The Emperor's Children

"The Emperor's Children" is a 2006 novel by the American author Claire Messud. The author's third—and her first best-seller—it was longlisted for the 2006 Man Booker Prize.

Plot

The novel focuses on the stories of three friends in their early thirties, living in Manhattan in the months leading up to September 11, 2001. All three are well-educated and privileged, but struggle with realizing the lofty expectations held for their personal and professional lives.

Reception

"The Emperor's Children" was widely and highly critically praised. [The critic compiler website, Metacritic, for example, gave the novel an 85, indicating "universal acclaim." See [http://www.metacritic.com/books/authors/messudclaire/emperorschildren "The Emperor's Children" entry at metacritic.com] .] "The New York Times" named it one of the ten best books of 2006. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/ref/books/review/20061210tenbestbooks.html "New York Times Book Review" Ten Best Books of 2006] .] It won the 2007 Massachusetts Book Award for fiction. [ [http://www.massbook.org/massbooks2007.htm Book Awards 2006 ] ]

Adaptations

It is currently being adapted into a film directed by Ron Howard, with a screenplay written by Noah Baumbach. [ [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117968743.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 Howard ready to father 'Children' - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety ] ]

Editions

*Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2006. Hardcover.
*Vintage Books, 2007. Trade paperback.

References