The Velocipede Races

Cycle racing is the sport and pastime of the city of Seren, and Emmeline Escot, 18, has never wanted anything other than to race. As an upper-class woman of Seren, however, she is supposed to lead a life so sheltered that it would be unthinkable for her even to attend the races as a spectator (which she does, disguised as a boy). Street’s debut follows Emmeline into the unexpected freedom allowed her by a marriage of convenience, as she schemes to find the time, money, and equipment to practice in secret. She is aided by her twin brother, Gabriel, an unprepossessing professional racer upon whom her family’s fortunes depend, and whose distaste for his career is almost as great as his sister’s desire for it. The plot turns are predictable, and the sometimes hard-to-follow descriptions of races may not enthrall readers to the same degree they do Emmeline. The characters are engaging, though, and the book’s social message regarding gender equality is laudable, if unsubtle. Ages 13–up. (Apr.)