Sovay - Hardcover

Rees, Celia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1599902036 ISBN 13: 9781599902036

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens, 2008

Synopsis

It's England, 1783. When the rich and beautiful Sovay isn't sitting for portraits, she's donning a man's cloak and robbing travelers―in broad daylight. But in a time when political allegiances between France and England are strained, a rogue bandit is not the only thing travelers fear. Spies abound, and rumors of sedition can quickly lead to disappearances. So when Sovay lifts the wallet of one of England's most powerful and dangerous men, it's not just her own identity she must hide, but that of her father. A dazzling historical saga in which the roles of thieves and gentry, good and bad, and men and women are interchanged to riveting effect.

About this title

About the Author

Celia Rees is the author of many books for young readers including the bestsellers Witch Child, Sorceress, and Pirates! Celia lives in Leamington Spa, England with her husband and teenage daughter.

Reviews

Grade 9 Up—It's 1794, and the revolution in France is threatening to spill across the channel into England, where Sovay, the beautiful 17-year-old daughter of a gentleman, turns to holding up carriages while in disguise to break her boredom. Then her father disappears and is charged with treason, and, with the persuasion of the notorious highwayman Captain Greenwood and the American Virgil Barrett, she becomes embroiled in the political issues of the day, eventually traveling to Paris during the final days of the Reign of Terror. Rees develops strong (and frequently mysterious) characters to carry this historical novel. The vivid sense of place, especially in France, will cause readers to experience the French Revolution on a personal level. Ultimately, the epitome of evil is not Robespierre or his underlings, but the crowds of ordinary citizens who accept the horrors without flinching. Unfortunately, these strengths are undermined by troubles with the plot. Reference to "The Highwayman" that opens the book serves no purpose in the overall story except to introduce Greenwood and display Sovay's courage. The historical events are not fully fleshed out, and readers unfamiliar with the Reign of Terror are offered no explanatory notes or afterword. Two possible love interests for Sovay are trumped in the last 100 pages by a third character, and readers may be frustrated with the neat ending.—Melissa Moore, Union University Library, Jackson, TN
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Edition details

• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1599902036
• ISBN 13: 9781599902036
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 416