Fly by Night (Hardinge novel)
Encyclopedia
Fly by Night is a children's
fantasy novel by Frances Hardinge
, published on October 7, 2005 by Macmillan Publishers
in the UK and on April 25, 2006 by HarperCollins
in the US, and aimed at teens
. Fly by Night won the Branford Boase Award
in 2006, and was listed in the School Library Journal
's Best Books of 2006.
Into this tinderbox comes Mosca Mye, an orphan of Quilliam Mye, who has taken up with a smooth-talking con man, Eponymous Clent, both because she loves words, and because she 'accidentally' set her stingy uncle's mill on fire. Together they get involved in the power intrigues of the city. But Mosca, though very bright and literate (a rarity in this world), understands a lot less than she thinks she does.
An Orphan's Tale
Twelve year-old Mosca Mye was born on a day honoring a saint called Goodman Palpitattle, the patron god of keeping flies out of the jam and butter. Therefore, because of her father's rigid adherence to tradition, Mosca was named after a type of fly. Not the best start for a little girl, considering that Mosca's mother had died during childbirth.
Words that are not printed by the Stationer guild are illegal. Mosca Mye's father was a writer and lover of literature - and because of this, he was killed when Mosca was just a little girl. She was taken in by her uncle, but her ability to read caused many problems for her. She was locked up each evening in her uncle's mill and forced to take care of his accounting. One night however, Mosca plans an escape that includes freeing a smooth con man, named Eponymous Clent, and leaving the only place she's ever known with him.
Fantastical Feats
Once Mosca busts her sidekick out of confinement, the pair (along with a deranged goose named Saracen) heads off on a journey cloaked in danger. Mosca and Eponymous travel throughout the Fractured Kingdom, which has been plagued with religious and political upheaval, and meet some unlikely allies. There is a great struggle shaking the Kingdom over who should rule the land - and Mosca ends up playing a big role in sorting things out.
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
fantasy novel by Frances Hardinge
Frances Hardinge
Frances Hardinge is a British author best known for her novel Fly By Night which in 2006 won the Branford Boase Award and was listed as one of the School Library Journal's Best Books. She has also been shortlisted and achieved a number of other awards for both her novels as well as some of her...
, published on October 7, 2005 by Macmillan Publishers
Macmillan Publishers
Macmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...
in the UK and on April 25, 2006 by HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
in the US, and aimed at teens
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
. Fly by Night won the Branford Boase Award
Branford Boase Award
The Branford Boase Award is a British literary award presented annually to an outstanding novel for young people by a first-time writer.Wendy Boase, Editorial Director of Walker Books and Henrietta Branford worked together previously to produce a great number of books. Both Wendy Boase and...
in 2006, and was listed in the School Library Journal
School Library Journal
The School Library Journal is a monthly magazine with articles and reviews for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with a focus on technology and multimedia. Reviews are included for preschool to 4th grade,...
's Best Books of 2006.
Synopsis
In an alternative version of 18th-century England, Mandelion is ruled in name by a mad Duke, in reality by a group of competing Guilds, and in aspiration by a variety of royal pretenders. Since the Realm was shattered, the king deposed, and the parliamentarians and monarchists locked in struggle, with the Guilds in between, there has never been real peace, and open warfare is just a wrong move away.Into this tinderbox comes Mosca Mye, an orphan of Quilliam Mye, who has taken up with a smooth-talking con man, Eponymous Clent, both because she loves words, and because she 'accidentally' set her stingy uncle's mill on fire. Together they get involved in the power intrigues of the city. But Mosca, though very bright and literate (a rarity in this world), understands a lot less than she thinks she does.
An Orphan's Tale
Twelve year-old Mosca Mye was born on a day honoring a saint called Goodman Palpitattle, the patron god of keeping flies out of the jam and butter. Therefore, because of her father's rigid adherence to tradition, Mosca was named after a type of fly. Not the best start for a little girl, considering that Mosca's mother had died during childbirth.
Words that are not printed by the Stationer guild are illegal. Mosca Mye's father was a writer and lover of literature - and because of this, he was killed when Mosca was just a little girl. She was taken in by her uncle, but her ability to read caused many problems for her. She was locked up each evening in her uncle's mill and forced to take care of his accounting. One night however, Mosca plans an escape that includes freeing a smooth con man, named Eponymous Clent, and leaving the only place she's ever known with him.
Fantastical Feats
Once Mosca busts her sidekick out of confinement, the pair (along with a deranged goose named Saracen) heads off on a journey cloaked in danger. Mosca and Eponymous travel throughout the Fractured Kingdom, which has been plagued with religious and political upheaval, and meet some unlikely allies. There is a great struggle shaking the Kingdom over who should rule the land - and Mosca ends up playing a big role in sorting things out.