Readers of If I Stay and Elizabeth George will love Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light. Revolution artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love; it spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart.
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.
Praise for Revolution:
An ABA Indies Choice Young Adult Book of the Year
An ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book
#1 Indiebound pick for fall 2010
A School Library Journal Best Book
A Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book
Amazon.com Best Book of the Year
[STAR] "A sumptuous feast of a novel, rich in mood, character, and emotion."--School Library Journal, Starred
[STAR] "Every detail is meticulously inscribed into a multi-layered narrative that is as wise, honest, and moving as it is cunningly worked. Readers . . . will find this brilliantly crafted work utterly absorbing."--The Bulletin, Starred
[STAR] "Brilliantly realized, complete, and complex. The novel is rich with detail, and both the Brooklyn and Paris settings provide important grounding for the haunting and beautifully told story."--Kirkus Reviews, Starred
From the Hardcover edition.
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"for the past 3 years the only books i've purchased are ones that i have already read by borrowing from the public library. very few do i say 'i really NEED this book'. this was one of those books. i love books that have a character that is as obsessed with music as me."
— Natalie (5 out of 5 stars)
“Narrators Emily Janice Card and Emma Bering elegantly bridge the story’s two worlds—current-day Brooklyn and eighteenth-century France.”
— Washington Post (audio review)WINNER - 2011 Young Adult Book of the Year - American Booksellers AssociationAn ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults A Kirkus Reviews Best Book #1 Indiebound Pick for Fall 2010 A School Library Journal Best Book A Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book Amazon.com Best Book of the Year
[STAR] “Andi Alpers, a 17-year-old music lover, is about to be expelled from her elite private school. Despite her brilliance, she has not been able to focus on anything except music since the death of her younger brother, which pushed the difficulties in her family to the breaking point. She resists accompanying her work-obsessed father to Paris, especially after he places her mentally fragile mother in a hospital, but once there works in earnest on her senior thesis about an 18th-century French musician. But when she finds the 200-year-old diary of another teen, Alexandrine Paradis, she is plunged into the chaos of the French Revolution. Soon, Alex’s life and struggles become as real and as painful for Andi as her own troubled life. Printz Honor winner Donnelly combines compelling historical fiction with a frank contemporary story. Andi is brilliantly realized, complete and complex. The novel is rich with detail, and both the Brooklyn and Paris settings provide important grounding for the haunting and beautifully told story.
— Kirkus Reviews, Starred[STAR] “Every detail is meticulously inscribed into a multi-layered narrative that is as wise, honest, and moving as it is cunningly worked…The interplay between the contemporary and the historical is seamless in both plot and theme, and the storytelling grips hard and doesn’t let go. Readers fascinated with French history, the power of music, and/or contemporary realist fiction will find this brilliantly crafted work utterly absorbing.
— The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Starred[STAR] "Andi Alpers’s younger brother died two years ago and his death has torn her family apart. She’s on antidepressants and is about to flunk out of her prep school. Her mother spends all day painting portraits of her lost son and her father has all but disappeared, focusing on his Nobel Prize-winning genetics work. He reappears suddenly at the beginning of winter break to institutionalize his wife and whisk Andi off to Paris with him. There he will be conducting genetic tests on a heart rumored to belong to the last dauphin of France. He hopes that Andi will be able to put in some serious work on her senior thesis regarding mysterious 18th-century guitarist Amadé Malherbeau. In Paris, Andi finds a lost diary of Alexandrine Paradis, companion to the dauphin, and meets Virgil, a hot Tunisian-French world-beat hip-hop artist. Donnelly’s story of Andi’s present life with her intriguing research and growing connection to Virgil overshadowed by depression is layered with Alexandrine’s quest, first to advance herself and later to somehow save the prince from the terrors of the French Revolution. While teens may search in vain for the music of the apparently fictional Malherbeau, many will have their interest piqued by the connections Donnelly makes between classical musicians and modern artists from Led Zeppelin to Radiohead. Revolution is a sumptuous feast of a novel, rich in mood, character, and emotion. With multiple hooks, it should appeal to a wide range of readers.
— School Library Journal, Starred…sharply articulated, raw emotions and insights into science and art; ambition and love; history’s ever-present influence; and music’s immediate, astonishing power…
— BooklistEven kids who don’t usually like historical fiction won’t be able to put Revolution down, especially given its great modern-day story.
— PublishersWeekly.com"Before the book is done ... we'll have taken a long strange trip of our own in Andi's company: back and forth between present-tense Andi and past-tense Alexandrine, between contemporary Paris and the filthy, terrorized streets of Robespierre's day, and deep into the clammy, bone-filled catacombs that underlie the city and where, in this ... memorable novel, past and present connect in a frightening, disorienting fashion.As in her previous novel for young adults, the award-winning A Northern Light, Jennifer Donnelly combines impeccable historical research with lively, fully fashioned characters to create an indelible narrative. Revolution is a complex story, moving back and forth in time and including allusions not only to historical events but also to literature (especially Dante’s Divine Comedy) and to music from Handel to Wagner to Radiohead. Yet this undeniably cerebral book is also simultaneously wise and achingly poignant.
— BookPage.comThis beautiful and complicated story effortlessly blends history, romance, music and tragedy into a must-read about two girls who connect across centuries.
— Justine MagazineI could say that I recommend Revolution to lovers of music and historical fiction (which I do), but that is not enough. The story is an impressive blend of contemporary fiction and historical fiction, with heart-wrenching character development.
— LoveYALit.comRevolution is an exciting foray into history, music and grief. It's a melodic story of love and friendship—of bonds that tie time together.
— The Daily Monacle (blog)Rich and ambitious...Beautifully written and thoroughly researched.
— The Guardian (UK)“Every detail is meticulously inscribed into a multilayered narrative that is as wise, honest, and moving as it is cunningly worked…Brilliantly crafted.”
— Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)“Donnelly combines compelling historical fiction with a frank contemporary story…Both the Brooklyn and Paris settings provide important grounding for the haunting and beautifully told story.”
— Kirkus Reviews“A sumptuous feast of a novel, rich in mood, character, and emotion.”
— School Library Journal (starred review)“Even kids who don’t usually like historical fiction won’t be able to put Revolution down, especially given its great modern-day story.”
— Publishers Weekly“Combines impeccable historical research with lively, fully fashioned characters to create an indelible narrative…This undeniably cerebral book is also simultaneously wise and achingly poignant.”
— BookPage" I really struggled with what I was going to rate this book. The writing style leaves much to be desired, but then again...I stayed up to 4am to finish the book. The storyline was great and the mix between historical fact and fiction was cool but the blending of the two just didn't work for me. There were too many times where the speech of the characters should have been more historical accurate...especially with Alex's journal, and it sort of ruined the authenticity of the moments created. It is most definitely a teen book and I only rate this book a 3 instead of a 1 or 2 because it has intrigued me enough to go read more on the French Revolution, especially about the lost king. "
— Casey, 2/19/2014" I think this was a totally well researched book. I listened to it in audio and the readers were amazing. The story? Meh. "
— Josie, 1/25/2014" gripping and well-written, but dark, and negative towards God "
— Jodi, 1/17/2014" I found myself changed at the end. "
— Marie, 12/1/2013" Loved It !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
— Kiana, 11/19/2013" This book sucked me about 50 pages in. Loved how the French Revolution history was weaved in. "
— Stephanie, 8/31/2013" I enjoyed it. It was slow to get going, but then started to move at lightning speed. "
— Andrea, 5/27/2013" Don't quit, it starts out a little slow and winy but redeems itself. "
— Sheri, 4/3/2013" Very good. A great book for teens and history buffs. "
— Angela, 12/7/2012" another great historical fiction by Jennifer Donnelly. A lot of research for historical background and the musical info included in this book are amazing. I think I understand French history a bit more, but is still confusing to me. "
— Vicki, 4/3/2012" A little slow at the beginning -plus Andi, the main character, was unlikable at first. I really got into it about 1/4 of the way in. "
— Lisa, 1/24/2012" Not a super great book but a fun read. If you are looking for a bit of mystery and history you will enjoy it! "
— Magen, 11/16/2011" Excellent YA historical fiction. Rebellious musician teen in Paris discoveres diary of revolutionary era street performer and caretaker of the king's son. lots of fun! "
— Alhanson, 9/29/2011" It was okay- occasionally had bad language and was a little depressing at times, but turned out to be fairly alright. "
— Ally, 6/8/2011" Pretty good. A couple awkward transitions. Wonder how it might compare to Sarah's Key. Similar events? "
— Vj, 5/26/2011" This took a very long time to hook me. But the last quarter of the book is worth the ride. "
— Erica, 5/25/2011" This book was great! As a chronic end reader, I loved that reading the end of the book didn't give very much away. The lives of the two girls are interwoven really well. Kept me reading straight to the end and well past my bed time :) "
— Jessica, 5/22/2011" The intertwined stories suck you in. I found myself more interested in Alex from the French Revolution than Andi the depressed teenager who finds herself addicted to Alex's diary.<br/><br/>One of the best historical Fiction books I've read. "
— Brenda, 5/18/2011" This book is a life changing book. "
— Tammy, 5/17/2011" Great. I loved this book. Very good coming-of-age story "
— Grace, 5/15/2011" I liked this book--it got a little weird toward the end, but it was a VERY interesting book. <br/>I learned a lot from it!!! "
— Tammy, 5/14/2011" Wow awesome book I recommend it, it has a great story line. It kept my attention I loved it, it's historical and somewhat educational. I strongly recommend it "
— Chelsea, 5/13/2011" This book is one of my favorites ,and would buy this book if I could. "
— Broken, 5/12/2011Jennifer Donnelly writes books for children and adults. She has written novels in the Rose series and the Waterfire Saga, as well as eight stand-alone novels. Her young adult novel A Northern Light won the Carnegie Medal and a Printz Award Honor.
Emily Rankin is an audio narrator and winner of two AudioFile Earphones Awards.
Emma Bering is an Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator whose readings include The Second Empress by Michelle Moran, Bride of New France by Suzanne Desrochers, and A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper, among many others.