From #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike comes a truly original new novel—Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette in a near-future world where the residents of Versailles live like it’s the eighteenth century and an almost-queen turns to drug dealing to save her own life.
In the Kingdom of Sonoman-Versailles, the people dress, eat, and act like it’s the eighteenth century—with the added bonus of technology to make court life lavish, privileged, and frivolous. The palace has every indulgence, but for one pretty young thing, it’s about to become a very beautiful prison.
When Danica witnesses an act of murder by the young king, her mother makes a cruel power play . . . blackmailing the king into making Dani his queen. When she turns eighteen, Dani will marry the most ruthless and dangerous man of the court. She has six months to escape her terrifying destiny.
Six months to raise enough money to disappear into the real world beyond the palace gates. Her ticket out? Glitter. A drug so powerful that a tiny pinch mixed into a pot of rouge or lip gloss can make the wearer hopelessly addicted. Addicted to a drug Dani can sell for more money than she ever dreamed.
But in Versailles, secrets are impossible to keep. And the most dangerous secret—falling for a drug dealer outside the palace walls—is one risk she has to take.
Praise for Glitter
“I adored this genre-bending futuristic and super swoon-y romance featuring a strong anti-heroine to root for–fun, refreshing and unpredictable!”
—Melissa de la Cruz, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“The Palace of Versailles gets a darkly twisted, modern day makeover that had me hooked from the heart-pounding opening scene. Glitter is a thoroughly inventive, genre-bending tale that delivers on every level!”
—Alyson Noël, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Aprilynne Pike’s gift is that each book she writes is utterly inventive. Glitter is no exception. As always her characters are interesting, vivid, and dynamic and they play out their nail-biting scenes against a richly-imagined, lush backdrop. Her books are skillfully woven and a royal delight!”
—Colleeen Houck, New York Times bestselling author
“Beautifully detailed scenes serve as the foundation for Danica’s ethical quandaries and illuminate the fantastical world in which she lives.”
—Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)
“Rich with absorbing detail, clever plotting, and complex characters….Readers will thrill to this immersion into a world within a world that feels strangely possible, if not inevitable, in our own future.”
—Bulletin (starred review)
“Pike creates an intriguing and imaginative world that mixes the future and the past, with enough suspense to keep pages turning and enough forbidden romance and florid descriptions to satisfy genre conventions.”
—Kirkus
“This multigenre novel adds in a touch of forbidden romance, a mother-daughter power struggle, and questions of moral relativism for a compellingly addictive read.”
–Maggie Reagan, Booklist
“This is a stunning, unique, and fast-paced read….Fans of dystopian tales will find it breathes new life into their favorite genre.”
–Ellen Fitzgerald, School Library Journal
“This book is absolutely stunning and brimming with beautiful imagery and decadence….Filled with twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, but it was delightful to be surprised whether those surprises be good or bad. Glitter is very much a tale of the loss of innocence and the sacrifices we make to protect ourselves. The concept is original and the technology Pike creates within this world is genius.”
–Alexis Helms, The Roanoke Times