Fly by Night - Softcover

Hardinge, Frances

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1509842330 ISBN 13: 9781509842339

Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK, 2018

Synopsis

Fly By Night is the stunning debut novel from Frances Hardinge, author of the Costa Award winning The Lie Tree.

As the realm struggles to maintain an uneasy peace after years of civil war and tyranny, a twelve-year-old orphan called Mosca Mye and her loyal companion, a cantankerous goose, are about to become the unlikely heroes of a radical revolution. Mosca is on the run, heading for the city of Mandelion. There she finds herself living by her wits among cut-throat highwaymen, spies and smugglers. With peril at every turn, Mosca uncovers a dark plot to terrorize the people of Mandelion, and soon merry mayhem leads to murder…

Winner of the Branford Boase award, Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge has an unforgettable cast of characters and an inspiring message at its heart – sometimes the power of words can change the world.

Fly By Night is followed by its thrilling sequel, Twilight Robbery.

About this title

About the Author

Frances Hardinge spent her childhood in a huge, isolated old house in a small, strange village, and the two things inspired her to write strange, magical stories from an early age. She studied English at Oxford University and was bullied by a persis-tent friend into letting a publisher read the opening chapters of Fly By night, her first novel, an astonishing literary debut and work of the imagination that was short-listed for the Guardian Award. She lives in Oxford, England.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 5-9–Mosca, 12, and Eponymous Clent, a traveling wordsmith of dubious repute, become immersed in the intrigues of the city of Mandelion, where rival guilds vie for power with a pixilated Duke and his scheming sister. Initially awed by her confusing new surroundings, Mosca gradually pieces together important truths about the realm and her place within it. Through rich, colorful language and a sure sense of plot and pacing, Hardinge has created a distinctly imaginative world full of engaging characters, robust humor, and true suspense. Readers get to know the realm and its people through the interactions between Mosca and a well-drawn cast of supporting characters. While she tries to judge right from wrong within the complex plots that ensnare her, she finds that few of the people she meets are as simple as they first seem. Vying religious beliefs also play a part in the fate of the realm, and the details develop neatly as the adventures progress. Plot twists, lively dialogue, and the antics of Mosca's fierce pet goose add plenty of humor. The conclusion addresses the value of words in a satisfying manner. This sophisticated tale is not for everyone. Some readers may struggle to keep track of the complex politics, history, and religion in Mosca's world, but those who appreciate the inventive plots of Cornelia Funke and Jonathan Stroud or Lloyd Alexander's colorful prose should thoroughly enjoy this highly original adventure.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
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Edition details

• Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1509842330
• ISBN 13: 9781509842339
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 464