Revolution Review

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Title: Revolution
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Publisher: Delacorte
Published: October 12, 2010
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Contemps
Pages: 496
Source: Personal Copy

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 recognizes 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.
Andi wants all of it to end. She's tired of the pain, plagued by guilt over her brother's death, and wishes there were a way for it all to just stop - and she's tried multiple times. Desperate to save his daughter from expulsion and self-destruction, Andi's father brings her to Paris to finish her thesis so she can graduate and have a life, but Andi is certain nothing will change...but it does. Andi finds the diary of a girl named Alexandrine who lived hundreds of years ago, and yet, their lives have uncanny parallels. Both girls loved and lost. Both are desperate for a purpose, and both are bound to a life that is so similar that the two are destined to meet in some way.

I have to admit that despite all the rave reviews for Revolution, I had my reservations. First, the hype is often so much better than the book. Second, books with multiple story arcs from two MCs tend to be either hit or miss with me because both have to be entirely relevant and believable. Jennifer Donnelly has created a masterpiece in Revolution. The writing is fluid and beautiful, haunting and mesmerizing, and the story is, in no way, light. I was captivated by the different story lines, and the snippets of the Alexandrine's diary were interwoven beautifully, so the story never seemed jarred or abrupt. Revolution swept me along from Andi's world to Alexandrine's and had me rooting for both characters the whole time.

I think the biggest highlight of Revolution was the character development. Andi and Alexandrine were perfectly defined and separate, yet I could see something so similar in them - despite their similar losses and pain. I often toyed with the idea that the girls were actually one and the same - almost a reincarnation, if you will, with the previous soul helping the current one. Perhaps I read too much into that, but it worked. The description of Andi's life felt a bit more real than Alexandrine's to me, but at the same time, the detail that went into revealing Alexandrine's world in the French Revolution was beautiful. Now, the only lowlight I will give this book was the eventual climax, to be honest. It's noted in the summary, and I felt it missed the mark with the story line. Luckily, the strengths of Revolution overwhelmed that weakness.

Overall, I really enjoyed Revolution. Part history, part fiction and wholly moving, it was a swift, powerful read. I give it a very strong 4.5 out of 5 with the only deduction being the climax. I would recommend this to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction and historical fiction.

46 comments:

  1. I would never have picked this one out with a cover like that. I don't like it at all, but it really does sound like one to read.

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  2. This book is still on the top of my shelves .. I really need to start reading it !! Thanks for your review Melissa !! I hope I'll enjoy it as much as you did ;)

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  3. Beautiful review! I am sooooo looking forward to reading this! :)

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  4. I completely agree with your review. Revolution was one of my favourite books from last year.I had only read The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly before and Revolution is completely different from it.I thought Andi and Alexandrine were the same too.

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  5. I agree with The Slowest Bookworm - not sure if I would have picked that cover up!! THanks for the recommendation, I'll keep an eye out for the book.

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  6. I'm so glad you enjoyed Revolution Melissa- beautiful review! I agree about the ending being a little disappointing though. I much prefer the UK cover than the US one as it looks more like a diary and features the key from the book.

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  7. This was one of my favorite reads. I actually listen to the audio version and loved Alexandrine's French accent. Donnelly's description of the setting were amazing, and the twining of the two tales were brilliant. Fantastic review.

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  8. I have been unsure about this one for some reason, I do not know why since I love historical fiction. Will consider it

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  9. I loved this book! Jennifer Donnelly's writing is so fluid and wonderful and she really brought the story to life. I also loved the comparisons between Andi and Alex's life, and all the hidden meanings - the name anagram etc. It's actually a book that I would read a second time.

    Great review!

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  10. I have seen this book everywhere lately! It isn't my typical read, but it does sound like something I might have to give a try... Thanks for the great review!

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  11. Such a lovely review...I read this one over Christmas break and I really liked it, I just havent gotten to writting a review...:( Im glad you liked it too!!

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  12. I guess I need to try and pick this book up sooner! Thanks for the great review! Gonna go and reserve this at the library!

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  13. I keep seeing rave reviews for this, but I keep putting it off! Great review, Melissa!

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  14. That sounds like such an interesting book. I hadn't heard of it until now, thanks for the review!

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  15. I just got this book and your review has made me even more excited to read it. Thanks :D

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  16. I completely agree! The reviews psyched me out, so I was leery of it, and the cover didn't help - my review is here (http://scatteredbookshelf.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-revolution.html). I was shocked it didn't get a Printz nod!

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  17. I'm so glad you liked this one! I absolutely loved it! I reviewed it a while back, and someone posted in my comments that the full names of Andi and Alex use all the same letters! (I don't remember what the real term for that is, but...) I thought that was very interesting, and definitely adds weight to the idea of reincarnation!

    I loved this book! I have a ton of books on my tbr, but I totally just want to read it again!

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  18. Great review Melissa:) I really want to read revolution, but I'm waiting til it comes out in paperback. Anyways, the cover looks cool too and stuff:)
    -Danna

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  19. I'm so glad that, even with your reservations concerning the book because all of the hype, you still really enjoyed it! I need to go grab myself a copy now....Lol.

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  20. I've had this one on my list for a while cuz I had some reservations too, and now I wanna pick it up.
    Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog

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  21. Oh I've been wanting to read this one and now I really want to read it. This really sounds like a good book. I was wondering about the whole reincarnation thing but I think I'm glad that isn't answered. Yep... it's on the wishlist!

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  22. I must say that hype, or no hype, this is one book that I really do want to read. I love books where there seems to be two different time arcs and two different characters who sort act as parallel's to one another (reminds me of Kate Mosse's Sepulchre - which I loved), so I'm sure I'll love this. Fantastically written review Melissa!

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  23. Your review made me reconsider buying/reading this one - thanks for a nice, detailed review!

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  24. This sounds so amazing! Especially the characters you described and how they are similar. I mean, what a concept this book has! Can't wait to read it. It might not be sometime very soon but hopefully sometime this year anyways.

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  25. So glad to see that this one lived up to the rave reviews for you; it can be so disappointing when you just can't get into a book that has been so built up.
    I have The Tea Rose on my TBR pile, but this one sounds light years away from that one.

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  26. I've already committed to a buddy read for this one next month, so it's nice to hear more good things about it! Glad you liked it.

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  27. I have heard only good things about Revolutions. So glad you enjoyed it. Not much of a fan of historical ficition but this is one I want to try :)

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  28. Hey I have a layout question (sorry its odd)

    You know on your sidebar you have "find me on...." I was wondering how or where you got it from as I would love to have something similar

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  29. I've seen this on the coming lists and wondered about it. Isn't there another book where a girl goes back in the past accidentally is it Wildwing? Anyway, I'd find the historical tie end very interesting. The climax is given away on the jacket flap, is that what you're saying? I didn't quite get that. It's a bit disappointing when the climax is given away. It's like knowing the end of the story, is it worth reading. But it sounds like it is.

    Great review Melissa. Must not be skiing much or have you found a way to ski or snowboard while reading? Maybe on the ski lifts??LOL

    Heather
    Please keep the snow up there.

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  30. The hype on this one worried me too but a very enjoyable read. Loved her writing!

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  31. There has been so much hype about this one that it's great to get a real review of it! I'll definitely be picking it up soon--thanks, Melissa!

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  32. Ahhhh I really need to read this! Characterization is always my favorite part, so you saying that is the highlight of this one is more than enough reason for me to read it:)

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  33. Another book you have helped me to see had hidden potential. This is the first review I have read for this book. I have to admit, I'm kind of turned off by the cover, but now that I know more, I'm very curious about how the characters are paralleled.

    Insightful review, Melissa.

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  34. Great review.

    I do not think you're reading too much into Andi and Alex being the same character at all! I think that's exactly what they are: two manifestations of one character living through the same sad tale that has always occurred and will always occur ("the world goes on, stupid and brutal ...") That's why there are so, so many little coincidences and clues throughtout the book -- Truman and Louis-Charles' identical appearance; both boys' deaths at the hands of a madman named Max Robespierre (Max R. Peters in English); their anagram-names (Andi's and Alex's full names can be rearranged to spell each other); and the little time slips/hallucinations that occur throughout and build to the big intersection at the end (when you consider the timeless nature of the story, it's not all that far-fetched that time loses relevance altogether and it doesn't matter who's living when).

    I acutually think the climax was inevitable and very important to the book. One other commonality to the Andi/Alex character, their shared epiphany -- one of the most heartrendingly hopeful things I've ever read -- just wouldn't have been the same without it.

    Also, I saw a quote from Donnelly saying that Andi and Alex "sort of the same character" ... so I think you're on the right track!

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  35. Awesome review, Melissa!! I couldn't finish this one b/c i felt like it was really really sad. I'm glad you enjoyed it and got past that aspect of the story!

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  36. It totally sounds like a book I would love! THank for your enthusiastic but honest review :)

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  37. I've never been a fan of historical fiction, which is the reason why I continuously passed this one up. I'm reconsidering that now though. Great review, as always. I'll be looking more into Revolution now.

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  38. Revolution is one of my favorite books of all time. I thought they were one or they became one. Excellent review< Melissa!

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  39. Great review! Looking forward to this one.

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  40. I added Revolution to my TBR pile after seeing a lot of good reviews for it. I'm glad the hype is justified and so will have to bump it up closer to the top. Great review!

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  41. I need to bump this one up on my list. Everyone seems to love it! Thanks for your review. :)

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  42. I have this book on my TBR list. Great review. Thanks for your honesty about what you enjoyed and what you didn't. I've read mixed reviews. But I looking forward to reading Revolution.

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  43. This is a whole new book for me. Sounds interesting, but yet I'm not sure if its for me. Thank you for the great review though. I really enjoyed it.

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  44. 4.5 with history? Awesome! Why have I not looked into this book?

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  45. YAY! I have this one now from the library but have not started it yet. So happy you loved it, and since it's historical fiction, I'm sure I will too!

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  46. Ahhhh!!! I completely missed this review - you posted it on one of favorite reads on my wedding day!! Love it!!

    Great review - I adored this book - in fact, the copy I reviewed came from the library, and I later bought a copy for a friend for Christmas, but we never met up. So, um, now I have a copy kinda/sorta/not really of my very own on my shelf. . . it'll get to her. Someday.

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