The Aerialists

WATERSTONES WELSH BOOK OF THE MONTH

Paris, 1891 Laura is living on the streets, far from the American Prairies where she was born. When rescued by the entrancing aerialists, Ena and Auguste Gaudron, she soon finds herself ensconced in the family hot air balloon business, and offered the chance to learn how to fly.
Cardiff, 1896 The Gaudrons accept an invitation to be part of the Cardiff Fine Art, Industrial and Maritime Exhibition, presenting a daring show of balloon ascents and parachute descents.

Then late one night, a young girl, Grace, knocks on the Gaudrons’ door. She is desperate to fly, whatever the cost.
As Grace’s dreams begin to take wing, can Laura be the one to keep her grounded? Or will both girls risk it all for one dazzling moment of flight?

‘A heady and stylish read that had me swept away from the first page. Munnik has captured a fascinating world of daring with both beauty and heart’ MAHSUDA SNAITH

‘Vivid and meticulous, Katie Munnik’s The Aerialists captures the tangled desires of people living on the thin air of their own daring – a glorious vision of a time, a place, a welter of human manipulations and hopes, and ultimately, their tragic effects. A really fine read’ JOAN BARFOOT

‘Based on a true story, this rich novel will capture your imagination’ BEST magazine

“'A heady and stylish read that had me swept away from the first page. Munnik has captured a fascinating world of daring with both beauty and heart' MAHSUDA SNAITH 'Vivid and meticulous, Katie Munnik's The Aerialists captures the tangled desires of people living on the thin air of their own daring - a glorious vision of a time, a place, a welter of human manipulations and hopes, and ultimately, their tragic effects. A really fine read' JOAN BARFOOT”

‘A heady and stylish read that had me swept away from the first page. Munnik has captured a fascinating world of daring with both beauty and heart’ MAHSUDA SNAITH

‘Vivid and meticulous, Katie Munnik’s The Aerialists captures the tangled desires of people living on the thin air of their own daring – a glorious vision of a time, a place, a welter of human manipulations and hopes, and ultimately, their tragic effects. A really fine read’ JOAN BARFOOT

‘Based on a true story, this rich novel will capture your imagination’ BEST magazine

‘Munnik movingly conveys the fragility of the real Louisa’s life and afterlife’ Historical Novel Society

‘Exquisite’ Woman’s Own

Katie Munnik is a Canadian writer living in Cardiff. Her collection of short fiction, The Pieces We Keep was published by Wild Goose Publications and her prose, poetry, and creative non-fiction have appeared in several magazines and anthologies, including The Cardiff Review, The Dangerous Women Project, Echoes of the City, and Geez Magazine. She is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers in Toronto, Canada. The Heart Beats in Secret is her first novel.

Paris, 1891 Laura is living on the streets, far from the American Prairies where she was born. When rescued by the entrancing aerialists, Ena and Auguste Gaudron, she soon finds herself ensconced in the family hot air balloon business, and offered the chance to learn how to fly. Cardiff, 1896 The Gaudrons accept an invitation to be part of the Cardiff Fine Art, Industrial and Maritime Exhibition, presenting a daring show of balloon ascents and parachute descents. Then late one night, a young girl, Grace, knocks on the Gaudrons' door. She is desperate to fly, whatever the cost. As Grace's dreams begin to take wing, can Laura be the one to keep her grounded? Or will both girls risk it all for one dazzling moment of flight? 'A heady and stylish read that had me swept away from the first page. Munnik has captured a fascinating world of daring with both beauty and heart' MAHSUDA SNAITH 'Vivid and meticulous, Katie Munnik's The Aerialists captures the tangled desires of people living on the thin air of their own daring - a glorious vision of a time, a place, a welter of human manipulations and hopes, and ultimately, their tragic effects. A really fine read' JOAN BARFOOT 'Based on a true story, this rich novel will capture your imagination' BEST magazine

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