Sarah Zettel

I picked up this book based on a Big Idea post before I discovered that the author is Sarah Zettel (whom I already like) with a new nom de plume. She gives us a fine far-future intrigue, with several viewpoint characters caught up in schemes where no one really knows what’s going on. I was particularly impressed by the depiction of a society that has managed to both keep a lid on humanity’s natural warring tendencies and cope with the societal effects of radical life extension. There is show more a subtle metafictional element as the author hints at tropes from softer space opera genres to put more possibilities in the reader’s mind when trying to unravel the conspiracy, then eventually resolves it in a different way; I found it disconcerting at first when she rang a few “cheesy paranormal romance” alarm bells, but by the time she pulled it with a second genre I found the effect amusing. show less

Rosalind Thorne has made a place for herself solving problems for the haut ton and now has some financial security. The problem she's trying to solve this time is the most complicated that she has ever faced. Cate Levitton has run away from home and found herself at Rosalind's home after collapsing in the park.

Cate's previous relationship with Rosalind's maid Amelia was the cause of Amelia losing her job. Now she has shown up dying of arsenic poisoning and lying about nearly everything. She show more won't say why she left home. When Rosalind goes to investigate, she finds a very dysfunctional family situation. Her aunt is the one with all the money in the family which fosters all kinds of resentment in Cate's oldest brother who is a jealous man. The younger of Cate's brothers tries to make peace between all parties but his efforts usually make situations worse instead of better. Her fiancé is her aunt's protegee and isn't really interested in Cate. In fact, he's having an affair with Cate's sister-in-law. And all of them are lying and keeping secrets about something.

While Rosalind is trying to untangle all the lies and secrets, her love Adam Harkness is having his own issues as a Bow Street Runner. He feels that the Runners are more interested in doing the political thing instead of the right thing concerning a group of men accused of treason. He's facing pressure from his colleagues as he tries to find out the truth about the treason plot. He has also been approached by a radical Member of Parliament who has offered a life-changing reward for finding one of the conspirators which his colleagues don't want found.

This story had a lot of viewpoint shifts and had a nicely twisty plot. I liked the look at the culture of the time period and sympathized with the tough decision Rosalind had to make. show less

Ah! Rosalind Thorne and friends!

Rosalind is asked for discretion and help by the King’s longtime mistress and possible wife Mrs Maria Fitzherbert.
Mrs Fitzherbert’s morganatic marriage to King George could be exposed if it falls into the wrong hands.
George is suing for divorce from Princess Caroline and the two camps are firmly and riotously dividing the nation.
No sooner has Rosalind said yes to Mrs Fitzherbert, one of the main background players is murdered. What follows is more death, show more secrets, and planned elopements. The game is definitely afoot!
As well, Rosalind is involved with ex Bow Street runner Adam Harkness but marrying him will mean her loss of independence that she’s fought so hard for.
All her gathered put together family of close knit friends play important roles, supporting Rosalind in full—Alice, Amelia, George.
Looming in the background is Lady Jersey and Countess Levine, both of whom could easily destroy Rosalind’s hard won role.
Intriguing and gratifying read!

A Kensington Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher. show less

There is nothing that I didn't love about this novel. It seemed to draw on a little bit of all kinds of mythology or lore including having a Native American Spirit Guide come to tell Callie of a story that may or may not be about her parents during the biggest dust storm of all time. One Callie might have called down when she played her father's piano. One where her mother got lost in or was it the Shining People that took her (the Seelie). And did Baya, the Native American Spirit Guide cure show more her of her dust bowl pneumonia? Because all the sudden she can breathe without hacking. And who are the Midnight People her father came from? All of this mythology plus a little Greek mythology (or Heaven and Hell) are mixed in to it all. It really is American Fairy, a mixing bowl of all the mythologies of the people in our country. (Maybe not all, that would be confusing.) But it's a nice assortment.

Callie has been kept sheltered and gloved so that she can pass for white. Her father was a black jazz musician, or at least that's what she thought. But when times are really low and the last doctor has left town, Callie's mother takes her to her father's piano that's been untouched since he left and let's her play it. She doesn't know how to play. But she's filled with so much anger that she calls down the anger of Mother Nature in the form of the worst Dust Storm ever. Several things happen during this storm. Her mother gets lost during this storm. Baya, a Native American Spirit Guide (she think he's just a Native American at the time) comes to her door seeking shelter, he cures her dust bowl pneumonia, guests come to the hotel and Callie finds Jack. Callie also finds out about the prophecy from the guests, but she and Jack have to flee in the storm b/c the guests aren't what they appear to be.

As often is the case when I read about kids, teens, from harder times, earlier times, they grew up faster and acted a lot more adult than a kid Callie or Jack's age would today. I'm not sure how my 15 yr old would fare in the middle of a dust storm with his whole family gone and people after him. But Callie and Jack just do what they have to until they are safe and then when they have to make hard decisions, they do. These two are tough and because of what they have been through, they forge a bond that isn't easily broken even with magic. And yeah, the first flutterings of romance are there in Callie's stomach.

I didn't know how little I knew about the Midwest, the Dust Bowl until I read about what they had to do to keep the dust out. Not only tape up the windows, but when the storms came, they had to use their precious water to wet towels and sheets and press them into any crevice that could let dust in. The air was in a constant haze. And thousands died of "Dust Bowl Pneumonia." I'd never even heard of that. I never even though much of this time period. I know about the WPA only because my mother grew up during that time and she talks about it from time to time. But I think my history classes kind of skipped over the devastation of the Dust Storms. I didn't know the dust sometimes was like snow in that it piled up at the doors and blocked you in your house. Talk about apocalyptic!

I think Sarah Zettel did such a fantastic job of combining all the different bits of things that mean America and made her own Fairy story, familiar, yet fitting for America. I love it! I can't wait to read the second installment.

This is a clean read. It covers racism, poverty, violence against the poor, the Depression, fairies, magic,Heaven and Hell (it's not called that), families, loyalty, jealousy, and greed. Oh and it's a fairy tale, of sorts. I highly recommend this one for someone that is tired of the same old YA out there. This is definitely different!

I received an E-ARC from the publisher Random House Children's Books through Net Galley. I'd like to thank them for a chance to read this novel. I was in no way compensated for my review. show less