Prize Women
Prize Women by Caroline Lea, published by Harper Perennial in 2023, is a historical fiction novel that reimagines the controversial Great Stork Derby, a competition sparked by the death of millionaire Charles Millar. Set in Toronto in 1926, the story follows the lives of two women, Lily di Marco and Mae Thebault, whose friendship is tested by the dramatic circumstances surrounding Millar’s will, which promises his fortune to the woman who bears the most children in the decade following his death.
Readers will find an exploration of themes such as motherhood, survival, and the complexities of friendship against the backdrop of societal pressures during the Great Depression. As Lily, fleeing from her troubled marriage, and Mae, grappling with her own struggles, navigate their intertwined lives, the contest and its implications challenge their bond and force them to confront difficult choices. This edition spans 439 pages and is presented in English, offering a deep dive into the emotional and societal ramifications of a unique historical event.
Official synopsis Publisher
The critically acclaimed author of The Glass Woman and The Metal Heart reimagines the shocking story of one of the most controversial contests in history, the Great Stork Derby, in which a millionaire’s death spawns a furious competition for his inheritance.
Toronto, 1926. Knowing that he will die without an heir, childless millionaire Charles Millar leaves behind a controversial will: the recipient of his fortune will be decided in a contest that will become a media sensation and be known as the Great Stork Derby. His money will go to the winner: the woman who bears the most children in the ten years after his death. It is a bequest that will have dramatic consequences for the lives of two women–allies and close friends.
Lily di Marco is young, pregnant, and terrified of her alcoholic, violent husband. When her town is damaged by an earthquake, she flees to Toronto, arriving, by chance, on the doorstep of the glamourous Mae Thebault.
While Mae presents an elegant, confident face to the world, she secretly struggles with her own tortured past and a present consumed with the never-ending burdens of motherhood. Lily enters her life at a breaking point, and soon a fierce friendship blossoms between the women. That is until the Great Depression and the contest, with its alluring prize, threatens to tear their friendship–and their lives–apart.
Prize Women is an evocative and engrossing novel of motherhood, survival, and the heartbreaking decisions we make to protect the ones we love–even when it hurts those we care for most.
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