Everything That Burns - Gita Trelease Page 0,141
Liberty: The Lives and Times of Six Women in Revolutionary France.
Émigrés: After the fall of the Bastille in July 1789, members of the queen’s household, such as the Duchesse de Polignac and the king’s brother, the duc d’Artois, fled France. Early on, émigrés were mostly royalists like them, worried about revolution. But the exodus continued and in 1791, a law was passed demanding that émigrés return to France. If they did not, their property would be confiscated. By the end of the French Revolution, more than 100,000 French people from all walks of life had left their homeland for England, Austria, and even the United States, most of them never to return. My own history as an immigrant as well as my father’s experience as a refugee (and a three-time immigrant) make me particularly sympathetic to the émigrés’ plight, which is reflected in Camille and Lazare’s search for home, belonging, and the hardships they’re willing to endure to achieve it.
Acknowledgments
When the performers in Les Merveilleux soar through the air, it’s possible only because of others who, working tirelessly and generously behind the scenes, make magic out of the ordinary. No spectacle gets off the ground without them, and I’ve been lucky enough to have an entire troupe to help give this book wings.
First to my agent, Molly Ker Hawn—though I make my living with words, I find there aren’t enough to thank you for all you do for me. Merci beaucoup for your understanding and advice, your advocacy and sharp sense of humor, and for encouraging me to keep dreaming. I’m lucky to have you in my corner.
Un grand merci to my editor, Sarah Dotts Barley—for your patience as I wrote and rewrote, for the space you gave me, and the questions you asked. At times, writing this book felt like crossing the English Channel in a boat made of paperclips and wishes; your belief in this book (and me) was the beacon on the far shore toward which I rowed.
Thank you too, to all the wonderful people at Flatiron Books: Sydney Jeon, Megan Lynch, Cristina Gilbert, Bob Miller, Claire McLaughlin, Jennifer Edwards, Chrisinda Lynch, Vincent Stanley, Jordan Forney, Katherine Turro, Nancy Trypuc, Kelly Gatesman, Keith Hayes, Anna Gorovoy, Toby Yuen, and Stephanie Umeda. In the United Kingdom, thank you to Rachel Petty, Rachel Vale, Helen Crawford-White, and the rest of the team at Macmillan Children’s, as well as Venetia Gosling. I’m awed by how many people it takes to get a book off the ground, and I’m grateful for your hard work on my behalf.
While a spectacle is about dazzling and wondrous performances, behind the curtain it’s something else entirely: the disheveled dressing room with its cracked makeup pans and tangled wigs, costumes and candy wrappers and wilted bouquets—reminders that there’s both a public writing life and a private one. I’m incredibly fortunate to have writing friends who come sit in that dressing room with me to discuss the show (and what could make it better) while chatting about writing and hopes and fears. And when I need it, they unfurl the safety net below me, saying: Don’t worry, we’ve got you.
To Heather Kassner and Gabrielle Byrne, I wouldn’t have survived this series without you and our daily—hourly!—chats and vats. Your love, friendship, and support made this book possible. To Lillian Clark, for understanding, and reminding me always to punt into the sun. To Karin Lefranc and Rebecca Smith-Allen, whose insight and friendship means so much. To Julie Artz and Jessica Vitalis for believing I could do it, and helping me get there. To all who read drafts of this book, and kept me going with your positively clairvoyant notes and caring: I couldn’t have done this without you. When I thought all I needed to fix my book were a few more note cards, Robin LaFevers reached out to suggest there might be a deeper issue, and that the soul of my story might be found in a fairy tale. And when I wandered lost through the thorny brambles called Book Two and Publishing, Stephanie Garber so kindly lit a lantern and looked out for me. To Jo Hathaway, Kelly Roell, Sara Faring, Emily Bain Murphy, Kip Wilson: you brighten my days. Thank you all, you wonderful coconspirators.
Thanks too to Zander and Kate of the beautiful schooner Guildive; when asked what would be the best way for my ragtag band of émigrés to cross the English Channel undetected, Zander didn’t hesitate: a fishing boat.
To the dear friends and family who supported me when I was only half in this world and who tugged me back into it, especially Sonja, Jeff Giles, Sabine, Karen, Mike, Dennis, Dina, Dad, Kim, and Mary. Thank you for holding a place for me, and for asking how it was going.
As this series comes to a close, I’d like to salute those who helped roll out the red carpet for these two books: Stephanie Beaver, Jessica Cluess, Rosalyn Eves, Stephanie Garber, Alison Goodman, Alwyn Hamilton, Margaret Rogerson, Christina Russell, Sami Thomason, and every author, librarian, bookseller, reader, book blogger, and Instagrammer who loved these books and shared them with others. Merci mille fois! And to those of you who have taken the time to tell me—via messages, social media, and reviews—how much you loved this series, thank you. You kept me writing long after the curtain fell.
To Tim, strongman, lifter-upper and encourager of writers, thank you for carrying me this long way. And to Lukas, plot magician and wizard of insight and advice on birds and boats and other things, thank you. I can’t wait until you write your own book. I love you both very much.
Finally, to those of you who see injustice and take action, however small it may be: you are my heroes. Your determination and daring, your righteous anger and your courage give me hope. This book is for you.
ALSO BY GITA TRELEASE
All That Glitters
(previously published as Enchantée)
About the Author
Born in Sweden to Indian and Swedish parents, Gita Trelease has lived in many places, including New York, Paris, and a tiny town in central Italy. She attended Yale College and New York University, where she earned a Ph.D. in British literature. Before becoming a novelist, she taught classes on writing and fairy tales. Along with her husband and son, Gita divides her time between a village in Massachusetts and the coast of Maine. She is also the author of All That Glitters, the first book in the Enchantée duology. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Epigraph
Paris, August 1789
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Glossary of French Terms
Historical Note
Acknowledgments
Also by Gita Trelease
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
EVERYTHING THAT BURNS. Copyright © 2021 by Gita Trelease. All rights reserved. For information, address Flatiron Books, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
Cover design by Colin Mercer
Cover photographs: face © Katerina Klio/Shutterstock.com; dress © Fedorova Nataliia/Shutterstock.com; paper © Cafe Racer/Shutterstock.com; paint © Dragana Jokmanovic/Shutterstock.com
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-29555-2 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-250-29556-9 (ebook)
eISBN 9781250295569
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at [email protected].
First Edition: 2021