Driven to avenge the murder of her royal parents & reclaim her lost kingdom, a daring young heroine & would-be queen journeys to the besieged city on the plain to seek out its evil conqueror, the Usurper. Helprin's spellbinding tale reveals a city veiled in snow, at once divine & deadly. Evocatively told & beautifully rendered, it will enchant readers of all ages. Stunning color illustrations by Chris Van Allsburg capture the exhilaration of the story -- from the pulse of the masses in the palace square to the wrath of the bloodthirsty Usurper who scours the city streets after curfew, to the opulence of an intimate dinner party set for a thousand guests.