Renegade Girls (A Graphic Novel): A Queer Tale of Romance and Rabble-Rousing

by Nora Neus Narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw, Gail Shalan, Jess Nahikian, VyVy Nguyen, Jordan Cobb, Carol Monda, Robert Fass, Greg D. Barnett

Overview

A swoonworthy queer romance set against a riveting story of social change in the 1880s, this historical novel reimagines the life of America's first stunt girl-a young undercover reporter-and her whirlwind summer of romance and fighting injustice.

Seventeen-year-old Helena “Nell” Cusack came to New York this summer looking for a story-a real story. She dreams of one day writing hard-hitting articles for the New York Chronicle, but so far she's only managed to land a job as a lowly society reporter. That is, until Alice Austen strolls into her life, an audacious street photographer who encourages Nell to shake up polite society...and maybe also take a chance on love.

When her best friend, Lucia, is injured while working in a garment factory, Nell is determined to crack the story wide open. Posing as a seamstress, she reports on the conditions from the inside, making a name for herself as the Chronicle's first ever stunt girl. But as Nell's reporting gains momentum, so do the objections of those who oppose her. Will Nell continue to seek justice-even if it hurts her in the end?

Based on real-life stunt girl Nell Nelson and photographer Alice Austen, this tenderly drawn narrative is about bringing buried stories to light and the bravery of first love.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

★"Nell and Alice’s tender, nuanced relationship unfolds against the backdrop of a rigidly conservative society, offering a heartfelt exploration of labor rights, agency, and queer identity in an engrossing, socially conscious tale that resonates with contemporary discussions of systemic injustice and personal resilience." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A rewarding light read that may awaken questions of social justice."—School Library Journal

"Informative historical fiction about important trailblazers featuring a charming queer romance."—Kirkus Reviews

"The art vividly captures the diverse population of New York among the bucolic parks, busy streets, and grimy industrial workshops characteristic of the period...A dashing tale of justice, bravery, and love."
 —Booklist

"Direct but not too heavy, bright with color and gentle in tone, Neus’s graphic novel is an absolute dream of an afternoon read."—The New York Times

Kirkus Reviews

2024-12-14
A fictionalized account of two real figures: “stunt-girl reporter” Nell Cusack and photographer Alice Austen.

It’s 1888. Each year, Nell summers in New York City with her well-connected aunt and uncle. She’s found employment as a society reporter for theNew York Chronicle, a job which she hopes to finagle into more consequential reporting, like Nellie Bly’s famous mental hospital exposé. When she discovers that her best friend, Italian American Lucia Amatucci, who works as a maid for Nell’s aunt and uncle, was injured at her second job at a garment factory, Nell goes undercover to blow the whistle on the factory’s dangerous and inhumane work environment. After her article appears in print, the factory sues the paper. Fortunately, Nell has recently become acquainted with photographer Alice Austen, whom she enlists to gather photographic evidence for subsequent articles. In the nuanced resolution, Nell confronts her own privilege in pursuit of social justice. Along the way, the gently budding romance between Nell and Alice unfolds in sweet, swoonworthy scenes. While Neus takes liberties with the story—the author’s note indicates there’s no historical evidence that Cusack was queer, though Austen spent more than 50 years with her woman partner—the fictional romance is a delight. The soft, luminous, full-color illustrations shine. The panels showing renderings of Austen’s actual photos, depicted in grayscale, are particularly evocative.

Informative historical fiction about important trailblazers featuring a charming queer romance.(Graphic historical fiction. 12-18)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940191144573
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	04/01/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged

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