Author: Mary Mudd
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
ISBN: 1426940130
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 472
Book Description
A historical tradition of Roman origin represents Livia Drusilla, the third and much beloved wife of Caesar Augustus, as a conniving, Borgia-like criminal. This view of Livia maintains, that to promote the political career of her son by her former husband, Livia killed or incapacitated Augustus' descendants through his previous wife. Author Robert Graves, in his famous novel, I, Claudius, based his fictitious rendering of Livia upon this malevolent representation of her. The conceit is patently wrong, and essentially all modern scholars of Roman history reject it. But thanks to Graves' immensely entertaining book, and the British Broadcasting Corporation adaptation of it for television, the image of Livia as a devious dynastic murderess prevails in the popular mind. I, Livia: The Counterfeit Criminal aspires to correct the misconception, and present an accurate assessment of this much-maligned woman. The study's comfortably readable style is intended for general audiences. The first three chapters present a biographical sketch, which focuses on Livia's public life. Livia was accepted as an extraordinarily visible, dynamic and influential political personage, by a society and culture that maintained that women must confine their activities childrearing and other domestic pursuits. The following two chapters demonstrate the absurdity of Livia's criminal reputation, and offer explanation for its development. Three subsequent chapters seek Livia's private side - her habits, tastes, and interpersonal relationships. Livia (who suffered from colds and chronic arthritis) was an amiable soul, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. She was a loving, supportive forbearant wife and mother, an intellectual with profound political insights, an enthusiastic traveller, a connoisseur of art. Although generally patient and demure, she could also be impulsive, assertive, opinionated and, especially in later life, petulant. The final chapter examines how Livia became, and remained, a symbol of Roman imperial power. The brief epilogue describes the physical appearances of Livia and the members of her family. Also included are relevant appendices, a comprehensive bibliography, and color images of surviving wall paintings from her homes.
I, Livia
Author: Mary Mudd
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
ISBN: 1426940130
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 472
Book Description
A historical tradition of Roman origin represents Livia Drusilla, the third and much beloved wife of Caesar Augustus, as a conniving, Borgia-like criminal. This view of Livia maintains, that to promote the political career of her son by her former husband, Livia killed or incapacitated Augustus' descendants through his previous wife. Author Robert Graves, in his famous novel, I, Claudius, based his fictitious rendering of Livia upon this malevolent representation of her. The conceit is patently wrong, and essentially all modern scholars of Roman history reject it. But thanks to Graves' immensely entertaining book, and the British Broadcasting Corporation adaptation of it for television, the image of Livia as a devious dynastic murderess prevails in the popular mind. I, Livia: The Counterfeit Criminal aspires to correct the misconception, and present an accurate assessment of this much-maligned woman. The study's comfortably readable style is intended for general audiences. The first three chapters present a biographical sketch, which focuses on Livia's public life. Livia was accepted as an extraordinarily visible, dynamic and influential political personage, by a society and culture that maintained that women must confine their activities childrearing and other domestic pursuits. The following two chapters demonstrate the absurdity of Livia's criminal reputation, and offer explanation for its development. Three subsequent chapters seek Livia's private side - her habits, tastes, and interpersonal relationships. Livia (who suffered from colds and chronic arthritis) was an amiable soul, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. She was a loving, supportive forbearant wife and mother, an intellectual with profound political insights, an enthusiastic traveller, a connoisseur of art. Although generally patient and demure, she could also be impulsive, assertive, opinionated and, especially in later life, petulant. The final chapter examines how Livia became, and remained, a symbol of Roman imperial power. The brief epilogue describes the physical appearances of Livia and the members of her family. Also included are relevant appendices, a comprehensive bibliography, and color images of surviving wall paintings from her homes.
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
ISBN: 1426940130
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 472
Book Description
A historical tradition of Roman origin represents Livia Drusilla, the third and much beloved wife of Caesar Augustus, as a conniving, Borgia-like criminal. This view of Livia maintains, that to promote the political career of her son by her former husband, Livia killed or incapacitated Augustus' descendants through his previous wife. Author Robert Graves, in his famous novel, I, Claudius, based his fictitious rendering of Livia upon this malevolent representation of her. The conceit is patently wrong, and essentially all modern scholars of Roman history reject it. But thanks to Graves' immensely entertaining book, and the British Broadcasting Corporation adaptation of it for television, the image of Livia as a devious dynastic murderess prevails in the popular mind. I, Livia: The Counterfeit Criminal aspires to correct the misconception, and present an accurate assessment of this much-maligned woman. The study's comfortably readable style is intended for general audiences. The first three chapters present a biographical sketch, which focuses on Livia's public life. Livia was accepted as an extraordinarily visible, dynamic and influential political personage, by a society and culture that maintained that women must confine their activities childrearing and other domestic pursuits. The following two chapters demonstrate the absurdity of Livia's criminal reputation, and offer explanation for its development. Three subsequent chapters seek Livia's private side - her habits, tastes, and interpersonal relationships. Livia (who suffered from colds and chronic arthritis) was an amiable soul, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. She was a loving, supportive forbearant wife and mother, an intellectual with profound political insights, an enthusiastic traveller, a connoisseur of art. Although generally patient and demure, she could also be impulsive, assertive, opinionated and, especially in later life, petulant. The final chapter examines how Livia became, and remained, a symbol of Roman imperial power. The brief epilogue describes the physical appearances of Livia and the members of her family. Also included are relevant appendices, a comprehensive bibliography, and color images of surviving wall paintings from her homes.
I Am Livia
Author: Phyllis T. Smith
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781477848821
Category : Rome
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
"Keen and ambitious, fourteen-year-old Livia Drusilla finds herself suddenly thrust into the perilous world of Roman politics when she overhears the plot to assassinate Julius Caesar--and when she reluctantly agrees to marry a prominent military officer for her family's sake"--back cover.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781477848821
Category : Rome
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
"Keen and ambitious, fourteen-year-old Livia Drusilla finds herself suddenly thrust into the perilous world of Roman politics when she overhears the plot to assassinate Julius Caesar--and when she reluctantly agrees to marry a prominent military officer for her family's sake"--back cover.
I Dream of Popo
Author: Livia Blackburne
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
ISBN: 1250819954
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 21
Book Description
From New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne and illustrator Julia Kuo, here is I Dream of Popo. This delicate, emotionally rich picture book celebrates a special connection that crosses time zones and oceans as Popo and her granddaughter hold each other in their hearts forever. I dream with Popo as she rocks me in her arms. I wave at Popo before I board my flight. I talk to Popo from across the sea. I tell Popo about my adventures. When a young girl and her family emigrate from Taiwan to America, she leaves behind her beloved popo, her grandmother. She misses her popo every day, but even if their visits are fleeting, their love is ever true and strong. A New York Public Library Best Book of 2021 A Booklist Editors' Choice Winner for 2021
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
ISBN: 1250819954
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 21
Book Description
From New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne and illustrator Julia Kuo, here is I Dream of Popo. This delicate, emotionally rich picture book celebrates a special connection that crosses time zones and oceans as Popo and her granddaughter hold each other in their hearts forever. I dream with Popo as she rocks me in her arms. I wave at Popo before I board my flight. I talk to Popo from across the sea. I tell Popo about my adventures. When a young girl and her family emigrate from Taiwan to America, she leaves behind her beloved popo, her grandmother. She misses her popo every day, but even if their visits are fleeting, their love is ever true and strong. A New York Public Library Best Book of 2021 A Booklist Editors' Choice Winner for 2021
Livia, Empress of Rome
Author: Matthew Dennison
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 142998919X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 335
Book Description
Rome is a subject of endless fascination, and in this new biography of the infamous Empress Livia, Matthew Dennison brings to life a woman long believed to be one of the most feared villainesses of history. Second wife of the emperor Augustus, mother of his successor Tiberius, grandmother of Claudius and great grandmother of Caligula, the empress Livia lived close to the center of Roman political power for eight turbulent decades. Her life spanned the years of Rome's transformation from Republic to Empire, and witnessed both its triumphs under the rule of Augustus and its lapse into instability under his dysfunctional successor. Livia was given the honorific title Augusta in her husband's will, and was posthumously deified by the emperor Claudius—but posterity would prove less respectful. The Roman historian Tacitus anathematized her as "malevolent" and a "feminine bully" and inspired Robert Graves's celebrated twentieth-century depiction of Livia in I, Claudius as the quintessence of the scheming matriarch, poisoning her relatives one by one to smooth her son's path to the imperial throne. Livia, Empress of Rome rescues the historical Livia from the crude caricature of popular myth to paint an elegant and richly textured portrait. In this rigorously researched biography, Dennison weighs the evidence found in contemporary sources to present a more nuanced assessment. Livia's true "crime," he reveals, was not murder but the exercise of power. The Livia who emerges here is a complex, courageous and gifted woman, and one of the most fascinating and perplexing figures of the ancient world.
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 142998919X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 335
Book Description
Rome is a subject of endless fascination, and in this new biography of the infamous Empress Livia, Matthew Dennison brings to life a woman long believed to be one of the most feared villainesses of history. Second wife of the emperor Augustus, mother of his successor Tiberius, grandmother of Claudius and great grandmother of Caligula, the empress Livia lived close to the center of Roman political power for eight turbulent decades. Her life spanned the years of Rome's transformation from Republic to Empire, and witnessed both its triumphs under the rule of Augustus and its lapse into instability under his dysfunctional successor. Livia was given the honorific title Augusta in her husband's will, and was posthumously deified by the emperor Claudius—but posterity would prove less respectful. The Roman historian Tacitus anathematized her as "malevolent" and a "feminine bully" and inspired Robert Graves's celebrated twentieth-century depiction of Livia in I, Claudius as the quintessence of the scheming matriarch, poisoning her relatives one by one to smooth her son's path to the imperial throne. Livia, Empress of Rome rescues the historical Livia from the crude caricature of popular myth to paint an elegant and richly textured portrait. In this rigorously researched biography, Dennison weighs the evidence found in contemporary sources to present a more nuanced assessment. Livia's true "crime," he reveals, was not murder but the exercise of power. The Livia who emerges here is a complex, courageous and gifted woman, and one of the most fascinating and perplexing figures of the ancient world.
The Exquisite Book of Paper Flower Transformations
Author: Livia Cetti
Publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 1683350049
Category : Crafts & Hobbies
Languages : en
Pages : 407
Book Description
“Equips crafters with the skills for creating individual flowers and larger arrangements while providing a delightful overview on the basics of botany.” —Publishers Weekly In The Exquisite Book of Paper Flower Transformations, artist Livia Cetti ups the ante with a host of grander and more intricate flowers and projects—more blooms, more petals, stronger stems, and bigger, bolder arrangements! Cetti will teach you how to play with size, shape, color, and texture to create twenty-five vibrant single stems in a variety of natural shapes—globes, spikes, bells, saucers, rectangles, cones, and arcs—including hydrangeas, coral charm peonies, honeysuckles, and paperwhites. Then, you’ll use these elemental shapes to build the 15 bright, abundant arrangements, including bold wreaths, bountiful bouquets, fantastical gilded wall art, and blooming garlands. Introducing new, never-before-seen techniques for dyeing paper and creating moldable leaves and petals, this gorgeous guide is perfect for crafters of all skill levels interested in making realistic and unique home decor, gifts, accessories, and entertaining essentials. “Unlike fresh-cut flowers, paper blooms last forever. And if you make them like floral stylist, crafter and creative director Livia Cetti, they might even be mistaken for the real thing. One of the top paper-flower artists in the U.S.” —House & Home
Publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 1683350049
Category : Crafts & Hobbies
Languages : en
Pages : 407
Book Description
“Equips crafters with the skills for creating individual flowers and larger arrangements while providing a delightful overview on the basics of botany.” —Publishers Weekly In The Exquisite Book of Paper Flower Transformations, artist Livia Cetti ups the ante with a host of grander and more intricate flowers and projects—more blooms, more petals, stronger stems, and bigger, bolder arrangements! Cetti will teach you how to play with size, shape, color, and texture to create twenty-five vibrant single stems in a variety of natural shapes—globes, spikes, bells, saucers, rectangles, cones, and arcs—including hydrangeas, coral charm peonies, honeysuckles, and paperwhites. Then, you’ll use these elemental shapes to build the 15 bright, abundant arrangements, including bold wreaths, bountiful bouquets, fantastical gilded wall art, and blooming garlands. Introducing new, never-before-seen techniques for dyeing paper and creating moldable leaves and petals, this gorgeous guide is perfect for crafters of all skill levels interested in making realistic and unique home decor, gifts, accessories, and entertaining essentials. “Unlike fresh-cut flowers, paper blooms last forever. And if you make them like floral stylist, crafter and creative director Livia Cetti, they might even be mistaken for the real thing. One of the top paper-flower artists in the U.S.” —House & Home
Midnight Thief
Author: Livia Blackburne
Publisher: Lion's Quill Press
ISBN: 1940584078
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 364
Book Description
An exceptional thief… Kyra specializes in nighttime raids, using her sharp senses and uncanny agility to plunder Forge’s wealthiest homes. Then she meets James, the deadly but intriguing Head of the Assassin’s Guild. He has a job for Kyra: infiltrate the impenetrable Palace compound. The pay is good, and the challenge appealing. But as Kyra establishes herself in the Guild, things start to unravel. Her assignments become increasingly violent, demanding more than Kyra is willing to give. And as she grows closer to the darkly attractive James, she can’t shake the feeling that his plans run deeper than he claims. A knight sworn to vengeance… When Tristam’s best friend is killed by Demon Riders—barbarians riding vicious wildcats—he vows to defeat them. The young knight throws himself into his quest, only to find his efforts thwarted by a mysterious and very talented thief. When a twist of fate throws Kyra and Tristam together, they realize that Forge faces greater dangers than either of them had imagined. They must make a choice: continue to fight each other, or work together to unravel the truth. Then, as sinister forces close in, Kyra and Tristam discover a shocking secret that will change their lives forever.
Publisher: Lion's Quill Press
ISBN: 1940584078
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 364
Book Description
An exceptional thief… Kyra specializes in nighttime raids, using her sharp senses and uncanny agility to plunder Forge’s wealthiest homes. Then she meets James, the deadly but intriguing Head of the Assassin’s Guild. He has a job for Kyra: infiltrate the impenetrable Palace compound. The pay is good, and the challenge appealing. But as Kyra establishes herself in the Guild, things start to unravel. Her assignments become increasingly violent, demanding more than Kyra is willing to give. And as she grows closer to the darkly attractive James, she can’t shake the feeling that his plans run deeper than he claims. A knight sworn to vengeance… When Tristam’s best friend is killed by Demon Riders—barbarians riding vicious wildcats—he vows to defeat them. The young knight throws himself into his quest, only to find his efforts thwarted by a mysterious and very talented thief. When a twist of fate throws Kyra and Tristam together, they realize that Forge faces greater dangers than either of them had imagined. They must make a choice: continue to fight each other, or work together to unravel the truth. Then, as sinister forces close in, Kyra and Tristam discover a shocking secret that will change their lives forever.
I Have Lived a Thousand Years
Author: Livia Bitton-Jackson
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439106614
Category : Young Adult Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 244
Book Description
What is death all about? What is life all about? So wonders thirteen-year-old Elli Friedmann as she fights for her life in a Nazi concentration camp. A remarkable memoir, I Have Lived a Thousand Years is a story of cruelty and suffering, but at the same time a story of hope, faith, perseverance, and love. It wasn’t long ago that Elli led a normal life that included family, friends, school, and thoughts about boys. A life in which Elli could lie and daydream for hours that she was a beautiful and elegant celebrated poet. But these adolescent daydreams quickly darken in March 1944, when the Nazis invade Hungary. First Elli can no longer attend school, have possessions, or talk to her neighbors. Then she and her family are forced to leave their house behind to move into a crowded ghetto, where privacy becomes a luxury of the past and food becomes a scarcity. Her strong will and faith allow Elli to manage and adjust, but what she doesn’t know is that this is only the beginning. The worst is yet to come...
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439106614
Category : Young Adult Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 244
Book Description
What is death all about? What is life all about? So wonders thirteen-year-old Elli Friedmann as she fights for her life in a Nazi concentration camp. A remarkable memoir, I Have Lived a Thousand Years is a story of cruelty and suffering, but at the same time a story of hope, faith, perseverance, and love. It wasn’t long ago that Elli led a normal life that included family, friends, school, and thoughts about boys. A life in which Elli could lie and daydream for hours that she was a beautiful and elegant celebrated poet. But these adolescent daydreams quickly darken in March 1944, when the Nazis invade Hungary. First Elli can no longer attend school, have possessions, or talk to her neighbors. Then she and her family are forced to leave their house behind to move into a crowded ghetto, where privacy becomes a luxury of the past and food becomes a scarcity. Her strong will and faith allow Elli to manage and adjust, but what she doesn’t know is that this is only the beginning. The worst is yet to come...
Livia
Author: Anthony A. Barrett
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300127162
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 459
Book Description
The author of Rome Is Burning separates fact from fiction as he examines the life of an ancient Roman figure made famous in the TV miniseries I Claudius. Livia—wife of the first Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, and mother of the second, Tiberius—wielded extraordinary power at the center of Roman politics. In this biography of Livia, the first in English, Anthony Barrett sets aside the portrait of a cunning and sinister schemer to reveal Livia as a complex figure whose enduring political influence helped shape Roman government long after her death. “An excellent biography of Livia—as appealing to the general reader as it is satisfying to the scholar.” —Colin M. Wells, Trinity University, San Antonio “In reading Anthony Barrett’s biography of Livia, I not only learned about this remarkable woman, but also gained a meaningful appreciation of life and society in her time.” —Howard Alper, President, The Royal Society of Canada “First-rate.” —Mary Beard, Times Literary Supplement
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300127162
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 459
Book Description
The author of Rome Is Burning separates fact from fiction as he examines the life of an ancient Roman figure made famous in the TV miniseries I Claudius. Livia—wife of the first Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, and mother of the second, Tiberius—wielded extraordinary power at the center of Roman politics. In this biography of Livia, the first in English, Anthony Barrett sets aside the portrait of a cunning and sinister schemer to reveal Livia as a complex figure whose enduring political influence helped shape Roman government long after her death. “An excellent biography of Livia—as appealing to the general reader as it is satisfying to the scholar.” —Colin M. Wells, Trinity University, San Antonio “In reading Anthony Barrett’s biography of Livia, I not only learned about this remarkable woman, but also gained a meaningful appreciation of life and society in her time.” —Howard Alper, President, The Royal Society of Canada “First-rate.” —Mary Beard, Times Literary Supplement
Rosemarked
Author: Livia Blackburne
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 1368012027
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 383
Book Description
This smart, sweeping fantasy with a political edge and a slow-burning romance will capture fans of The Lumatere Chronicles and An Ember in the Ashes. A healer who cannot be healed... When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it's only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she's destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art—until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill. A soldier shattered by war... Broken by torture at the hands of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he'll do anything to free them from Amparan rule—even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self. Thrust together on a high-stakes mission to spy on the capital, the two couldn't be more different: Zivah, deeply committed to her vow of healing, and Dineas, yearning for vengeance. But as they grow closer, they must find common ground to protect those they love. And amidst the constant fear of discovery, the two grapple with a mutual attraction that could break both of their carefully guarded hearts.
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 1368012027
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 383
Book Description
This smart, sweeping fantasy with a political edge and a slow-burning romance will capture fans of The Lumatere Chronicles and An Ember in the Ashes. A healer who cannot be healed... When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it's only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she's destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art—until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill. A soldier shattered by war... Broken by torture at the hands of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he'll do anything to free them from Amparan rule—even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self. Thrust together on a high-stakes mission to spy on the capital, the two couldn't be more different: Zivah, deeply committed to her vow of healing, and Dineas, yearning for vengeance. But as they grow closer, they must find common ground to protect those they love. And amidst the constant fear of discovery, the two grapple with a mutual attraction that could break both of their carefully guarded hearts.
Rebels: City of Indra
Author: Kendall Jenner
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1451694547
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
Kendall and Kylie Jenner, stars on the hit reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, present their debut novel—a thrilling dystopian story about two super-powered girls who embark on a journey together. In a world of the far future, the great City of Indra has two faces: a beautiful paradise floating high in the sky, and a nightmare world of poverty carved beneath the surface of the Earth. Lex grew up in an orphanage deep in the dark. But even as a child, she instinctively rebelled against her fate—the time when she would be judged either useful to Society or forced to live among the mutations in Rock Bottom, the lowest level. When she is chosen to become an elite cadet of the Population Control Forces, only her fellow cadet Kane truly understands her longing for freedom. Unknown to her, one girl secretly shares her defiance. Livia Cosmo, the Orphan Airess, may live on a sky island surrounded by wealth and privilege, but she is just as restricted as Lex. Rigid discipline governs her every movement, as she learns the art of becoming a Proper Young Woman, the belle of the Emergence Ball, ready to be picked for “cohabitation” by the finest of the Proper Young Men. Her future is assured, until an intriguing encounter with a young man named Kane changes everything. For that is when Lex’s and Livia’s destinies collide…. Approached by an old enemy to help save Kane from mortal danger, Lex sacrifices her Special Ops career to find him in the Islands among the clouds. Her search, high above in the beautiful spires of the City of Indra, brings her instead to the airgirl Livia. Lex and Livia should have nothing in common, and yet they share a kindred yearning for escape from the strict rules that bind them...and a mystifying identical mark. Brought together by danger, they set out to find Kane, but what they discover is even stranger than either dreams.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1451694547
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
Kendall and Kylie Jenner, stars on the hit reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, present their debut novel—a thrilling dystopian story about two super-powered girls who embark on a journey together. In a world of the far future, the great City of Indra has two faces: a beautiful paradise floating high in the sky, and a nightmare world of poverty carved beneath the surface of the Earth. Lex grew up in an orphanage deep in the dark. But even as a child, she instinctively rebelled against her fate—the time when she would be judged either useful to Society or forced to live among the mutations in Rock Bottom, the lowest level. When she is chosen to become an elite cadet of the Population Control Forces, only her fellow cadet Kane truly understands her longing for freedom. Unknown to her, one girl secretly shares her defiance. Livia Cosmo, the Orphan Airess, may live on a sky island surrounded by wealth and privilege, but she is just as restricted as Lex. Rigid discipline governs her every movement, as she learns the art of becoming a Proper Young Woman, the belle of the Emergence Ball, ready to be picked for “cohabitation” by the finest of the Proper Young Men. Her future is assured, until an intriguing encounter with a young man named Kane changes everything. For that is when Lex’s and Livia’s destinies collide…. Approached by an old enemy to help save Kane from mortal danger, Lex sacrifices her Special Ops career to find him in the Islands among the clouds. Her search, high above in the beautiful spires of the City of Indra, brings her instead to the airgirl Livia. Lex and Livia should have nothing in common, and yet they share a kindred yearning for escape from the strict rules that bind them...and a mystifying identical mark. Brought together by danger, they set out to find Kane, but what they discover is even stranger than either dreams.