Fly by Night

Fly by Night is a young adult fantasy novel set in The Realm, a world that mirrors 18th century England. The story centers on Mosca Mye, a twelve-year-old girl who can read in a society where literacy is controlled by powerful guilds. In this alternate world, people worship numerous small deities called the Beloved, and children must be named for the deity presiding over their birth hour. The Realm exists in a state of political tension, with various city-states vying for power and multiple claimants to the abolished throne competing for support. The narrative follows Mosca as she escapes her restrictive village life and becomes entangled in the schemes and power struggles of Mandelion, a city dominated by rival guilds. Accompanied by a silver-tongued con man and a violent goose, she navigates through a landscape of political intrigue and danger. The book explores themes of knowledge, power, and the relationship between truth and propaganda in a society where words and information are carefully controlled.

Readers describe this book as complex and vocabulary-rich, with intricate worldbuilding that some found challenging to follow. Many highlight the imaginative premise and protagonist Mosca Mye's distinctive voice. Readers appreciated: - The original take on politics and religion - Dark humor and wordplay - Strong character development - Sophisticated themes for a YA novel Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in first third - Dense political plotting requires concentration - Some found it too complex for middle-grade readers - Character names take adjustment Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (13,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (180+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "Like Dickens meets Terry Pratchett" - Goodreads reviewer "Had to reread sections to follow the politics" - Amazon review "Mosca's voice carries the story" - LibraryThing user "More challenging than typical YA but worth the effort" - BookBrowse review

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🔍 The name "Mosca" means "fly" in Spanish and Italian, reflecting the protagonist's nature as a quick, nimble survivor in a dangerous world. 💫 Frances Hardinge wrote this debut novel while working as a technical writer for a software company, and it won the Branford Boase Award in 2006. 📚 The book's setting was inspired by the political and religious upheaval of England's Interregnum period (1649-1660), when the country existed without a monarch. 🪶 The concept of "Beloved" deities in the story draws parallels to household gods in ancient Roman religion, where families would worship small, personal deities. 🦢 Saracen the goose is based on real guard geese, which have been used throughout history for their territorial nature and loud warning calls.