Welcome to the Historical Fiction Online forums: a friendly place to discuss, review and discover historical fiction.
If this is your first visit, please be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You will have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing posts, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

June 2011 BOTM: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

A monthly discussion on varying themes guided by our members. (Book of the Month discussions through December 2011 can be found in this section too.)
User avatar
Misfit
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 9581
Joined: August 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Fri June 3rd, 2011, 2:33 pm

[quote=""boswellbaxter""](I moved the Kindle discussions.)[/quote]

Thank you. Good idea so those not following this thread might have some input.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

User avatar
Divia
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4435
Joined: August 2008
Location: Always Cloudy, Central New York

Post by Divia » Fri June 10th, 2011, 1:30 am

We are in early June. I dunno if there is anyone who read the book for this month.
News, views, and reviews on books and graphic novels for young adult.
http://yabookmarks.blogspot.com/

annis
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4585
Joined: August 2008

Post by annis » Fri June 10th, 2011, 3:13 am

I've read it, but it was a while ago. I would need to re-read before discussing it, and I haven't got my copy back yet...

User avatar
boswellbaxter
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3066
Joined: August 2008
Location: North Carolina
Contact:

Post by boswellbaxter » Fri June 10th, 2011, 3:17 am

Four people voted for it, and I know a couple have read it. If you've read it, what did you like or dislike about it?
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/

User avatar
Misfit
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 9581
Joined: August 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Fri June 10th, 2011, 3:30 am

I've been sitting on my hands waiting for the discussion to get going. I didn't hate it, but the teenage angst was way OTT for me. All the guitar/music references were too much as well.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

User avatar
Matt Phillips
Reader
Posts: 100
Joined: August 2009

Post by Matt Phillips » Fri June 10th, 2011, 9:10 pm

I enjoyed it. The angst was pretty intense, that's true: I kept telling myself, "But her younger brother died, her family fell apart, and she feels responsible." And that did go a long way toward helping me tolerate the saturating darkness of much of the story.

But what kept me going was curiosity about the execution of the concept. She did a great job setting up the French Revolution story through Andi's discovery and reading of the diary, and later her own immersion in the story (albeit
). I found the diary entries and Andi's experiences in the Paris of 1795 very vivid and tense, really evoking the atmosphere and fear of the Terror. (But the French Revolution is not my area of expertise, so I can't vouch for the accuracy. Those who know more about it may feel differently.)

I enjoyed the musical references and the role music played in the story. The way Andi would talk about getting lost in the music, its therapeutic and intellectual importance for her - that came across as very realistic and compelling to me.

The ending did leave me scratching my head a bit, though.
I guess overall I would've liked to have seen a clearer connection between the climatic events and the outcome for the protagonist, but I still enjoyed it and found it a very immersive reading experience.

User avatar
Misfit
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 9581
Joined: August 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Fri June 10th, 2011, 9:49 pm

I came away with this wondering just what it was I missed, and glad to see your comments Matt. There were also a couple of commenters all over the Amazon reviews (back slapping the possies and nay saying the critical ones) and their constant theme seemed to be some hidden message or something that we critical reviewers weren't getting.

Perhaps someone who has read the book can enlighten me.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

User avatar
Matt Phillips
Reader
Posts: 100
Joined: August 2009

Post by Matt Phillips » Tue June 21st, 2011, 9:56 pm

OK, I went back and reread some of the scenes, and I think the causal link driving the resolution becomes clearer looking at Alexandrine's quote, ""It goes on, this world, stupid and brutal. But I do not. I do not."

Locked

Return to “Feature of the Month”