Synopses & Reviews
The lives of a French wig maker, a young American widow, and a Cuban cigar maker intersect to startling effect in this masterful, atmospheric novel Tampa, Florida, 1898: a hazy frontier where the Old World meets the New, where miracles of transformation are possible and the soil is so fertile that dry sticks take root and flower. Dominating the town is the new Tampa Bay Hotel, a fairy-tale castle that in the wintertime is a magnet for the finest sorts of people.
During the off-season, the city is quiet, but a few residents remain. Among these is a most exotic creature by the name of Monsieur Lucien Goulet III, wig maker to the wealthy and glamorous-indeed to any resident of Tampa whose desire for his transformations is keen enough to meet his price. As winter nears its end, Goulet is entranced by a head of hair belonging to the young widow Marion Unger. But this material, without which he absolutely cannot form his greatest masterpiece, is hard to come by, being still attached to its owner. Determined to go forward with the project, Goulet drives his gifted night scavenger-a teenage cigar maker who is a refugee from the war in Cuba-to increasingly extreme efforts.
As the lives of these three unlikely accomplices become ever more entwined, Goulet's true nature becomes disturbingly clear, leading to an electrifying conclusion.
Review
"Catherine Chidgey's The Transformation brings the last century bursting to life. Who knew Tampa was so fascinating? If you don't know Chidgey now, you soon will. The strength of this book ensures that."
--Darin Strauss, author of Chang And Eng and The Real Mccoy
Review
"A story out of Edgar Allan Poe, with the requisite revelations about human nature, obsession, and sexuality." --
The Miami Herald
"Dreamlike . . . The Transformation is meticulously researched; its hard physicality convinces as surely as its misty emotional landscape baffles and allures."--St. Petersburg Times
"From its opening chapter, Chidgey's atmospheric resurrection of a bygone time embedded in a bizarre but entrancing story is as irresistible as the pull of a rip current."--Orlando Sentinel
"Haunting . . . well researched and intriguing . . . suspenseful and surprising."--The Roanoke Times
"Catherine Chidgey's The Transformation brings the last century bursting to life. Who knew Tampa was so fascinating? If you don't know Chidgey now, you soon will. The strength of this book ensures that."
--Darin Strauss, author of Chang and Eng
"Poignant . . . Incorporating her research with an organic touch, Chidgey constructs a tale as enchanting as the hotel rising from its Florida swamp." --Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
The lives of a French wig maker, a young American widow, and a teenaged cigar maker intersect to a startling, electrifying effect in this masterful, atmospheric novel set in Tampa, Florida, in 1898.
Synopsis
Tampa, Florida, 1898: A hazy frontier where the Old World meets the New, where miracles of transformation are possible and the soil is so fertile that dry sticks take root and flower. Dominating the town is the magisterial new Tampa Bay Hotel and dominating the hotel is an exotic creature by the name of Monsieur Lucien Goulet III, wig maker to the wealthy and glamorous. As winter nears its end, Goulet is entranced by a head of hair belonging to the young widow Marion Unger. But this material, without which he absolutely cannot form his greatest masterpiece, is hard to come by, as it is still attached to its owner.
About the Author
Catherine Chidgey is the author of
The Strength of the Sun (a
New York Times Book Review Notable Book) and
In a Fishbone Church, which was nominated for the Orange Prize. She lives in Auckland, New Zealand.