"Exciting . . . [Jamie] Ford captures the thrill of first kisses and the shock of revealing long-hidden affairs."
--Kirkus Reviews "Strong . . . A laudable effort that shines light on little known histories."--
Library Journal "Poignant . . . Vibrantly rendered."
--Booklist "Combining rich narrative and literary qualities, the book achieves a multi-faceted emotional resonance. It is by turns heart-rending, tragic, disturbing, sanguine, warm, and life-affirming. Perceptive themes that run throughout culminate at the end. A true story . . . inspired this very absorbing and moving novel. Highly recommended."
--Historical Novel Society (Editors' choice) "Another winner . . . Ford has a wonderful gift. He nimbly takes the reader into forgotten pieces of history . . . with characters so real they will stay with you for some time to come."
--Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star "An evocative, heartfelt, beautifully crafted story that shines a light on a fascinating, tragic bit of forgotten history, this is Ford at his storytelling best."
--Kristin Hannah, author of The Nightingale "In this sweeping, bighearted novel--inspired by the true story of a twelve-year-old boy raffled off as a prize at the 1909 Seattle World Fair--we encounter a cast of colorful characters, fascinating historical details, and insights about morality, race, and culture that deepen and expand the story. . . . Utterly charming."
--Christina Baker Kline, author of A Piece of the World and Orphan Train "Ford is a master at shining light into dark, forgotten corners of history and revealing the most unexpected and relatable human threads. . . . A beautiful and enthralling story of resilience and the many permutations of love."
--Jessica Shattuck, author of The Women in the Castle "All the charm and heartbreak of
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet . . . Based on a true story,
Love and Other Consolation Prizes will warm your soul."
--Martha Hall Kelly, author of Lilac Girls "A gripping story about the unpredictability of life and, above all, the incredible power of love to heal even the most shameful wounds . . . Ford has created a fascinating world, bookended by Seattle's two world's fairs, and peopled it with colorful, brave characters we care deeply about in this masterful job of storytelling."
--Melanie Benjamin, author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue "Irresistibly magnificent . . . How does a novel genius top himself? Jamie Ford's newest takes an extraordinary moment in history, where vice lives alongside innocence, and transforms it into a dazzling, hold-your-breath story about the families we make and the ones we are thrust into, about who we are and who we dreamed we could be."
--Caroline Leavitt, author of Pictures of You and Cruel Beautiful World "Soaring, heart-wrenching, troubling, funny . . . Ford has masterfully used a strange, tragic footnote from history to transport the reader back in time."
--Karen Abbott, author of Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy