Bancroft Press - Praise for Queens of All the Earth by Hannah Sternberg

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Praise for Queens of All the Earth by Hannah Sternberg

"Sternberg takes a charming and still-popular classic and retells it with grit and soul, making it not only relevant but compelling for today's young readers."
—Susanne Dunlap, author of the YA novel The Musician's Daughter, a Bank Street Children's Book of the Year

“A new-millennium update of E.M. Forster’s A Room with a View . . . Readers who enjoy tales of sisters, travel, and romance will appreciate Sternberg’s exuberant, modern, and sometimes humorous tone . . . An ambitious effort to whip up a new take on an old story.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“A lovely little book and a perfect gift for anyone you know who’s about to graduate/take a semester off to travel the world, especially if that person is going to Spain, where I totally want to go after reading this.”
—Emily Calkins, Master of Science in Information Systems graduate student, and wannabe youth services librarian

“The writing is very descriptive and can pull you in, making you feel like you’re traveling with the two sisters, experiencing the art and buildings of Barcelona. Some characters are very likeable, and the romantic aspect between Olivia and Greg is cute.”
—Cubicle Blindness

“Everyone can relate to being at least partially paralyzed by the fear of moving forward at some point. Growing up, becoming an adult, and moving forward with your life is scary, and everyone has to find a way to get through that time. With Olivia's breakdown and their mother not really an active participant in their lives, Miranda assumes that motherly role for Olivia and feels bad about having not taken on a bigger role sooner. So she overcompensates in many cases . . . I really liked this book. It was a quick read and I haven't read A Room with a View, which was the inspiration for this book, and maybe if I had, it would have added some understanding, but I feel like this story stands alone well and is just a nice story. The characters feel real and their quirks and weaknesses are those of most people. They have strengths and weaknesses, and I just really liked each of them.”
—Not Another Book Blog

“This novella, as I suppose the brief length makes it, is a modernist retelling of A Room with a View by E. M. Forster . . . A Room with a View is my favorite movie of all time (to date at least) and one of my favorite books . . . Retellings can be quite a tricky business, because, while the authors need to do something original, they also need to stay true to the nature of the original story. Sternberg has done a good job here, although clearly much has been changed, particularly the time line and the additional focus on Miranda. Sternberg decided to change all of the names, although some are quite similar. The story, however, can easily be compared to that of A Room with a View. Certain scenes are nearly exactly the same as those in the original, even though, all in all, the story takes a rather different trajectory and the soul searching is needed for entirely different reasons. There were two huge changes from the original novel. 1) There was no Cecil. Everything gets wrapped up, to the degree that things are 'wrapped up' during the time frame of the trip, whereas in the original Lucy Honeychurch (now Olivia) goes home after her trip and tries to continue living as she used to, despite having been changed by her experiences in Italy (not Spain). 2) The character of Mr. Beebe is re-envisioned as Marc Castillo, a handsome young man preparing to take orders. Marc is in no way the same character as Mr. Beebe, although I cannot say why in deference to spoilers. Overall, I definitely approve of what Sternberg has done here . . . Ultimately, she keeps much of the spirit of the original, particularly in the characters of the Browns and Miranda (it's nice to see more depth injected into the original Charlotte character). Lenny, too, is spot-on for her counterpart, although I never did like her much. This is a brief, romantic story about two young women trying to find themselves in a beautiful, foreign landscape. Lovers of A Room with a View will likely appreciate this adaptation for its heart and the author’s obvious love for the original.”
—Reader of Fictions

“I empathized with Olivia and I could see she was struggling against herself . . . She was beautifully written.”
—The Lady Critic

“Lyric-like in the writing style, Hannah Sternberg's Queens of All Earth was completely addicting. Perfect for the YA audience, the story of Olivia, a girl battling what she doesn't like to refer to as depression, will relate to many teens and adults alike, myself included . . . The story has a new ring to it that I have yet to see in the YA genre. (And I read many a book...) Set in Barcelona, the adventure of sisters Olivia and Miranda is an unforgettable one. Throw in a cute boy, Greg; his calm father Emory; and you've got a story to read again and again.”
—Book Heist

“If you have ever read A Room with a View, then you will be familiar with the plot of Queens. There are a few changes here and there, but the basic story is there, just modernized and set in Spain rather than Florence. Because A Room with a View is one of my favorite classics, I really enjoyed this book. It is the condensed version, and the descriptions of Barcelona are beautiful. All characters fit their classic counterparts, but there are a few key differences that I liked. The motivation for the trip comes from Olivia losing touch with reality and having a complete breakdown so her sister kindly travels for a bit of ‘travel therapy.’ And the trip proves therapeutic for the both of them as is wont to happen in these books. I'm not entirely sure if this is classed as YA or adult. Either way, it is an enjoyable book, whether or not you have read A Room with a View.”
— The Little Bookworm

“I was looking for something different than my regular dose of romance and paranormal reading when I stumbled upon this book. It’s a rather thought-provoking story about two sisters coming of age together. It made me wander back down my own memory lane. Queens is pretty inspirational in many ways, and quite a serious read for me.”
—Library of Lights

“Queens of All the Earth, the debut novel from Hannah Sternberg, takes its title from a gorgeous E.E. Cummings poem. It’s essentially a coming-of-age story with a touch of mental illness thrown in. Set against the lovely background of Barcelona, it provides a pretty portrait of the Spanish city and gives a good look into what one might experience traveling abroad, especially when staying in a hostel . . . What I really loved about the story is the prose and the descriptions of various places in Barcelona that made me feel as if I were seeing these sights myself. The book is rather short, clocking in at under 200 pages, and likely will be finished in one sitting . . . Queens of All the Earth is escapism at its finest and perfect for those who want to go to Spain via a novel for a few hours.”
— Shelley the Book Snob

“Queens of All the Earth is an outstanding first book, one that will capture hearts with its elaborate but gentle prose and exquisite descriptions of Barcelona. Having written the book in the third person, Sternberg keeps her characters at a distance, leaving the reader on the wrong side of the Looking Glass. Her prose is beautiful, and the detail given to Barcelona's countryside (dragon teeth) creates a magical background . . . With chapter titles like ‘Motionless, Forgetful, Where,’ the reader is offered a brief insight into the complexity of Olivia's vulnerability. From Olivia's delicacy, her uncertainty over growing older, and her grief over the death of her father, Sternberg weaves a tale of growth and maturity that any reader can empathize with . . . Queens of All the Earth was a spectacular debut novel. It had a sweetness and a purity that I have rarely come across in YA fiction. Instead of focusing on the trivialities of lust, sex, and peer pressure, Sternberg created an amazing, heart-warming coming-of-age story that reminded me of Perks of Being a Wallflower in its sincerity.”
—Raiding Bookshelves

“I could see the characters as real. I could imagine myself meeting them. The writing was probably the best thing about this novel. I love how Hannah Sternberg writes.”
— A Beautiful Madness

“After suffering a nervous breakdown, Olivia is dragged to Barcelona by her older sister, Miranda. Olivia is a character that many readers can identify with—she loves to read and prefers the world in her books to reality; the thought of growing up is a terrifying prospect. Her character develops slowing and, as the book progresses, she starts to gain more confidence . . . The descriptions of Barcelona are absolutely amazing; I honestly felt as if I was visiting there myself. I can still picture various churches, streets, and scenery though I have never visited. I can even picture the hostel where the characters stayed! . . . I enjoyed Queens of all the Earth quite a lot!”
— Coma Calm’s Corner

“Beautifully crafted, Hannah Sternberg’s Queens of all the Earth is mesmerizing and amazing. It hooks you and keeps you reading. Very nice quick read. Five out of five stars.”
—Princess Reviews

“The prose is lovely, and flowing, and lyrical—I’ve never been to Spain, but I was completely sucked in by Sternberg’s description of Barcelona. Her way with words is probably the saving grace for this entire novel, because it’s been awhile since I’ve read such powerful resting (not active) descriptive imagery . . . Olivia . . . was a very fun character (considering she’d just had an emotional meltdown during the opening of the book). I could have read page after page about her adventures in Barcelona alone . . . If you want a good read, check this book out . . . Enjoy Sternberg’s tour of Barcelona and relax.”
—Birth of a New Witch

“There was a wonderful languid pace to this book that drew me right in, willing Olivia and Greg to be able to enjoy their holiday romance, and getting totally lost in Hannah Sternberg’s wonderful depiction of Barcelona. It’s a bit of a cliché to say: ‘It really feels like you are there, smelling the smells, feeling the breeze in your hair, and watching the hills drift past your coach window.’ But that is exactly what it felt like. And the slower pace of the story-telling suits the atmosphere just perfectly. I really liked this one. It’d be the perfect read for a late-spring/early-summer Sunday afternoon in the garden.”
—Bart’s Bookshelf

“I love the detail and time taken to describe each scene. I have never been to Spain, but really felt that I could see the streets and the hostel as the characters in the story did . . . I gave this 4 stars, because I couldn't stop reading it. . . It’ll be a good book for a teen girl. It makes you feel as though you are not alone!”
— Malati Reeve, Media Coordinator, Walter Johnson Middle School, Morganton, NC

“Sternberg's captivating descriptions of Barcelona and its impact on Olivia's mind unfold in metaphors of sunlight and physical discomfort, a somewhat surreal combination well suited to teen angst, even in the extreme form Olivia has. The poetry of e.e. cummings also infuses the novel, in the chapter titles and quotations in the text. The reasons for Olivia's breakdown become clearer as she contemplates her distant, academic mother, her older sister, who is attempting to compensate for their mother, her recently dead father, who left not long after she was born, and her own path as she has muscled her way toward a goal that might not even be hers without giving herself time to grow up. Her trip abroad ironically brings her closer to her true self and she is capable of making choices of her own rather than those others would push on her. Her relationship with Greg marks a new beginning for her . . . Fine for ages 13 & up, it would make a good companion for a class studying Room with a View.”
—Mary Reads A Lot

“Queens of all the Earth was a fast-paced read. I found it to be quite descriptive of Barcelona; and though I've never been there, I felt as if I had. A truly touching and brilliant story about the love between sisters and a love between strangers.”
—A Cupcake and A Latté

“On the day Olivia Somerset is supposed to move into the freshman dorms at Cornell, she’s lying catatonic on her bed at home, a copy of Madeleine L’Engle’s A Swiftly Tilting Planet clutched in her hand. There’s nothing physically wrong with her, but she won’t move or eat or respond in any way, so her college plans are postponed. As Olivia slowly emerges from her stupor, her older sister Miranda suggests that a trip to Barcelona might be just be the thing to re-introduce Olivia to the world, so the two of them head off to Spain. They spend a week in a hostel inhabited by a mixed cast of characters, each of whom touches the sisters in a different way. This is a melancholy, meandering little novel. I don’t say ‘little’ to be dismissive; it’s short (160 pages) and it’s concerned with a small period of time in the lives of just a few people. It’s an intimate novel. There are lots of lovely, lyrical descriptions of Barcelona. Sternberg creates a sense of remove and an atmosphere that mirrors Olivia’s detachment from her surroundings . . . Overall, the writing is really nice. In the conflicts between Olivia, who’s so desperately afraid to let go of her childhood fantasy worlds that she loses her grip on reality, and Miranda, who has less than zero tolerance for imagination in her life, Sternberg captures the tension between romantic imagination and the exhaustion, confusion, and hundreds of tiny inconveniences of traveling abroad. The characters, and the interactions between them, are keenly observed, particularly in the case of Olivia, Miranda, and Miranda’s friend Lenny. Overall, a quiet, dreamy coming-of-age story recommended to older teens and young adults. I can see this one sitting on a hostel shelf somewhere itself and being read many, many times.”
—Draw Explosions

“Olivia suffers a nervous breakdown, and after months of not improving, her mother and sister insist she take a vacation to Barcelona. There, she and her sister, Miranda, explore the city and meet some interesting people. Still, Olivia struggles to understand her feelings, her doubts, and herself while her sister thinks she needs to take charge of her to protect her. They both embark on a journey of finding themselves and, while doing so, they grow a stronger bond as sisters.
There were several things I really liked about this book, such as the Olivia character. I liked that she loves to read and would rather live in her stories versus reality—I totally get that! She has this whole dilemma about growing up; again, I get it . . . I liked how Hannah described Barcelona and all the beautiful sites and buildings! Check it out.”
—The Book Addict

“Both sisters do learn and grow as the story progresses . . . Queens of all the Earth may serve as a stepping stone for a YA audience looking to branch into more literary fiction reading as opposed to standard dialogue-driven fiction.”
—Linda Green, Librarian, Conway County, Arkansas

“This very short book had a great premise, and I really liked the characters . . . It’s a good novel to read if you want something short and poetic for the beach, or if you really like E.E. Cummings.”
—Midnight Twilights Book Blog

“If you want to travel a little without going anywhere, you have to read this book. It takes you on a journey in Barcelona which you will enjoy . . . at least I did. This story is really easy to read because it's really simply written and all the feelings are so well described that they seem real and we feel them throughout the book. The part that I enjoyed the most was the fragile relationship between Olivia and Greg. Both characters are so sensitive that we just want to know how they are going to make their relationship work, if they make it work at all. I didn't like Miranda until the end of the book where we understand why she is the way she is. There is a poetic note in this book which is very beautiful and brings a sweetness and a very romantic side to a narrative that’s moving and light at the same time.”
—Read Your Dreams (A French Literary Blog)

“The Queens Of All The Earth started off amazingly. I was hooked right away by the rather depressing beginning. Olivia Somerset is suffering from a catatonic episode (a psychological situation when one’s body becomes very rigid and still), while her older sister, Miranda, freaks out. Doesn’t that beginning just make you want to continue reading? It really is one of the best beginnings to a story I’ve read in a while . . . And I enjoyed the writing style as well. There’s something almost poetic about it, and the way the story was told, I felt an element of surrealism which I liked because, well, I like surreal stuff in books . . . The characters were pretty good . . . I really enjoyed Mr. Brown’s character. I think it really says something about people when the nicest character in the story gets treated the worst by the rest of the characters, because they believe nobody can possibly be that nice. This was a very short story, and there’s something kind of cute about it overall.”
—Skylink.com

“A coming-of-age novel about two sisters traveling in autumnal Barcelona, Spain, Hannah Sternberg’s Queens of All the Earth explores teen-angst and transition, as well as grief and depression. The latter she describes as a surreal experience of the mind, and life itself is comprehended in a detached atmosphere. The novel begins with Olivia Somerset’s catatonic episode just before leaving her Virginia home for her first year at Cornell. Forced to take off time to recover, she agrees to travel abroad with her over- protective older sister Miranda. Upon meeting Greg, the so-called the “Emo” kid, Olivia begins to feel a connection and her languid demeanor fades. Sternberg’s meandering prose snakes through the lives of the other guests at the hostel where the two sisters stay, meeting an intriguing ensemble of characters: the cocky travel writer Lenny; the soon-to-be priest Marc; and, Greg’s ever-optimistic, always nice, minister father, to name but a few. Influenced by poet E.E. Cummings and author E.M. Forster’s novel A Room with a View, Sternberg similarly critiques American youth culture while weaving a story of a young, innocent romance abroad. Olivia, fighting off repressed affection, is “desperate to pulley it up in buckets and pour it over someone.” Her triumphs over her psychological hurdles guide her through a rebirth. Author Sternberg realized as a teen that she alone could make her own adventures, even if it meant going against the people she trusted most. Her week-long experience in Barcelona inspired much of this story. A deliberately paced and intimate novel, Queens of All the Earth is poetically and thoughtfully crafted. With all the ingredients of a successful YA novel, or adult novel for young adults, it inspires hope in the latest generation of youth beset by pressure, confusion, and depression.”
—Baltimore Book Reviews

“The Queens of All the Earth makes me want to take a vacation to Barcelona. Inspired by the descriptions of the city, I googled images of cathedrals, castles, and even the Magic Fountain. It's definitely a beautiful city.”
—I’m Going to Read Your Mind

“A well-written coming-of-age story. Different from the majority of YA novels, which can sometimes suffer from an action overload and/or poor writing. Prepare to marinate in the atmosphere as you slowly move through the book. The writing is absolutely gorgeous, with long, luxurious scenes filling readers up with details.”
—Bookworm 1858

“The very first thing I noticed about this book was the exquisite description that flows throughout it. Though I have never been to Spain, the descriptions, especially those in the first chapter, made me feel as if I was with Olivia on the bus, watching the scenery flash by the window, so fast I could barely see it. To get down to the real review, I loved this book, plain and simple. It wasn't a particularly hard book to read, but something about it really just drew me in. I really think it was the fact that the book was so simple and pure. The love between the sisters and the blooming love between Marc and Miranda, and between Olivia and Greg, was so well-written that it completely surrounded me and brought me into their world. It was a truly innocent book, and it had a feeling of childhood love and sweetness reflecting Olivia's transition over that week, from being in the mind-set of a child to that of an adult. Olivia herself was very distant at first, but as the novel progressed and she really came out of that stupor and into herself again, I felt almost a connection with her, the girl that loved to be in her own little world, as so many of us do. Miranda, however, felt stuffy and uptight, and after she fell in with Lenny, I lost sympathy for her. Like Olivia, though, I felt an almost-connection to Miranda by the end of the book. Though the ending was a bit bittersweet, the book left me with a warm feeling inside that I'm sure won't go away for a while. I would recommend this book to women (and men) who like books about the idea of overcoming obstacles, or to anyone who would like a truly great read. Overall great book, with relatable characters and a plot that will leave you with a warm, happy feeling inside.”
— The Athenaeum Book Review