Description de l’éditeur
American
Royals meets The Winner’s Curse in
the first book of a dazzling duology from New York Times bestselling
author Brittany Cavallaro about revolution, love, and friendship in a
reimagined American monarchy.
The year is 1893, and war is brewing in
the First American Kingdom. But Claire Emerson has a bigger problem. Claire’s father
is a sought-after inventor, but he believes his genius is a gift granted to him
by his daughter’s touch, so he keeps Claire under his control.
As their province
prepares for war, Claire plans to escape, even as her best friend, Beatrix,
tries to convince her to stay and help with the growing resistance movement
that wants to see a woman on the throne.
When her father’s weapon fails to fire on the
World’s Fair’s opening day, Claire is taken captive by Governor Remy Duchamp,
St. Cloud’s young, untried ruler. Remy believes that Claire’s touch bestows
graces he’s never had, and with political rivals planning his demise, Claire
might be his only ally.
The last thing that Claire has ever wanted is to be someone
else’s muse, but she finally has a choice: Will she quietly remake her world
from the shadows—or bring it down in flames?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this fresh duology starter from Cavallaro (the Charlotte Holmes series), the novel's heroine shares center stage with a glittering alternate version of the U.S. in the 19th-century. Ruled by a monarchial line of kings descended from George Washington, the First American Kingdom comprises a handful of sometimes-warring provinces, each ruled by its own hereditary governor. In Monticello-by-the-Lake, quietly rebellious Claire Emerson, 17, is getting ready to flee her violent inventor father by running away to an arranged marriage. Mad and ambitious, her father believes that Claire's blessing and touch have the power to ensure the success of a giant weapon he will debut at the 1893 World's Fair. A chaotic turn of events lands Claire in the mansion of the province's young governor, Remy Duchamp, who also believes in Claire's ability to bolster his luck. Meanwhile, the nearby province of Livingston-Monroe appears to be growing more aggressive, Remy's principal advisor hatches his own schemes, and the members of the Daughters of the American Crown work behind the scenes to gain rights for women. While the freewheeling narrative whirls readers along, Claire slowly gains agency, using her wits rather than her supposed powers to take charge of her fate. Peopled with real-world historical characters alongside the fictional ones, Cavallaro's vision of U.S. history presents thought-provoking parallels to past and present realities. Ages 14–up.
