Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, Delacorte Books for Young Readers , 2010
ISBN: 978-0385737630
Plot Summary
When Andi Alpers’ father hears of his daughter’s near flunking school status he is less than pleased. Determined to make her do her work, a senior thesis on the musician Amandé Malherbeau, he forces her to travel with him to Paris where he has agreed to do some DNA consulting for a friend of his. Despite her reluctance to leave behind her sick mother and her music lessons with her favorite professor, Andi agrees to go, fearing she has little choice in the matter. She even agrees to complete her thesis after her father promises to send her home as soon as she finishes it. But as Andi begins work on her paper, she stumbles upon what seems to be an ancient diary. Soon she is captivated by the narrative of Alexandrine, a girl who struggled to survive the French Revolution while serving as Prince Louis Charles’ playmate. Soon Andi forgets all else except Alexandrine’s story and the unsettling parallels she discovers between their two lives. Can Alexandrine’s diary heal the deep pain in Andi’s life and help make her whole once more?
Critical Evaluation
Nominated for eleven awards, Revolution is equally as remarkable as Donnelly’s most famous book, A Northern Light. While Revolution’s plot is riveting it is Donnelly’s lyrical language that makes this novel a true masterpiece. Whether describing the streets of New York, the sunrise over the Sacré Coeur, or the palpable fear permeating the homes of the aristocrats during the French Revolution, Donnelly is a true genius with words. For example, when protagonist Andi describes Paris she doesn’t write of its streets or its monuments but of its people: “I love this shadow city. I love the red-lipped working girl in her cheap heels. And the hornswoggler slinking home after his one-nighter. I love the pink-cheeked farmer’s wife carrying a wheel of cheese above her head” (p. 258). Not only is Donnelly’s language sophisticated and evocative but her characters are equally as well-crafted. Through each of her characters Donnelly explores the themes of love and loss, heartbreak and joy, family ties and academic pursuits. Indeed, Donnelly’s Revolution is a true masterpiece that should have a prominent place within every library’s collection.
Reader’s Annotation
As Andi Alpers struggles to come to terms with her brother’s death, her father’s negligence, and her mother’s illness she stumbles upon a diary containing a centuries’ old mystery that may just be the key needed to unlock her hurt and allow her to heal.
About the Author
Jennifer Donnelly is a true inspiration for all aspiring authors. Her first novel, Tea Rose, took her ten years to write. She was lucky enough to work with her favorite literary agency and a fortuitous partnership with editor Simon Lipskar began. After she revised Tea Rose with Lipskar’s recommendations it would take another year before a publishing house would accept her book. Eventually Donnelly became a full-time author winning such awards as the Carnegie medal, Printz honor, and L.A. Times Book prize. Although Donnelly writes critically acclaimed novels she still struggles with the writing process. On her website she states that she often thinks about having other jobs: “[I think about doing other things] [w]hen the writing is hard, yes. And the writing is hard every single time I sit down to do it”. However, Donnelly later points out that authors can be many things through the characters they write which is partly why she perseveres in her craft. Additionally, Donnelly confesses that she writes because she “love[s] words and stories…[and] would be grief-stricken every day of [her] life if [she] couldn’t write”.
Donnelly, J. (n.d.). Frequently asked questions. Retrieved from http://www.jenniferdonnelly.com/faq.html
Genre
Adventure, Bibliotherapy—neglectful parents, Historical fiction, Historical science fiction, Mystery
Tags
Malherbeau, academia, neglectful parents, absent father, mental illness, artists, music, performance art, French Revolution, Louis-Charles, Paris
Curriculum Ties
This book would fit in perfectly in a unit on the French Revolution. Educators may also find it useful when teaching about the history of music, suicide, and the interconnectedness of the world.
Booktalk Ideas
--Collect various items that could be connected to the book and ask audience members what they could have in common. For example, you could include sheet music composed by Amadé Malherbeau, a firework, a guitar pick, and a model of DNA.
--Play some form of Six Degrees of Separation in which audience members connect things or people to each other. Then explain how Andi’s journey interconnects with her father’s, Alexandrine’s, and Prince Louis-Charles’.
Reading Level/Interest Age
Reading Level: Roughly 7th grade
Interest Level: 9th-12th grade (14-18 yrs.)
I determined the reading level by viewing the reading level Scholastic Reading Wizard assigned to Donnelly’s A Northern Light. Because the author wrote both books for a similar audience I assumed the reading level was similar. Scholastic Book Wizard: http://bookwizard.scholastic.com
Challenge Issues
This book contains disturbing situations such as suicide, beheadings, and graphic details surrounding Prince Louis Charles’ demise. I believe that the best way librarians can defend this book is through showing adults how it ties to school curriculum (particularly units on the French Revolution). Additionally, librarians can point out that while the book contains suicide it in no way glorifies it while explaining the library’s collection policy.
Favorite Quotes
“Ms. Hammond sighed. ‘History is a Rorschach test, people,’ she said. ‘What you see when you look at it tells you as much about yourself as it does about the past.’” (p. 300)
“And yet it is hard even now for me to hate him, for I believe he meant no harm. You would not beat your dog because he is not a cat. He was born and dog and cannot change it. The king was born a king and could not change that either” –Alexandrine (p. 170).
“I tried to be goodly. I tried to be godly. But I got so tired of being ignored. Cry your grief to God. Howl to the heavens. Tear your shirt. Your hair. Your flesh. Gouge out your eyes. Carve out your heart. And what will you get from Him? Only silence. Indifference. But merely stand looking at the playbills, sighing because your name is not on tem, and the devil himself appears at your elbow full of sympathy and suggestions. And that’s why I did it. Why I served him. Why I stayed. Because God loves us, but the devil takes an interest.” –Alexandrine (p. 348).
“Do you still not know that great men are seldom good?” –Alexandrine (p. 332)
Why Was This Included?
I belong to a Yahoo! Group called adbooks (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adbooks). The best part of the group comes in November when fellow member Jonathan Hunt collects a list of the best Young Adult fiction of the year. Together, community members vote one book off the list every week and collectively vote for the best book out of the top five remaining titles. Revolution was part of the 2011 list although it was beat out by Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta. I never have enough time to read the full list so I’ve wanted to read Revolution for some time now. I’ve found that in belonging to adbooks I’ve read some of the best YA fiction of past years and books that I wouldn’t read otherwise. Revolution is one of these books as it is 496 pages (I have trouble committing to longer books).
No comments:
Post a Comment