Revolution - Jennifer Donnelly

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 12, 2010
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library || Hardcover

Andi Alpers is dealing with a lot of things, but they all stem from just one - the death of her brother Truman. When he discovers that she's nearly going to be expelled, her father whisks her off to accompany him on a trip to Paris. 

Alexandrine Paradis dreamed of becoming of the greats on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her into the role of her life - and one she 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. (adapted from book flap)

The appeal of historical fiction lies in the author’s ability to give readers an alternative look at history, and Revolution certainly does that. Donnelly takes the experiences of two different teenage girls – Andi, who lives in the modern world, and Alexandrine, who was alive during the French Revolution – and somehow manages to weave them seamlessly together. There’s a satisfying combination of historical facts and fictional imaginings to be had, and the book simply awed me with its beautiful prose. Though it might be hard to get into at the start, the book is fantastic and I’d highly recommend it as a prime example of historical fiction in YA.

Andi Alpers has a lot to deal with: her mother’s spiral into depression, her father’s non-participation in her life, her requirements for school, the classmates she’s forced to face every single day at her exclusive school. But the one thing that overshadows them all is the death of her little brother Truman – an event that’s left Andi feeling guilty, depressed and contemplating more than once about ending her own life (and having a few close calls). She’s suffering from severe emotional trauma, and that makes her prickly and obnoxious and a bit self-centered.

But the longer we read about Andi, we learn more about her: her passion for music, her love for her family, her intelligence and odd sense of humor. Readers realize that she’s put up a wall against any emotions in order to prevent herself from feeling the pain and the guilt – and that’s when I began to form a connection with her. She might not be the easiest main character to like, but she’s certainly one that readers will warm up to and certainly sympathize with.

I was definitely able to connect with Alexandrine. Even though we only really learn of her through the entries in her diary, she felt like a real person. Her story began simply enough, with her as the underdog fighting for a way to help feed her family. But as she began to rise up in her own life, she had to go through so many different things. Her story is fascinating, almost as much as it is heartbreaking, and I fell in love with her bravery, loyalty and intelligence. Donnelly did an incredible job bringing her to life, and I do like that she took the time to do so.

Donnelly writes both these stories with a deft hand. There’s enough detail in the lives of both girls for me to really be invested in discovering what they’d do. I was fascinated in seeing how parts of Alex’s story seemed to evoke certain emotions and reactions from Andi, and Donnelly was clever enough to keep both stories going on simultaneously.

Various tidbits about the French Revolution were inserted into the novel, which were done in a way that offered a fresh perspective (from Alex). While it’s obviously important to know the facts about it, it’s also interesting to read a fictional account of what it might have felt like for the people who were in the thick of it.

Music was another aspect of this book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Andi is obsessed with music and has decided to do her outline for her senior thesis on a musician named Malherbeau, who added a whole new dynamic to music with his pieces. Even though he’s a fictional musician, I was fascinated by all the other real musical artists that were mentioned in relation to him. Apart from that, we also see some original songs from Andi and two boys she meets while in Paris, which is pretty cool too.

There’s a little portion of the book that bothers me, and it happens towards the end. I thought it was an interesting turn of events, but I also questioned its necessity. It seemed a bit too fanciful for my tastes. Still, Donnelly surprised me with the turn she took with the plot, and I suppose that must count for something.

Even with its lengthiness, Revolution was a book that thoroughly delighted me. On the one hand, it tackled the story of a girl who was grieving and learning how to deal with it. On the other, it shared the inventive tale of another girl who changed the world for at least one person in a completely different historical period. The combination of these two stories, along with a shared thread of history and music, is what makes this novel unique. It may start slow, but Revolution is a well-written, well-executed novel that I’d definitely recommend to lovers of historical fiction. 

 This review was posted as part of It Takes Two.

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