Editor's Pick - BookLife - "Brothers, magnates, and responsibility power this smart, humane historical novel."A railroad tycoon must choose between his brother's freedom and his own ambition-before one wild act shatters both their lives.In 1869 New Hampshire, railroad magnate George Stark faces an impossible choice: commit his eccentric brother Will-poet, prankster, and zookeeper-to an asylum or risk his career and family name after a disastrous train crash and public scandal.
Rewinding to 1846, this sweeping historical novel follows the Stark brothers on diverging paths. George's ambition propels him into the heart of America's railroad boom, while Will's restless spirit transforms the family estate into a sanctuary for exotic animals and ideas. As the Civil War looms, their contrasting lives highlight the tension between order and creativity, ambition and freedom.
Torn between duty and compassion, George must decide whether to sacrifice his brother's freedom or embrace the creativity that once united them. A moving meditation on ambition, forgiveness, and family, this novel brings a forgotten chapter of American history to life with wit, heart, and unforgettable characters. Perfect for fans of historical fiction exploring the price of progress and sibling bonds.
About the Author :
Jane D. Cairns is a Massachusetts-based writer and grassroots local historian. She is an active member of GrubStreet in Boston and a graduate of its highly selective Novel Incubator program. An alumna of Smith College, she has worked as a columnist and researcher for numerous trade magazines, including Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. Currently, she serves as a board member of the Andover (Mass.) Center for History and Culture, where she speaks and writes on popular topics in social and economic history. When she isn't reading or writing, you can likely find her hiking with her husband on regional trail systems, riding her class-1 e-bike, or chasing critters out of her organic vegetable garden. Exalted Objects is her debut novel.
Review :
"Exalted Objects balances a propulsive plot, exquisitely researched detail, and a cast of characters who jump off the page and fully to life. Jane D. Cairns has written a stunner for historical fiction fans."
- Annie Hartnett, author of RABBIT CAKE, UNLIKELY ANIMALS, and national bestseller THE ROAD TO TENDER HEARTS
"Jane D. Cairns' tale of two very different brothers is an astonishing feat of the imagination, pitching order against poetry, wealth against refuge, power against family, testing the reader's sympathies in a wholehearted exploration of two very different visions of what America in her golden adolescence might have become."
- Michelle Hoover, author of THE QUICKENING and BOTTOMLAND and host of The 7am Novelist Podcast
