Synopses & Reviews
A crossroads can be a place of great power. So begins this deliciously spine-tingling prequel to Kate Milfordandrsquo;s The Boneshaker, set in the colorful world of nineteenth-century Coney Island and New York City. Few crossroads compare to the one being formed by the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River, and as the bridgeandrsquo;s construction progresses, forces of unimaginable evil seek to bend that power to their advantage. Only two orphans with unusual skills stand in their way. Can the teenagers Sam, a card sharp, and Jin, a fireworks expert, stop them before itandrsquo;s too late? Here is a richly textured, slow-burning thriller about friendship, courage, and the age-old fight between good and evil.
Review
* "Weyn's take on the infamous disaster is wholly original."
- Booklist, starred review
"Told in gripping first-person narrative, this novel features interesting characters and creates a strong sense of time and place, while exploring the mysteries of the spirit world."
- School Library Journal
"Weyn weaves fantasy together with factual threads of the Spiritualist movement, Nikola Tesla's inventions and the celebrity-studded passenger list of the doomed ocean liner....A page-turner."
- Kirkus Reviews
Review
andquot;This seamless blend of fantasy and historical fiction is ripe with rich, gritty detail . . . Readers will be captivated.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus
* andquot;A true delight to fans of history, fantasy, and the triumph of good.andquot;
andmdash;Bulletin, starred review
andquot;This spine-tingling, action-packed, and emotionally powerful prequel to The Boneshaker (Clarion, 2010) can stand on its own and has much to offer discerning readers.andquot;
andmdash;School Library Journal
andquot;Thrilling, gothic, gorgeous. Milford can conjure spirits as well as any of the mysterious wanderers who travel through her world.andquot;
andmdash;Adam Gidwitz, author of A Tale Dark and Grimm
andldquo;A glimpse into a past that feels frighteningly real, The Broken Lands explodes off the page with unforgettable moments of skin-crawling terror and heart-stopping bravery. It thrilled me, enchanted me, terrified me, and by the end, made me fall in love.andrdquo;
andmdash;Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow
andquot;The Broken Lands weaves hobo and drifter legends, post-Civil War Americana, and Coney Islandand#39;s tawdry history into a desperately romantic, canand#39;t-put-it-down scary tale of young love and ancient magic. A superb second novel, rich, complex, and beautifully written.andquot;
andmdash;Chris Moriarty, author of The Inquisitorand#39;s Apprentice
andquot;If Milfordand#39;s The Boneshaker was a combination of Ray Bradbury and American folk legends, its prequel must be what you get when fairy tales meet E.L. Doctorow.andquot;
andmdash;Elizabeth Bird, Youth Materials Collections Specialist, The New York Public Library
andquot;This book held me hostage for the majority of time I was reading it; it was impossible to put it down. The Broken Lands was one of the best books I have ever read.andquot;
andmdash;Kyle, grade 6
Synopsis
The destinies of five sisters all converge on board the Titanic.
Daughters of a famed clairvoyant, the five Taylor sisters have moved to turn-of-the-twentieth-century Spirit Vale, where their mother makes a living talking to the dead. The future, however, is something even she cannot see clearly.
The sisters are not meant to stay in Spirit Vale for long. All seem poised to move in different directions--science, society, fame, even the spirit world--but all of their destinies converge on board the Titanic. A transatlantic voyage that promises great wonders soon turns into a fight for survival that not everyone will win...or can they?
Synopsis
A fast-paced and richly textured historical fantasy, this prequel to The Boneshaker centers around the seedy underworld of Coney Island, the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, and the two orphans who are determined to stop evil forces from claiming the city of New York.
About the Author
Suzanne Weyn has written many books for young adults including Distant Waves, Reincarnation, Empty, and Invisible World. She lives in New York, and you can find her at www.suzanneweynbooks.com.