“Paul Michael Garcia is superb as he uses subtle touches to give each character a unique flavor. His voice for the well-known astronomer Tycho Brahe is especially skillful…Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.” AudioFile
Description
Fate—is it written in the stars from the moment we are born, or is it a bendable thing that we can shape with our own hands? Jepp of Astraveld needs to know.
He left his countryside home on the empty promise of a stranger, only to become a captive in the strange, luxurious prison that is Coudenberg Palace, the royal court of the Spanish infanta. Nobody warned Jepp that, as a court dwarf, daily injustices would become his seemingly unshakeable fate. If the humiliations were his alone, perhaps he could endure them, but it breaks Jepp’s heart to see his friend Lia suffer.
After Jepp and Lia perform a daring escape from the palace, Jepp is imprisoned again, alone in a cage. Now, spirited across Europe by a kidnapper in a horse-drawn carriage, Jepp is unsure where his unfortunate stars may lead him.
Before Jepp can become the master of his own destiny, he will need to prove himself to a brilliant and eccentric new master—a man devoted to uncovering the secrets of the stars—earn the love of a girl brave and true, and unearth the long-buried secrets of his parentage. He will find that beneath the breathtaking cruelty of the world is something else: the persistence of human kindness.
Masterfully written, grippingly paced, and inspired by real historical characters, Jepp, Who Defied the Stars is an awe-inspiring story of triumph in the face of unimaginable odds.
Praise
“Paul Michael Garcia is superb as he uses subtle touches to give each character a unique flavor. His voice for the well-known astronomer Tycho Brahe is especially skillful…Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.” AudioFile
“An epic search for love, family, respect, and a destiny of one’s own making.” Publishers Weekly, starred review
“With an engaging hero and unusual setting, Jepp is compelling historical fiction about the treatment of those who are different and the challenges they face to be viewed as equals.” BookPage
“A fast-paced adventure, abundant with period details…The honest and humorously self-deprecating voice of Jepp moves readers to rejoice with him as he seeks and manipulates his destiny.” Kirkus Reviews
“Delightful characters, unique setting, and lovely prose. This is historical fiction at its best!” Ruta Sepetys, New York Times bestselling author
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | Oct 8, 2012 |
| Release Date | October 9, 2012 |
| Release Date Machine | 1349740800 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Children's Books, History, Children/YA, Children 8-12, Fiction - All, Fiction - Child |
Author Bio
Katherine Marsh writes books for children and young adults, including The Lost Year, a finalist for the National Book Award; Nowhere Boy, winner of the Middle East Book Award; The Night Tourist, winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery; Jepp, Who Defied the Stars, a New York Times Notable Book; and The Door by the Staircase, a Junior Library Guild selection. She is a former journalist and managing editor of the New Republic.
Narrator Bio
Richard Powers has published thirteen novels. He is a MacArthur Fellow and received the National Book Award. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Overstory, and Bewilderment was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
Overview
Fate—is it written in the stars from the moment we are born, or is it a bendable thing that we can shape with our own hands? Jepp of Astraveld needs to know.
He left his countryside home on the empty promise of a stranger, only to become a captive in the strange, luxurious prison that is Coudenberg Palace, the royal court of the Spanish infanta. Nobody warned Jepp that, as a court dwarf, daily injustices would become his seemingly unshakeable fate. If the humiliations were his alone, perhaps he could endure them, but it breaks Jepp’s heart to see his friend Lia suffer.
After Jepp and Lia perform a daring escape from the palace, Jepp is imprisoned again, alone in a cage. Now, spirited across Europe by a kidnapper in a horse-drawn carriage, Jepp is unsure where his unfortunate stars may lead him.
Before Jepp can become the master of his own destiny, he will need to prove himself to a brilliant and eccentric new master—a man devoted to uncovering the secrets of the stars—earn the love of a girl brave and true, and unearth the long-buried secrets of his parentage. He will find that beneath the breathtaking cruelty of the world is something else: the persistence of human kindness.
Masterfully written, grippingly paced, and inspired by real historical characters, Jepp, Who Defied the Stars is an awe-inspiring story of triumph in the face of unimaginable odds.
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