by Julie Hearn
Ivy is used to being overlooked. The youngest in a family of thieves, scoundrels, and roustabouts, the girl with the flame-colored hair and odd-colored eyes is declared useless by her father from the day she is born. But that's only if you look at her but don't see. For Ivy has a quality that makes people take notice. It's more than beauty -- and it draws people toward her.
Which makes her the perfect subject for an aspiring painter named Oscar Aretino Frosdick, a member of the pre-Raphaelite school of artists. Oscar is determined to make his mark on the art world, with Ivy as his model and muse. But behind Ivy's angelic looks lurk dark secrets and a troubled past -- a past that has given her an unfortunate taste for laudanum. And when treachery and jealousy surface in the Eden that is the artist's garden, Ivy must learn to be more than a pretty face if she is to survive.
"Starred Review. Teens will find such contemporary issues as addiction, animal cruelty and vegetarianism nestled comfortably within this clever work of historical fiction. Intricate, engaging language and quirky characters paint a vivid picture of the Victorian era. (Fiction. 14 & up)" - Kirkus Reviews.
"Starred Review. Capturing her audience with her first sentences, Hearn paints an almost lush picture of a seamy 19th-century London .... A fast and absorbing read. Ages 12up." - Publishers Weekly.
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