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A Novel
by Jamie Ford
Book Reviewed by:From the bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet comes a powerful novel, inspired by a true story, about a boy whose life is transformed at Seattle's epic 1909 World's Fair.
For twelve-year-old Ernest Young, a charity student at a boarding school, the chance to go to the World's Fair feels like a gift. But only once he's there, amid the exotic exhibits, fireworks, and Ferris wheels, does he discover that he is the one who is actually the prize. The half-Chinese orphan is astounded to learn he will be raffled off—a healthy boy "to a good home."
The winning ticket belongs to the flamboyant madam of a high-class brothel, famous for educating her girls. There, Ernest becomes the new houseboy and befriends Maisie, the madam's precocious daughter, and a bold scullery maid named Fahn. Their friendship and affection form the first real family Ernest has ever known—and against all odds, this new sporting life gives him the sense of home he's always desired.
But as the grande dame succumbs to an occupational hazard and their world of finery begins to crumble, all three must grapple with hope, ambition, and first love.
Fifty years later, in the shadow of Seattle's second World's Fair, Ernest struggles to help his ailing wife reconcile who she once was with who she wanted to be, while trying to keep family secrets hidden from their grown-up daughters.
Against a rich backdrop of post-Victorian vice, suffrage, and celebration, Love and Other Consolations is an enchanting tale about innocence and devotion—in a world where everything, and everyone, is for sale.
Jamie Ford has written another winner. I was a fan after Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, and he does not disappoint with his latest (Roe P). There is nothing I didn't like about this book: the setting, the eras, the depth of the descriptions of both the times and the characters, the entertaining story, the history lesson... all meshed together to make an excellent read. I wish it had lasted another 100 pages (Arden A). Readers are certainly going to be happy that Jamie Ford has given us another beautifully written novel (Judi R)...continued
Full Review
(789 words)
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(Reviewed by First Impressions Reviewers).
Love and Other Consolation Prizes largely revolves around two World's Fairs that took place in Seattle in 1909 and 1962.
Officially known as Universal Expositions, more than 100 World's Fairs have been held in more than 20 countries, large and small, since the first one premiered in 1851. The events showcase a country's industrial and scientific achievements, as well as highlight its culture. World's Fairs generally run from three to six months, with a major fair held every five years and smaller expositions sometimes held in the interim. During the almost 170 years since the first World's Fair, it is estimated that over a billion people have attended one.
The idea seems to have evolved from English and French national ...
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If you liked Love and Other Consolation Prizes, try these:
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
by Jamie Ford
Published 2009
One of BookBrowse's Top 3 Favorite Books of 2009.
Set during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history - the internment of American-Japanese families during World War II - Jamie Ford has created an unforgettable duo whose story teaches us about forgiveness and the power of the human heart.
by Julie Otsuka
Published 2003
This commanding debut novel paints a portrait of the Japanese internment camps unlike any we have ever seen. A haunting evocation of a family in wartime and an unmistakably resonant lesson for our times.
Ann Hood, bestselling author of The Book That Matters Most
Only Jamie Ford could take a snippet of a true story about a child offered as a raffle prize at the 1909 Seattle World's Fair and spin it into a dazzling tale of love and family and ultimately hope. Love and Other Consolation Prizes" has the big generous heart Ford always brings to his novels and fans will rejoice in it.
