Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Summary

Brooklyn: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

Paris: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognized something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

• Number of pages: 472

Review

This book is emotional, intense, and heartbreaking . . . and I absolutely loved it. I can’t explain how deep and intense this book was for me. I thought it was going to be a historical fiction thing, but it was way more than that. Andi’s life is hell right now, and she can’t escape it. She is sad, angry, suicidal, and doesn’t really care about anything except her music. Her raw emotions were laid out on the pages of this book like a cover. I couldn’t get to a different page without feeling the heaviness that was inside her. The characters were really real for me (if that makes any sense).

This book isn’t really that much about Alexandrine, it was basically all about Andi with Alexandrine’s story helping Andi come to grips with her life. I enjoyed the informational tidbits that Donnely laid out here and there about the Revolution and the boy prince. I never really thought of him before when I thought “French Revolution”. His story is included here too, and I have to say that it is a heartbreaking story. There were many unique parts that were included in this book, but they were all relevant to the story except the transporting to Paris of the past. I get why it happened, but I don’t think it was necessary. I remember being confused and thinking . . . oookay that was a bit random. The way it came about was kinda cool, and the adventure she went through and experienced in Paris during the Revolution was extremely interested, but it seemed like it could have been a part of a different version of the story. I am not exactly sure if I am explaining this right, but there you have it. Even with this random twist and intense atmosphere throughout the story, I really did actually love it. From 1-10? Revolution definitely deserves an 8!!

*Warning to all those softies out there like me: this book taps into your tear ducts, so don’t be surprised to find yourself crying every once in a while.