The Red Necklace

French Revolution #1

by Sally Gardner

The winds of change are blowing through Paris in the winter of 1789, both for France and for our hero, a striking and mysterious Gypsy boy named Yann Margoza. He was born with a gift for knowing what people are thinking and an uncanny ability to throw his voice, and he has been using those skills while working for a rather foolish magician. That work will soon end, however, and on the night of the magician's final performance, Yann's life will truly begin. That's the night he meets shy Sido, an heiress with a cold-hearted father, a young girl who has only known loneliness until now. Though they have the shortest of conversations, an attachment is born that will influence both their paths.
And what paths those will be! While Revolution is afoot in France, Sido is being used as the pawn of a fearful villain who goes by the name Count Kalliovski. Some have instead called him the devil, and only Yann, for Sido's sake, will dare to oppose him.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical, Fiction, Romance, Audiobook

371 pages, Paperback

First published October 4, 2007

About the author

AKA Wray Delaney

Sally Gardner grew up and still lives in London. Being dyslexic, she did not learn to read or write until she was fourteen and had been thrown out of several schools, labeled unteachable, and sent to a school for maladjusted children. Despite this, she gained a degree with highest honors at a leading London art college, followed by a scholarship to a theater school, and then went on to become a very successful costume designer, working on some notable productions.

After the births of twin daughters and a son, she started first to illustrate and then to write picture books and chapter books, usually with fairytale- or otherwise magical subject matter. She has been called 'an idiosyncratic genius' by London’s Sunday Times.

Reviews

[Kat (Lost in Neverland) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tom Hiddleston read this.

Tom fucking Hiddleston read this.

I...must listen to this audiobook.

He could read me a cookbook and I'd happily and joyously listen to it.

EDIT: Alas, I couldn't find the UK audiobook, but I'm reading it anyway. If anyone knows of somewhere I can listen to it, please let me know!

EDIT AGAIN My good friend Sei gave me a link to the audiobook, and now I'm listening and reading it at the same time. :)


Actual Review

Well, it was okay. I love historical fiction, but I didn't exactly care for The Red Necklace.

In an old theater in 1789, France, a boy named Yann Margoza had a unique talent for throwing his voice and reading people's minds. He works with two magicians, one of whom a dwarf that raised him as his own.
One night, they are invited to perform in front of the Marque de Villeduval and Count Kalliovsky at the marques's home. That is the night Topolain, the magician, is murdered.
Tetu (the dwarf) and Yann are next if they don't escape from the house and France immediately. Helping them get away is a young girl named Sido, the marques lonely daughter.
Once out of France, Yann keeps the girl in his thoughts while learning English in London.
Two years later, when news that Sido is being forced to marry the evil Count Kalliovski in order to pay off the marques's dept, Yann is determined to rescue her. But will the French Revolution and it's growing bloodbath get to her first?

Tom Hiddleston is a magnificent narrater, literally the best I've ever heard, but I ended up reading the actual book because it was faster.
I liked it, but it lost my attention in multiple areas and I had to force myself to read onward.
It was interesting reading about the French revolution and all of the chaos and death it caused, because I hardly knew anything about it before reading this book.

I must admit, I was a bit taken with Yann. He was smart, quick-witted, charming, and everything you should want in a young man. Sido, however, I found annoying. I didn't care for her in the first half, but in the second half, I wanted to smack some sense into her. Why didn't she leave her horrible father when Yann asked to take her to London? She seriously thought she'd be no better than the 'savages' in the prison if she left him.
The marques ignored her for years and was about to sell her off into marriage with an old man to save his own ass, and yet she still wouldn't 'abandon' him?



Another thing that was a bit frustrating was the constant switch of perspectives. It was mostly just Sido and Yann, but it would go to the Count, the marque, Aulard, etc. I wished Gardner had simply stuck to Yann and Sido.

It was a decent book but I probably won't pick up the sequel.

[Sofia Andersson · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I don't know if my opinion MIGHT be influenced by the fact that Tom FREAKING Hiddleston read this. His voice, his WONDERFUL voice, could make a dictionary sound interesting. I've listened to audiobooks before, but nothing compared to this. Tom Hiddleston is the best narrator I've ever heard. If he narrates the sequel, I will buy it in a matter of seconds.

Now, that I've raved over how wonderful Tom Hiddleston's voice is, let me talk about the book. This book had my attention from the very beginning. I liked Yann a lot; he was smart, brave and very likable. Sido... I felt very bad for her, but she was a fool in the end of the book. She should just have left the Marque (spelling?).

I've always been interested in the French Revolution and when I discovered that this book was about that, WITH magic and Tom as a narrator, I had to have it. It was a thrilling experience and I loved every second of it. This is my favourite audiobook of all time; partly due to the fact that it has the best freaking narrator in the history of the planet. Seriously, he reads with different voices for the characters and it's just... wonderful.

If you're planning on getting this book, which I very much recommend, please get the audio version. You won't regret it, I think. It was a very good book with an interesting plot. Though, my opinion might be partly because of the awesome narration.

Did I mention that Tom is the best narrator ever? ;)

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Les Mis-lite.

OK, I kind of demolished this.
Whoops.
I enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would.
Just shows you don't need angst and star-crossed lovers and douchey boys to make a book interesting.

You need bloody revolutions, headless mannequins, blackmail, intrigue, magicians and a lovely, sweet romance with a girl who is just cute as a button.

YES.



Full review to come when my laptop isn't throwing a wobbly.

[Jaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just wish there was more on and about the revolution...

[Jessica (Odd and Bookish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I decided to read this book primarily because Tom Hiddleston reads the audiobook and I love Tom Hiddleston. There's also a very famous line in here that his fangirls just love and I wanted to read it in context.

So back to the actual book. I give 3.5 stars which rounds up to 4 stars. It was a good book but there were some things I didn't like about it. One thing I didn't like was how the perspective kept shifting from character to character. One paragraph would be one character's perspective, the next paragraph would be someone else's. It was a bit awkward. Another thing I didn't like was that Sido was a bit useless. She didn't do much in the book besides be a damsel in distress. Also, the ending wasn't satisfying.

[Christine Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first foray into the Audiobook realm. I am not a fan. I do not like waiting to read, and I am plenty of places where I cannot plug in my headphones and listen to a book. It's a great format, just not the right one for me.

Anyway, about the book itself. I found the story line to be plodding, and the characters very one dimensional. Honestly, this was a generous 1.5 star book for me. "But Christine, you rated it three stars, not one or two! Your brain must be addled, or you can't count!"
Au contraire, my friends. The book is 1.5 stars. The narration, however, is solidly a 5 star performance. Therefore, I met in the middle. Did I neglect to mention that this book is read, in the audio version I listened to, by the amazing Tom Hiddleston? Sorry about that. Yes, fellow fangirls, Loki can read you a book in the privacy of your own head. It's fantastic. The man has a voice made for this, and acts out most of the characters, which is simultaneously hilarious and arousing. He's very talented, and his normal speaking voice is enough to make me swoon, so hearing him affect different dialects and accents is thoroughly enjoyable for me. However, not even Henry V could save this book. Don't get me wrong, driving around listening to this man talk certainly made my days much more fun, but it would have been better if the subject matter was as interesting as the narrator.

[Lilla]

Read by Tom Hiddleston. Your argument is invalid.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic and historical fiction! I was sold from the beginning. You don't see that too often and I picked up the book with eager hands.

Yann is a gypsy boy who can throw his voice, read minds and sometimes even see into the future. On one fateful night he loses his gift, but not before he meets the limp but beautiful Sido. They don't know it yet, but they will see each other again and have much more impact on each other than they could imagine.

The plot is shrouded with mystery and hidden secrets. Magic in the book was handled well and it's especially interesting to see the take on gypsy magic. We don't see it often in books and it gives the book more realism, if that makes sense. The backdrop of the French Revolution progresses throughout the book and we see just how out of touch the wealthy were. Something that we even see today I think. Revolution is in the air though and Yann and Sido just like everyone else will fall into the conflict.

I am very picky about my villains. Usually I don't find them evil enough or kind of dim-witted. Not the case with Count Kallioviski. He is the epitome of what a villain should be. He has no mercy but you see his vulnerability and his motives. Most of all he is a worthy opponent for our protagonists.

Yann and Sido are fragile youths when the book begins, but when the book ends they become strong young adults. Thankfully their adventure is not quite over and I will be begging my library to get its sequel The Silver Blade.

[toni · Rating 1 out of 5]

One star for the book, although Tom Hiddleston's beautiful voice deserves the full five. My poor wasted baby.

The characters were uninteresting, the prose bad, the story dull, the dialogue flat, and the romance contrived. I'm glad I listened to the audiobook for a change, instead of reading it, because Hiddles's voice really was the major redeeming factor here. The last time a book bored me this much it was that Dean Koontz I read, which seems to say it all, really.

[Jaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom fucking Hiddleston is reading this.

[Pallavi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Randomly picked it up a second hand book store. It did not disappoint me, as the French revolution is only on the back set, not the main theme in the story.
Yann is a young boy, who is with a group of magicians. He can change his voice, read minds and sometimes predict the future. One fateful night, performing for Marque de Villeduval on behalf of a powerful, evil man called Count Kalliovsky, Yann's group finds themselves in danger and a tragedy. It is the same night when Yann looses his ability to read minds and also meets the unfortunate daughter of the Marque, Sido.
From here with a backdrop of French revolution, Yann's life is on a roller coaster and he finds that he is attracted to Sido. Yann is smuggled to London and slowly he finds his footing with the help of his benefactors and a group of gypsies. Two years later, when Yann hears news that Sido is being forced to marry the evil Count Kalliovski, Yann is determined to rescue her, through the bloodbath of French revolution.

My expectations were very low when I stared this book, and it did surprise me that it was actually good. Narrated well, good characters may be the plot was a bit weak for me, but altogether an excellent book.

Happy Reading!!

[safia ☼]

I am going to be completely honest and tell you all that the only reason I found out about this book was because I became a fan of the lovely Tom Hiddleston, and I found out that he read this book for the audio version.

Upon this discovery, of course I was excited. And of course I immediately marked it as a to-read, to read instantaneously after I get back from vacation, to scavenge my shelves periodically for this book. Because he's Thomas William Hiddleston, the handsome British villainous actor with a sad face that us fangirls have come to love unconditionally. And if he were reading an obituary, I'd still listen to it with the same amount of fascination as a historical fiction novel.

Now that I've read the synopsis, it actually looks very good! I've never tried reading historical fiction before. The closest I've gotten to them are with medieval novels. But I'm willing to give it a try mainly for Tom because the plot seems interesting and, well, I want Tom Hiddleston to read for me.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently, this is classified as YA, but I only knew that because when the audible began, I heard a child's voice say, "This is Audible Kids!" But while the novel may have had two young or teen characters, it was far too violent to be a kids novel, although YA seems to be quite violent these days.

This book was on my TBR and I picked it as I have tried to make Marie Antoinette my Remarkable Person of the Year. But here's the thing - it was totally the French Revolution in Paris and Versailles. There were nobles and counts and marquis in it, and all the characters and setting of the French Revolution, but the King was mentioned once and his queen never at all. I did in haste think the necklace referred to Marie Antoinette's famed excessive necklace, but it did not.

This was a story of gypsies and magic, a dwarf, a musician, a count (devil) a marquis, but most of all it a story of revolution, of young love, of magic, and of hope. I would not rush out to read it, but it passed the time just fine. A classic three stars for a good effort that will ultimately be forgettable with the next great read. Or next few reads.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

“Live your life, Sido, whatever happens. Live in the moment, don’t live with regret.” - Yann

I love Tom Hiddleston's voice, it was so fine and eloquent and distinct. The way he played different characters with his voice was brilliant!

*I like the story, French Revolution with a touch of magic.
*I love our hero Yann, he was so brave and willing to sacrifice everything to save Sido
*I have little liking over Sido, I don't know why she can't leave his father, marquis de Villeduval, which wasn't her father all along treated her badly and neglect her most of the time
*the last 30 percent was the thrilling part and I thought they will be all killed, well its the French Revolution, a scary civil unrest in history.

[Ryan Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tom Hiddleston has the most beautiful voice on earth. He is the most brilliantly talented narrator!

[Danielle Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason why this is getting 4 stars is because of the audio book, if I had to read this book by itself, I would be slightly bored to tears. It comes up flat in some areas.

The wonderful British actor Tom Hiddleston reads this version of the audio book (went through a crazy way to get this particular audio book b/c it's not sold in the states). He was excellent with all the characters' voices. The book takes place right before all hell breaks loose in France during the reign of Louis the XVI and Marie Antoinette. Paris is slowly going down, the lower class is rising up and the rich are starting to worry about their safety. Yann Margoza, the young gypsy boy working for a magician and his companion a dwarf named Tetu are asked to perform for the The Marquis de Villeduval. Invited by a man with dark intentions Count Kallivoski. Who is out for money and de Villedauval's daughter Sido.

Sido is unloved and unliked by her father for reasons unknown, her father calls her "an imperfect thing in his perfect world" Yann and Tetu witness Kallivoksi kill the magician who knows the Count (as does Tetu)from a long time ago. Yann and Tetu are aided by Sido to escape her father's home and head back to Paris. Yann and Sido are connected now and will be for some time. After this horrible night things get crazy and Yann has a destiny to fulfill. Sido is trapped in something she can't run from. This book was well done, it was told from several points of view which in this case works because of the background stories (yes I said stories) that lead to one.

If you are familiar with Tom Hiddleston (he played Loki in Thor, The Avengers and Thor: The Dark World), he is a very talented actor and he could read the phone book to me and I would not care. He can do impressions very well and dives into a character whole heartly. There is one point in the book where Kllivoski is talking to Sido alone that sent chills down my spine.

"I will be the first man to kiss you, to bed you, whether you come willing or not, you are mine and mine alone, do you understand."

(you can go to youtube and listen to this part: type in Tom Hiddleston "you are mine" or "The Red Necklace" to hear it for youself!)It just how the words slip from his mouth makes this my favorite quote from the book.

I do however recommend this book with a warning, if you do somehow come across the Tom Hiddleston audio book and want to read along with the actual book. This version of the audio book is not unabridged and does skip paragraphs. Which is fine because the scenes that skipped are not vital to the storyline and you won't be missing much.



Happy Reading!

P.S. I'm listening to the audio book again, (I can't help it, his voice makes me drool :P~)

[Kirstine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not exactly a book I would have ever come across by myself or even given a chance if I had. To be honest, the only reason I gave it a go, is because Tom Hiddleston narrates the audiobook.

But I'm very happy I did. I'll admit I might not have enjoyed it as much as I did if Hiddleston hadn't been the one reading it to me. He is a splendid actor and the voices he made and his way of reading certainly mirrors this. He is as talented with his voice, as with everything else. I had a brilliant time just listening to him bringing the various characters to life, sometimes even questioning if he was indeed voicing ALL the people, because it just seemed so unbelievable.

That said, the book itself is pretty good as well. Much of what kept me paying attention, was Hiddleston, but obviously also the plot itself.
I found myself liking this book and its characters, much more than I originally thought I would. I loved the take on gypsy magic, and found the entire plot very refreshing from what I usually read. It wasn't exactly a fast paced or complicated plot, after all it is a sort of childrens' book, but it wasn't too simple either. It was interesting.

While Yann and Sodi were very likable characters and very easy to root for, I found the villain, Count Kallivoski, to be quite compelling as well (not because he's a nice person, mind you, but because he's interestingly written). He's unsympathetic, cruel and merciless enough for anyone to eagerly await his demise, but he's not simply evil either, there's a human depth to him, and it's made clear he might not always have been this way, that he might have once wanted to change. I like that, it makes him an excellent villain, because he's got reasons to act as he does, he's got passion (or lack there-of). And man-made cruelty is by far the scariest thing there is, in my opinion.

While the ending leaves plenty of room for a sequel (and such a thing has already been published) it is possible to read it as a single book. I'll admit, though, that it actually left me wanting to read the next one, because while it isn't a cliffhanger, it doesn't exactly wrap things up either. Still, we'll see if I ever get around to the second one, since there's no Tom to read that one aloud to me.

Other than that, it's brilliantly executed, the book never loses focus, it's got a rich and flowing language and is all in all just a really good book.

I still recommend you get the audiobook if you intend to read it, Tom Hiddleston's narration made "reading" it a rather more fun and thrilling ride.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Amber Gibson for TeensReadToo.com

THE RED NECKLACE is a fascinating tale of the French Revolution, the story of Yann, a gypsy boy, and Sido, the daughter of a Marquis. As fate would have it, their histories are intertwined in a way that both need the other if they are to have any hope of surviving the bloodbath of the Revolution.

Gardner's thorough research and grasp of the zeitgeist is apparent. The power of gypsy magic was a well-accepted fact of the time period and the inclusion of the paranormal does not distract from the historical context of the novel, but actually adds to the dangerous and unpredictable atmosphere of the times. Dialogue between the aristocracy could have been more sophisticated to better illustrate the principles of the Revolution, but Gardner does an overall excellent job of depicting the Reign of Terror.

The night that Yann and Sido first meet, Yann is working as a magician's apprentice, putting on a show for the Marquis and other members of the French aristocracy, including the sinister Count Kalliovski. When the magician is murdered by Kalliovski, Sido shows unexpected courage in helping Yann escape a similar fate.

Years pass before Yann has a chance to repay the favor. Sido, like all French aristocracy, is in danger of the raging passions from the hoi polloi, and also from an impending marriage to Count Kalliovski, a fate that is perhaps worse than death. Can Yann rescue Sido from both the guillotine and one of the most merciless men on the planet?

Gardner is successful in crafting a strong hero in Yann, though Sido is at times a frustratingly passive damsel in distress. However, she does have rare moments where she manages to redeem herself and display heroine potential.

The Marquis de Villeduval, Sido's father, is an utterly despicable - if somewhat flat - character with nary a redeeming quality. Count Kalliovski is a wonderfully constructed villain, with danger and power augmenting his every action, and an open-end that allows him to return with a vengeance in THE SILVER BLADE, Gardner's follow-up, detailing the height of the Reign of Terror.

[Lokinda Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Just brilliant. I combined reading and listening at the same time, 'cuz Tom Hiddleston didn't read everything that was written in this book :) but his voice works wonders, hypnotizes, makes you (me) fall in love with (the voice of) Kalliovski. (Tom Hiddleston, how dare you make villains sound so damn sexy :D). This book is definitely to my taste. 👍

[Xine · Rating 2 out of 5]

The scholarship that went into this book was fabulous! I really thought I was there! It didn't grip me in the way that I, Coriander did, though.
It's my opinion that The Hero was a little too much "comic-book handsome, dark, mysterious lad who seeks the answers to the questions that haunt him about his past," and The Heroine was just too much "blonde hair blue eyes fair skin, sweet, loyal temperame- *hork*." (So sorry about horking, there. She didn't affect me like that when I was reading her. Maybe because of her HORRIBLE TRAGIC MARRING FLAW- She limps.)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a kid's book. That's no reason not to expect more.

I fell utterly in love with so many of the other characters (or I despised them, as Gardner pleased). One thing I especially loved about the characters in this book is that they had personality traits that were not required to advance the plot. Some people were passionate just because they were passionate. Another character was a little person just because he happened to be a little person. No agenda, nothing. It is such a relief to me when I can trust an author to just tell me who her characters are instead of being tricked into noticing that someone loves brandy because it will be important later.

Now... about the person who read the book to me. Carrington MacDuffie. She's strikingly fabulous. In fact, I'm gonna go find other books she's read so she can read to me more.
But there are two sides to the audio of this book.
On the one hand, the reader was so skilled that I didn't even have to suspend my disbelief when a male character or a female character was talking. I didn't have to think, even. They just were. The narrator captured masculinity, femininity, cowardice, bravery, inattention, malice- she was a superstar. She painted vibrant, rich personalities and mannerisms on the people in the story without caricaturing 'em. Definitely snap up any book she reads.
On the other, it is really, really, really not necessary to have all the french characters in the book speak their English with a French accent. The book is set in freaking France. It might be the narrator's choice, or it might be the director's choice. For cripes sake. Enough with the superfluous accents. It's annoying. Yeeees, there is a plot point in which a character's accent comes in to play, but the funny thing about books is that the author will tell us when there's an accent. I really, really doubt zat zee 'ole bouke is wri-tan leik zis so 'as to aksentuate ze Franchness.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is unique, but then again I haven't read any other book about the French Revolution. In school they kind of just skim the French Revolution so I didn't know completely what to expect on the historical front. The story isn't directly in the action, at least in the beginning, but our heroes really get involved in the violence in Paris about half-way through.

The first half of the book was good though I like the second half better. Yann and Sido meet once and never forget each other though they don't meet again until years later. Yann gets educated in England and loses most of his gypsy talents, while Sido is neglected by her father and fears marrying Kalliovski. The first half is a build up for the two of them to get older, the Revolution to really get underway, and to present the mysteries.

The second half of the story was more thrilling. The mysteries intertwine and all lead to Kalliovski who proves to be an actual chilling villain. Sido and her father are in danger of being arrested because of their aristocratic births. Yann has to use his gypsy magic in order to save Sido from the clutches of the Revolutionaries and Kalliovski. It all goes down in Paris.

Other than the fact that I wanted the plot to get moving in the first half of the book and I would've liked if there was more build up in Yann and Sido's relationship I thought it was a superb story. I anticipate the sequel.

[Stephanie Jobe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll admit I have to start with a bit of cover controversy because every female character is dark haired and the damsel on the cover is platinum blonde! I suppose the cover artist knew nothing about the book and thought it focused on Marie Antoinette, but anyway… I enjoyed it. I truly did. The story lent itself well to the third person allowing us to get a better view of events. Though Yann is the protagonist if we were just to follow him the backdrop would be very bland I think but instead you get a rich portrait painted from the eyes of an impartial observer. The core of this plot is the adventure with the hints of mystery. I guessed Yann’s mystery, but not Sido’s and boy did I enjoy someone getting the drop on me. There is also interesting commentary on the French Revolution and how our high ideas don’t always turn out so great while in contrast Kalliovski is the dragon and Yann is the knight in shining armor. Good and evil are a clear line though that is not to say Yann is utterly without character development. Oh and yes though this is definitely historical fiction I do love that little drizzle of Gypsy magic!

(This is the first book of a pair set in the French Revolution.)

[EJ Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was shocked at how poorly written this book was. The author has won awards for other books. I hope they were written better than this was.

The book takes place during the French Revolution. It has a great storyline just poorly put together. Yann is a gypsy who can read minds and throw his voice which he does in a stage act with a Magician and a dwarf who has his own "supernatural" talents. Meanwhile there is a very crafty bad guy who kills people and leaves behind a red garnet necklace which if worn would look like a slashed throat. He has been extremely generous with many very unwise people and is now about to call in his debts.

The author would just throw in melodramatic sentences where there was no preamble or followup. For example, a young girl is looking out a convent window on a rainy scene and is sad because she can't remember the face of her dead mother. That's it. No statements before that she is thinking about her mother, no statements after. That was the way it was throughout the book.

I don't recommend this book to anyone because it shouldn't have been printed as is.

[Kirsti · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really struggled to get into this one, and once I was in, I didn't want to be. It was simply the top book on a pile of to-read books I was keeping on the coffee table, but I wish I'd picked something else instead. The characters weren't interesting me at all, and the plot felt odd and disjointed. I get to certain points in books that if I'm lost, I'm lost forever. My good opinion, once lost, is lost forever, heh.

However, I can see the appeal. It's dark, and there are particularly morbid scenes of death and murder. It doesn't hold back. Of course, I only managed 150 pages before giving up, so it may get even more so. Plenty of people will enjoy the no holds approach. I'm sure also lots of people will enjoy the writing, it just wasn't for me.

Moving on again, and I'm stuck in a rut of bad books. What will save me, as I fall ever behind on my goodreads challenge because nothing is capturing my interest?

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Magicians, gypsies, aristocrats and the French Revolution. A beautiful cover. Adventure, thrills, magic. The book promises a lot.

Unfortunately, it is a thoroughly amateur effort. The writing is pedestrian and never lives up to the potential of the story. The time line is not handled coherently - at one point, the book leaps forward by two years. A lot of the time, the chapter starts close to one character, only to change perspective a few paragraphs in. The story is rarely sustained - it sort of hands itself along to the next bit like a relay race of narrative, without really engaging. The characterisation is fairly flat, and the dialogue is flatter still. There is magic in this story, but it is never magical / delightful to read. It's a shame. The plot could have been engrossing, had it been handled well.

The end result is a mess that is not, in my opinion, ready for publication.

[Trin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three stars for the book itself; one bonus star for the audiobook performance by Tom Hiddleston. Actually, if I could I would give that reading all the stars. ALL THE STARS. IN THE WORLD.

Not that I have strong feelings about it or anything.

[Nora Cayetano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tuve la bendición de haber oído este libro con la voz de Tom Hiddleston. La manera en que narra, las voces que les da a los personajes y la forma en que su voz puede hacer la situación más caricaturesca o tétrica de lo que mi imaginación podría pintarla, fue de lo mejor.

Esta es una historia de magia y fantasía ambientada en la Francia prerrevolucionaria. Los protagonistas inician como niños, y temes por sus vidas conforme el libro avanza... Justo acabo de terminar de oír este libro y, honestamente, no encuentro las palabras suficientes para hacerle un poco de justicia.
Quiero leer/oír el segundo ahorita mismo aunque no sé si haya versión en audio, y aunque ya vi que no es la mejor de las continuaciones...

[Heba El Saeid Mohammed · Rating 5 out of 5]

The narration done by the amazing Tom Hiddleston was flawless for crying out loud please read more books !!!

The book itself was totally new to me I’ve barely read any historical fiction before and none was about the French Revolution!!! The writing was magnificent and i loved it all ❤️

This wasn’t a book it was an experience ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

A really nice one ❤️❤️

[Abby Settlemier · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two books that fundamentally changed my brain chemistry in middle school and this was one of them. From the cover art to Yann to the automaton filled catacombs I think about this book nearly as much now as I did then. I’ve probably read it 10 times

[Kelly Rose]

Tom Hiddleston did an audio book. Tom Hiddleston. Now I have to read it.