That inevitable Victorian thing

Title:

Author:

Johnston, E. K., author.

Personal Author:

Johnston, E. K., author.

ISBN:

9781101994979

Physical Description:

326 pages ; 22 cm

Abstract:

In a near-future Toronto where the British Empire never fell, Helena, August, and Margaret are caught off-guard by the discovery of a love so intense they are willing to change the course of the monarchy to keep it.

Subject Term:

Intersex people -- Juvenile fiction.

Nobility -- Juvenile fiction.

Princesses -- Juvenile fiction.

Intersex people -- Fiction.

Love -- Fiction.

Nobility -- Fiction.

Princesses -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

Canada -- Juvenile fiction.

Toronto (Ont.) -- Juvenile fiction.

Canada -- Fiction.

Toronto (Ont.) -- Fiction.

Genre:

Alternative histories (Fiction)

Summary:

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Main Library	Book	FICTION JOHNSTO	Searching... Unknown
Searching... North Avenue	Book	FICTION JOHNSTO	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Speculative fiction from the acclaimed bestselling author of Exit, Pursued by a Bear and Star Wars- Ahsoka .

Victoria-Margaret is the crown princess of the empire, a direct descendent of Victoria I, the queen who changed the course of history. The imperial tradition of genetically arranged matchmaking will soon guide Margaret into a politically advantageous marriage. But before she does her duty, she'll have one summer of freedom and privacy in a far corner of empire. Posing as a commoner in Toronto, she meets Helena Marcus, daughter of one of the empire's greatest placement geneticists, and August Callaghan, the heir to a powerful shipping firm currently besieged by American pirates. In a summer of high-society debutante balls, politically charged tea parties, and romantic country dances, Margaret, Helena, and August discover they share an extraordinary bond and maybe a one-in-a-million chance to have what they want and to change the world in the process.

Set in a near-future world where the British Empire was preservednot by the cost of blood and theft but by the effort of repatriation and promises kept, That Inevitable Victorian Thing is a surprising, romantic, and thought-provoking story of love, duty, and the small moments that can change people and the world.

?"This witty and romantic story is a must-read."- SLJ, starred review

? "Compelling and unique-there's nothing else like it."- Booklist , starred review.

? " A powerful and resonant story of compassion, love, and finding a way to fulfill obligations while maintaining one's identity."- PW, starred review

Reviews (2)

Horn Book Review

In Johnston's alternate history, the British Empire is still vast and strong with a multiracial populace that values equality. Eighteen-year-old Crown Princess Victoria-Margaret travels to Canada, where she befriends Helena and her beau, August. Readers follow their alternating perspectives as the relatable characters navigate society balls, secrets, and unconventional romance (involving an intersex person). Johnston's world-building is a unique mix of Victorian customs and advanced technology, while also thoughtfully addressing timely topics. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Review

Three young adults negotiate sexuality in a science-fiction Ontario where the British Empire took a decidedly different path.Helena, shy and practical, looks forward to marrying her best friend, August, after what she hopes will be a quiet, small-town debut. A surprise invitation to Toronto, where the queen herself will be visiting, upsets all her plans. Margaret, a visitor to Toronto from England, forms a bosom friendship with Helena but doesn't reveal her secret: Margaret is Her Royal Highness, the Princess Victoria-Margaret, disguised heir to the throne. Helena has her own secret. When she enters her DNA into the Computer at the core of the Empire's religion, it records her as having XY chromosomes. In an empire that believes genetic compatibility is holy and the Computer's inspired by God, will being an intersex woman destroy Helena's chance of happiness? Convenient coincidences and the teens' own thoughtful choices come to the rescue. The worldbuilding, though clunky, fascinates. In this alternate history, Queen Victoria married her children outside of Europe's royal houses. Brown-skinned Margaret, with kinky hair and epicanthic folds, has genes from "Hong Kong, Iraq, Zululand, and more besides." This queer-friendly Canada is multiethnic (August is of Hong Kong, Chinese, and Irish heritage, while Helena is predominantly white); culturally, despite hijabs, kippot, and salwar kameez, it's overwhelmingly Anglo-Canadian. Despite this bustle, the tale itself is a lovely, quiet coming-of-age. A thoughtful exploration of class consciousness, genetics, and politics that doesn't lose track of the human story. (author's note) (Science fiction. 14-adult) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.