprint of the book in my local library. The story is "After opening a convent in the Himalayas, five nuns encounter conflict and tension - both with the natives and also within their own group - as they attempt to adapt to their remote, exotic surroundings." But the rarified atmosphere, the past history and the alienness of the people all contribute to failings and disaster. The film is excellent and the book is too. I genuinely didn't realise it was a screen adaptation and was pleased to find that the film follows the book pretty much word for word. A haunting classic and a great read.