The Queen of the Night
by Alexander Chee
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Pub Date Feb 02 2016 | Archive Date Mar 02 2016
Description
“This book is a glorious performance . . . Enveloping, seductive.” —Karen Russell
A National Bestseller, the mesmerizing story of one woman’s rise from circus rider to courtesan to world-renowned diva—"a brilliant performance" (Washington Post).
Lilliet Berne is a sensation of the Paris Opera, a legendary soprano with every accolade except an original role, every singer’s chance at immortality. When one is finally offered to her, she realizes with alarm that the libretto is based on a hidden piece of her past. Only four could have betrayed her: one is dead, one loves her, one wants to own her. And one, she hopes, never thinks of her at all.
As she mines her memories for clues, she recalls her life as an orphan who left the American frontier for Europe and was swept up into the glitzy, gritty world of Second Empire Paris. In order to survive, she transformed herself from hippodrome rider to courtesan, from empress’s maid to debut singer, all the while weaving a complicated web of romance, obligation, and political intrigue.
Featuring a cast of characters drawn from history, The Queen of the Night follows Lilliet as she moves ever closer to the truth behind the mysterious opera and the role that could secure her reputation -- or destroy her with the secrets it reveals.
Advance Praise
“One doesn't so much read Alexander Chee’s The Queen of the Night as one is bewitched by it. Beneath its epic sweep, gorgeous language, and haunting details is the most elemental, and eternal, of narratives: that of the necessities and perils of self-reinvention, and the sorrow and giddiness of aspiring to a life of artistic transcendance.” —Hanya Yanagihara, author of A Little Life
"A luminous tale of power and passion. Chee gives us an unforgettable heroine and a rich cast of characters—many of them real historical figures. The story dazzles and surprises right up until the final page." —J. Courtney Sullivan
“A night at an opera you'll wish never-ending.” —Helen Oyeyemi
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780618663026 |
| PRICE | $28.00 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Christine S, Educator
Gorgeous language that weaves a web of magic and foreboding around you. A mixture of curiosity and yet a hesitancy to find out what's next draws the reader into the plot. Definitely something new under the sun.
Librarian 230799
This book will easily be one of my favorites in 2016! I have never read anything quite like The Queen of the Night before, with its dramatic plot and over the top characters and setting... Even the acknowledgements were thrilling! It's rare that a book sends me straight to an auhor's backlist, but this book did that for me.
Peter W, Media/Journalist
This is a big diva of a book, captivating and enchanting. Set in the second half of the 19th century, in America and Europe, it seems very much like a novel of that time, melodramatic in the best sense of the word, yet somehow utterly modern. Alexander Chee has created a protagonist for the ages in Lilliet Berne (among her other names). The historical setting and the operatic elements make for a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. I absolutely adore this opulent, sensual, and exquisitely written book.
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