Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Revolution

by Jennifer Donnelly

Summary:
Andi has nowhere to go.  Trapped by the grief after the death of her younger brother, guilty that she might have been able to stop it, abandoned by a father who moved out and a mother whose grief has rendered her completely dependent on Andi, she has nowhere left to turn.  There is only one thing that comforts her, her music, but even that has not been enough.  When she finds herself stuck in Paris for two weeks with her father, she turns even more to her music.  When she finds a 18th century guitar in the house they are staying in, she finds comfort in it's strings.  But it is the diary she finds hidden inside it, written by a 17 year old girl during the French Revolution, which helps her find the peace she needs.

Review:
Revolution weaves French history with modern life in an interesting fashion.  The book deftly showcases life during the revolution, a time of horror for those who lived it, and relates it to the struggles that Andi is having in her life, as well as putting things in perspective for her.  The book is pretty accurate in it's history, though it does take liberties to incorporate Alexandrine's acts.  The book is also interesting in how it relates the struggles both girls have, both struggling with loss and feeling abandoned and alone.  In the end it is Alexandrine who gives Andi the strength to move forward with life.

Genre: Historical Fiction/Contemporary Fiction
Age Level: 8-9th Grade

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