The year is 1898, and a steampunk alternate London is flourishing. Years ago, the city was forced to instigate strict regulations. The city had plenty of metal and building materials, but over-mining had eroded the surrounding countryside, and plant life became increasingly hard to come by.

The city’s engineers created mechanical copies of flowers and pet animals, as farming and livestock had to be optimized for food. It’s been twenty years since then, and though the city has recovered, industry has become the power-center of the city. Appliances shoulder most of the work to be done, though the richest families keep human servants to show their status.

Cherie Smithee, a spirited 15 year old girl, who’s grown up only knowing the regulated state of the city. Cherie and her friends Violet and Marcus love exploring London’s catacombs, against the city rules, since they were blocked off for safety reasons after the problems with over-mining. One day, while exploring, they end up outside the city, and find red roses, blooming. Shocked and delighted, they ponder whether to tell others, since it would reveal their illicit exploration. But they return to find the city leaders have tightened laws, as power struggles within the council threaten unrest.

Jayne Anne Phillips is no stranger to writing beautiful and personal stories of resilience. Her work has garnered both awards and acclaim. Her first novel, Machine Dreams, was a New York Times bestseller, and nominee for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Phillips’ writing is regarded as elegant and caring. Drawing on her extensive experience in historical fiction, Phillips now adds a layer of speculation in this alternative historical tale.*