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Revisit the exciting trilogy from the beginning:

The Lumatere Chronicles


Finnikin of the Rock
In a bold departure, Printz Medalist Melina Marchetta crafts an epic fantasy of ancient magic, exile, feudal intrigue, and romance that rivets from the first page.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The climactic conclusion of Printz Award winner Melina Marchettas epic fantasy trilogy!

AnAmericanLibraryAssociationTopTenBestFictionforYoungAdultsSelection APublishers WeeklyBestChildrensBookoftheYear A School Library JournalBestBookoftheYear


Filled with questions about the impact of exile and the human need to belong, this standout fantasy quickly reveals that its real magic lies in its accomplished writing. Booklist (starred review) Readers will be rewarded by a shining story of romance, adventure in all of its gritty realism, and high ideals. School Library Journal (starred review) Marchetta transforms what could be just another epic quest into an innovative fantasy; its driven almost entirely by the intense relationships among its multidimensional characters, giving the reader a unique perspective on the Lumatere situation as both a personal and political crisis.
Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books (starred review)

BY

MELINA MARCHETTA

HC: 978-0-7636-4361-4 $18.99 ($23.00 CAN) PB: 978-0-7636-5292-0 $9.99 ($11.00 CAN) E-book: 978-0-7636-5175-6 $9.99 ($11.00 CAN) Audio: 978-1-4418-8870-9 $24.99 416 pages Age 14 and up

Froi of the Exiles


From master storyteller Melina Marchetta comes an exhilarating fantasy springing from her celebrated epic, Finnikin of the Rock. Marchetta again demonstrates her fearlessness in exposing humanity at its ugliest, but also at its noblest, as her damaged characters struggle to rebuild their lives. The precipice on which Marchetta leaves readers will have them aching but also terrified to discover what comes next.
Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn childs right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face-to-face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other. The complex tangle of bloodlines, politics, and love introduced in Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles coalesce into an engrossing climax in this final volume.

Fans of the first book are no doubt expecting to be challenged by its sequel, and they will not be disappointed by this thrilling, romantic, and utterly unforgettable tale. Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books (starred review)
HC: 978-0-7636-4759-9 $18.99 ($21.00 CAN) PB: 978-0-7636-6260-8 $10.99 ($12.00 CAN) Available February 2013 E-book: 978-0-7636-5966-0 $18.99 ($21.00 CAN) 608 pages Age 14 and up

The expertly crafted ending is designed to leave fans old and new waiting with keen anticipation for the next entry. . . . Expect significant attention for this highbrow, high-fantasy sequel. Booklist (starred review)

Melina Marchetta is the acclaimed and award-winning author of Jellicoe Road, which won the Michael L. Printz Award; Saving Francesca and its companion novel, The Pipers Son; Looking for Alibrandi; and the first two volumes in the Lumatere chronicles, Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles. She lives in Australia.

On sale April 9, 2013


HC: 978-0-7636-5835-9 E-book: 978-0-7636-6360-5 $18.99 ($21.00 CAN) 528 Pages Age 14 and up

Q&A with author Melina

Marchetta

Readers were left with a huge cliffhanger at the end of Froi of the Exiles, the second book in the series. Can they expect all to be resolved for the characters at the end of Quintana of Charyn? Yes, definitely. Every single character gets a resolution. How do you feel about the story arc and how it came to a close? For me, and hopefully for the reader, Quintana of Charyn is everything I wanted it to be and more. I was still discovering things about the characters right up until the very end, but there was never a time when I felt I was being rushed. What surprised me, though, is that I think the entire trilogy began as a story about two people, but by the time I finished it, there were six main players and a supporting cast, and every single one of them counted. You play a lot with the theme of redemption and the recurring idea that there is no completely irredeemable person or group of people; that when faced with hardship, people can surprise you. These types of imperfect and conflicted characters really dominate this series. Why do you enjoy writing about them? I think we are all imperfect and conflicted characters, and too many times Ive been completely surprised by the way someone close to me has dealt with hardship. I grew up with Bible stories, and although this trilogy isnt religious, its biblical at times. When I was a kid, we had this big colorful childrens illustrated Bible, and the stories were so epic. Then, of course as an older reader I was introduced to Shakespeare. The stakes are so high in those stories, and the people so flawed. In Macbeth and King Lear and Henry the Fourth, Part 1, and in the stories of King David and Saint Paul and Mary Magdalene, there are no truly good or evil characters. People face dilemmas. People turn the other way. People are tempted. Isnt that just all of us, but on a bigger scale? Is there a particular character in the series who you relate to the most? Why? Probably Phaedra. In my head she became the mouse that roared. I think anyone can challenge another, not just those who are charismatic or ultra-intelligent or physically stronger or those who get noticed more. Phaedra is an average girl. She doesnt have the brilliance or cunning or bravery of some of the other women to begin with. She hasnt particularly suffered as much as everyone else, but she gets things done. I relate to being that average person who gets things done. Can you talk a little bit about the importance of setting in the Lumatere Chronicles? You have said that you travel extensively to research features that might distinguish the locations described in each book. Can you give an example of something you saw in your travels that readers will see in the series? The most important physical aspect of Froi of the Exiles is the gravina. Gravina is the Italian world for ravine, and in Matera, Italy, theres a ravine that splits the town. My guide called the center of that town the citavita. Writers choose words that play a tune in their ear; and gravina sounded better than ravine, and citavita sounded better than capital. In Quintana of Charyn, the description of the province of Sebastabol is based on Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Its a coastal town, so where Froi and his party stay was pretty much where I stayed high above

the city. I also came across a little church in Guernsey covered in ceramics, which was quite overthe-top, but it resonated, so theres a scene in Quintana of Charyn when Froi goes to see the head Priest in the underground city where theyre hiding, and the walls are covered with ceramics. Also, the shape and interior of a well in Orvieto, Italy, was expanded in my head to become a castle where Froi and his people hide at one stage. Another device that you use in your writing is a shifting point of view. Was there a particular character whose voice was particularly easy or challenging to channel onto the page? Quintana was very challenging because her voice for most of Quintana of Charyn was sort of a melody with ten to twelve beats per line. Its her song to Froi. Theyve been calling out to each other, without realizing, for most of their lives. So Quintanas voice was very hard to sustain, and I used it sparingly. My favorite voice to write was Lucian, because despite everything, I could be funny with him. His scenes are a combination of humor and pathos. What do you think the shifting point of view adds to the readers experience? The thing with Quintana of Charyn is that Froi and Quintana are separated, so I couldnt have the whole story from Frois point of view. It would have frustrated the reader, and there wouldnt have been enough tension. The different points of view allow the reader to get a glimpse of whats taking place elsewhere, because the events in Lumatere and in the valley are just as important as whats happening in Frois part of the world. Ultimately all these factions are going to meet in the one place. Theres conflict in almost every relationship in this trilogy, whether its a father and son, a husband and wife, or a group of women who are forced into one anothers company, but overall the trilogy is about hope and community and the power individuals have to change their destiny. When you hear from fans of the series, who are their favorite characters? Is there a hands-down winner? It really varies. Ive had obvious love expressed for Froi and Quintana and the brothers from Abroi and Lirah and Trevanion and Beatriss, but I think the standouts for some readers have been Lucian and Phaedra. I also have a feeling that after Quintana of Charyn comes out, there could be some Perri and Tesadora love out there because the reader gets a bit of their backstory. Ive loved Perri and Tesadora ever since Finnikin, so it seemed natural to link their story to Frois. Has a fan ever told you something about the trilogy that really delighted or surprised you? Ive been pretty overwhelmed by the reaction to this trilogy, and more than anything I love that people from countries where my novels arent published, like Norway and Pakistan and the U.K. and Russia, have found Finnikin and Froi and write to me about how they feel. We only have to watch the news and read the newspapers to see that displaced people desperate for hope and longing for a connection are part of our everyday lives, so I think these three novels are the most universal of my work. Do you envision any other stories in the future that will continue in the realm of Skuldenore? I was asked to write a short story for an online literary magazine, so I chose Lady Celie of the Flatlands. Its a murder mystery called Ferragost,and its set on an island castle in the kingdom of Belegonia where Lady Celie is like the Agatha Christie of the medieval world. Writing Ferragost let me play more with mystery and intrigue and love, rather than some of the darker themes in the trilogy. Im sure Ill write another few Lady Celie mysteries, and Im sure that the Lumateran and Charyn lot will feature in them.

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