Fly by Night
Fly by Night
By: Frances Hardinge
Oh my! I love me a good British writer!
This book is set in a fractured realm where civil war has been around since before Mosca Mye was born. While I love her name, the fact that she's named after a fly is quite entertaining - that and her goose who has one of the biggest attitude problems I have ever seen that I completely enjoyed!
When we meet Mosca she is hiding out with her goose, Saracen. They're waiting to steal some keys so she can set Eponymous Clent free from the stocks. Why would she do this you ask? Because Mosca knows how to read (quite an accomplishment, actually) and she has a thirst for words that was inspired by her now-deceased father, and Clent has been spouting words she's never heard of, but she wants to hear more. She's been living with her uncle and aunt and things hadn't been going particularly well for Mosca. Her decision to leave was hastened a bit by her 'accidentally-on-purpose' setting her uncle's mill on fire.
Eponymous Clent really does have a way with words. I would say he almost convinced me of some of his lies a couple of times, but once you know who he is you have a really hard time believing anything that comes out of his mouth. Mosca feels he's a better fate than the one awaiting her back at her uncle's mill, so the two set off (and Clent really isn't too happy about it). After trying to ditch Mosca a couple of times, he resigns himself to the fact she will be helpful in his job - of course, this is after Mosca figures out what the papers he keeps hiding say, and THAT is reason enough for him to keep her around - he has to make sure she can't tell anyone else what she knows.
Mosca is naive, but she's also bright and voracious to help the Lady Tamarind, figure out what Clent is up to, learn who to trust and who to avoid, and just what exactly her father did that practically cast her last name like a plague.
Mosca and Clent have adventures that are almost too numerous to count: a run-in with a highwayman that changes all of their lives, the accidental meeting of Lady Tamarind, the wedding house where they stay, their stop at one of Clent's old 'friends', a barge-riding experience that leaves Saracen, Clent and Mosca in some hot water, snooping, sneaking and spying, joining a guild, riding the coffeehouses on the river (oh yes, you read that right!) and figuring out who is behind the printing press, why they're trying to cause trouble, what is really going on and who exactly to trust.
That's not even getting into a murder, the Beloveds, the Guilds, secrecy and betrayel.
Mosca's innocence, perserverence and audacity are amazing. She's a beautifully described character who, I hope will be back with her continued adventures. And you just may be surprised by who she chooses to stay with at the end.
OH! And something I loved were the chapter titles: A is for Arson, K is for Kidnapping and, well, you get the idea!
Now, something to be aware of.....this novel is a little dark, and it is a little complex - you just may have to think a bit to make it through this one!
This is Hardinge's first book. I believe I will be ordering her second book, Verdigris Deep very soon! Oh, and I had to order this one online as Barnes and Nobles here in town didn't have it - but it looks like you can get it at the public library. (And probably here in a month or two....depending on when we get to order more children's books)
Recommended For:
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Fans of Tolkien, Pullman, Dickens
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Adults - you're never too old and this book is a gem! The language is beautiful!
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Readers who like a challenge, or who are interested in stories set in places that don't 'really' exist
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Everyone!