{"product_id":"mercury-boys-isbn-9781641293877","title":"Mercury Boys","description":"\u003cb\u003eHistory and the speculative collide with the modern world when a group of high school girls form a secret society after discovering they can communicate with boys from the past, in this powerful look at female desire, jealousy, and the shifting lines between friendship and rivalry.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter her life is upended by divorce and a cross-country move, 16-year-old Saskia Brown feels like an outsider at her new school—not only is she a transplant, but she’s also biracial in a population of mostly white students. One day while visiting her only friend at her part-time library job, Saskia encounters a vial of liquid mercury, then touches an old daguerreotype—the precursor of the modern-day photograph—and makes a startling discovery. She is somehow able to visit the man in the portrait: Robert Cornelius, a brilliant young inventor from the nineteenth century. The hitch: she can see him only in her dreams.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Saskia shares her revelation with some classmates, hoping to find connection and friendship among strangers. Under her guidance, the other girls steal portraits of young men from a local college’s daguerreotype collection and try the dangerous experiment for themselves. Soon, they each form a bond with their own “Mercury Boy,” from an injured Union soldier to a charming pickpocket in New York City.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e At night, the girls visit the boys in their dreams. During the day, they hold clandestine meetings of their new secret society. At first, the Mercury Boys Club is a thrilling diversion from their troubled everyday lives, but it’s not long before jealousy, violence and secrets threaten everything the girls hold dear.\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eMercury Boys\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFinalist for the 2022 Connecticut Book Awards\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003eMercury Boys\u003c\/i\u003e has daguerreotypes and dashing strangers, hiding spots and crossed lines. It's full of secrets and fraught with danger. Ultimately, it's like mercury itself—mesmerizing, terrifying, thrilling, and dangerously beautiful. It's pure alchemy.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Carrie Firestone, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Loose Ends List\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Unlikelies\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003eMercury Boys\u003c\/i\u003e is a thrilling journey into the perils of adolescent friendship and a touching commentary on love's timelessness.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Tochi Onyebuchi, author of \u003ci\u003eBeasts Made of Night \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e Crown of Thunder\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \"With vividly drawn, multidimensional characters and a riveting voice, \u003ci\u003eMercury Boys\u003c\/i\u003e weaves a compelling tale of the intoxicating power of friendship, female rivalry, and romance.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Kate Marshall, author of \u003ci\u003eI Am Still Alive,\u003c\/i\u003e soon to be a major motion picture\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “In this snapshot of modern teenage life with a historical twist, Prasad creates a world as haunting as a daguerreotype and as vivid as a high-resolution photo. An exhilarating and thought-provoking ride that will make you think twice next time you’re thumbing through a photo album.” \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Michael Belanger, author of \u003ci\u003eThe History of Jane Doe\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “For history buffs and hopeless romantics alike, \u003ci\u003eMercury Boys\u003c\/i\u003e is a compelling, imaginative romp that will leave teen readers longing for an alternate reality—and a Mercury Boy—of their own.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Natasha Friend, author of \u003ci\u003eHow We Roll \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003ePerfect\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \"The concept of ‘mean girl’ time travelers has enormous cinematic potential, particularly as it is tethered to the zeitgeist. In \u003ci\u003eMercury Boys\u003c\/i\u003e, Chandra Prasad shows her unique ability to give voice to the acute angst of today’s adolescents, caught between the malaise of contemporary society and an inchoate yearning for the values and romance of the past.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Amy Adelson, Motion Picture\/Television Producer\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eof\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003cb\u003eAbove Suspicion\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eand You Know My Name\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The twist in Chandra Prasad’s \u003ci\u003eMercury Boys\u003c\/i\u003e is that the nightly adventures in the past are not the source of danger, but rather the reason behind an ever-expanding web of lies that entraps both girls. In fact, the supernatural aspects of the novel take a backseat to intense, and sadly all-too familiar, high school drama . . . \u003ci\u003eMercury Boys\u003c\/i\u003e has a clear supernatural component with the leaps into the worlds of the daguerreotypes, but the major tension exists in the real world.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLocus Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A unique and thought-provoking YA magical realism, \u003ci\u003eMercury Boys\u003c\/i\u003e is an unexpected story about group culture and friendship with an intriguing combination of past and present.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Young Adult Books Central\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“When everyone learns about her mom’s affair with a substitute teacher half her age, Saskia and her dad move from Arizona to Connecticut for a fresh start. Saskia is having trouble adjusting to her new reality and doesn’t feel like she fits in at school; she’s an outsider, mixed race, and not rich...Prasad explores power dynamics among teen girls through an interplay of various influences such as wealth, appearance, and race.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This well-researched speculative narrative centering history, romance, and toxic friendships will appeal.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublisher's Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A secret society shifts from exciting to toxic in this dark tale with hints of magic . . . This story is layered and unique; the surface-level concepts of time travel and secret ­societies will draw readers in, but the jealousy and desire for ­revenge that fuel the secret society add depth and unexpected elements to the plot.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eChandra Prasad\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of the critically acclaimed novels \u003ci\u003eOn Borrowed Wings\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDeath of a Circus\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBreathe the Sky\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eDamselfly\u003c\/i\u003e, a female-driven young adult text used in classrooms in parallel with \u003ci\u003eLord of the Flies\u003c\/i\u003e. Prasad is also the editor of—and a contributor to—\u003ci\u003eMixed\u003c\/i\u003e, the first-ever anthology of short stories on the multiracial experience. Her shorter works have appeared in T\u003ci\u003ehe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e The New York Time\u003c\/i\u003es, \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Week\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew Haven Noir\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eTeen Voices\u003c\/i\u003e, among others.\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER ONE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cbr\u003e Obsessions usually begin in a fiery cauldron of anger, jealousy, love, or revenge, but Saskia Brown’s started in an ordinary high school classroom with bored students and a scuffed linoleum floor.\u003cbr\u003e      The class was Early American Innovation and Ingenuity. She’d decided to take it because it sounded hopeful and exciting, and also because it was Pass\/Fail. Only last week she and her father had left Arizona and driven thirty-seven hours to Coventon, Connecticut. Though they were mostly settled into their new home, she still felt discombobulated. Better not to overload herself at school, she figured. Better to start slow. Next year, when she had the lay of the land, she could take some AP classes and really push herself.\u003cbr\u003e      Besides, there was only a month left in the school year. She hadn’t even wanted to start at Coventon High so close to summertime. But her dad had insisted.\u003cbr\u003e      “Better to keep busy,” he’d said.\u003cbr\u003e      To Saskia, it sounded like the same advice he probably gave himself. \u003ci\u003eKeep your mind occupied. Don’t think about Mom.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e      The teacher, Mr. Nash, wasn’t young, but he acted like he was . . . in a good way. He jumped from topic to topic at a pace that made her head spin. He got excited when he talked, gesturing with his hands, occasionally pumping his fists in the air. His job hadn’t made him jaded and cynical like other teachers his age.\u003cbr\u003e      The last assignment of the year was to study little-known American pioneers. Mr. Nash had the kids draw names out of a hat. Saskia got a guy named Robert Cornelius. She’d never heard of him. Now she had less than two weeks to research and write a ten-page report and prepare a fifteen-minute oral presentation on him. Back at her old school, giving a presentation wouldn’t have been a problem. She’d been outgoing. Extroverted. But here, all she wanted to do was blend in.\u003cbr\u003e      No, strike that—all she wanted to do was fade into the background.\u003cbr\u003e      \u003ci\u003eBecause faded is exactly how I feel\u003c\/i\u003e, she thought.\u003cbr\u003e      Sitting back down, she shoved the scrap of paper aside. She glanced at her bland gray T-shirt and bare, chewed-down fingernails. In her old town, she’d worn black and silver nail polish. She’d had a pair of jeans that she’d splashed with colored paint, Jackson Pollock–style. Sometimes she’d scrawl words she liked on her T-shirts: \u003ci\u003eagnostic, sensory overload, Rasputin, continental drift, abacus, ambrosia, mercenary\u003c\/i\u003e. Back then, she hadn’t been afraid to stand out. Not that she’d been super popular. But she’d been fine with that. Fine with being herself: the girl who watched too many old movies; who had a tendency to daydream; whose big, curly, uncontrollable hair seemed to have a mind of its own. The one no one could quite pigeonhole. (“Is she Black?” “Nah, her dad’s white.” “Yeah, but her mom’s not.”)\u003cbr\u003e      Those days seemed liked ancient history now. They had even before the move.\u003cbr\u003e      After word of her mom’s affair leaked out, lots of her so-called friends abandoned her, gossiped behind her back. They’d called her mom a cradle snatcher. And Saskia couldn’t deny it. Her fifty-year-old mother was seeing a twenty-four-year-old. Gross. Since Saskia had left Arizona, not a single one of her friends had called or texted to make sure she was okay. Not even her best friend, Heather. That hurt a lot. It upset her almost as much her mom’s infidelity.\u003cbr\u003e      Heather had been unpredictable, maybe even reckless, but Saskia had adored her. The bottom line was that Heather knew how to have fun—and Saskia had fun with her. During one memorable sleepover, they’d made White Russians at Heather’s house on the down-low after her parents had gone to sleep. There hadn’t been any milk, so they’d used cream. Small sips, Heather had said encouragingly, when Saskia admitted she’d never tried alcohol  before. She remembered vomiting as quietly as possible, her stomach churning, hoping the noise wouldn’t wake up Heather’s parents. She remembered laughing so hard her ribs hurt.\u003cbr\u003e      But she also remembered the final text Heather had sent her. Last minute, her supposed best friend had canceled their plans to hang out. Again. Heather had blamed a sore throat, but Saskia had seen her at school that very day, and she’d seemed fine: lively, a little hyper, very Heather-ish. So it was pretty obvious she was blowing Saskia off.\u003cbr\u003e      It would have been better if Heather had just come out and said it: “\u003ci\u003eI don’t want to be your friend anymore. Your family is hella embarrassing.\u003c\/i\u003e”\u003cbr\u003e      \u003ci\u003eBetter to rip off the Band-Aid all at once\u003c\/i\u003e, Saskia thought now.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e During free period she went to the library and googled “Robert Cornelius” on her laptop. She scanned the entries and picked up some basic info. Cornelius was a pioneer in early photography. He’d worked with photos known as daguerreotypes. His family owned a prosperous gas and lighting company. He had expertise in chemistry and metallurgy. Metallurgy? She made a mental note to look that up later, as well as “daguerreotypes.”\u003cbr\u003e      She clicked on “images,” not expecting much, but getting an eyeful. The same grainy, black-and-white photo appeared over and over again. “Robert Cornelius: Self-Portrait,” the captions read. Here was a striking young man with an intense, arresting stare. His arms were crossed defiantly. The collar of his dark coat was turned up. He looked, frankly, like a nineteenth-century badass.\u003cbr\u003e      She heard a whistle from behind.\u003cbr\u003e      Whipping around, she saw Lila Defensor, her new friend—scratch that, her \u003ci\u003eonly\u003c\/i\u003e friend—at Coventon High. Lila was small, not even five feet. Fun-sized, she called herself. Her freckles, hair, and eyes were all the exact same color of dark amber, a synchronicity that was offset by the bright earrings and headbands she usually wore.\u003cbr\u003e      Saskia had gravitated toward Lila the second she’d seen her. Walking near each other in a hallway, they had rolled their eyes in tandem at a girl leaning against her locker, pouting and preening as she took selfies. “That’s a serious commitment to self-absorption,” Lila had whispered to Saskia, who’d known at that moment that she and Lila were like two Twix bars in the same wrapper.\u003cbr\u003e      Like Saskia, Lila had little patience for shallow people. But unlike Saskia, Lila radiated confidence and self-possession. Even her sassy cherry-red glasses screamed smart and quirky rather than socially inept. The fact that Lila had a part-time job at Western Connecticut State and got to hang around college students only added to her coolness quotient.\u003cbr\u003e      “He’s not bad for a dead guy,” Lila said, gazing at Robert Cornelius. “He\u003ci\u003e is\u003c\/i\u003e dead, right?”\u003cbr\u003e      “Yeah, he’s gotta be. This is from, like, the 1800s.”\u003cbr\u003e      “Who is he?” Lila leaned closer to Saskia’s screen.\u003cbr\u003e      Saskia told her what little she knew, adding, “I guess that photo’s the first self-portrait ever taken.”\u003cbr\u003e      Lila stared unblinking for several seconds, her eyes both lively and contemplative. Suddenly her face lit up in recognition. “Wait a minute; I’ve seen this photo before! It’s in the library where I work.”\u003cbr\u003e       “Seriously?”\u003cbr\u003e       “Yeah, Western Connecticut has an archive of thousands of old photos: tintypes, Carte de Visites, Cabinet Cards, cyanotypes, ambrotypes, daguerreotypes. It’s, like, the second biggest in the country.”\u003cbr\u003e       “Random.”\u003cbr\u003e       “Completely. That’s got to be a daguerreotype, right?”\u003cbr\u003e      Saskia was impressed. “It is. How’d you know . . . and what the heck is a daguerreotype?”\u003cbr\u003e      “I’ve been working at the archive a year now, so I’ve had to learn out of necessity. Don’t want to get fired, right? Daguerreotypes were made on sheets of copper plated with a coat of silver. Photography back then was complicated.”\u003cbr\u003e      Lila dropped her backpack on the floor with a thunk and slumped into a seat. The unzippered pack revealed a trove of thick, heavy books. Saskia didn’t know how she hauled them all around. “What did you do,” Saskia asked, “take the college library with you?”\u003cbr\u003e      “Pretty much.”\u003cbr\u003e      “Ever hear of a Kindle?”\u003cbr\u003e      “I’m old-school,” Lila said. “I like the smell of old paper and dust.” She took a book out and sniffed the binding.\u003cbr\u003e      Saskia laughed. “Weirdo.”\u003cbr\u003e      Lila didn’t react. She was gazing at the screen again, a pensive look on her face. “Hey, I hate to break this to you, but I just realized something. By taking this picture, Cornelius basically invented the selfie.”\u003cbr\u003e      “Oh my god, you’re right!”\u003cbr\u003e      Saskia and Lila looked at each other and burst out laughing. When they’d regained their composure, Lila said, “I could show you the photo in the archive, if you want . . .”\u003cbr\u003e      “You could smuggle me in?”\u003cbr\u003e      “Don’t you want to see the actual daguerreotype?”\u003cbr\u003e      Saskia nodded. “Yeah, of course, but I don’t want to get you in trouble.”\u003cbr\u003e       “I like to live on the edge,” Lila joked. She pulled out a Western Connecticut State employee ID card she kept dangling on a chain around her neck. “For real, it’s no problem; I’ve got access. And the security guard there—Rich—he loves me.”\u003cbr\u003e       “And you’re absolutely sure this guy Cornelius is there?”\u003cbr\u003e      Both girls again looked at the image on the smudged screen of Saskia’s laptop. They felt the weight of the man’s stare. Saskia sensed he was almost challenging her. \u003cbr\u003e       “I’m sure,” Lila replied, adjusting her vivid ikat headband. “I never forget a pretty face.”","brand":"Soho Teen","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302508482789,"sku":"NP9781641293877","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781641293877.jpg?v=1767732572","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/mercury-boys-isbn-9781641293877","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}