Charles-Henri Sanson has good looks, a fine education, and plenty
of money: everything, in fact, that a stylish young Parisian could
ask for. He also has an infamous family name-and he's trapped in a
hideous job that no one wants.
The last thing Charles ever wanted to be was a hangman. But he's
the eldest son of Paris's most dreaded public official, and in the
1750s, after centuries of superstition, people like him are
outcasts. He knows that the executioner's son must become an
executioner himself or starve, for all doors are closed to him;
although he loathes the role and would much rather study medicine,
society's fears and prejudices will never let him be anything else.
And when disaster strikes, family duty demands that Charles take
his father's place much sooner than he had ever imagined.
Miles outside Paris, high-spirited Francois de La Barre is the
carefree teenager who Charles would like to have been, instead of
the somber public servant, bound by the Sansons' motto of duty and
honor, who carries out brutal justice in the king's name. Francois
proves, though, in the elegant, treacherous world of
prerevolutionary France, to have a dangerous gift for making
enemies . . . and when at last their paths converge, in this true
story of destiny and conflicting loyalties, Charles must make a
horrifying choice.
"Alleyn's exhaustive research pays off handsomely in well-drawn
characters and colorful historical context. In particular, her
female characters are refreshing in their range and willingness to
defy stereotypes. A sequel would be welcome to this deftly imagined
tale of the years before the French Revolution. A well-researched,
robust tale featuring an endearing executioner." --"Kirkus
Reviews"
(Starred Review) "Charles's personal crisis and clashing
loyalties evoke Greek tragedy, and speak to the issues that will
resonate with readers." --"Publishers Weekly""
General
Imprint: |
Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
September 2013 |
First published: |
September 2013 |
Authors: |
Susanne Alleyn
|
Dimensions: |
229 x 152 x 20mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback - Trade
|
Pages: |
334 |
Edition: |
Annotated edition |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-4923-0679-5 |
Categories: |
Books >
Fiction >
Genre fiction >
Historical fiction
|
LSN: |
1-4923-0679-7 |
Barcode: |
9781492306795 |
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