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Readers' rating:
Published Jan 2011
448 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees ...
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make - between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.
"Starred Review. While the exciting climax satisfactorily concludes many of the story's threads, some questions are left to the next book of the trilogy. Ages 12 up." - Publishers Weekly
"If some of this series starter seems overly familiar ... the details about angels make up for it. The dynamics of flying, the intense shining of 'glory,' and an unplanned trip to hell are all creatively addressed. Grades 7-10." - Booklist
"The cliffhanger ending, with an unexpected twist, leaves plenty to ponder until the sequel. A divine supernatural romance." - Kirkus
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in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Cynthia Hand divides her time between Southern California, where she lives with her husband and son, and southeast Idaho near the Teton Mountains. She teaches creative writing at Pepperdine University. This is her first novel.
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