From the Publisher
Praise for The Dark Unwinding:
A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection
Winner of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award
"Utterly original, romantic, and spellbindingly imaginative." -- USA Today
"Haunting thrills unfurl..." -- Entertainment Weekly
"Gripping twists, rich language, and an evocative landscape." -- Publishers Weekly
"[A] singularly polished piece." -- The Horn Book
"A strikingly original, twisty gothic tale that holds surprises around every dark corner." --Judy Blundell, author of What I Saw and How I Lied
Praise for A Spark Unseen:
"Gripping... [an] absorbing, intelligent adventure." -- Kirkus Reviews
Children's Literature - Elisabeth Greenberg
In this sequel to A Dark Unwinding, the young Katharine Tulman finds herself once again in a confused melee of politics, Victorian social rules,and questions about friendship, love, and responsibility. Her quirky and inventive Uncle Tully, often considered a lunatic despite his deep intuitive understanding of science and the emerging technology of the Victorian age, demands her constant consideration of his welfare. He also attracts the attention of spies in both his own country and in Napoleon's France as the British and the French battle for supremacy at sea. Can Katharine protect him? Can she keep him contented in his structured world of time and numbers? Will she find her sometime-love Lane Moreau in Napoleon's Paris? Will she be attacked again by Ben Aldredge (a.k.a. Charles Arceneaux)? While this sequel refers to past events and relationships, it can definitely be read on its own and delightfully captures the atmosphere of invention and innovation in Paris in the 19th century. The historical invention and production of the torpedo for marine warfare catalyzes the spy theme. Reviewer: Elisabeth Greenberg
Kirkus Reviews
2013-09-01
In this gripping sequel to The Dark Unwinding (2012), Katharine Tulman seeks a discreet shelter for her uncle in Paris but instead finds intrigue and danger in the court of Napoleon III. After a midnight attempt to kidnap Uncle Tully leaves two men dead, Katharine realizes that Stranwyne Keep can no longer protect him from the avaricious interest of the British and French governments, which both covet the military applications of his ingenious clockwork creations. She fakes her uncle's death and flees with him to Paris, where she also hopes to learn the fate of her beloved, Lane Moreau. Thanks to the machinations of adversaries old and new, her careful plans almost immediately begin to unravel. Katharine's astute first-person narration beguiles readers; in Cameron's polished prose, scenes of social fencing are just as dramatic as passages of intense action. New secondary characters deepen mysteries and provide welcome touches of humor. Though the sequel provides enough detail to stand alone, the story will resonate most fully with readers who are familiar with Katharine's romance with Lane and her bond with Uncle Tully. This absorbing, intelligent adventure will reward Cameron's faithful readers--and may also win her some new ones. (Historical suspense. 13 & up)
