The Queen of the Night

This is a wonderful 400 page novel presented as a somewhat tedious 552 page book. Though I enjoyed the story and am not sorry I read it, I truly feel an editor shirked a great deal of duty somewhere.
In addition, Chee's style is a bit too precious. Quotation marks exist for a reason, sir.

"Queen of the Night" had an interesting premise that could have been developed into a much more interesting book. The writing was lush and descriptive but book was too long and the plot was confusing. Although the book was set in the world of opera and Lilliet was supposed to be a phenomenal singer, she actually spent very little time on stage. I learned more about other operas than I did about the ones she actually sang in. As I read the book I kept thinking that it could have been much better if a good, strong editor had helped the author turn "Queen of the Night" into the magnificent book it deserved to be.

The book starts out really interesting but it drags on for a long time. Every time there is a twist it is dragged out so long you figure out the twist before it is revealed. 1/3 of this book should have been edited out.

There is an intriguing story in here....somewhere. This author seems to have fallen victim to the current penchant for over-thinking and over-verbalizing, to the impoverishment of the story itself. I it took real determination to slog through this book.

There is an intriguing story in here....somewhere. This author seems to have fallen victim to the current penchant for over-thinking and over-verbalizing, to the impoverishment of the story itself. I it took real determination to slog through this book.

Alexander Chee is an astonishing and vivid writer. I loved his first EDINBURGH. QUEEN OF THE NIGHT is an even more impressive achievement. I found myself totally enthralled by the lead character and by her operatic tale. I recommend this book without reservation. Bravo, Mr. Chee.

Don't understand what all the excitement about this novel has been. It's almost as if the narrative was written by some only mildly interest third party. It's more like facts and events being related with. Too much detail about little known operas. Way too many French words when English would have worked almost as well. I regret purchasing this book, and it may be the rare book that I don't finish. It is well written, I'LL GIVE IT THAT.

I actually dreaded reading this book. It was exceptionally wordy, descriptions were too long, and there is ZERO dialogue, which made it even more difficult to read. I have a masters degree, and this was too much.

This is one of the most dreadfully overwrought novels I have attempted to work my way through in years, and I read approximately 20-30 novels per year. The extreme level of description throughout serves little purpose. Paragraph upon paragraph are filled with descriptions of each dress worn, each goose on a canal, each painting in the nobles' houses, and on and on and on and on. By the time one makes there way through several paragraphs, it becomes difficult to recall where the characters even are or what they are attempting to accomplish. After wading through half of the book, I gave up. It was simply too much. The plot is so thinly constructed, with this girl painstakingly moving from her dead family in Minnesota to France. The large number of absurd plot twists are unbelievable, and at the same time, strangely uninteresting. One is to believe that this country bumpkin of a girl who makes her way from MN to NY to France, cannot seem to make the final brief trip to Lucerne. The encounters with the countess, empress, princess, the whore house, the tenor who discovers her as a brilliant singer are so preposterous. It was an exhausting and labored read.

The narrator of this novel cannot get a break. Born on the American frontier, she is hopeless at the tasks normally assigned to girls. Her singing voice is sublime, though- and her mother won’t let her use it, saying she has the sin of pride, even going to far as to tie her mouth shut. When her whole family dies of fever, the issue is moot; she leaves for the coast to find a way to get to Lucerne, where her mother’s people are. To get there, she joins a circus, doing trick riding, shooting, and singing. On the way she steals a name from a gravestone, Lilliet Berne. Her adventures include being a maid to the Empress, an unknowing spy, a courtesan, and an opera singer. She changes identities with ease. But every time she thinks she’s got things under her control, the floor gets pulled out from under her. In her life, she only loves one man… and can never seem to get free to spend her life with him.

The story actually begins when Lilliet, now an acclaimed opera star, receives a novel, which clearly tells the story of her life, exposing all her secrets. There are only three people in the world who know this story, and she must discover which one of them it is. It shouldn’t be hard; one is dead, one loves her, and one wants to own her. But finding who it is leads to a still greater web of secrets. She may end up dead or enslaved again.

Lilliet is the narrator of her story; she speaks clearly and does not spare herself. She describes things vividly, whether it’s about things royal and beautiful or poor and dreadful; how things look, feel, sound, smell. The prose is lush, and envelopes the reader in the story.

I loved this book. I did not want to put it down, and did not want it to end. Lilliet is an ingenious survivor, a strong woman who does what it takes to make a decent life for herself, even when she seems totally trapped.

Her name is Lilliet Berne, La Generale, toast of Parisian society as a renowned soprano and under the patronage of Verdi in 1882. But who is Lilliet in actuality? Someone quite different and one who grows to believe in curses.

For Lilliet is not French but American. And she also was not born Lilliet. What would you do if you were raised in a God-fearing farming family, allowed a certain tom boy life, and your mother decried what you viewed as God's one gift to you, your voice. Your mother constantly warns you not to exercise your voice in church to soar above everyone else's hymn singing, for it is arrogance and self serving, and God will surely curse your lack of humility.

God surely does for one by one your brother and sisters, your father and mother die of fever and you are left in the dead of winter to fend for yourself. Thus begins the tale of "Lilliet" who changes names and identities more frequently than France changes governments at this point in history. "Settlers Daughter" in the circus she crosses the Atlantic and tours Europe in, wardrobe mistress to the Empress, mistress to a Prussian noble, soprano to several European opera houses and an eventual return to the US under the auspices of P. T. Barnum.

It's a sweeping saga of someone on the fringes of European society, someone who is not recognized for her family connections but who scrapes by on her wits and sometimes luck. The story sucks you in and you think "one more chapter" before I turn off the lights but at 552 pages, one that would keep you company on an extended plane trip or week's vacation. If you enjoyed the scope of "The Goldfinch" with a mystery to unravel or historical novels set in the Seomd Empire, add this book to your list.

I was perhaps predisposed to pick up this novel—it is set in a place and time (Paris during the Second Empire/Third Republic) which are among my pet research topics and follows the tumultuous career of an operatic soprano. As I’ve worked as a costumer for companies like the LA Opera, i’m intrigued by opera history and familiar with its canon, and i do love the soaring drama of those storylines. And, well do i know that historically, the lives of opera singers often might well be the plot lines of operas themselves—the tragic death of La Malibran, for example, or the dramatic onstage shattering of Cornélie Falcon’s voice.

But whether you have any familiarity with opera or not, if you enjoy the history of costume, you ought to grab a copy of this book and check it out, and here’s why: costume and couture of the period is a significant thematic element. From the Parisian ateliers of Worth and Félix to the subterranean storehouse of Empress Eugénie’s fur collection, there’s so much to love for the costume academic or enthusiast.

For example, when was the last time you read a contemporary historical novel in which an author acknowledged the fact that women dressed wiglets and switches into their hair when creating elaborate hairstyles? Given the general flimsiness of women’s silk slippers for society parties, you’ll appreciate Chee’s tip of the hat to special pairs of cancan boots—wooden heeled, leather uppers—transgressively structured footwear made for stamping and kicking all night. And when you hit the section in which a courtesan advises her protegée on the conversion of various types of jewelry into ready money, if you’re of my nitpicky mindset, you’ll love to see that type of information codified on the page.

In fact, clothing is often a sticking point for me in terms of the enjoyment of historical fiction—even moreso than the snark the ladies of Frock Flicks dish on with respect to film/TV—because in fiction, you have no limitations on budget and shooting schedule, nor must you contend with petulant A-list talent who insist on choosing their own jankity clothes, history be damned. There is quite literally NO REASON why an author of a novel should get the details of fashion so deeply wrong, but (speaking as someone who once put down a book in disgust when the protagonist pulled a corset off over her head like a tee-shirt) it happens. Often.

So i felt like metaphorically high-fiving Chee from the moment his narrator began to describe a custom dressform in the Worth atelier as essential to the sartorial panache of an arriviste. I loved the way at one point Chee detailed the embroidery techniques designed to hide structural seamlines on the bodice of a gown, and i wished i had a colleague reading along with me to share my thumbs-ups when he mentioned in passing the stitching of weights into the hems of voluminous skirts to influence their motion in performance. In fact, with that in mind, this would be a fantastic discussion book for a group of costumers, and an excellent audiobook to listen to while, say, tatting, pad-stitching, or tambour-beading.

And yet, i don't wish to imply that the story is merely an excuse for pornagraphically-intricate fashion descriptions--these sorts of details are seamlessly incorporated into the writing, the same as any other bit of scene-setting. It all exists in there to serve the plot, which brings me to...well, the plot in all its glorious sprawl.

I’ve read some criticism of the implausibility of the characters’ lives in a few traditional book-review marketplaces. I would argue that they are perhaps implausible to those with no familiarity with the memoirs of mid-19th-century demimondaines, courtesans, and opera singers; but scholars of those women’s lives, however, will discern the inspiration of real people and events throughout Queen of the Night. I don’t just mean the obvious ones—Napoleon III and his appetite for mistresses or Pauline Viardot-García and her “two husbands”—but the cameos of or tributes to lesser-known filles de joie like Cora Pearl, La Païva, and Mogador, too. You don’t need to be a fan of opera to follow along (Chee often synopsizes the storylines of the operas which feature in the soprano’s career) but if you are, you will recognize that the novel itself follows operatic tropes of melodrama and tragedy.

Like many operas, it’s long—over 500 pages—and it does shift around in time and place, so if you prefer your novels to have linear plots in which A leads to B which is followed by C, you’ll struggle. Me, i love a complex puzzle box of a book, and Alexander Chee’s Queen of the Night is one i’ll return to again, much like a favorite libretto or score.

"Queen of the Night" is a spectacular novel, one I wished would go on and on (maybe even longer than its 500+ pages!). It's easy to lose yourself in this work of historical fiction, to be absorbed completely by the romance, sex, opera, tragedy and court intrigue that Alexander Chee has created. If you love Paris and opera, as I do, the book is irresistible. But really: Who can resist a book that features a 19th century American orphan triumphing over humble beginnings, the follies of European royalty, mysterious courtesans and a look backstage at a circus to boot? As Carmen tells Don José: "Le charme opère," the spell works! The same is true for this book. What a spell it casts!

Many reviews seem to decry the length of this novel, I liked it and enjoyed it despite the length. The story is written as a sort of memoir of Lillet Bern, a toast of Europe opera star as she tries to determine who wrote a book about her and her "secrets". She starts as an orphan in farm land USA, moves to New York in the hope of figuring out a way to go to Switzerland to be with an aunt and along the way becomes a circus star, a burlesque star, and then an opera star. The story is populated with many historical figures, from Napoleon III to Verdi, and many historical events, the scenes of the Paris commune are quite well written and vivid.
Lilet's life is certainly never dull, and the story moves along at a steady pace though her personality remains strangely aloof. The secondary characters are all very vivid, even the most minor of characters, while Lillet remains somewhat distant. Perhaps this was the author's intent, though I'm not sure it's a decision I like. Overall it's a worthy read, well written, elegant prose and entertaining story line. It's an author I will try again.

Original review in entirety can be found here: [...]

This was the third in a troika of books by gay writers to which I had very much been looking forward. (The first two were Garth Greenwell’s What Belongs to You and Paul Lisicky’s The Narrow Door.) Unlike the other two, Night isn’t built around a gay person, although it does take place in the world of opera, which is about as gay a milieu as one can visit – but, strangely (to me) this narrative lacked gay content. It lacked little else. Chee managed to create a huge world, a huge life, there is detail and dynamic enough for a few books. Well reviewed and much heralded by the literary literati, it is delightful that three gay authors have experienced so much success already this year. Happiness. I bought this because I wanted, very much, to support Mr. Chee. When I checked with library about availability (which I routinely do for books in which I am interested, to see if others are reading them too) I saw they had only two copies and the wait was eight weeks. I donated my copy after reading.

I enjoyed this unique historical operatic novel. It was interesting to delve into the life of La Belle Epoch, with more information about some of its seamier customs and practices than I had known, especially about registration of prostitutes and all those laws entailed. I was a French history major, albeit my major interest was in an earlier period, so I was familiar with some of the laws, but enjoyed reading a fictional account of how those practices could affect actual personal lives. I don't read novels to learn history, of course, but I enjoyed the historical details and touches in this novel, especially as the author include many important important historical events in this delightful tale. The plot is unabashedly operatic, despite a heroine who tenaciously grasps the agency of her own fate, rather than as a victim of fortune and powers beyond her control. She seizes life with determination and gusto, and claims her own comedic ending from tragic circumstances. The author's deft plotting and historical detail make this a tour-de-force of authorial skill and triumph. (One note for gentle readers: I generally dislike erotic or sexual detail in literature, but I found descriptions of the brothel to provide interesting description of how such places may have operated. I usually avoid books that detail ravishment or erotic encounters, as generally tasteless and awkward. I was surprisingly pleased to find this male author to be rather deft at maintaining his female character's point of view, so these types of scenes actually contribute to the overall understanding of relationships and plot. For any fan of nineteenth century opera and history, this is a delightful and highly interesting work.

In Alexander Chee's sprawling novel that covers continents and goes to well over five hundred pages, Giuseppe Verdi comments that Napoleon III “usually only minded if an opera was too long.” (p.21.) I was afraid that that would be my feelings about his book although the plot-driven novel moves right along at a rapid pace. Mr. Chee says in the “Historical Notes and Acknowledgments” at the end that the character and first-person narrator Lilliet Berne is not based on Jenny Lind but rather is more like Pamina from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” and that this book “is meant as a reinvention of the Mozart opera as a novel.” Not having seen the Mozart opera in years, I cannot say whether or not Mr. Chee achieves what he was aiming for. Having recently seen, however, the Met production of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” in a local theatre—the opera is often discussed in this novel as the narrator, a courtesan who becomes a famous diva, sings the soprano role-- I would argue that the plot here is almost as convoluted as that of the Verdi opera. The narrator’s life surely is as exciting and bizarre as any character in most operas, either Italian or otherwise.

Mr. Chee obviously did a tremendous amount of research in preparation for writing this novel and lists the many books he consulted about the history of opera, French politics, fashion, etc. of the Nineteenth Century—the list is staggering. And the book contains many historical characters including the Russian writer Turgenev of all people. I would be less than honest though if I didn’t say that I grew tired of reading over and over of how the various women characters—besides the narrator—were dressed. Enough already. On the other hand, the plot at times moved me, particularly the love affair between Lilliet and the composer. And occasionally she drops a pearl of wisdom. How about this one? “It is so rare that the world allows you to be with the one you love.” Then there is the definition of sorrow: “Sorrow seemed to me to be more like a road wound through life, through the days of your life, like the old Roman ruins near the Tuileries or the rue d’Enfer—underneath this life, but never really apart from it.” As I put these direct quotations in quotes, I remembered that the writer never uses quotation marks. I’m not sure why. Perhaps they will show up when the novel is published.

I suspect that opera fans will be the readers who like THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT most.

Title: The Queen of the Night: A Novel

Author: Alexander Chee

Age Group: Adult

Genre: Historical Fiction

Series: N/A

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

Do you enjoy ghost stories with unusual formatting? How about historical fiction? Kickbutt heroines who just might be telling the truth--or not? How about drama, secrets, and political intrigue that might just be rooted in real history? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, The Queen of the Night just might be the book that you're looking for.

I went into this novel unsure of what exactly to expect--I was excited, and happy, knowing only that The Queen of the Night fictionally documented a young ingenue trying to make her way up the social ladder throughout the world in the late 1800s. And look at that gorgeous cover! It was beautiful.

To be honest, I was a little intimidated at first. Clocking in at nearly six hundred pages, this epic novel literally defines epic: It was gigantic, and divided into five different, but interlocking, parts. But then I actually started reading, and then it was over. I was sucked into Chee's world at once, hypnotized by Lilliet's tale, a rags to riches story told in reverse. The pacing was breakneck, immediate--it was like Lilliet herself was there, holding me hostage, spellbound as I was by her narrative.

And then there were the characters themselves: Lillet, the gorgeous soprano that longs for freedom and independence. I really admired her--she was a woman who kicked butt and took names and refused to be ashamed of fighting to make a name for herself. It was refreshing to have a male author bring such blase, careless abandon to a female character--it was an amazing story, because of her and her alone. But what also made the book shine was, and bear with me here, the love triangle.

I know what you guys are thinking. I've gone off the deep end! But for real, hear me out: Lilliet's struggle to remain free and unfettered was partially so compelling because of her pursuers, the first a tenor, intent on posessing her by any means necessary, and the other, a sweet, gentle composer who longs to love her. Caught between them and her desperate pursuit for personal freedom, she discovers that even the brightest dreams can be thrown awry by that cruel mistress, Fate.

What really sold this novel for me though, was not the premise, nor the characters, though both certainly helped. It was the research. Almost every single scene, every single historical figure mentioned in the novel, large or small, has been meticulously researched to the best of the author's considerable ability. Books like this are the ones that made me fall in love with historical fiction in the first place. Absolutely stunning. That being said, with all the historical figures, it was difficult to keep track of them all, and it muddled the narrative a little bit as it went on.

A superlative sophomore novel nonetheless, Alexander Chee has absolutely outdone himself--a definite favorite of 2016! Next on deck: Medici's Daughter: A Novel of Marguerite De Valois by Sophie Perinot!

As romantic operas tend toward grandeur and sweep, crammed with adore and passion, weepy with suffering and lost love, so does Chee’s caricature of an operatic life in melodrama set against the dramatic backdrop of mid-nineteenth century European history, with the Franco-Prussian War as its centerpiece (1870-71). And like an opera, it clocks in as a long affair, 550-plus pages, a two intermission presentation; for some, maybe feeling like a three intermission extravaganza.

Lilliet Berne, also known by her sobriquet, La Générale, narrates her story, beginning with the appearance of a novel to be turned into an opera that appears to relate aspects of her life she wishes kept secret. As she tries to unravel who might be behind the novel, she flashes back to different times of her life, beginning at the beginning with her life as a girl on the northern plains of America.

Quite a life it is, too, worthy of an operatic diva, encompassing being orphaned as a child, her life as a circus performer, her travels to Paris as part of the American spectacular, her abandonment of that life, then her life on the streets of Paris as a prostitute, followed by a career in a very specialized brothel catering to the peculiar tastes of wealthy men.

It’s in that posh setting where she meets the tenor, who recognizes her vocal abilities and who falls forever under her spell, so much so that he buys her contract and possesses her, imprisoning her in the lap of luxury, as he attempts to cultivate her voice so that he might perform with her on stage.

Again, though, she flees, ending up as a servant girl in the employ of the court of the Second French Empire under Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte and his empress Eugénie de Montijo, as well as an agent of the Empire’s enemy, Comtesse de Castiglione, reporting back on the activities of the empress.

Along the way, she meets the true love of her life, a young composer in the employ of Eugénie, Aristafeo Cadiz. The rivalry between her true love and keeper-lover-nemesis, the tenor, with life and death in the balance, provides for some overwrought soul-searching and heated passion on an operatic scale, including a Faustian bargain that may bewilder modern sensibilities.

Chee packs the novel with plenty of historical color. Of particular note are his treatments of upscale brothel life and antics, palace life during the Second Empire, and the siege by starvation of Paris during the Franco-Prussian war. Also jammed into the novel, in addition to the real historical figures already mentioned, are an assortment of renowned opera singers, among names aficionados will recognize, Pauline Viardot-Garcia, Giulia Grisi, and Adeline Patti, to mention a few.

All in all, Chee gives readers an often stirring view into the world of grand opera in its heyday, plenty of personal and political intrigue, romance, women’s high fashion of the period, as well as famous operas, among them Carmen and the Magic Flute, from which the title, The Queen of the Night, derives. And he manages to keep the entire enterprise galloping along, like a well staged operatic extravaganza, as to reduce length to nearly nothing.

I received this ebook free from Netgalley.Com in exchange for a honest review. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Lilliet Berne is a sensation of the Paris Opera, a legendary soprano with every accolade except an original role, every singer’s chance at immortality. When one is finally offered to her, she realizes with alarm that the libretto is based on a hidden piece of her past. Only four could have betrayed her: one is dead, one loves her, one wants to own her. And one, she hopes, never thinks of her at all. As she mines her memories for clues, she recalls her life as an orphan who left the American frontier for Europe and was swept up into the glitzy, gritty world of Second Empire Paris. In order to survive, she transformed herself from hippodrome rider to courtesan, from empress’s maid to debut singer, all the while weaving a complicated web of romance, obligation, and political intrigue.

Featuring a cast of characters drawn from history, The Queen of the Night follows Lilliet as she moves ever closer to the truth behind the mysterious opera and the role that could secure her reputation -- or destroy her with the secrets it reveals.

I found the book hard to follow at times and was forced to re-read previous passages to remind myself of the characters. That being said, I liked the era portrayed and I loved the opera history woven into the story.

There were a couple quotable quotes ...
"Sorrow seemed to me to be more like a road wound through life, through the days of your life"
"The curse is not that we cannot choose our Fates. The curse, the curse we all live under, is that we can"

Breaking the hearts of the readers has never been more wonderful! This is a book for the lovers of opera and piano music, of Second Empire Paris and plots full of twists and mysteries, of gorgeous dresses and women who refuse to be drowned by the waves of men's history. The Queen of the Night is the most operatic novel I have ever read and Alexander Chee deserves all the praise in the world for what he had achieved.

I really wanted to like Alexander Chee's "The Queen of the Night". It is well written, detailed, great historical backdrop, intriguing premise and a center character who is full of potential. Lilliet Berne is a fictional character who is inspired by a real life opera singer named Jenny Lind. The reader learns this in the acknowledgments and it is a good thing to keep in mind because Lilliet and her story is very much the author's creation.

Lilliet was an orphan in America who possesses a rare voice as a Falcon soprano (Note: I know nothing of opera so I defer to the storyline that this is a big deal). Her voice has given her fame but no signature role until the role of a lifetime is offered to her but it seems based on her own life, a life that she has kept hidden and in the pursuit of figuring out who could have done written the opera, she must recall her past.

It is a great premise and set against the richness of Paris and France of the late 19th century, it seemed a surefire hit for me. Yet, I struggled through the reading. I don't think it was too long (although it is a hefty novel) and the details are gorgeous. I'm not really sure what it is that didn't quite win me over. Maybe on a re-read, I may change my mind.

Alexander Chee explores how an opera diva traversed the hurdles placed in front of women who, through fate or choice, escew the roles set out before them and creat their own paths to success. Lilliet Berne has a wonderful soprano voice, a fine career and a dinner companion to the great Verdi. Yet when a writer brings her an idea for an opera -- one that mirrors her own rise from tragdey, proverty and virtual slavery -- she is forced to confront her previous life and reassess its meaning. Written in clear, direct prose, The Queen of the Night takes readers through brothels, music school and the Paris Commune as she reaquaints herself with the people who helped her rise and may have betrayed her secrets. Chee explores sex, luck, society and fate in ways that are wholly unpredictable.

Romance, dark poetry and song. This story wells up inside you like tears, laughter and pain. So much pain. So many fears both imagined and real haunt this strangely bereft and tragically lucky young orphan. She lures you in and through her charmed and cursed life and you become a willing spectator to her dark desires and fears. I never knew how beautifully sinful and free opera could be until I read the story of the falcon....whoever she is.

Alexander Chee's second novel is a grand, perhaps overly long epic piece of historical fiction set between 1862 and 1880, and primarily located in France during the Second Empire, Franco-Prussian War, and onset of the Third Republic. Part rags to riches, mystery, adventure, and romance, "The Queen of the Night" tells the story of soprano sensation Lilliet Berne (an assumed name) and the unveiling of her very interesting earlier life (before operatic superstardom, and something she is keen to keep under wraps) by a mysterious writer (libretto) and former acquaintance.

Lilliet narrows the suspects to four and Chee masterfully reveals grand, sometimes scandalous snippets of the opera star's earlier life through flashbacks as Berne is spends time as an immigrant farmer's daughter, member of a Canadian traveling circus, servant, prostitute, spy, and ultimately opera sensation. There are parallels to famous operas and some knowledge of the operatic form would likely enhance the reader's enjoyment, although I didn't find it necessary (I despise the opera) as Chee does explain enough (without being pedantic) to keep even the opera ignorant from losing the thread of the story. Historical details--in time, place, and characters--are well brought to life and the writing is excellent and engaging. Chee's discard of quotation marks is a bit annoying as it occasionally leads to confusion between description in dialogue, but this isn't a major detractor from what is an engaging and entertaining read.

This is phenomenally epic tale, that must be savored and devoured by anyone who enjoys a good story. The only book I can compare this to is the infamous story of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind. The story weaves characters in and out of her life over the course of a decade with beautiful detail and little nuances at every turn. I absolutely loved it and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good story.

"The Queen of the Night" overall is an interesting story that combines history with a beautiful prose. I am somewhat of a Francophile so I appreciated the French setting. The heroine is multifaceted, and leads an interesting life, both as a circus performer, lady of the night, a kept woman, an opera singer, etc. My only quibble was with the punctuation--there's no quotation marks when someone speaks, so any dialogue is only separated from the rest of the text by the presence of the word "said." I think this was more of a stylistic choice, but it made the dialogue harder to discern from the action.

Alexander Chee’s “The Queen of the Night” allows Lilliet Berne, a Falcon soprano, to tell the story of her life. Orphaned at the age of fifteen, she left Minnesota in search of a life different than she would have had on the farm. Through a series of chameleon-like identity changes and the “sponsorship” of various male benefactors, she becomes a celebrated opera singer.

At 560 pages (in the Advance Reader Copy), Lilliet’s story becomes both tedious and repetitious. This reader never felt an emotional connection to either the characters or the story she told. Deep philosophical or moral issues seemed to less important than one would like in a novel of this length. Lilliet’s experiences as a prostitute and her apparent ability to disassociate herself from that life, yet continuing to use her “charms” to advance her goals were unfortunate. The novel became a series of different patrons and Lilliet using her sexuality as she chose her own fate.

“The Queen of the Night” never grabbed me and compelled me to continue reading. The writing was good, but it paled in comparison to the lyrical rhythm and picturesque descriptions of other novels I have had the opportunity to read. Those who are patient or who do not mind having the same scenarios repeated, albeit with locale and name changes, may enjoy this novel more than I did.

Extraordinarily amateurish. Flawed and a bit embarrassing. One can't help but feel a little sadness because Chee has some facility with language, but he lacks the most rudimentary skills of narrative.

Let's see: Opera, sex, romance, royalty, jewels, gowns, a circus, famous names, wartime, glamour, glory, secrets, espionage, and even a darn hot-air balloon! How could this mix possibly be boring? Well, dear would-be readers, it is. The plot is ridiculous and redundant, the heroine disappointingly unappealing (she muses and muses, she schtups this guy and that, she escapes from this and that, she's exploited, she outsmarts, she muses some more. And more.)