Fly By Night

by Frances Hardinge

Lesley A. Sharp (Narrator) and Lesley Sharp (Narrator)

In a fractured realm, struggling to maintain an uneasy peace after years of civil war and religious tyranny, a twelve-year-old orphan and her loyal companion, a large and homicidal goose, are about to become the unlikely heroes of a revolution. Mosca Mye has spent her life in a miserable hamlet, where her father was banished for writing inflammatory books about tolerance and freedom. Now he is dead, and Mosca is on the run, in search of a better life. With Eponymous Clent, a smooth-tongued swindler, she heads for the city of Mandelion, living by her wits among highwaymen and smugglers, dangerously insane rulers, secret agents and radical plotters. But the city is in uproar, for someone is once again printing seditious material and no one is quite what they seem. With suspicion and peril at every turn, Mosca uncovers a shocking plot to force a rule of terror on the people of the Realm, and all too soon merry mayhem leads to murder...Funny, surprising and fantastical, with an unforgettable cast of characters, "Fly By Night" contains at its heart an inspiring truth - that the power of books can change the world.

• ISBN10: 1405088281
• ISBN13: 9781405088282
• Publish Date: 7 October 2005
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 12 June 2007
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Imprint: Macmillan Audio Books
• Edition: Unabridged edition
• Format: Audiobook
• Duration: 9 hours
• Language: English

Reviews

3,5 stars

"I don't want a happy ending, I want more story."

A clever and humorous read that's full of flair...

Mosca Mye is a lover of words in a world wherein books are censored. It's Mosca's love for words that leads to a burning mill, a 'prison' rescue, and a life on the run with Eponymous Clent and a homicidal pet goose. 

Mosca is an interesting and likable heroine. She's clever, curious, bad-tempered and stubborn and she's hunting for knowledge and an adventure. Eponymous Clent, Mosca's travel companion, is a smooth talking con man. Their relationship dynamics - from begrudging companionship to a begrudging companionship with shared adventures and secrets - is funny and delightful. The rest of the characters are extremely colourful. Saracen, the pet goose, is a scenestealer and the twists involving Captain Blythe are hilarious. 
 
The world is unique. It resembles England in the early 18th century but it has some fantastical aspects. There's nobility, parliament, guilds, coffee houses, an illegal printing press and so much more. There's political intrigue, religious unrest and plenty of twists. Every part of Fly by Night has a purpose. 

The writing is witty and humorous and I love the unique descriptions and dialogue. However, the writing is a little dense at times. 

A weird and wonderfully unique read! 

"Words were dangerous when loosed. They were more powerful than cannon and more unpredictable than storms. They could turn men's heads inside out and warp their destinies. They could pick up kingdoms and shake them until they rattled."