The Queen of the Night

Review ''Chee memorably depicts the shifting fortunes of France and historical figures…But opera as much as history shapes the novel, with nods to The Magic Flute among other works…Chee's voice, at once dreamy and dramatic, never falters; Lilliet's cycle of reinventions is a moving meditation on the transformative power of fate, art, time, and sheer survival.'' --Publishers Weekly''The voice [Chee] has created for his female protagonist never falters…Richly researched, ornately plotted, this story demands, and repays, close attention.'' --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)''A luminous tale of power and passion. Chee gives us an unforgettable heroine and a rich cast of characters -- many of them real historical figures. The story dazzles and surprises right up until the final page.''J. Courtney Sullivan, author of The Engagements''A night at an opera you'll wish never-ending.'' --Helen Oyeyemi, New York Times bestselling author Product Description Lilliet Berne is a sensation of the Paris Opera, a legendary soprano with every accolade except an original role, every singer's chance at immortality. When one is finally offered to her, she realizes with alarm that the libretto is based on a hidden piece of her past. Only four could have betrayed her: one is dead, one loves her, one wants to own her. And one, she hopes, never thinks of her at all. As she looks for clues, she recalls her life as an orphan who went to Europe and was swept into the world of Second Empire Paris. The Queen of the Night follows Lilliet as she gets closer to the truth behind the mysterious opera and the role that could secure her reputation -- or destroy her with the secrets it reveals. About the Author Alexander Chee was born in Rhode Island and raised in South Korea, Guam, and Maine. His first novel, Edinburgh, was a winner of the Michener Copernicus Prize, the AAWW Lit Award, and the Lambda Editor's Choice Prize. Chee was a recipient of the Whiting Writers Award in 2003, the same year Out magazine honored him as one of their 100 Most Influential People of the Year. He has taught writing at the New School University, Wesleyan, Amherst College, and in the fiction program at the Iowa Writers Workshop. He lives in New York City.