Revolution

Revolution
By: Jennifer Donnelly

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. 

Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart







I read Donnelly's A Northern Light a few months ago and when I started it, I honestly didn't think I would like it.  In my opinion it was extremely slow at first but I kept on truckin'!  After I got past page fifty I couldn't put it down and got mad when my husband pestered me about how hungry he was.  Seriously? How could he think about eating at a time like this?!  Doesn't he know how beautiful, and lyrical, and somewhat depressing this book is?  Doesn't he know that I can't put the book down until I finish?   Well, he didn't and I had to wait to finish the book, and I grumbled the whole time that I was making dinner.  LOL I'm such a baby  :D  Anyways,  A Northern Light was definitely one of the most surprisingly good books I found this year and I am so glad I gave it a chance.  So when I found out that Donnelly had another book coming out I squealed with joy!  But then I made an agonizing noise when I learned it was coming out in hardcover  YUCK!  Luckily, with my new obsession of going to the library and not reading my own books at home, I found Revolution at the library!  I jumped for joy and no joke, ran to check the book out, then ran to my car, then ran into the house, then jumped on the couch and didn't put the book down.

So now that you know the whole story of how I acquired this book, and I know that you care deeply about how I got it, let's move on to me gushing about this most recent book from Donnelly.

Seriously this book is so beautiful. Everything about it, the cover, the words inside, the story, the characters....<3

Andi is majorly depressed about the loss of her brother, and she's just barely hanging on to her own life.  Thoughts of suicide are always running through her head, and she's pretty much pushed everyone away. Andi's voice is so incredibly smart and sarcastic and so brutally honest.  The one thing that keeps her hanging on is her love of music.  I mean like, classical music, Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, and tons more people that I have never even heard of.  Her guitar, is her life line, literally.  Donnelly brings a lot of musical knowledge into the story and most times I had no idea what was going on.  I am not musically oriented at all, and there were times when she talks about specific chords, or references to an artist I've never heard of.  But instead of being discouraged and my lack of understanding, Donnelly makes me want to go out and research everything she talks about.

The French Revolution plays a major part in the plot and I'll be honest, I am almost positive that we never studied it in history class.  Or maybe I was sleeping?  So basically, I know/knew absolutely nothing about the French Revolution which is sad, but now I want to know everything about it!  Donnelley works the Revolution flawlessly into the story using Alexandrine's diary as the tool to bring the history into the present.

This book is so layered with history, music, art and other things, and Donnelly brings it all together in such a beautiful way that I am considering reading this book one more time just to catch all the things that I am sure I missed.

If you get a chance to read this book, seriously, do, it's probably one of the best books I have read all year and now that I am writing this review I want to run out and get the *gasp* hardcover copy of this book. Yes, I loved it that much.