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LETTERS FROM AN AGE OF REASON
Hague, Nora
2001 53674 From the Publisher Complex and sophisticated, sultry and sexy, Letters from an Age of Reason is a fabulous, sweeping novel canvassing the Civil War-era United States and Victorian London-two cultural and historical hotbeds of racial tension, moral hypocrisy, and shifting sexual conventions. Miss Arabella Leeds, the teenage daughter of a prominent New York family, and Aubrey Paxton, the pampered "high yellow" house servant of wealthy French-American slaveholders, and destined to fall in love. But before their romance commences in London, each must begin a transcendent journey fueled by forbidden adventure. Arabella must abaondon the strict mores of Victorian society and redefine her convictions, particularly those regarding the boundaries of her own sexuality, while Aubrey will discover a new awareness of politics, race, and gender, and of his place in a culture determined to ostracize him. Each will experience high adventure, erotic awakening, and the discovery of long-buried family secrets within the salacious underpinnings of Victorian society. But for Arabella and Aubrey, the greatest challenge will lie in their passion for one another, which will place them forever on the outside of the mores and conventions of their time. Rich in historical detail, filled with vivacity and humor, this romantic adventure is a beautifully crafted tour de force of depth, passion, and power. Publishers Weekly No less a literary personage than E.L. Doctorow took Hague under his wing while she was pursing an M.F.A. in the graduate writing program at NYU, and the sumptuous writing characterizing her historical romance debut makes it clear why. Set in New York, New Orleans, London and France in the 1860s, this is the story of two supremely star-crossed lovers. Aubrey "Bree" Paxton is born into slavery, a "high-yellow" house servant whose skin is so light he can pass for white. Arabella Leeds is an impulsive young Northerner of good breeding, as imprisoned by society customs as Bree is by slavery. When fortune leads both of them to Europe, they begin to fall in love before Arabella realizes that back home Bree is considered black. Hague engages in a stunning high-wire act, telling her story in diary form and maintaining two distinctly separate narrative voices those of dignified Bree and spirited Arabella until they intertwine at the end in a duet in which skin color is of no importance. The author expertly paints the problems of individuals living ahead of their time while exploring the theme of bondage, both real and metaphorical. When the Civil War, always on the periphery, does intrude, it is with subtly mind-boggling reminders of the human cost. By artfully blending reason and emotion, Hague renders what could have been a highly improbable tale a movingly believable one. Agent, Jane Gelfman. (Sept.) Forecast: Excellently done, though the story is perhaps overly familiar, this hefty novel sports a striking sepia- and gold-toned jacket and will be supported by a major ad/promo campaign and New England author tour. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information. Library Journal Spirited, intelligent, and passionate, Arabella Leeds finds it nearly impossible to play the self-effacing, subservient role expected of a virtuous, well-brought-up daughter of wealthy Victorian parents. Constantly in trouble for defending abused servants and trying to unmask dubious spiritualists, she despairs of ever finding congenial companions. Then she is introduced to two young, lively, expatriate American women who not only share her serious interests but offer her the chance to experience parts of London and society that would appall her family. On one of their illicit outings, Arabella makes the acquaintance of Aubrey Bennett, an educated and sensitive former slave who feels as lost and out of place in his world as Arabella does in hers. Their instant bond plunges them into a tumultuous affair that nearly destroys them both. While their relationship is the dominating thread, it is only a fraction of this richly developed and thoroughly engrossing tale. We HarperCollins Publishers 0-06-018491-4 / 9780060184919
Hardcover New Condition New book Jacket Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Price:
19.31 USD
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