{"product_id":"9781440627354","title":"The Little Balloonist","description":"\u003cb\u003eA soaring love story set in Napoleonic France\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis irresistible literary debut novel was inspired by the life of Sophie Blanchard, one of the first women to fly.\u003cp\u003eIn Paris, a young widow inherits her late husband’s considerable debts, as well as his celebrated hydrogen balloon. Drawn by the allure of flight despite its dangers, Sophie takes to the skies with a boldness that wins her fame throughout the country. Along with her new celebrity, Sophie wins the love of two very different men: one, her faithful childhood friend Andre Giroux, and the other a brash young Napoleon Bonaparte, soon to be emperor of France.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeautifully written and enriched with seven historical etchings, \u003ci\u003eThe Little Balloonist\u003c\/i\u003e distills themes of love, freedom, and loyalty into a powerful tale that brings to mind bestselling historical fiction like \u003ci\u003eSilk\u003c\/i\u003e by Allessandro Baricco and \u003ci\u003eI Was Amelia Earhart\u003c\/i\u003e by Jane Mendelsohn. BACKCOVER: “Exquisite and beautiful . . . It will break your heart and take your breath away.”\u003cbr\u003e—National Book Award–winning author Lily Tuck \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Delightful. . . . Glimpses of the history of primitive flight, tales of high romance and juicy anecdotes about Napoleon make this sweet novel soar. . . . Charming and smart—singularly high-spirited historical fiction.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Whimsical . . . as pretty and slight as its heroine.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47128360222960,"sku":"9781440627354","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781440627354_p0.jpg?v=1763786885","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781440627354","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}