Diana Darling's The Painted Alphabet stakes a legitimate claim to being the best novel ever written about Bali. The story, with origins in Balinese dance drama, is gripping, surreal, magical and, of course, highly dramatic. The author, an American sculptor and writer, has lived in Bali for more than 30 years, and is married into the culture. She understands its complexities and conveys them clearly stylishly and skillfully. ( )