Overview

The Palace of Illusions brings readers to a Paris breathless with excitement at the dawn of the twentieth century, where for a select few there is a second, secret Paris where the magic of the City of Light is very real in this enchanting and atmospheric fantasy from the author of The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill. In the run up to the 1900s World's Fair Paris is abuzz with creative energy and innovation. Audiences are spellbound by the Lumiere brothers' moving pictures and Loie Fuller's serpentine dance fusing art and technology. But for Clara Ironwood, a talented and pragmatic clockworker, nothing compares to the magic of her godfather's mechanical creations, and she'd rather spend her days working on the Palace of Illusions, an intricate hall of mirrors that is one of the centerpieces of the world's fair. When her godfather sends Clara a hideous nutcracker for Christmas, she is puzzled until she finds a hidden compartment that unlocks a mirror-world Paris where the Seine is musical, fountains spout lemonade, and mechanical ballerinas move with human grace. The magic of her godfather's toys was real. As Clara explores this other Paris and begins to imbue her own creations with its magic, she soon discovers a darker side to innovation. Suspicious men begin to approach her outside of work, and she could swear a shadow is following her. There's no ignoring the danger she's in, but Clara doesn't know who to trust. The magic of the two Parises are colliding and Clara must find the strength within herself to save them both.

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9780316571944

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Reviews

""Miller's magical Paris is a rare confection sure to leave readers hungering for more."" --Ryan Graudin, author of The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois Praise for Rowenna Miller ""Beautifully observed, steeped in folklore and rich with historical detail, The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill weaves a warm-hearted yet fierce fairy tale around the bonds of sisterhood and the choices facing women in a changing world. A true delight."" ―H. G. Parry, author of the Shadow Histories series ""Miller seamlessly blends historical fiction and fantasy to create this enchanting tale of two sisters. The book is awash in period details as well as a vivid fantasy world, but Miller never loses sight of the sisters' relationship that sits at the heart of the story. Readers will be charmed by this tale of sisterhood, female strength, and the fae."" ―Booklist ""It's impossible to resist the allure of this charming book. Its focus on the small, everyday things that can be made easier with a little luck and a little fairy grace really creates a lived-in world where you can smell the apple blossoms in the orchard and hear the rattle of wagon wheels on dirt roads."" ―NPR ""Atmospheric ... a thoughtful meditation on sisterhood and priorities."" ―Publishers Weekly

Author Information

Rowenna Miller lives in the Midwest with her husband and daughters, as well as several cats, two goats, and an ever-growing flock of chickens. When she isn t inventing fantasy worlds, she teaches writing, trespasses while hiking, and gets into trouble with her sewing machine.

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