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Singing Lessons for the Stylish Canary

Audiobook
34 of 34 copies available
34 of 34 copies available

Georges Blanchard is revered in the small French town of Mireville both as a master serinette maker and for a miraculous incident in his childhood that earned him the title "The Sun-Bringer."

As his firstborn son, Henri Blanchard is expected to follow in his footsteps, but Henri would rather learn to make lace than music boxes.

When Henri discovers a stash of American letters in his father's drawer, he learns he's not the firstborn son of Georges Blanchard at all: Henri has an older half-brother born to one of Georges's American customers.

When he crosses the ocean to encounter his half-brother at last, Henri discovers that there's an entire world beyond Mireville—and there may be a perfect place for him yet.

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      November 22, 2021
      Stanfill’s charming, lite-fantasy debut, set in the mid-1800s, follows the life of Henri Blanchard in the tiny French town of Mireville. Henri’s father, Georges, a master craftsman of serinettes, sells his hand-cranked organs to canary breeders who train their birds to sing. Henri has his work cut out for him trying to get out of his father’s shadow: as a baby, Georges magically changed Mireville’s weather. But Henri is no Sun-Bringer—and the secret letters from New York that he finds in his father’s dresser prove that he isn’t even Georges’s first-born son. Then one icy winter day, Henri brings a frozen cat back to life and learns he has powers of his own. It’s a fickle talent, however, and after a tragedy he is helpless to reverse, Henri is framed for a murder that tears Mireville apart. Now Henri must follow his father’s footsteps all the way to New York, to meet his half-brother, find his best friend, and clear his name. This gentle story is flavored only lightly with magic, instead relying on families of vivid characters, carefully detailed scene setting, and delicately gilded writing to create a cozy and enjoyable environment. Fans of Joanne Harris will find plenty to admire. Agent: Laurie Fox, Linda Chester Literary.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Graham Halstead performs this audiobook as if he is conspiring with the listener. He delivers the galloping historical novel, predominantly set in France, with just the right pace and intonation. His tempo works well for the many characters in a story that moves from small-town France to New York City. Music runs through the text, as well, as the family business of Henri Blanchard is crafting serinettes, small hand organs that are used to teach male canaries to sing. The author writes stylishly, paying attention to period details, and tosses in a dollop of magical realism. Henri's father, a master craftsman, is dubbed the "sun bringer," and Henri himself can bring the dead back to life. This debut novel is a fine and fun listen. A.D.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

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  • English

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