Synopses & Reviews
Miniaturized show-dragons, automatons with minds of their own, a palace haunted by alchemists, and a neighborhood that is home to criminals and sorcerers alike: Welcome to the world of the Black Hearts, a gang of children bound together by the need to survive in a brutal world where the powers that be are especially cruel to those who do not conform to authoritarian rule. Based on legends of "magic Prague" and on the reality of its former communist regime, Petra K and the Blackhearts focuses on ten-year-old Petra K, the daughter of a shut-in mother, who becomes the master of a dragonka that everyone in the city of Pava wants to get their hands on. In the complicated world of sorceresses, gypsies, child gangs, and secret police, Petra K needs to decide who to trust, and who to betray in order to keep herself and her pet safe. But revolution is in the air, and she is caught up in its pull, becoming separated from her family and aligning herself with the Black Hearts. Magic is banned and personal freedoms are stripped. Only the Black Hearts dare to defy the dictator. Along with the Black Hearts, Petra K faces a murderous pack of mechanical dragonka, a phantom secret agent, and, most harrowing, her own weaknesses as she transforms from an impassive follower into a child revolutionary. Will the Black Hearts' adventures and courage inspire the city's terrified population to rise up again, and return Pava to a place of prosperity, where dragonka run free?
Synopsis
Petra K and the Blackhearts take readers to a Prague-like city where miniaturized show-dragons are pitted against each other in secret, forbidden tournaments, and magic has been outlawed by a cruel child dictator. Here lives Petra K, the daughter of a shut-in mother, who becomes the master of a dragonka everyone wants to get their hands on. In a complicated world of sorceresses, Gypsies, child gangs, and secret police, Petra K needs to decide whom to trust, and whom to betray in order to keep herself and her pet safe. But revolution is in the air, and she too is caught up in its pull. Only the Blackhearts, a gang of orphan children, dare to defy the new dictator's rule, selling potions to survive. Along with the Blackhearts, Petra K faces a murderous pack of mechanical dragonka, a phantom secret agent--and, most harrowing, her own weaknesses.
M. Henderson Ellis, the author of Keeping Bedlam at Bay in the Prague Caf (New Europe Books), is a graduate of Bennington College and a Chicago native who currently lives in Budapest, Hungary.
"Ellis's ... years living in Eastern Europe give this steampunk fantasy, first in a planned trilogy, a strong sense of place and an unerring ear for the newspeak of totalitarianism. Archibald the Precious, a child dictator known to the Youth Groups that revere him as the 'Number One Play Pal, ' takes the reins in Pava, the crumbling city-state in which Petra K lives... . Ellis's pacing and plotting abilities show considerable gifts as Petra draws closer to the secret of Archibald's power." --Publishers Weekly
"A breathless ... adventure pits a poor, fatherless girl against all sides in a battle for a dragon's heart and a city's freedom... . Meticulously imagined, Petra's city is built on ancient layers of cultures and traditions, with magic woven into its fabric... . A] remarkable and distinctive offering for devoted fantasy fans." --Kirkus Reviews
"This marks the first in a series aimed to reinvigorate the 'Old World, ' and its strength lies in its sense of place, as Pava's twisting alleyways have the feel of ancient Venice, where any shadow might conceal a thief or a bit of magic... . F]or readers looking for a light mystery with a dash of fantasy, this book will open the door to an imaginative world." --BooklistOnline.com
Synopsis
M. Henderson Ellis, the author of Keeping Bedlam at Bay in the Prague Cafe (New Europe Books), is a graduate of Bennington College and a Chicago native who currently lives in Budapest, Hungary.
Synopsis
Welcome to Pava, a city where miniaturized show-dragons are pitted against each other in secret, forbidden tournaments, and magic has been outlawed by a cruel child dictator. Here lives Petra K, the daughter of a shut-in mother, who becomes the master of a dragonka everyone wants to get their hands on. In a complicated world of sorceresses, gypsies, child gangs, and secret police, Petra K needs to decide whom to trust, and whom to betray in order to keep herself and her pet safe. But revolution is in the air, and she too is caught up in its pull. Only the Blackhearts, a gang of orphan children, dare to defy the new dictator’s rule, selling potions to survive. Along with the Blackhearts, Petra K faces a murderous pack of mechanical dragonka, a phantom secret agent—and, most harrowing, her own weaknesses. Will the Blackhearts’ adventures and courage inspire the terrified population to rise up again, and return Pava to a place of prosperity, where dragonka run free?
Petra K and the Blackhearts is the first thrilling book of a trilogy by M. Henderson Ellis, whose previous novel Booklist called "a wild, manic ride . . . thoroughly enjoyable."