Come See the Fair
by Gavriel Savit (Author)
An unforgettable story of magic, mediums, and séances set during the Chicago World's Fair from the author of the National Book Award finalist The Way Back.
Twelve-year-old orphan Eva Root travels the country pretending to channel spirits at séances. Her audiences swear their loved ones have spoken to them from beyond the grave. This, of course, is impossible. But one day, Eva experiences another impossibility: she hears a voice in her head telling her to come to the World's Fair in Chicago. There, she meets a mysterious magician who needs her help to bring magic to life. But as their work progresses, Eva begins to suspect that the project's goals may not be as noble as they seem. And when tragedy strikes, Eva will have to reach beyond death itself to unravel the mystery of the magician's plan--before it's too late.
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Publishers Weekly
After Mrs. Blodgett adopts Eva Root from Miss Augusta Grandage's Home for Unwanted and Destitute Girls, the seven-year-old is quickly schooled in the ways of running séances, a craft to which she is well suited. Nearly seven years later, a séance in Ohio yields more than the usual when a voice in Eva's head tells her, "Come see the Fair!" Learning that Mrs. Blodgett plans to abandon her that night, Eva preemptively steals a wad of the cash she's helped to earn and boards a train to Chicago, en route befriending a talented artist named Henry Poole. Henry is traveling to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, summoned there by his own drawings, which have been mysteriously taking the form of Chicago Fair panoramas--and, strangely, of Eva, whom he's never met. There, a hidden, mysterious Pavilion of Magic, and enigmatic overseer Mr. Magister, quickly lure Eva, threatening to trap her and her abilities in a web of dark magic. Interweaving Chicago's fiery history with a sinister world's fair setting and a memorable heroine, Savit (The Way Back) sketches a complex, high-stakes take on magic's underpinnings and seductive powers. Characters read as white. Ages 10-up. Agent: Catherine Drayton, Inkwell Management. (Apr.)
Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.School Library Journal
Come see the Fair! is what Eva keeps hearing the voices tell her. Unsure of what this means, her psychic powers lead her onto a train headed for Chicago where the World's Fair is taking place. She does not know the purpose for this trip, and readers don't really find out until the very end. The vivid description of the characters and setting is alluring and feels perfectly surreal, which will keep readers engaged. The more complex vocabulary makes this perfect for younger, strong readers. VERDICT This story, intended for middle school readers, combines magic mixed with adventure and mystery and throws a little bit of historical fiction into it, would also attract high school and adult readers as well.—Cassandra Bland
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
"Those who enjoy magic mixed in with their history will be rewarded with a remarkable visit to this World's Fair." —Booklist "The characters and setting is alluring and feels perfectly surreal, which will keep readers engaged." —School Library Journal "Interweaving Chicago's fiery history with a sinister world's fair setting and a memorable heroine, Savit sketches a complex, high-stakes take on magic's underpinnings and seductive powers." —Publishers Weekly
JUV016140 - Juvenile Fiction | Historical | United States - 19th Century
JUV058000 - Juvenile Fiction | Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural
Orphans
Historical fiction
Mediums
