Elizabeth Ross studied French at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, and between semesters she worked in Paris and Brittany. She lives in Los Angeles. When she isn't writing, Elizabeth edits feature films. Visit her at elizabethrossbooks.com or follow @RossElizabeth on Twitter.
A William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist
A Junior Library Guild Selection
-Both touching and fun, this is a story about many things--true
friendship, real beauty, being caught between two worlds--and it
will delight fans of historical fiction.---Publishers Weekly
-A refreshingly relevant and inspiring historical venture.---Kirkus
Reviews
-A compelling story about friendship, the complexity of beauty, and
self-discovery...full of strong female characters.---School Library
Journal
-With resonant period detail, elegant narration, and a layered
exploration of class and friendship, this provocative novel is rife
with satisfaction.---Booklist
-Much to offer a contemporary YA audience...flirtation and
match-making to tantalize romance fans...prime book-club
fare.---The Bulletin
-This delectable Parisian tale left me sighting with sweet
satisfaction. J'adore Belle Epoque!--Sonya Sones, author of What My
Mother Doesn't Know and To Be Perfectly Honest
-This is an excellent cross-genre read that many will appreciate
for its themes on how young women view themselves and the world
around them.--Historical Novels Review, Editor's Choice
A William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Both touching and fun, this is a story about many things true
friendship, real beauty, being caught between two worlds and it
will delight fans of historical fiction. "Publishers Weekly"
A refreshingly relevant and inspiring historical venture. "Kirkus
Reviews"
A compelling story about friendship, the complexity of beauty, and
self-discovery full of strong female characters. "School Library
Journal"
With resonant period detail, elegant narration, and a layered
exploration of class and friendship, this provocative novel is rife
with satisfaction. "Booklist "
Much to offer a contemporary YA audience flirtation and
match-making to tantalize romance fans prime book-club fare. "The
Bulletin"
"This delectable Parisian tale left me sighting with sweet
satisfaction. J'adore "Belle Epoque"!"-Sonya Sones, author of "What
My Mother Doesn't Know" and "To Be Perfectly Honest"
"This is an excellent cross-genre read that many will appreciate
for its themes on how young women view themselves and the world
around them."-"Historical Novels Review," Editor's Choice"
A William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist
A Junior Library Guild Selection
"Both touching and fun, this is a story about many things--true
friendship, real beauty, being caught between two worlds--and it
will delight fans of historical fiction."--"Publisher's Weekly"
"A refreshingly relevant and inspiring historical
venture."--"Kirkus Reviews"
"A compelling story about friendship, the complexity of beauty, and
self-discovery...full of strong female characters."--"School
Library Journal"
"With resonant period detail, elegant narration, and a layered
exploration of class and friendship, this provocative novel is rife
with satisfaction."--"Booklist "
"Much to offer a contemporary YA audience...flirtation and
match-making to tantalize romance fans...prime book-club
fare."--"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"
"This delectable Parisian tale left me sighting with sweet
satisfaction. J'adore "Belle Epoque"!"-Sonya Sones, author of "What
My Mother Doesn't Know" and "To Be Perfectly Honest"
"This is an excellent cross-genre read that many will appreciate
for its themes on how young women view themselves and the world
around them."-"Historical Novels Review", Editor's Choice
A YASLA William C. Morris Award Finalist
"Both touching and fun, this is a story about many things--true
friendship, real beauty, being caught between two worlds--and it
will delight fans of historical fiction."--"Publisher's Weekly"
"A refreshingly relevant and inspiring historical
venture."--"Kirkus Reviews"
"A compelling story about friendship, the complexity of beauty, and
self-discovery...full of strong female characters."--"School
Library Journal"
"With resonant period detail, elegant narration, and a layered
exploration of class and friendship, this provocative novel is rife
with satisfaction."--"Booklist "
"Much to offer a contemporary YA audience...flirtation and
match-making to tantalize romance fans...prime book-club
fare."--"The Bulletin"
"This delectable Parisian tale left me sighting with sweet
satisfaction. J'adore "Belle Epoque"!"-Sonya Sones, author of "What
My Mother Doesn't Know" and "To Be Perfectly Honest"
"This is an excellent cross-genre read that many will appreciate
for its themes on how young women view themselves and the world
around them."-"Historical Novels Review", Editor's Choice
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Booklist, April 15, 2013:
"With resonant period detail, elegant narration, and a layered
exploration of class and friendship, this provocative novel is rife
with satisfaction."
Publishers Weekly, May 6, 2013:
"Ross offers not one, but two strong heroines in her debut novel,
both navigating the choppy waters of the Paris debutante season,
albeit from different social classes. Though Maude is the chief
protagonist (and narrator), Isabelle is highly engaging as a young
woman determined to challenge the expectations of her gender and
study science at a university. Both touching and fun, this is a
story about many things--true friendship, real beauty, being caught
between two worlds--and it will delight fans of historical
fiction."
Historical Novels Review"Editors' Choice"
"This is an excellent cross-genre read that many will appreciate
for its themes on how young women view themselves and the world
around them."
Gr 6-8-Inspired by Emile Zola's short story Les Repoussoirs, this debut novel takes place during the late 1800s. Maude Pichon, a runaway, discovers life in Paris to be crueler and much less romantic than she imagined from her country home in provincial Brittany. To get by, she takes a job as a repoussoir, a young woman hired for her ugliness and used to highlight the beauty of her patroness. Maude's first client is a challenge: a headstrong young woman named Isabel, who is unaware that Maude has been hired by her mother to act as Isabel's beauty foil. But as the lines of friendship are blurred by her responsibilities, what will Maude choose? Should she stay true to her friend at the expense of her career or continue to be the mother's puppet, potentially sacrificing Isabel's happiness? This is a compelling story about friendship, the complexity of beauty, and self-discovery. It is full of strong female characters driven by the pursuit of their dreams rather than pursuit of a husband, thus defying their societal roles. Maude's evolution and development are believable, and are the driving force of the plot. Her journey from the proletariat to the elite and back again gives readers a comprehensive picture of Parisian life during the Belle Epoque.-Tiffany O'Leary, Mount Saint Mary College, NY (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Ask a Question About this Product More... |