The Adventures of Miles and Isabel Author:Tom Gilling Tom Gilling's New York Times Notable Book The Sooterkin was called "extraordinary ... like Alice Hoffman, Sherman Alexie, or Gabriel Garcia Marquez," in a starred Library Journal review. With his second novel, a delightful tale of true love in rough-and-tumble, turn-of-the-century Sydney, Gilling has "proved himself an exceptionally talented nov... more »elist twice over" (The Age).
The Adventures of Miles and Isabel, already a best-seller in Australia, begins with two spectacular births on the same night in 1856. During her scandalous turn as Hamlet, a heavily pregnant (and unmarried) actress, Eliza McGinty, unexpectedly goes into labor onstage, shocking the packed house. Indeed, one audience member -- the patrician Louisa Dowling, who is also with child -- is so moved that she, too, goes into labor. The babies born that night are Miles and Isabel, two dreamers destined to defy convention -- and gravity. Independent of each other, Miles and Isabel grow into strong-willed, adventuresome adults. Miles becomes the subject of a sideshow levitation act (he reveals a talent for floating six feet above the ground), while Isabel gamely foils her mother's attempts to marry her off to a rich boor. Miles eventually develops a fascination with flight and throws all his energies into building a flying machine. When he finally meets the beautiful Isabel, he is preparing to risk his life by testing his first prototype. United by the dream of flight -- and true love -- Miles and Isabel attempt to rise above the obstacles of class and physics that stand in their way. The Adventures of Miles and Isabel is a euphoric follow-up to the debut that The New York Times hailed as "jubilantly irreverent" and "irresistible entertainment," and confirms Tom Gilling's place as a major literary voice of today.« less
ISBN-13: 9780871138613 ISBN-10: 0871138611 Publication Date: 9/2002 Pages:208 Edition:1st American ed Rating: