From Publishers Weekly
Sparks fly in Lawrence's blend of romance and historical fiction, set against the struggle to harness electricity in the early 20th century. The editor-in-chief of W.W. Norton picks up where his earlier novel,
Montenegro, left off: Toma Pekocevic lands in Naples, on his way from the political strife in the Balkans to America. In Italy, Toma meets Harriet Bigelow, the young heiress to a once prominent iron-making dynasty. A brief magnetic encounter leaves both adolescents changed—and charged—forever. Six years later, in 1914, the pair meet again by chance in New York. Determined to help Harriet save the Bigelow Iron Company from financial ruin, Toma invents a machine capable of revolutionizing electricity. But an accident forces Toma to choose between his passion for Harriet and his love for his war-torn homeland, now at the epicenter of WWI. Harriet too must choose between her love for the lonely immigrant and a wealthy suitor who could aid her family but whose affection leaves her cold. Meanwhile, General Electric has expressed interest in Toma's idea—and will stop at nothing to control the possibilities of power. Skillfully intertwining fact and fiction, Lawrence generates an electric history of ideas, kindled by the flames of capital and passion
. (Apr.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
This fascinating story of a long-term romance, interwoven with the story of the creation of the alternating current power grid, is performed with professionalism and verve by Terence Aselford. Exotic European accents evolve over the course of this tale of inventor Toma Pekocevic and the love of his life, Harriet. Toma's invention, a water-powered turbine, revolutionizes electric generation. Aselford is especially effective at portraying the anguish experienced by Toma as he loses Harriet to a wealthy politician who realizes the genius of Toma's invention and pulls strings to bring power to the people. For readers not interested in a behind-the-scenes peek at the science of power production, there are two juicy love triangles. R.O. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
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