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The Freedom of Birds

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( 177 ratings, 46 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Freedom of Birds follows Remi Victoire, a theatre orphan with dreams of stardom in Paris. When his future is shattered, he and his friend Pascal leave the city and, with Saskia, a runaway orphan, form a travelling performing troupe. Journeying through the lands of the Brothers Grimm to Venice, they seek safety as Napoleon’s Empire collapses and Paris faces invasion. This historical novel beautifully explores love, friendship, the power of storytelling, and the search for belonging against a backdrop of war and upheaval.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This novel will appeal to readers who enjoy richly imagined historical fiction with strong themes of love and friendship, as well as those fascinated by theatre and European history during the Napoleonic era.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Two French storytellers and a runaway girl travel through fairytale lands, Italian theatres, and the battlefields of France in search of a place to belong as Napoleon's Empire falls, from the author of Josephine's Garden.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

... a vividly imagined and unforgettable tale of love, hope and friendship. Above all, though, this a novel about stories... Better Reading

Remi Victoire is the golden child among all the theatre orphans; he dreams of a life on a Paris stage. But when this future is stolen from him, Remi and his faithful friend Pascal turn their backs on Paris forever.

With Saskia, a runaway orphan girl, Remi and Pascal form a performing troupe, travelling through the fairytale lands that are home to the Brothers Grimm, before finding a safe haven in Venice.

As Napoleon's vast Empire crumbles, the French storytellers discover that Paris itself is now at risk of invasion and they fear for the loved ones they have left behind.

From picturesque villages to Italian theatres and on to the battlefields outside of Paris, this is a beautifully told story about the bonds of love and friendship, the importance of stories, and finding a place to belong.

Praise for Stephanie Parkyn:

A luminous, enthralling tale of love, treachery, treason and friendship...full of unexpected twists and turns. Kate Forsyth on Josephine's Garden

Spellbinding, rich and an immensely enjoyable blend of fact and fiction. Blue Wolf Reviews on Josephine's Garden

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760879389

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 November 2021

Country: Australia

Imprint: Allen & Unwin

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 33.0mm

Width: 155.0mm

Height: 233.0mm

Weight: 560g

Pages: 432

About the Author

Stephanie Parkyn grew up writing stories from an early age in a book-loving family in Christchurch, New Zealand. She had a rewarding career as an environmental scientist, but is now an historical fiction author with a love of travel, art and nature. She is curious about the human motivations behind the events of history and aims to illuminate women's experiences in her writing. After ten years living in Australia, she has returned to New Zealand and writes from her home overlooking the sea in Coromandel Peninsula. Stephanie's first novel, Into the World, was published to wide acclaim in 2017 and longlisted for the Tasmania Book Prize. Josephine's Garden, based on the true story of the woman who became Napoleon Bonaparte's Empress of France, was published in 2019. The Freedom of Birds is her third novel.

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