When We Caught Fire

Gr 8 Up—The author of the "Luxe" and "Bright Young Things" series relates a lush tale of the nouveau riche set among the days leading up to the Great Chicago Fire. Emmeline Carter is new to Chicago society and feels like an impostor. Mr. Ochs Carter rose to wealth and prominence by questionable means, and the family has not been fully accepted. It is hoped that Emmeline's upcoming marriage to Frederick Tree, one of the city's most eligible bachelors, will solidify the Carters' social standing. Shallow Emmeline feels no passion for Freddy and longs for her childhood lust, Anders, who has kept in touch with their mutual friend Fiona. Fiona hopes Emmeline's engagement will allow her admission into Anders' life. Little does she know that Emmeline is hatching a secret plot to sell her jewels and run off with Anders. Once Freddy grasps Emmeline's scheme, he shows a violent domineering side and locks her in her room while the great fire rages outside. More background information on some of the historical figures who make cameos and perhaps a map of the burnt district would have been helpful for those unfamiliar with the event. The friendship aspect of the story lacks nuance. Was there ever any depth to the Emmeline-Fiona connection other than a shared childhood among the same class? Still, fans of the author's previous works won't blink an eye.