A teen artist on the run… A daring heist at the National Gallery… A painting worth the price of freedom? On the run from the state of Virginia, a talented teen artist takes refuge in the Smithsonian Castle and uncovers a plot to steal one of the nation’s most prized works of art.
Could an orphan rouse a nation’s passion for its fine art? Fifteen-year-old Brooke has been bounced between foster homes for half her life. With her rare and exceptional ability to draw and paint, Brooke knows she’s not normal. She has always felt misunderstood and mistreated by the adults in her life. When Brooke decides to run away to Washington, DC, her luck begins to turn. Just as things are finally looking up, however, Brooke’s probation officer catches up with her. But that becomes the least of her troubles when she suddenly finds herself having to choose between fleeing for her life and saving a centuries-old masterpiece. In Attic Ward, greedy art world power brokers find themselves up against a brilliant and determined young artist who is willing to sacrifice everything to save the art she loves.
An entertaining glimpse of legendary artists, forgers, and their masterpieces... Experts suggest that as much as forty percent of the pieces of art circulating in legitimate art markets are forgeries. Even Michelangelo was allegedly hired to forge copies of ancient Roman sculptures. Brooke learns more than she ever wanted to know about the dark side of art, which is at once thrilling and infuriating.
You won't view a painting the same way ever again... Imagine masterpieces coming to life! Better yet, imagine that they’re already alive. Brooke sees art in every aspect of her life. Her passion and perception are so infectious that you won’t be able to view legendary artists and their masterpieces the same way ever again. And the next time you wander the halls of a museum, you might find yourself holding your breath…
This action-packed book will take you on a thrilling ride through the stunning world of fine art!
Brooke Rowe’s days are numbered. The 15-year-old escaped from Virginia foster care to make a new life for herself in DC, holing up in an attic room in the Smithsonian Castle and landing a job “copying” famous works of art. But now her probation officer is closing in, threatening exposure. “I am not going back to being a ward of the state,” she vows. “Now that I’ve had a taste of living like an artist, I never want to go back – back to all those unhappy families.”
In “Attic Ward,” Bill Gourgey’s latest novel for young adults, Brooke’s problems only go from bad to worse. When she discovers a plot to steal a priceless painting, more than just her lifestyle is on the line. As one character tells her, “You’re in a heap of trouble – on the run from the State of Virginia, involved in a forgery ring, caught up in some kind of art heist.”
As he did in “Capitol Kid,” the first book in the Cap City Kids series, Gourgey masterfully conveys not only the angst of being a teenager but also the courage and resourcefulness that a talented, impassioned young person can muster. As a preternaturally gifted artist, Brooke finds the thought of someone trying to steal a work by her beloved Delacroix “makes my blood boil.” But where to turn for help rescuing the masterpiece – and getting her life back on track?
“I’m an orphan and I’m on my own and I can’t trust anyone,” she declares, “especially not grownups.” Happily, by the end of “Attic Ward,” Brooke’s shell has begun to crack and she wonders whether there might, after all, be a chance for her, as well as for some of the adults in her life.
Bill Gourgey frequently writes about science and technology and, in addition to Cap City Kids, is also the award-winning author of “The Glide Trilogy.” Find him at https://gourgey.com.
