EMPRESS OF THE WORLD Nicola Lancaster is spending eight weeks at the Siegel Institute Summer Program for Gifted Youth, a hothouse of smart, articulate, intense teenagers. She soon falls in with Katrina (Manic Computer Chick), Isaac (Nice-Guy-Despite-Himself), Kevin (Inarticulate Composer) . . . and Battle. Battle Hall Davies is a beautiful blonde dancer, and everything Nic isn't. The two become friends-and then, startlingly, more than friends. What do you do when you think you're attracted to guys, and then you meet a girl who steals your heart? * Winner of a 2002 Oregon Book Award * * ALA Best Book for Young Adults * * Finalist for a Lambda Literary Award * Rights Information Publisher: Viking Juvenile, Hardcover (August 27, 2001) Puffin, Paperback (May 26, 2003) Territory: World Rights Available: Film/TV Reviews: "Both controversial and long-awaited, this helps to fill a need that is painfully obvious in YA literature and introduces a wonderful new voice." - Kirkus Reviews (Starred review) "realistic razor-keen observations and fine-edged humor...An excellent, upbeat (though not un-fraught) first-relationship novel for gay and lesbian teenagers and their straight friends." - New England Children’s Bookselling Advisory Council "characters are voiced with near-perfect pitch. The action is equally on target...Ryan handles Nic’s confusion about her sexuality and her longing for Battle adroitly." - The Oregonian "Humorous and bittersweet...a must-read" - Teen People "Ryan...surpasses many of the trappings of stereotypical gay teen representations...[and] is to be applauded for taking this story beyond an identity struggle." - Publishers Weekly "The strength of this novel lies in this interweaving of types of partnerings: the ones driven by desire, those driven by respect for emotional understanding, and others that teens undertake for reasons-frustratingly for Nic-that simply can't be analyzed. These characters seem to breathe in their realism, and the setting of a secluded campus, inhabited by brainy teens for a couple of months, is evoked in sensual detail." - School Library Journal "first-novelist Ryan has a good handle on her characters and on her story, which is romantic without being explicit and feels very much like today" - Booklist Blurbs: Purchase at Amazon.com

EMPRESS OF THE WORLD

Nicola Lancaster is spending eight weeks at the Siegel Institute Summer Program for Gifted Youth, a hothouse of smart, articulate, intense teenagers. She soon falls in with Katrina (Manic Computer Chick), Isaac (Nice-Guy-Despite-Himself), Kevin (Inarticulate Composer) . . . and Battle. Battle Hall Davies is a beautiful blonde dancer, and everything Nic isn't. The two become friends-and then, startlingly, more than friends. What do you do when you think you're attracted to guys, and then you meet a girl who steals your heart?

* Winner of a 2002 Oregon Book Award *
* ALA Best Book for Young Adults *
* Finalist for a Lambda Literary Award *

Rights Information

Publisher: Viking Juvenile, Hardcover (August 27, 2001)
Puffin, Paperback (May 26, 2003)

Territory: World

Rights Available: Film/TV

Reviews:
"Both controversial and long-awaited, this helps to fill a need that is painfully obvious in YA literature and introduces a wonderful new voice." - Kirkus Reviews (Starred review)

"realistic razor-keen observations and fine-edged humor...An excellent, upbeat (though not un-fraught) first-relationship novel for gay and lesbian teenagers and their straight friends." - New England Children’s Bookselling Advisory Council

"characters are voiced with near-perfect pitch. The action is equally on target...Ryan handles Nic’s confusion about her sexuality and her longing for Battle adroitly." - The Oregonian

"Humorous and bittersweet...a must-read" - Teen People

"Ryan...surpasses many of the trappings of stereotypical gay teen representations...[and] is to be applauded for taking this story beyond an identity struggle." - Publishers Weekly

"The strength of this novel lies in this interweaving of types of partnerings: the ones driven by desire, those driven by respect for emotional understanding, and others that teens undertake for reasons-frustratingly for Nic-that simply can't be analyzed. These characters seem to breathe in their realism, and the setting of a secluded campus, inhabited by brainy teens for a couple of months, is evoked in sensual detail." - School Library Journal

"first-novelist Ryan has a good handle on her characters and on her story, which is romantic without being explicit and feels very much like today" - Booklist

Blurbs:

Purchase at Amazon.com