Book Review: The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner

Yann, a gypsy orphan raised by a dwarf in a magic show, meets convent raised Sido, the daughter of a ridiculously self indulgent marquis, near Paris on the cusp of the French Revolution. His love for her is as instant as his hate of their common enemy – the sinister Count Kalliovski. Can Yann find a way to save Sido from the count, her hateful father, and the upheaval of the revolution and subsequent Jacobin reign of terror?

Ever since doing a term paper on Charlotte Corday (the assassin of Marat, a key revolutionary figure and leader of the reign of terror), I have been fascinated with the French revolution and its aftermath. This novel is a successful historical thriller with elements of the supernatural woven in. Each of our three main characters is shrouded in mystery that is slowly revealed during the course of the narrative (though a few details are left open – perhaps saved for a possible sequel).

Some reviewers thought Sido was too passive as a character, but I thought she served the historically accurate storyline. Yann was well rounded enough to distract from Sido’s deficits, and I’m sure Sido would bloom once given the chance to live outside the extreme confines of her upbringing.

This is one I gulped down in one sitting – maybe you will too. The Red Necklace is out now in hardcover.