Before We Disappear

In this queer ahistorical fantasy set during the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle, two ambitious magician assistants—and rivals—have a near-instant connection but are forced to choose between loyalty and love. 35,000 first printing. Simultaneous eBook.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!It&;s a new star-crossed romance about the magic of first love from the acclaimed author of We Are the Ants and Brave Face, Shaun David Hutchinson.Jack Nevin&;s clever trickery and moral flexibility make him the perfect assistant to the Enchantress, one of the most well-known stage magicians in turn-of-the-nineteenth-century Europe. Without Jack&;s steady supply of stolen tricks, the Enchantress&;s fame would have burned out long ago.But when Jack&;s thievery catches up to them, they&;re forced to flee to America to find their fortune. Luckily, the Enchantress is able to arrange a set of sold-out shows at Seattle&;s Alaska&;Yukon&;Pacific World&;s Fair Exposition. She&;s convinced they&;re going to rich and famous until a new magician arrives on the scene. Performing tricks that defy the imagination, Laszlo&;s show overshadows the Enchantress, leaving Jack no choice but to hunt for the secrets to his otherworldly illusions. But what Jack uncovers isn&;t at all what he expected.Behind Laszlo&;s tricks is Wilhelm&;a boy that can seemingly perform real magic. Jack and Wilhelm have an instant connection, and as the rivalry between the Enchantress and Laszlo grows, so too does Jack and Wilhelm&;s affection. But can Jack choose between the woman who gave him a life and the boy who is offering him everything?It&;s a stirring tale about the magic of love from award-winning author Shaun David Hutchinson.