August 6, 2022
Mademoiselle Revolution by Zoe Sivak
Sylvie de Rosiers, the freeborn mulatta daughter of a wealthy Haitian planter, lives a life of privilege until the slave revolt. Forced to escape the island with her family, Sylvie and her half-brother Gaspard flee to Paris to safety with their aunt Fifi. But they are swept up in the French Revolution and soon fall under the spell of Robespierre and his fellow revolutionaries.
Interesting subject matter but the writing is poor. I hope an editor worked through the text before publication. There are some really far-fetched scenes (like Sylvie killing Marat rather than Charlotte Corday, Sylvie betrothed to Robespierre, Sylvie posing for the artist Jacques-Louis David for a famous painting, etc.), but the extensive drama will appeal to YA readers. However, the LGBTQ themes that run through the book may put off some readers.
Maximilien Robespierre
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.
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