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Book Of Fires

by Jane Borodale
Book Of Fires

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  • Synopses & Reviews

ISBN13: 9780670021062
ISBN10: 0670021067
Condition: Standard
DustJacket: Standard

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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

Reminiscent of Year of Wonders, a captivating debut novel of fireworks, fortune, and a young woman's redemption

It is 1752 and seventeen-year-old Agnes Trussel arrives in London pregnant with an unwanted child. Lost and frightened, she finds herself at the home of Mr. J. Blacklock, a brooding fireworks maker who hires Agnes as an apprentice. As she learns to make rockets, portfires, and fiery rain, she slowly gains his trust and joins his quest to make the most spectacular fireworks the world has ever seen.

Jane Borodale offers a masterful portrayal of a relationship as mysterious and tempestuous as any the Brontës conceived. Her portrait of 1750s London is unforgettable, from the grimy streets to the inner workings of a household where little is as it seems. Through it all, the clock is ticking, for Agnes's secret will not stay secret forever.

Deeply atmospheric and intimately told from Agnes's perspective, The Book of Fires will appeal to readers of Geraldine Brooks, Sarah Waters, Sheri Holman, and Michel Faber.

Review

"A quietly beautiful novel...elegant use of language...inventive storytelling."

-BookPage

"...stunning debut novel...exceptionally well-crafted, beautifully written."

-The Historical Novels Review

"Jane Borodale writes historical fiction with a twist in the tale, without sentimentality. Agnes Trussel is a heroine armed only with doggedness, ingenuity, and desperation, who marches toward her future with an intrepid spirit. An engrossing story."

-Karleen Koen, bestselling author of Through a Glass Darkly and Now Face to Face

A "promising debut."

-Kirkus

"Borodale deftly conjures up mid-18th century London in her spectacular debut...Readers who loved Jane Eyre will appreciate the atmosphere of tension and foreboding that permeates the narrative."

-Booklist

"Jane Borodale's captivating debut novel carried me back to a world where even strong young women had few options. Her astonishing descriptions of 18th-century England, the creation of fireworks, and the brave and determined Agnes held me happily captive there for days, and, even now, have not released their hold on me. Agnes Trussel is sure to become one of 21st-century literature's most enduring characters."

-Brunonia Barry, New York Times bestselling author of The Lace Reader

"Jane Borodale's first novel contains a wondrous and utterly believable world built by the subtle accretion of precise detail. Young Agnes Trussel is a clever and innocent heroine. I found myself cheering when, by the end, she-and the very novel that contains her story-burst into new and luminous life."

-Lauren Groff, New York Times bestselling author of The Monsters of Templeton

"Jane Borodale has a way with words that had me smelling the foul streets of 18th-century London and tasting the strange powders that went into making John Blacklock's fireworks. The story of the apprentice Agnes learning from the master Blacklock is reminiscent of The Girl with the Pearl Earring."

-Anne Easter Smith, author of A Rose for the Crown and The King's Grace

"Whether in evoking rural Sussex at a time of change or the precariousness of life in the metropolis, Jane Borodale displays a deft touch in this very pleasing story."

-Telegraph

Synopsis

The year is 1752, and 17-year-old Agnes Trussel arrives in London pregnant with an unwanted child. Lost and frightened, she lands work as an apprentice to a fireworks maker. As she learns the trade, she joins in his quest to make the most spectacular fireworks the world has ever seen.

Synopsis

"A spectacular debut" (Booklist) reminiscent of Geraldine Brook's Year of Wonders.

It is 1752, and seventeen-year-old Agnes Trussel is pregnant with an unwanted child. Facing certain misery at home, she flees rural Sussex for London. Overwhelmed by the crowded, grim streets, Agnes finds herself at the home of Mr. J. Blacklock, a brooding fireworks maker who hires her as an apprentice. As she learns to make joins his quest to make the most spectacular fireworks the world has ever seen. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on Agnes's secret-but her mysterious mentor is hatching plans of his own.


About the Author

Jane Borodale is currently Leverhulme Artist-in-Residence at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum in Sussex, England. This is her first novel.

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Average customer rating 4 (1 comments)

`
Denise Morland , June 12, 2010 (view all comments by Denise Morland)
The Book of Fires is the story of Agnes Trussel, 17 and pregnant, in 1752. She flees her home in the countryside ,fearing the wrath of her father, and ends up in London, desperately hoping to find a way to survive. By chance she is taken in by Mr. Blacklock, a fireworks maker, and she proves adept at learning the art. She hides her pregnancy, but must figure out a better solution as she obviously can't hide it forever. I really enjoyed this book! The details of making fireworks, the history of life in London in 1752, and the depth of Agnes as a character all made for a unique and entertaining read. The writing is very descriptive so that you can taste, smell, and feel what Agnes' life was like and are instantly transported into the time period. The plot was a little unrealistic at times, Agnes proves to be luckier than the average person. However, I enjoy a good, surprise ending so it was worth stretching credibility a little for me. I will certainly look forward to Jane Borodale's next novel.

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Product Details

ISBN:
9780670021062
Binding:
Hardcover
Publication date:
01/01/2010
Publisher:
PENGUIN PUTNAM TRADE
Pages:
368
Height:
9.26 in.
Width:
7.08 in.
Thickness:
1.18 in.
Age Range:
17-17 and up
Grade Range:
from 12
Number of Units:
1
Copyright Year:
2010
UPC Code:
2800670021064
Author:
Jane Borodale
Subject:
Historical fiction
Subject:
Literature-A to Z

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