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Muse #1
Muse
An alternate history American monarchy where a girl grapples for control of her own life in the middle of a looming war.
The year is 1893, and war is brewing in the First American Kingdom. But Claire Emerson has a bigger problem. While her father prepares to reveal the mighty weapon he’s created to showcase the might of their province, St. Cloud, in the World’s Fair, Claire is crafting a plan to escape.
Claire’s father is a sought-after inventor, but he believes his genius is a gift, granted to him by his daughter’s touch. He’s kept Claire under his control for years. As St. Cloud prepares for war, Claire plans to claim her life for herself, 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. At any cost.
When her father’s weapon fails to fire on the 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 his governing power weakening and many political rivals planning his demise, Claire might be his only and best ally. But the last thing that Claire has ever wanted is to be someone else’s muse. Still, affections can change as quickly as the winds of war. And Claire has a choice to make: Will she quietly remake her world from the shadows—or bring it down in flames?
The year is 1893, and war is brewing in the First American Kingdom. But Claire Emerson has a bigger problem. While her father prepares to reveal the mighty weapon he’s created to showcase the might of their province, St. Cloud, in the World’s Fair, Claire is crafting a plan to escape.
Claire’s father is a sought-after inventor, but he believes his genius is a gift, granted to him by his daughter’s touch. He’s kept Claire under his control for years. As St. Cloud prepares for war, Claire plans to claim her life for herself, 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. At any cost.
When her father’s weapon fails to fire on the 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 his governing power weakening and many political rivals planning his demise, Claire might be his only and best ally. But the last thing that Claire has ever wanted is to be someone else’s muse. Still, affections can change as quickly as the winds of war. And Claire has a choice to make: Will she quietly remake her world from the shadows—or bring it down in flames?
332 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2021
About the author
Brittany Cavallaro
21 books3,047 followersBrittany Cavallaro is a poet, fiction writer, and old school Sherlockian. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Charlotte Holmes novels from HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books, including A STUDY IN CHARLOTTE, THE LAST OF AUGUST, THE CASE FOR JAMIE, and A QUESTION OF HOLMES. She's also the author of the poetry collections GIRL-KING and UNHISTORICAL (University of Akron) and is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. She earned her BA in literature from Middlebury College and her MFA in poetry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She lives in Michigan with her husband, cat, dog, and collection of deerstalker caps.
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Want to read
August 5, 2020for a country who escaped monarchy we sure are fascinated with the possibility of being a monarchy ourselves
January 23, 2020
A long time ago, I read the very beginning of this book, then had to wait years for the rest.
Well, I finally got to read the rest, and it's everything I hoped for. Both smart and strange, and at turns romantic as it is furious, with writing that crackles and characters sharply drawn in varying shades of gray.
Claire&
Beatrix&
Nikola&
Perpetua&
Remy forever.
Will review in greater detail when we're closer to release, but for now, historical fantasy and alternate history fans get this one on your radars.
Well, I finally got to read the rest, and it's everything I hoped for. Both smart and strange, and at turns romantic as it is furious, with writing that crackles and characters sharply drawn in varying shades of gray.
Claire&
Beatrix&
Nikola&
Perpetua&
Remy forever.
Will review in greater detail when we're closer to release, but for now, historical fantasy and alternate history fans get this one on your radars.
Read
May 24, 2020
November 16, 2020
3 stars but... Underwhelming. A story taking place around the 1898 Chicago World's Fair in an alternate history America where George Washington became king, with a main character who longs to escape her father (he keeps her like Mother Gothel because he believes she has magic that helps him) and gets embroiled in the middle of duelling Governorships on the brink of a civil war of sorts... the plot was intriguing. The sentence crafting was beautiful and I have a decent amount of highlights.
But honestly? The majority of it was rather dull. The main character was infuriatingly passive and did not have a strong enough or interesting enough voice to make me feel a part of her world/story. I would have rather heard the story from her best friend's point of view. Some characters are unbelievably disingenuous and there are turns that are inconsistent and seem more a device to propel the plot forward. Like the "romance" - what?
I wasn't really drawn into this one until the last 1/3 or so. Everything in the end was pretty exciting, but given that the first 2/3 dragged a bit, it ended up feeling rushed and I was a little shocked when I hit that last page and there was no more. That having been said, I WANTED more. It was a little frustrating haha. But I guess that says something - I want to know what happens!
Thank you Edelweiss and HarperCollins for the ARC!
But honestly? The majority of it was rather dull. The main character was infuriatingly passive and did not have a strong enough or interesting enough voice to make me feel a part of her world/story. I would have rather heard the story from her best friend's point of view. Some characters are unbelievably disingenuous and there are turns that are inconsistent and seem more a device to propel the plot forward. Like the "romance" - what?
I wasn't really drawn into this one until the last 1/3 or so. Everything in the end was pretty exciting, but given that the first 2/3 dragged a bit, it ended up feeling rushed and I was a little shocked when I hit that last page and there was no more. That having been said, I WANTED more. It was a little frustrating haha. But I guess that says something - I want to know what happens!
Thank you Edelweiss and HarperCollins for the ARC!
March 8, 2021
What kinda white feminist nonsense is this?
To write an alternative history, you have to have some grasp of history. There is no context in which this bizarre white patriarchy makes sense.
George Washington dissolved the U.S. to form a monarchical society that functions like nine-year-olds might conceive them. Black people don’t exist. Maybe never have. France and Germany exist. All of the intellectual history that our pre-1776 universe should share with this alternative world is irrelevant and nothing is explained about the sudden end of all efforts at building constitutional representative governments. Social contract, civil society, every aspect of political theory is unaccounted for.
The pace of the novel is frenetic and scrambling. There is nonstop movement from the first page to the last. No location is developed enough to give a picture, no character has any substance. Dialogue is dreadful. The plot doesn’t hold in any section.
Claire Emerson, the main character, who is impossible to connect with, somehow learned calculus from her mother while cooking in the kitchen of their tenement apartment when she was little. This and her later interest in learning chess are strangely dropped story elements that just confuse, adding nothing, because she never uses mathematical skill at all. She and the “Wright Sisters” are supposed to be the stars in this show, but Ive never seen literary intention fall so far short of the mark. Nikola Tesla, known here only as Tesla, is name dropped with a couple odd appearances. His purpose totally indecipherable.
It’s difficult to envision this amalgamated world of half baked ideas. The kingdom-wide women’s group that meets in the powder room of a dancehall saloon (because men have authority over every other place in the world) sets up a controversy about the values of the women in attendance, but the controversy is unclear. The meeting makes no sense. Then suddenly, without explanation, these women ARE in positions of power. One has a demur husband lending her power, the rest I have no idea.
Claire’s relationships with her adopted sister/maid is nothing but weird. Like every other relationship - the one with her angelic deceased mom, her angelic brother, mad and evil father- there is no there there. It’s all implausible. I’ve never been less convinced by a book in my life.
Are we sure this isn’t an early draft that was accidentally sent to print?
To write an alternative history, you have to have some grasp of history. There is no context in which this bizarre white patriarchy makes sense.
George Washington dissolved the U.S. to form a monarchical society that functions like nine-year-olds might conceive them. Black people don’t exist. Maybe never have. France and Germany exist. All of the intellectual history that our pre-1776 universe should share with this alternative world is irrelevant and nothing is explained about the sudden end of all efforts at building constitutional representative governments. Social contract, civil society, every aspect of political theory is unaccounted for.
The pace of the novel is frenetic and scrambling. There is nonstop movement from the first page to the last. No location is developed enough to give a picture, no character has any substance. Dialogue is dreadful. The plot doesn’t hold in any section.
Claire Emerson, the main character, who is impossible to connect with, somehow learned calculus from her mother while cooking in the kitchen of their tenement apartment when she was little. This and her later interest in learning chess are strangely dropped story elements that just confuse, adding nothing, because she never uses mathematical skill at all. She and the “Wright Sisters” are supposed to be the stars in this show, but Ive never seen literary intention fall so far short of the mark. Nikola Tesla, known here only as Tesla, is name dropped with a couple odd appearances. His purpose totally indecipherable.
It’s difficult to envision this amalgamated world of half baked ideas. The kingdom-wide women’s group that meets in the powder room of a dancehall saloon (because men have authority over every other place in the world) sets up a controversy about the values of the women in attendance, but the controversy is unclear. The meeting makes no sense. Then suddenly, without explanation, these women ARE in positions of power. One has a demur husband lending her power, the rest I have no idea.
Claire’s relationships with her adopted sister/maid is nothing but weird. Like every other relationship - the one with her angelic deceased mom, her angelic brother, mad and evil father- there is no there there. It’s all implausible. I’ve never been less convinced by a book in my life.
Are we sure this isn’t an early draft that was accidentally sent to print?
May 3, 2021
Meh.
There were some interesting ideas here, but they all felt kind of jumbled up for me, and frankly I think the story would have been stronger with fewer concepts. The idea that felt most powerful - Claire's supposed ability to 'bless' people or grant wishes, interwoven with the idea of (upper-class, white) women as the "angel in the house" - didn't really get fully explored because there was a LOT of other stuff going on. I didn't really buy into the alternate history angle, and honestly I think Cavallaro including a prologue showing George Washington making the decision to become a king was part of that - it felt contrived and didn't really have a bearing on the story, so it was out of place in the beginning of the book. (An appendix with faux-primary sources would have been much more effective worldbuilding.)
I also, after over 300 pages, still don't understand why two provinces were going to war with each other and this was apparently just fine with the reigning monarch.
(and of course all of that is setting aside all the OTHER questions. What happened to France's revolution, an overthrow of monarchy closely tied to the U.S.'s? Did the Civil War happen in this timeline, and what did it look like? Where ARE the people of color in this book anyway? IMO part of the fascination of alternate history is exploring all of these different dimensions, and that wasn't present.)
Ultimately, I didn't hate this book and powered through it in about a day, but I don't think it really fulfilled its potential.
There were some interesting ideas here, but they all felt kind of jumbled up for me, and frankly I think the story would have been stronger with fewer concepts. The idea that felt most powerful - Claire's supposed ability to 'bless' people or grant wishes, interwoven with the idea of (upper-class, white) women as the "angel in the house" - didn't really get fully explored because there was a LOT of other stuff going on. I didn't really buy into the alternate history angle, and honestly I think Cavallaro including a prologue showing George Washington making the decision to become a king was part of that - it felt contrived and didn't really have a bearing on the story, so it was out of place in the beginning of the book. (An appendix with faux-primary sources would have been much more effective worldbuilding.)
I also, after over 300 pages, still don't understand why two provinces were going to war with each other and this was apparently just fine with the reigning monarch.
(and of course all of that is setting aside all the OTHER questions. What happened to France's revolution, an overthrow of monarchy closely tied to the U.S.'s? Did the Civil War happen in this timeline, and what did it look like? Where ARE the people of color in this book anyway? IMO part of the fascination of alternate history is exploring all of these different dimensions, and that wasn't present.)
Ultimately, I didn't hate this book and powered through it in about a day, but I don't think it really fulfilled its potential.
March 1, 2021
DNF at about 50%
What? I actually don't really get what I just read (or at least the 50% I read). First of all, this book is set in a world of If George Washington became a king instead of a president. Which was the absolute worse choice Cavallaro could possibly make. It basically ERASES the entirety of the Revolutionary War! She tries to justify this whole...problem in the 4 pages of the prologue, but no, no I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THIS. We worked almost 10 years to officially gain our freedom and for what??? For George Washington to take a kingdom and call one of the Providences, St. Cloud? NO. It makes no fucking sense.
And then we get introduced to our useless MC who I hate. She is the basis of annoying through and through. I don't like our love interest either, and I especially don't like any of our supporting characters. This was such a disappointment. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, as I loved the Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro. However ultimately, this fell flat for me.
What? I actually don't really get what I just read (or at least the 50% I read). First of all, this book is set in a world of If George Washington became a king instead of a president. Which was the absolute worse choice Cavallaro could possibly make. It basically ERASES the entirety of the Revolutionary War! She tries to justify this whole...problem in the 4 pages of the prologue, but no, no I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THIS. We worked almost 10 years to officially gain our freedom and for what??? For George Washington to take a kingdom and call one of the Providences, St. Cloud? NO. It makes no fucking sense.
And then we get introduced to our useless MC who I hate. She is the basis of annoying through and through. I don't like our love interest either, and I especially don't like any of our supporting characters. This was such a disappointment. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, as I loved the Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro. However ultimately, this fell flat for me.
January 6, 2022
I had so much hope for this because it sounded so awesome of a plot. But i was so disappointed.the alternative history wasn't well done, the characters was not interesting or intriguing to follow and overall had nothing to give it more than 1 star. I feel very harsh giving such negative review as I could see potential, but it did not deliver for me
February 24, 2021
Gosto tanto de outros livros da autora, mas esse foi tão meh
February 4, 2021
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I quite enjoyed Muse, once I got into it. I do love a historical book, even better when it's alternate history and I can see all the Easter eggs from the real history. I definitely liked more than I didn't in this one, so let's break it down!
The Yays:
►Very cool setting! I mean, 1893 World's Fair but like, Alt-World's Fair, in Alt-Chicago? Yes please! That is pretty great, frankly. Even more exciting because so much was happening from a technological perspective, with the invent of both auto and air travel, it must have been something special. Also, Tesla is involved. It's just fascinating, even as alternative history (perhaps because it's alternative history, even).
►Couldn't help but root for Claire. Wow does Claire need a better life, stat. I mean, things weren't great for women in the 1800s anyway, but they're even worse in Alt-merica. Women are still property, and Claire finds that her only options are living under her abusive father's rule, or marry some rando and live under his rule. Those sound like absolute trash choices, so you can see why Claire was desperate. I loved her having the chance to get out from under that oppression and finally make her own choices, at least a bit.
►Claire's father can go float himself. Idk why this is a positive, perhaps mostly that I just need to read the sequel in the hopes that this guy meets a tragic end? I hate him. He not only treats Claire like utter garbage, but he neglected her after her mother died, and is basically abusive to her now. Claire finally working against him is my favorite and that's the tea on that.
►I liked the political messiness. This is what happens when you just let whoever happened to genetically spawn first be in charge. It's a disaster, and only a mere 100 years into their little experiment, looks like the American Kingdom is facing a coup. It was a bit confusing at first, trying to figure out who was who (and why, see below), but I enjoyed all the backstabbing and plotting nonetheless.
►Beatrix. Claire's bestie Beatrix is kind of everything.
The Nays:
►Okay but George Washington didn't have any sons. Look, I get that it is alternate history, but when you say that the Washington kingdom is passed on from father to son... and George historically had no biological offspring... I am going to need an explanation at least. Make up a son, Idk. (I guess technically there is a made up grandson, but no details as to the why/how.) But it irked me the whole time, because dude was bummed he couldn't reproduce and now we have a whole kingdom based on him reproducing, so. You can see my distress. Admittedly, this is probably something that won't bother you even a fraction of as much as it did me, so take it with a grain of salt.
►Also, a map would have been solid. Basically just a little more fleshing out of the world in general, is what I am saying. I loved the basic idea, but I just kind of wanted a little more information, and perhaps a look into how places became the way they were. See, the thing that, coupled with the above bulletpoint, made it hard for me to believe was that the entire premise of the world is so wildly different from how our country actually formed. Don't get me wrong, it's plausible with the right backstories and explanations, but with just a couple pages giving me some barebones facts, I had to suspend my disbelief quite a bit.
►'Twas a bit slow in places. I did enjoy the story, but it took me a bit to get into it, I admit. But, it also picked up quite a bit as the story went on, so if you find yourself struggling for the first quarter, it did improve significantly for me.
►I felt like the story should have been narrated in first person, perhaps? This is why: in many, many places in the story, we get little glimpses into Claire's thoughts, little bits that are in first person- her inner monologue, basically. Problem was, sometimes these weren't italicized or really given any indication that there was a change in narration, so that lead to me being confused. And also, if you're going to use the inner thought process that much, might as well just go all-out and do first. That is just my own personal opinion, and I am hopeful that the confusion will be corrected in the finished copy, so it hopefully won't be an issue in that regard!
Bottom Line: An enjoyable alternate history which perhaps required a bit more development, still a solid and entertaining book with a sympathetic main character. I'm definitely curious enough to want to read the sequel.
I quite enjoyed Muse, once I got into it. I do love a historical book, even better when it's alternate history and I can see all the Easter eggs from the real history. I definitely liked more than I didn't in this one, so let's break it down!
The Yays:
►Very cool setting! I mean, 1893 World's Fair but like, Alt-World's Fair, in Alt-Chicago? Yes please! That is pretty great, frankly. Even more exciting because so much was happening from a technological perspective, with the invent of both auto and air travel, it must have been something special. Also, Tesla is involved. It's just fascinating, even as alternative history (perhaps because it's alternative history, even).
►Couldn't help but root for Claire. Wow does Claire need a better life, stat. I mean, things weren't great for women in the 1800s anyway, but they're even worse in Alt-merica. Women are still property, and Claire finds that her only options are living under her abusive father's rule, or marry some rando and live under his rule. Those sound like absolute trash choices, so you can see why Claire was desperate. I loved her having the chance to get out from under that oppression and finally make her own choices, at least a bit.
►Claire's father can go float himself. Idk why this is a positive, perhaps mostly that I just need to read the sequel in the hopes that this guy meets a tragic end? I hate him. He not only treats Claire like utter garbage, but he neglected her after her mother died, and is basically abusive to her now. Claire finally working against him is my favorite and that's the tea on that.
►I liked the political messiness. This is what happens when you just let whoever happened to genetically spawn first be in charge. It's a disaster, and only a mere 100 years into their little experiment, looks like the American Kingdom is facing a coup. It was a bit confusing at first, trying to figure out who was who (and why, see below), but I enjoyed all the backstabbing and plotting nonetheless.
►Beatrix. Claire's bestie Beatrix is kind of everything.
The Nays:
►Okay but George Washington didn't have any sons. Look, I get that it is alternate history, but when you say that the Washington kingdom is passed on from father to son... and George historically had no biological offspring... I am going to need an explanation at least. Make up a son, Idk. (I guess technically there is a made up grandson, but no details as to the why/how.) But it irked me the whole time, because dude was bummed he couldn't reproduce and now we have a whole kingdom based on him reproducing, so. You can see my distress. Admittedly, this is probably something that won't bother you even a fraction of as much as it did me, so take it with a grain of salt.
►Also, a map would have been solid. Basically just a little more fleshing out of the world in general, is what I am saying. I loved the basic idea, but I just kind of wanted a little more information, and perhaps a look into how places became the way they were. See, the thing that, coupled with the above bulletpoint, made it hard for me to believe was that the entire premise of the world is so wildly different from how our country actually formed. Don't get me wrong, it's plausible with the right backstories and explanations, but with just a couple pages giving me some barebones facts, I had to suspend my disbelief quite a bit.
►'Twas a bit slow in places. I did enjoy the story, but it took me a bit to get into it, I admit. But, it also picked up quite a bit as the story went on, so if you find yourself struggling for the first quarter, it did improve significantly for me.
►I felt like the story should have been narrated in first person, perhaps? This is why: in many, many places in the story, we get little glimpses into Claire's thoughts, little bits that are in first person- her inner monologue, basically. Problem was, sometimes these weren't italicized or really given any indication that there was a change in narration, so that lead to me being confused. And also, if you're going to use the inner thought process that much, might as well just go all-out and do first. That is just my own personal opinion, and I am hopeful that the confusion will be corrected in the finished copy, so it hopefully won't be an issue in that regard!
Bottom Line: An enjoyable alternate history which perhaps required a bit more development, still a solid and entertaining book with a sympathetic main character. I'm definitely curious enough to want to read the sequel.
Want to read
April 18, 2021
April 15, 2021
This one just didn't work for me which is a big bummer as it was one of my most anticipated books of 2021. I felt like this premise had so much potential and sounded super intriguing, but it just didn't deliver on this. It ended up being a feminist "stick it to the man" sort of book, in which every woman thinks that every man is stomping on their rights and they need to fight back. I just don't get along well with that mentality. There is of course a history of women's rights being stepped on through the time period of this book (the 1800s), but I don't subscribe to the fact that ALL men felt or behaved this way and I really don't like when books project that onto their story.
In addition the "romance" in this book was very strange and I didn't care for it at all.
In addition the "romance" in this book was very strange and I didn't care for it at all.
April 11, 2021
MUSE, by Brittany Cavallaro is an alternative "historical fiction" novel based in the USA. The premise was interesting, and I had no problems with the writing. The main character, however, was too... unassertive ... in my opinion. Because of this, I really wasn't able to connect to her in any way. While I did want to see what happened next in the story, I just was underwhelmed when her character came into play (a couple of the secondary characters were easier to follow for me).
A decent book, but not sure I'll be picking up the next in the series.
A decent book, but not sure I'll be picking up the next in the series.
August 13, 2020
*Spoiler free*
Historical fiction and I have a rocky relationship. I've found a few that I've absolutely adored, but I tend to be really picky about which ones I liked. So, going into this one, I wasn't sure where my opinion would land. But, it had such an interesting concept. A girl, perhaps with magical abilities, torn between helping her father or helping the Governor who's taken her captive. Or finally helping herself. Plus, there was the intrigue of the World's Fair and all the inventions it would hold. It sounded really, really interesting, and I wanted to give it a try. Trigger warnings: parental abuse (physical and emotional)
I hate saying that I didn't love a book, but I didn't love this book. Yes, it was interesting, but there were just a good number of things that I didn't particularly love.
I'll start of with the things I did like, though! One of them was the writing. It felt so smooth and it made it easy to fly through the book.
Another thing that I liked was the Fair and the inventions inside it. I would have loved for those things to be even more prevalent in the book, but they were still fascinating!
I also loved Beatrice, who is Claire's best friend. She's a queer inventor, who's close to reaching flight with one of her inventions. She was just an all around great character.
Alright, moving onto the things that I didn't love as much. I felt like this book moved both too fast and too slow. I think I was expecting for something more explosive. I thought there would be more of the inventions, more emphasis on Claire's supposed gift. But, I felt like those things were on the back burner for most of the book. I felt like they were lingering questions instead of aspects integrated into the book. This made it frustrating to watch where Claire's story went, because I thought that there could be so much more to it. Though, that's just my personal opinion!
Another thing that really threw me off was the romance. When the word "love" was thrown out there I was floored. I felt like there was no romantic connection happening at all, and suddenly love was being talked about. I felt like there was barely even a friendship. It was frustrating because I didn't get why Claire's loyalties fell where they did. Really, I felt like the romance didn't need to be there at all and I didn't get why it was included. I think it could've been a great one, but I felt like the development wasn't really there.
I'm realizing that there were a lot of things about this book that frustrated me, haha. It felt kind of like a modgepodge of a few different plot points. There was Claire's father, Claire's captivity with the Governor, the politics at play, Claire's supposed powers, and the inventions that needed to be completed. I felt like they struggled for attention and the focus should have been on only one or maybe a few of them.
All in all, this book wasn't quite for me. But, that doesn't mean it won't be for you! If you like inventions and historical fiction and political intrigue, then I urge you to check this book out!
Historical fiction and I have a rocky relationship. I've found a few that I've absolutely adored, but I tend to be really picky about which ones I liked. So, going into this one, I wasn't sure where my opinion would land. But, it had such an interesting concept. A girl, perhaps with magical abilities, torn between helping her father or helping the Governor who's taken her captive. Or finally helping herself. Plus, there was the intrigue of the World's Fair and all the inventions it would hold. It sounded really, really interesting, and I wanted to give it a try. Trigger warnings: parental abuse (physical and emotional)
I hate saying that I didn't love a book, but I didn't love this book. Yes, it was interesting, but there were just a good number of things that I didn't particularly love.
I'll start of with the things I did like, though! One of them was the writing. It felt so smooth and it made it easy to fly through the book.
Another thing that I liked was the Fair and the inventions inside it. I would have loved for those things to be even more prevalent in the book, but they were still fascinating!
I also loved Beatrice, who is Claire's best friend. She's a queer inventor, who's close to reaching flight with one of her inventions. She was just an all around great character.
Alright, moving onto the things that I didn't love as much. I felt like this book moved both too fast and too slow. I think I was expecting for something more explosive. I thought there would be more of the inventions, more emphasis on Claire's supposed gift. But, I felt like those things were on the back burner for most of the book. I felt like they were lingering questions instead of aspects integrated into the book. This made it frustrating to watch where Claire's story went, because I thought that there could be so much more to it. Though, that's just my personal opinion!
Another thing that really threw me off was the romance. When the word "love" was thrown out there I was floored. I felt like there was no romantic connection happening at all, and suddenly love was being talked about. I felt like there was barely even a friendship. It was frustrating because I didn't get why Claire's loyalties fell where they did. Really, I felt like the romance didn't need to be there at all and I didn't get why it was included. I think it could've been a great one, but I felt like the development wasn't really there.
I'm realizing that there were a lot of things about this book that frustrated me, haha. It felt kind of like a modgepodge of a few different plot points. There was Claire's father, Claire's captivity with the Governor, the politics at play, Claire's supposed powers, and the inventions that needed to be completed. I felt like they struggled for attention and the focus should have been on only one or maybe a few of them.
All in all, this book wasn't quite for me. But, that doesn't mean it won't be for you! If you like inventions and historical fiction and political intrigue, then I urge you to check this book out!
February 5, 2021
I live for these What if...? stories that give voice to what could have been... but this story wasn't one I would be writing home about. There were parts that drug on, the ending was far too quick, and not everything felt fully developed. Will I continue the series? You bet your sweet tush I will.
February 28, 2023
More like a 3.5 if I’m being honest.
Claire belongs to no man but all of these men around her think she is a prop to bring good luck. This is a retelling and newly imagined First American Kingdom with Georgie Washington as the king.
This was very different from her study in Charlotte series and I know fantasy books spend a lot of time building up. It pains me to say this but I felt that the book was building up to nothing. Hope I like the second one better!!
Claire belongs to no man but all of these men around her think she is a prop to bring good luck. This is a retelling and newly imagined First American Kingdom with Georgie Washington as the king.
This was very different from her study in Charlotte series and I know fantasy books spend a lot of time building up. It pains me to say this but I felt that the book was building up to nothing. Hope I like the second one better!!
August 9, 2020
C/W:
I can honestly say that Muse was unlike anything else I've read. It's set in an alternate 1893 where the United States is actually the First American Kingdom and the provinces are poised for war. Claire's father is an inventor working on a new weapon that's going to be unveiled at the World's Fair. He believes that he can only succeed by regularly receiving blessings from Claire, who lives a suffocating life stuck mostly at home as a result. When Claire's plans for escape are thwarted, she ends up in the middle of something much more complicated than just being her father's unwilling assistant.
The First American Kingdom was a rich, evocative setting for Claire's story. I'm a sucker for a World's Fair and really enjoyed the historical figures, like Nikola Tesla, that were sprinkled throughout the book. One of the things that always stands out in Cavallaro's books is how great the writing is and Muse was no exception. The sentence-level craft was amazing and the world building was well integrated into the larger story.
My frustration with Muse stemmed largely from our main character, Claire. She is an incredibly passive protagonist, leading much of the story to happen to her rather than as a result of her actions. One on hand, this made sense because Claire exists in a world where women have very few opportunities to exercise power of any kind. That said, it made for an irritating reading experience to see Claire basically pushed from one plot point to the next.
The last third of Muse was action-packed and definitely left me curious to see where the story is going next. The rich setting and interesting premise made the book an overall entertaining reading experience even though I was frustrated with Claire as a protagonist. I'd recommend this for readers who are willing to be a bit patient. I know I'm certainly excited to see what book 2 has in store.
Thank you Katherine Tegen Books and Edelweiss for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I can honestly say that Muse was unlike anything else I've read. It's set in an alternate 1893 where the United States is actually the First American Kingdom and the provinces are poised for war. Claire's father is an inventor working on a new weapon that's going to be unveiled at the World's Fair. He believes that he can only succeed by regularly receiving blessings from Claire, who lives a suffocating life stuck mostly at home as a result. When Claire's plans for escape are thwarted, she ends up in the middle of something much more complicated than just being her father's unwilling assistant.
The First American Kingdom was a rich, evocative setting for Claire's story. I'm a sucker for a World's Fair and really enjoyed the historical figures, like Nikola Tesla, that were sprinkled throughout the book. One of the things that always stands out in Cavallaro's books is how great the writing is and Muse was no exception. The sentence-level craft was amazing and the world building was well integrated into the larger story.
My frustration with Muse stemmed largely from our main character, Claire. She is an incredibly passive protagonist, leading much of the story to happen to her rather than as a result of her actions. One on hand, this made sense because Claire exists in a world where women have very few opportunities to exercise power of any kind. That said, it made for an irritating reading experience to see Claire basically pushed from one plot point to the next.
The last third of Muse was action-packed and definitely left me curious to see where the story is going next. The rich setting and interesting premise made the book an overall entertaining reading experience even though I was frustrated with Claire as a protagonist. I'd recommend this for readers who are willing to be a bit patient. I know I'm certainly excited to see what book 2 has in store.
Thank you Katherine Tegen Books and Edelweiss for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 6, 2020
I don't reads tons of YA literature because so often it goes beyond the formulaic to consist of nothing but strung-together signifiers of edginess, of love, of against-all-odds-ness. But here's a book so unique that it clears new grounds of possibility for a genre, taking what we know we love about the Chicago World's Fair, the figure of Tesla, and fin de siecle awfulness and promise and jolting it with traces of magical realism and steampunk to create new ways of seeing the past, the future, and a whole genre of literature. By troubling the simple binary of YA and "literary fiction," Cavallaro breaks down our learnt assumptions about the differences between age groups, along with all the attendant, tacit notions of hierarchy. The heroic female protagonists in this book are suspect enough to make them three-dimensional and thought provoking, and the men of the book are compelling and resistant to caricature. Tesla is a delight, of course. What an achievement "Muse" is, and I can't wait for the sequel.
December 19, 2020
I will go ahead and say that I was not very fond of this book. I was hesitant about the concept of rewriting American history at first when i read the summary, but ultimately decided that it could be really cool and interesting. However, that being said I was rather underwhelmed and a bit disappointed with Muse. The first 95 ish pages were extremely slow, and not much happened at all. When there finally was some action around page 1/3 of the way in (which was acting as the main catalyst for the rest of the book) it felt very rushed and unimportant. I was unable to form a connection with any of the characters and honestly could barley finish the book because i just didn't care about what happened to them. The main "romance" was very underdeveloped, unbelievable, and felt forced. Overall the concept ended up being very neat, it just wasn't for me.
April 9, 2021
Nej, nu tog stjärnorna ändå slut...
October 5, 2020
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Muse started out promising: a rare YA where the heroine is understated and has to use her brains in order to navigate a world determined to keep her helpless. But a very slow first half morphed into a second half that built so much momentum that the ending felt both rushed and unsatisfying. There is an arc here but it felt manufactured.Story: It's 1893 and Claire Emerson's province is celebrating - and posturing - through a grand World's Fair. The province's governor is young and untested, leaving the area ripe for a war and brutal takeover by a neighboring State. Claire's father has created a giant canon exhibition for the governor and the fair to discourage a coup or takeover. But unbeknownst to the world, her father believes Claire is the key to the exhibition's success through her ability to 'bless' good fortune. When the canon fails, she comes under the close scrutiny of the young governor and must learn to fight and stand up for herself. For in this game of politics, the stakes are life and death.
So what we have here is an alternate universe America where Washington decided on a monarchy rather than a democracy. Governors and the Kingship are hereditary positions leading to strife and posturing. There is a lot of scheming in the book as various political or non political individuals jockey for favors or prominence. This includes military generals, suffragettes, governors and inventors.
The characters are diverse and each followed their own desires. This led to many twists and turns, betrayals, surprises, and reveals. But it also meant that characters had very abrupt personality changes that felt both unrealistic and disingenuous - there to give a plot change rather than a natural and organic response to events. Several times I was pulled out of the plot because a character did a complete reversal on their stance and I had to reread to confirm the improbable. That said, I did like that characters were neither too good nor too evil - they were all at the mercy of their intellectual desires and needs.
The love story in this first volume was similarly odd. It was an instaluv that never turned into a romance. Very odd - and very unsatisfying. I'm sure it will grow and change in future volumes but for now, I had a hard time believing any of the confessions of affection. Or the abrupt falling out of love. Similarly, this had an odd friendship between Claire and Beatrix; one built more on familiarity than mutual respect and affection.
Finally, a really problematic issue for me is the art deco (1920/1930s) cover image for what is a Victorian era (1890s) setting. It's like writing a book set in the 1950s and showing an image of 1970s disco balls and leisure suits. Even for an alternate universe where timelines may not match, the setting in the book is clearly Victorian era and not roaring 20s. I have to wonder if the artist mistook the 1933 Chicago Worlds Fair for the 1898 Chicago World's Fair.
In all, I applaud the interesting characters, especially at the beginning. I just wish they were more realistic and consistent in their growth and responses. Similarly, with the plot, I wish it was paced better and without the very abrupt and unsatisfying end of this first volume. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
February 12, 2021
First book of 2021 that I had to quit. I read about 60% of this and I finally asked myself why I was forcing myself to suffer? For how little time I get to read I shouldn’t be taking the facial bruising of sleeping with phone on face from this book. Seriously don’t read it. I genuinely have no idea what was going on or why anything was important. I don’t really think it was. Disappointing too because it seemed like such a cool concept. The historical allusions and historical figures seemed so fun but nothing could make up for the lack of a cohesive plot or interesting narrative. Skip my friends.
November 1, 2021
***This review was originally posted on Ideally Inspired Reviews***
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
The premise of this story is unique. Imagine a world where George Washington decided to become a king and re-establish the monarchy in America. It’s 1893, war is on the horizon for those in the First American Kingdom. War, however, is the least of Claire Emerson’s worries. Her top priority is finding a way to escape her father, an inventor who has gone mad. Her father believes Claire can make his dreams and inventions a success through her touch and blessing. As a result of this, he keeps her close by at all times. He also blames her if anything ever goes amiss with his inventions.
Her father is progressively getting worse as the World Fair’s opening gets closer. He is to debut a revolutionary weapon at the fair, and he needs Claire to ensure it is successful. Long story short, things don’t go the way her father had planned. And Claire’s escape plan is ruined when the Governor takes her captive due to his curiosity about her abilities.
Okay, I’m going to be brutally honest here: I didn’t love this story, nor did I hate it. I feel ambivalent towards it. I love the central idea for this book; the execution fell a bit flat for me. It was hard for me to feel a connection with the characters. It was also hard for me to root for the romance; it didn’t feel organic or realistic. Instead, the romance felt like a plot device the author was using to move the plot forward. That being said, I plan on checking out the sequel when it comes out. I’m curious to see what the author has in store for the characters.
Overall, I found this story to be interesting. I love the way the author incorporated women’s rights into this book. Claire and her friend, Beatrix, both want more out of their lives than what is allowed for women in 1839. It was nice to see Claire grow and become more outspoken about what she wanted for her life. If you’re a fan of history, then I think you should definitely check out this book! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the author’s reimagined version of America.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
The premise of this story is unique. Imagine a world where George Washington decided to become a king and re-establish the monarchy in America. It’s 1893, war is on the horizon for those in the First American Kingdom. War, however, is the least of Claire Emerson’s worries. Her top priority is finding a way to escape her father, an inventor who has gone mad. Her father believes Claire can make his dreams and inventions a success through her touch and blessing. As a result of this, he keeps her close by at all times. He also blames her if anything ever goes amiss with his inventions.
Her father is progressively getting worse as the World Fair’s opening gets closer. He is to debut a revolutionary weapon at the fair, and he needs Claire to ensure it is successful. Long story short, things don’t go the way her father had planned. And Claire’s escape plan is ruined when the Governor takes her captive due to his curiosity about her abilities.
Okay, I’m going to be brutally honest here: I didn’t love this story, nor did I hate it. I feel ambivalent towards it. I love the central idea for this book; the execution fell a bit flat for me. It was hard for me to feel a connection with the characters. It was also hard for me to root for the romance; it didn’t feel organic or realistic. Instead, the romance felt like a plot device the author was using to move the plot forward. That being said, I plan on checking out the sequel when it comes out. I’m curious to see what the author has in store for the characters.
Overall, I found this story to be interesting. I love the way the author incorporated women’s rights into this book. Claire and her friend, Beatrix, both want more out of their lives than what is allowed for women in 1839. It was nice to see Claire grow and become more outspoken about what she wanted for her life. If you’re a fan of history, then I think you should definitely check out this book! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the author’s reimagined version of America.
June 27, 2023
For those of us wondering, What would America have looked like as a monarchy, here is your answer. Brittany Cavallaro's stunning and fierce newest release is an alternative take on American history, which combines a big of magic and a girl who holds the power of the nation in her hands--literally. Muse is a thrilling and twisty story that dives deep into the political machinations of a nation at the same time as it uncovers secrets of the hearts. Its unrelenting scrutinization of men in power begs the question of who is allowed to wield power? Its twists will leave you gasping for breath, and after the final page is closed, you will be begging to know whose hands hold the future of St. Cloud, and whether they are real leaders to root for.
Brittany Cavallaro is the author of the New York Times bestselling Charlotte Holmes series and the poetry collection Girl-King. She earned her BA in literature from Middlebury College and her MFA in poetry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She lives in Michigan. Find her at her website, www.brittanycavallaro.com, or on Twitter @skppingstones. You can find more of my reviews of Brittany's work here.
The year is 1893, and war is brewing in the First American Kingdom. But Claire Emerson has a bigger problem. While her father, Jeremiah, prepares to reveal the mighty weapon he's created to showcase the strength of their province, St. Cloud, at the World's Fair, Claire is crafting a plan to escape. Jeremiah is a sought-after inventor, but he believes his genius is a gift granted to him by his daughter's touch. He's kept Claire under his control for years. As St. Cloud prepares for war, Claire plans to claim her life for herself, even though her best friend, Beatrix, wants her to stay and help with the growing resistance movement that aims to see a woman on the throne. At any cost. When her father's weapon fails to fire on the 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 his governing power weakening and many political rivals planning his demise, she might be his only and best ally. But the last thing that Claire has ever wanted is to be someone else's muse. Still, affections can change as quickly as the winds of war. And Claire has a choice to make: Will she quietly remake her world from the shadows--or bring it down in flames? New York Times bestselling author Brittany Cavallaro delivers the first book in a dazzling duology about revolution, love, and friendship in a reimagined America.
I felt I could immediately relate to Claire the second she was brought to life on the page, scuttling around her city with her best friend doing everything in her power to avoid her father. In a lot of ways, this is a story about power, and the lengths one will go to attain it. Claire has some power in her abilities but not a whole lot of power elsewhere. She's not able to boldly stand up for herself; she sticks to the shadows. She maps a plan to wrest back control the only way she knows how: from passing herself from one man to the next. Pulled into an impossible power struggle, Claire has to learn the political machinations of her city fast. Who wants what is an important detail throughout the story that we as readers would do well not to forget. In the middle of spying, visiting the Fair with her Governor, conversing with her best friend Beatrix on politics, Claire's vision for her future is clouded. And, in the midst of all of this, Claire finds her voice. Even if she doesn't get to plot her own future or make those decisions as soon as she would like, Claire learns how to do the things she couldn't in the opening pages: stand up for herself, speak out against the men in her life controlling her, and make her own decisions, even if they might be bad ones.
Claire's not the only character whose story is our own. The fire-in-her-veins Beatrix is fighting for a cause that might cost her everything--even her friendship with Claire. The young Governor, suffering from a lonely past, faces accusations from all sides as he struggles to find allies in a province that overwhelms him. Captain Miller, allegiances unknown, has a hidden past of his own that makes him a strange but flimsy ally to Claire and Remy. All of these characters' choices push Claire into corners, give her breathing room, and find Claire herself questioning who to believe. Can she even trust herself? It's been a long time since I've read a book where the secondary characters felt as strong as the main characters, without the author giving them chapters in their points-of-view. Cavallaro expertly folds Beatrix, Remy, and Captain Miller into Claire's story, while taking care to give each of them a story and heart of their own.
I fell in love with the alternate United States history immediately. The way the very first chapter was titled "Preamble" and how the map of the First American Kingdom didn't come until after that was a form of world building I had never seen before. Cavallaro sticks as close to the truth as possible--her Fair resembles that of Chicago's Fair in 1893; much of the buildings her characters populate existed; the customs and traditions of the time are very much in place. And yet, Cavallaro builds a world that is distinctly her own: Claire's "magic touch" that only works on men; the presence of an army that populates the province of St. Cloud; a baseball team for the King's whim, too. It is not so difficult to imagine that this could have been our history, had those previous leaders chosen differently, and I believe that is Cavallaro's point with this unique setting. While this world isn't ours, it is, which is especially seen in the ways Claire's and Beatrix's and Miller's and Remy's fights are still our own.
Cavallaro's writing in her newest release is fierce, angry, righteous, and cackles with electricity Nikola Tesla could only dream of. The fact that women were treated as property is personified to an unimaginable (yet not unrealistic) level. The language surrounding women is all possession-based, and Claire rebels against it as forcefully as any modern day reader would. Knowing distantly that women were treated this way does little to stop the shock and horror at actually feeling it through Cavallaro's writing. It is brilliant that she makes us recognize the implications of women as property through her words and through Claire's thoughts and actions. Not only is Claire treated as property, but as a muse, an inspiration, as magic for any man who can get a hold of her--literally. Cavallaro attempts to untangle the implications of Claire's being a muse, especially for her father and for Remy. Everything from the color of Claire's clothes, the timing of certain events, and each deliberate word choice give suggestions about how everyone else views Claire. This is important so that she can uncover how she wants to view herself and how she wants to transform that perception of her.
Quite possibly my favorite moments of language during this book is when Cavallaro engages with free indirect discourse (or at least some version of free indirect discourse). When Claire's and Cavallaro's thoughts converge on the page, becoming part of the narration rather than just what's going on in Claire's thoughts, make for extremely powerful moments of prose. My favorite such instance? "No. Enough of this. I'm not without two hands and a will" (93), unitalicized lines converging Cavallaro's beliefs on the power of women and Claire's determination that she can take back some control. Absolutely brilliant and striking, and very well done!
I was absolutely struck by the ending of this book, and knew at once that no matter what the second one held, I needed it immediately. Unfortunately for me, I can't even seem to find a release date for book #2, so we're just going to have to stay tuned!
*This review can also be found on my blog, toreadornottoreadnm.blogspot.com*
Brittany Cavallaro is the author of the New York Times bestselling Charlotte Holmes series and the poetry collection Girl-King. She earned her BA in literature from Middlebury College and her MFA in poetry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She lives in Michigan. Find her at her website, www.brittanycavallaro.com, or on Twitter @skppingstones. You can find more of my reviews of Brittany's work here.
The year is 1893, and war is brewing in the First American Kingdom. But Claire Emerson has a bigger problem. While her father, Jeremiah, prepares to reveal the mighty weapon he's created to showcase the strength of their province, St. Cloud, at the World's Fair, Claire is crafting a plan to escape. Jeremiah is a sought-after inventor, but he believes his genius is a gift granted to him by his daughter's touch. He's kept Claire under his control for years. As St. Cloud prepares for war, Claire plans to claim her life for herself, even though her best friend, Beatrix, wants her to stay and help with the growing resistance movement that aims to see a woman on the throne. At any cost. When her father's weapon fails to fire on the 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 his governing power weakening and many political rivals planning his demise, she might be his only and best ally. But the last thing that Claire has ever wanted is to be someone else's muse. Still, affections can change as quickly as the winds of war. And Claire has a choice to make: Will she quietly remake her world from the shadows--or bring it down in flames? New York Times bestselling author Brittany Cavallaro delivers the first book in a dazzling duology about revolution, love, and friendship in a reimagined America.
I felt I could immediately relate to Claire the second she was brought to life on the page, scuttling around her city with her best friend doing everything in her power to avoid her father. In a lot of ways, this is a story about power, and the lengths one will go to attain it. Claire has some power in her abilities but not a whole lot of power elsewhere. She's not able to boldly stand up for herself; she sticks to the shadows. She maps a plan to wrest back control the only way she knows how: from passing herself from one man to the next. Pulled into an impossible power struggle, Claire has to learn the political machinations of her city fast. Who wants what is an important detail throughout the story that we as readers would do well not to forget. In the middle of spying, visiting the Fair with her Governor, conversing with her best friend Beatrix on politics, Claire's vision for her future is clouded. And, in the midst of all of this, Claire finds her voice. Even if she doesn't get to plot her own future or make those decisions as soon as she would like, Claire learns how to do the things she couldn't in the opening pages: stand up for herself, speak out against the men in her life controlling her, and make her own decisions, even if they might be bad ones.
Claire's not the only character whose story is our own. The fire-in-her-veins Beatrix is fighting for a cause that might cost her everything--even her friendship with Claire. The young Governor, suffering from a lonely past, faces accusations from all sides as he struggles to find allies in a province that overwhelms him. Captain Miller, allegiances unknown, has a hidden past of his own that makes him a strange but flimsy ally to Claire and Remy. All of these characters' choices push Claire into corners, give her breathing room, and find Claire herself questioning who to believe. Can she even trust herself? It's been a long time since I've read a book where the secondary characters felt as strong as the main characters, without the author giving them chapters in their points-of-view. Cavallaro expertly folds Beatrix, Remy, and Captain Miller into Claire's story, while taking care to give each of them a story and heart of their own.
I fell in love with the alternate United States history immediately. The way the very first chapter was titled "Preamble" and how the map of the First American Kingdom didn't come until after that was a form of world building I had never seen before. Cavallaro sticks as close to the truth as possible--her Fair resembles that of Chicago's Fair in 1893; much of the buildings her characters populate existed; the customs and traditions of the time are very much in place. And yet, Cavallaro builds a world that is distinctly her own: Claire's "magic touch" that only works on men; the presence of an army that populates the province of St. Cloud; a baseball team for the King's whim, too. It is not so difficult to imagine that this could have been our history, had those previous leaders chosen differently, and I believe that is Cavallaro's point with this unique setting. While this world isn't ours, it is, which is especially seen in the ways Claire's and Beatrix's and Miller's and Remy's fights are still our own.
Cavallaro's writing in her newest release is fierce, angry, righteous, and cackles with electricity Nikola Tesla could only dream of. The fact that women were treated as property is personified to an unimaginable (yet not unrealistic) level. The language surrounding women is all possession-based, and Claire rebels against it as forcefully as any modern day reader would. Knowing distantly that women were treated this way does little to stop the shock and horror at actually feeling it through Cavallaro's writing. It is brilliant that she makes us recognize the implications of women as property through her words and through Claire's thoughts and actions. Not only is Claire treated as property, but as a muse, an inspiration, as magic for any man who can get a hold of her--literally. Cavallaro attempts to untangle the implications of Claire's being a muse, especially for her father and for Remy. Everything from the color of Claire's clothes, the timing of certain events, and each deliberate word choice give suggestions about how everyone else views Claire. This is important so that she can uncover how she wants to view herself and how she wants to transform that perception of her.
Quite possibly my favorite moments of language during this book is when Cavallaro engages with free indirect discourse (or at least some version of free indirect discourse). When Claire's and Cavallaro's thoughts converge on the page, becoming part of the narration rather than just what's going on in Claire's thoughts, make for extremely powerful moments of prose. My favorite such instance? "No. Enough of this. I'm not without two hands and a will" (93), unitalicized lines converging Cavallaro's beliefs on the power of women and Claire's determination that she can take back some control. Absolutely brilliant and striking, and very well done!
I was absolutely struck by the ending of this book, and knew at once that no matter what the second one held, I needed it immediately. Unfortunately for me, I can't even seem to find a release date for book #2, so we're just going to have to stay tuned!
*This review can also be found on my blog, toreadornottoreadnm.blogspot.com*
February 9, 2021
The year is 1893, and war is brewing in the First American Kingdom. But Claire Emerson has a bigger problem. While her father prepares to reveal the mighty weapon he’s created to showcase the might of their province in the World’s Fair, Claire is crafting a plan to escape. But when things go awry at the fair, Claire's plans burn up in flames. Taken captive by Governor Remy Duchamp, St. Cloud’s young, untried ruler, Claire is suddenly allies with a powerful man. Left with the choice to hide in the shadows, or burn it all down in flames, Claire must be her own muse.
CW: abusive parent, harassment, kidnapping, death of a parent (prior to events of novel), drugging.
Claire was a lovely leading lady, she was strong and knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. That being said, there were times where she felt like a passive narrator, and that things were out of her control, but that felt accurate to women of the time period. Claire's father is garbage and I hate him, he's an abusive ass. Beatrix is wonderful, a badass, eye-patch wearing, inventor. Remy is great and I liked how complex of a character he was. Nikola Tesla was a cutie! (what a weird sentence to type) Every character was well written and interesting.
The setting was lovely. The time period of 1893 was gorgeous and well done. I think historical reimagines can be tough, but this one worked! Plot wise this book was interesting, though at times there was a lot going on. This book is the first in a series, and there definitely was a lot of set up in this. But it was done very well, and I really enjoyed it. The politics were incredibly messy, the world itself a lot to take in, but a lot of fun.
This was very well written and intriguing the entire time. It was more slow to medium paced, which I think worked for this story. Things just really amped up as we went! I really really enjoyed this and so recommend it!
CW: abusive parent, harassment, kidnapping, death of a parent (prior to events of novel), drugging.
Claire was a lovely leading lady, she was strong and knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. That being said, there were times where she felt like a passive narrator, and that things were out of her control, but that felt accurate to women of the time period. Claire's father is garbage and I hate him, he's an abusive ass. Beatrix is wonderful, a badass, eye-patch wearing, inventor. Remy is great and I liked how complex of a character he was. Nikola Tesla was a cutie! (what a weird sentence to type) Every character was well written and interesting.
The setting was lovely. The time period of 1893 was gorgeous and well done. I think historical reimagines can be tough, but this one worked! Plot wise this book was interesting, though at times there was a lot going on. This book is the first in a series, and there definitely was a lot of set up in this. But it was done very well, and I really enjoyed it. The politics were incredibly messy, the world itself a lot to take in, but a lot of fun.
This was very well written and intriguing the entire time. It was more slow to medium paced, which I think worked for this story. Things just really amped up as we went! I really really enjoyed this and so recommend it!
January 2, 2022
The instalove.
The pointlessness.
The unlikable main character.
My god.
What a way to start 2022. But at least it was a quick read!
And, boy, I'm keeping it solely for that cover.
Two stars because of what this story could have been. I actually liked the main love interest, surprisingly.
The pointlessness.
The unlikable main character.
My god.
What a way to start 2022. But at least it was a quick read!
And, boy, I'm keeping it solely for that cover.
Two stars because of what this story could have been. I actually liked the main love interest, surprisingly.
February 18, 2021
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Alt History / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
American Royals meets The Winner’s Curse in the first book of bestselling author Brittany Cavallaro’s new duology, set in an alternate history American monarchy where a girl grapples for control of her own life in the middle of a looming war. In 1782, after winning the war for Independence, George Washington makes the decision to become a King thus begins the First American Kingdom. It is also decreed that the country will be separated into provinces, each led by a Governor selected from Washington's trusted lieutenants.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Alt History / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
American Royals meets The Winner’s Curse in the first book of bestselling author Brittany Cavallaro’s new duology, set in an alternate history American monarchy where a girl grapples for control of her own life in the middle of a looming war. In 1782, after winning the war for Independence, George Washington makes the decision to become a King thus begins the First American Kingdom. It is also decreed that the country will be separated into provinces, each led by a Governor selected from Washington's trusted lieutenants.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
April 18, 2021
I FLEW through this book!
Oh my goodness it has been a while since I have enjoyed any kind of historical fiction book (with the inclusion of alternative historical fiction), but this one I found quite compelling. I had a lot of emotions reading it and I can't believe I have to wait another year to know how the story continues!
Oh my goodness it has been a while since I have enjoyed any kind of historical fiction book (with the inclusion of alternative historical fiction), but this one I found quite compelling. I had a lot of emotions reading it and I can't believe I have to wait another year to know how the story continues!
March 17, 2022
Only listened to this for Julia Whelan. Not my kind of story.
March 26, 2021
Still don't know if I like the end of this book and don't know if I will continue with the series. It's a low 3 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews