September 30, 2013
Constable's fantasy debut depicts a fiercely romantic Russia, "a world made out of winter." Sophie Smith is a bored student and neglected orphan who attends the New Bloomsbury College for Young Ladies in England. Perpetually self-conscious about her impoverished roots and low social standing, Sophie is baffled when a wealthy and mysterious visitor from St. Petersburg is drawn to her, whisking Sophie (and her two friends) away on a trip to Russiaâostensibly to draw new students to enroll at New Bloomsbury. But the girls are abandoned at a hut in the Russian countryside and saved by Princess Anna Feodorovna Volkonskaya, who invites them to her winter palace where there are far more questions than answers. Why aren't they allowed to speak to the servants? What are the princess's motives for lavishing Sophie with attention? And, most importantly, are they guests or hostages? Constable's lyrical storytelling creates a hypnotic realm of ice, and from this mythical setting emerges a message about rising above one's circumstances and discovering a sense of belonging. Ages 10â14. Agent: Hilary Delamere, the Agency (U.K.).
December 1, 2013
Gr 4-8-Sophie dreams of a life that is richer and more interesting than her poor existence in a London boarding school. Orphaned and abandoned by her guardian, she clings to stories that her loving father told her about a winter forest, wolves, and a mysterious woman. When she has a chance to visit Russia on a field trip, Sophie is thrilled. But once they're there, Sophie and her friends are abandoned in the woods, then whisked away on a mysterious white train to a crumbling Winter Palace, where Princess Volkonskaya takes a curious interest in Sophie. While listeners will probably figure out that the trip has a specific and creepy purpose, it takes Sophie far too long to put the pieces together. Her smart friends contribute nothing to the solution and seem to be along only to add a little girlfriend rivalry. There's plenty of action, intrigue, and terror, all narrated with great drama and emotion by Beth Kent. She gives each character a unique voice and an appropriate accent, which slips a few times from Russian to British. Constable's debut novel (Chicken House. 2013. features enchanting descriptions of Russia in winter, a glamorous palace with a romantic history, a princess, and vicious white wolves. This may be enough to keep fans of princess tales entranced.-MaryAnn Karre, West Middle School, Binghamton, NY
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