Illuminated

( 8 )

Overview

Some loves are not made to last . . . Like Romeo and Juliet, Heloise and Abelard were doomed from the start, and their romance was destined to pass into history. Yet when sixteen-year-old Callie Martin discovers a diary hidden within an antique book, their story - and hers - takes on another life. For the diary leads Callie to the brilliant and handsome August, who is just as mysterious as the secret the diary hides. Their attraction is undeniable. As the two hunt down the truth behind the diary - and that of ...

See more details below
Paperback
$7.99
BN.com price
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up In Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Other sellers (Paperback)
  • All (42) from $1.99   
  • New (17) from $1.99   
  • Used (25) from $1.99   
Illuminated

Available on NOOK devices and apps  
  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK HD/HD+ Tablet
  • NOOK
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for Windows 8 Tablet
  • NOOK for iOS
  • NOOK for Android
  • NOOK Kids for iPad
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK for Windows 8
  • NOOK for PC
  • NOOK for Mac
  • NOOK Study
  • NOOK for Web

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

NOOK Book (eBook)
$7.99
BN.com price
Note: Visit our Teens Store.

More About This Book

Overview

Some loves are not made to last . . . Like Romeo and Juliet, Heloise and Abelard were doomed from the start, and their romance was destined to pass into history. Yet when sixteen-year-old Callie Martin discovers a diary hidden within an antique book, their story - and hers - takes on another life. For the diary leads Callie to the brilliant and handsome August, who is just as mysterious as the secret the diary hides. Their attraction is undeniable. As the two hunt down the truth behind the diary - and that of Heloise and Abelard's ancient romance - their romance becomes all-consuming. But Callie knows it can't last . . . love never does. Will their love that burns as bright as a shooting star flame out, or will these star-crossed lovers be able to defy history?

Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
The discovery of an ancient palimpsest, a medieval Book of Hours written over an earlier composition, sparks a quest to unearth its origins. Sixteen-year old Callie interns with her uncle, an illuminated manuscripts expert, and joins NYU student August on a treasure hunt that turns dangerous once the book’s value becomes known. Their search takes them from Manhattan to Paris, unveiling layers of parallel love stories along the way. Visionary dreams lead them to the centuries-old star-crossed love affair of Heloise and Abelard, and their tragically abandoned son, Astrolabe. Callie’s personal quest to understand her long-dead mother “I’ve spent my life... hoping she would whisper to me the way the scrawl in the margin whispered to Uncle Harry” feeds her yearning, while her keen observation of both healthy loves Harry and his partner, Gabe and destructive ones her father and his numerous girlfriends provides instruction in the promise and perils of passion, as her feelings for August grow. Though occasionally choppy, Orloff’s the Magickeepers series combination coming-of-age, historical mystery, ghost story, and romance satisfies on many levels. Ages 12–up. Dec.
VOYA - Sharon Blumberg
Calliope is a sixteen year old girl who lives with her father near Boston. Callie's mother perished when Callie was six years old, and because her father travels often, Callie spends the summer in Manhattan with her endearing Uncle Harry and his partner Gabe. Calliope's Uncle Harry works for the Royal Auction House, and through his work, Calliope discovers the intrigue of a "guilded" manuscript. Termed "The Book of Hours," the illuminated manuscript contains a love story between Heloise and Abelard. Inspired to find it, Callie's search begins in New York City with a distinguished, but eccentric professor, whose handsome son, August, charms Callie. Together, Callie and August encounter a number of key connections that eventually lead them to Europe. Will they find success? This work of science fiction fantasy, mixed with historical fiction, is for ages twelve and up, although adults may enjoy this title too. It is a great read for those who enjoy historical love stories. In addition, the intertwining sub-plots connect the present-day characters and events to the corresponding ancient ones in the novel. This interweaving of the two levels creates a sense of mystery and intrigue for the reader. Consequently, the author beckons you to follow Callie on her journey to the ends of the earth to seek out this sought-after manuscript. Reviewer: Sharon Blumberg
Children's Literature - Jody Little
When Callie visits her Uncle Henry in New York City for the summer, he shows her an ancient book which he has been studying. The book is a palimpsest which has hidden writing in the papyrus paper that was washed out thousands of years ago and then was written over with new ink. Uncle Henry takes Callie with him to visit the famous Professor Sokolov, an expert on palimpsests. There, Callie meets the professor's son, August, and the teens are immediately attracted to one another. Determined to uncover the story hidden in the palimpsest, Callie and August visit the former owner of the book, Miriam, who shares with them her belief that the words on the pages tell the story of star-crossed lovers, Heloise and Abelard. As the mystery begins to unfold, Callie and August know they must travel to Paris to learn the truth about the manuscript. Meanwhile, parallel love stories unfold of Callie's mother and father and book owner Miriam and her lost-love, Etienne. Once in Paris, both Callie and August have dreams of Heloise and Abelard. The ancient lovers manage to lead the young lovers to an amazing discovery in the midst of the monastery where Abelard once lived. Fans of romance will enjoy this layered story of young love and ancient love. Setting descriptions could be richer and more developed, but the author keeps the reader hooked with swift spacing, and intriguing back stories. Reviewer: Jody Little
School Library Journal
Gr 7–11—Calliope, 16, is spending the summer with her Uncle Harry, who works in the rare book room of Manhattan's Royal Auction House, while her father jet sets around Europe with yet another girlfriend. It's been this way ever since her mother died, with Uncle Harry being Callie's rock as she and her father grow further and further apart. But this summer an illuminated manuscript with a murky past will bring a new love into Callie's life—if she's willing to accept it. Illuminated is an imperfect but well-written and readable novel. Callie is an endearing character, the mystery is intriguing, and the attraction is believable. There are some plot threads that seem to die mid-book (such as dangerous, elusive Tome Raider, who simply disappears), and others are tied up too neatly. Still, this sweet romance will attract plenty of readers, who will be willing to overlook its flaws.—Heather Miller Cover, Homewood Public Library, AL
Kirkus Reviews
The hunt for the origins of a medieval tome sets the backdrop for revelations and romance in a Boston teen's savvy first-person tale. Callie spends the months before her senior year in Manhattan interning for her gay Uncle Harry, a manuscripts historian, who sets her up with an agoraphobic colleague's son. An eccentric student at NYU, August is also his father's custodian; the love-at-first-sight he and Callie experience is entirely plausible given the fertile heat of summer and their assignment to authenticate a rare manuscript. In her role as detective, Callie discovers her parents' marriage devolved long before her mother died. Her new sense of purpose gives her the confidence to confront her high-flying and exacting attorney father for the first time ever, forcing him to get to know her in a meaningful way. Callie's independence and focus on the goal at hand successfully override occasional moments of romantic overkill, offshoots of Orloff's apparent zeal to mirror Callie and August's courtship with the historical relationship they uncover. The author ties too many bright, shiny bows on the end of the book, but she does convey a valuable message that intellectual ardor can redeem and direct. A beach read that might inspire an interest in history. (Romance. 12-17)
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780142413760
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: 12/8/2011
  • Pages: 256
  • Sales rank: 541,148
  • Age range: 12 years
  • Product dimensions: 5.50 (w) x 8.20 (h) x 0.65 (d)

Meet the Author

Erica Orloff is the author of the middle-grade fantasy  series The Magickeepers, and many contemporary romances. A native New  Yorker, she is an avid Yankees fan. She currently resides in Virginia with her  three youngest children and a menagerie of pets, including dogs, a cat, a  parrot, a snake, and an African pygmy hedgehog. In her free time, she  downloads an insane amount of music for her iPod and likes to garden. She can  be reached at her website: www.ericaorloff.com

Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 8 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(2)

4 Star

(5)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(1)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
Sort by: Showing all of 8 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 22, 2011

    Magical at some moments..obscene in others

    Ok, for the good review first. This story made me jealous- I, and I am sure most other teenage girls out there, was jealous of this love btw August and Calliope. I mean, who doesn't long for a soulmate? The next to last chapter was phenomonal- truly made my heart swell. Now to the bad parts. I don't want to be hated when I say this, but the love story was at time unbelievable. For real, who decides that their soulmate is someone whom they've met one week ago? That aspect was just a little exorbitantly fantastical. Next- the plot: I really had trouble following what they were trying to discover about the Book of Hours. Whenever I thought I had discovered what the plot was, it seemed to change. But besides those things, was a satisfying read- love Unc Harry...wish my relatives were as open as he was!

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted July 29, 2012

    Fast & intense

    Awesome!!! Really fast but intriguing read mystery, history & romance what more could you want?

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted February 29, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    Teen romance w/some mystery thrown in

    Callie, 16, is spending the summer in New York City with her uncle Harry and his partner Gabe, assisting Harry at his job dealing with old manuscripts. They discover a palimpsest (my new favorite word to discuss with my students) which sets the two of them off to learn the story of the writing which they have uncovered: who is the mysterious A whose writings they have found in the margins of the manuscript? Enter August, the son and assistant of a rare books dealer, someone who might be able to give Callie and Harry answers in their quest. Callie and August begin a romance which burns brightly within a week--so quickly that that one point stayed with me the rest of the story. Why was the romance so rushed? The rest of the story made me eager to finish the book, to learn what Callie and August were searching for, but the oh-too-soon romance left me wondering why that plot characteristic was inserted that way. Teen girls will love this book.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 26, 2012

    Pure Love Story

    If you want good romance, then this book is for you. Star crossed lovers across time. These two young lovers discover the meaning of love through the history of an old manuscript that tells the tradgedy of two star crossed lovers. Their love is a strong light that burns and will stay burning until the end of time.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 4, 2013

    2 emmys

    Rating: 2 emmys

    Review: Although compelling enough to finish, this book left a lot to be desired.

    The Fabulous: The underlying mystery about the books past, it’s owners and their story was very provoking. There were also some great quotes towards the beginning.

    The Flaws: This 16-year-old girl acts NOTHING like I did when I was 16. She is far too adult, not nearly as reactionary, or emotional. I understand that independence that might make her a little more worldly having grown up summering in Manhattan, but it would not mold a girl so astute or knowledgeable. I think the real story is about the Book. That’s the part that got most of my attention. I could care less what the current characters were doing, felt; what tragic things happened or were revealed. I was only interested in the Books’ story. There were also some “dream” sequences that I didn’t feel were a part of what this book wanted to be. They were necessary to further develop the plot but didn’t belong with today’s characters.

    Favorite Moments: Nothing really jumped out at me.

    Best line: Three good ones here, all written before page 23.

    “Even a book has it’s secrets.”

    “You never know where a secret will take you. It’s like playing hide-and-seek throughout history”

    “To know a book, you have to enter it.”

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 4, 2012

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 4, 2012

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 25, 2012

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 8 Customer Reviews
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)