Le Passage de Vénus tome 2

Consigned aboard “L’Étoile” by Bourgainville, Commerson is enraged. Yes, his leg hurts more every day. Yes, his health is not what it should be. But the long months spent on the ocean have only sharpened his hunger to set foot on solid ground. For the scientific that he is, there is so much to explore on these virgin grounds. And when the king’s naturalist and doctor finally arrives at Montevideo, it is to take care of the wife of the governor, the beautiful and sensual señora Bucarelli…

When Chinaman saves Li, a young cook, from a pair of drunken Irishmen, little does he realize he’s about to become embroiled in much a larger struggle. For Li is one of a group of Chinese laborers brought in to help build the transcontinental railroad—much to the resentment of the Irish who preceded them. And they aren’t the only ones after Chinaman: Sing, whom he dishonors and displaces as headman of the Chinese group, also nurses a grudge. These tensions come to a head in a fiery, balletic battle as a young Samuel Clemens looks on, witness to history. 

Single mom Aurélie’s moving back in with her grandmother, her young daughter Emma in tow. And to everyone’s surprise, so is Sophie—Aurélie’s perennially absent mother, back from yet another adventure abroad. With four generations of women living under the same roof, life is never simple—and bound to get messy!

Aaah, the Kingdom, that peaceful land where life is good. A place forgotten by its powerful neighbors and their incessant wars, where the subjects enjoy the bounties bestowed upon them by earth and sky. In short, a perfect nightmare if you happen to be an arms manufacturer. Who needs a battle-axe when the most vexatious enemy around is a talking songbird or catty rival? Master Marcel, proprietor of the local forge, may have found a way to increase demand for his weapons, but when his fear-mongering gets out of hand, it’s up to Anne and François to save the day.

Life goes on for this… unusual family! Pandora (the eldest) is busy revising for her exams, teenage Ondine is getting ready for a hot date, young Roxanne is playing video games and baby Bella wants to be fed… and Dad would very much like it if they all just left him in peace! He might be unemployed, but this hapless actor is bringing up his four daughters single-handedly, and there’s not a moment’s respite!