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Title details for The Movement of Stars by Amy Brill - Available

The Movement of Stars

by Amy Brill
Carla Mercer-Meyer
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
It is 1845, and Hannah Gardner Price has lived all twenty-four years of her life according to the principles of the Nantucket Quaker community in which she was raised, where simplicity and restraint are valued above all, and a woman's path is expected to lead to marriage and motherhood. But up on the rooftop each night, Hannah pursues a very different—and elusive—goal: discovering a comet and thereby winning a gold medal awarded by the King of Denmark, something unheard of for a woman.

And then she meets Isaac Martin, a young, dark-skinned whaler from the Azores who, like herself, has ambitions beyond his expected station in life. Drawn to his intellectual curiosity and honest manner, Hannah agrees to take Isaac on as a student. But when their shared interest in the stars develops into something deeper, Hannah's standing in the community begins to unravel, challenging her most fundamental beliefs about work and love, and ultimately changing the course of her life forever.

Inspired by the work of Maria Mitchell, the first professional female astronomer in America, The Movement of Stars is a richly drawn portrait of desire and ambition in the face of adversity.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    May 20, 2013

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781452693316
      • File size: 417653 KB
      • Duration: 14:30:06

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      In April 1845, in Nantucket, 24-year-old Hannah Price, member of a Quaker community, is obsessed with the night sky. She hopes to see "something new flickering among the celestial bodies." Carla Mercer-Meyer's narration captures quiet, reserved Hannah. Isaac Martin, a seaman from the Azores, becomes Hannah's student and learns how to use his ship's chronometer. But as Hannah and Isaac grow closer, Hannah's reputation is jeopardized. Mercer-Meyer misses Hannah's nervous intensity, remaining too genteel and soft-spoken. Her accent and tonal shift for Isaac are strong although her other male voices lack conviction. Amy Brill's wonderful historical fiction, inspired by Maria Mitchell, the first woman astronomer to receive the King of Denmark's prize, combines a gentle love story with a woman's sincere quest for knowledge of the heavens. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      December 24, 2012
      A determined young woman, born into a Quaker community in 19th-century Nantucket, defies social norms on the path to becoming a “lady astronomer” in Brill’s charming debut novel. Very loosely based on historical “girl” astronomer Maria Mitchell, Hannah Price spends her days going to Quaker meetings and tending to books at her town’s library, but nights she spends with her eyes on celestial bodies or crouched over mathematical calculations, dreaming of discovering a comet all her own. A serious girl obsessed with the pursuit of knowledge, Hannah fears the passionate restlessness of her twin brother Edward, even as she rejects the strictures of marrying to attain stability. Hannah’s sober routine is interrupted when she takes on a new pupil, Isaac Martin, a sailor from the Azores, whose race shakes up Hannah’s standing in the town. Martin’s ideas and instinctive personal connection with his new teacher alter her attitude toward love and faith. From the main streets of Nantucket to its dunes and shores, from a Harvard observatory to the cities of Europe, Hannah’s emotional and professional journey will please fans of feminist-minded and romantic historical fiction. Agent: Julie Barer, Barer Literary.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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