Alexander Chee, The Queen Of The Night

Chee’s enchanting The Queen of the Night is about a legendary 19th Century Paris soprano, inspired by Jenny Lind. Lilliet Berne’s voice was said to “turn arias into spells, hymns into love songs,” writes Chee. She was the gifted daughter of Minnesota settlers who considered her voice a curse. Orphaned, she travels to Paris, where she makes her way as a hippodrome rider, a courtesan, an empress’s maid and finally an opera singer. One night a writer approaches her to create a role in a new opera, based on his novel. When she asks about the story, it seems it’s about her. It contains her darkest secrets, known only to four people. A coincidence? A trap? Or a betrayal?Chee’s second novel is a mystery, a meditation, a lyrical jewel.