The Red Necklace (French Revolution, #1)

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The Red Necklace (French Revolution #1)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 3,568 ratings · 633 reviews

The story of a remarkable boy called Yann Margoza; Tetu the dwarf, his friend and mentor; Sido, unloved daughter of a foolish Marquis; and Count Kalliovski, Grand Master of a secret society, who has half the aristocracy in thrall to him, and wants Yann dead. Yann is spirited away to London but three years later, when Paris is gripped by the bloody horrors of the Revolution...more

Paperback, 371 pages

Published October 4th 2007

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Community Reviews

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Feb 28, 2010 Cara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Cara by: Ginny

Shelves: 2010, fantasy, historical-fiction, male-protagonist, recommended-to-me

Magic and historical fiction! I was sold from the beginning. You don't see that too often and I picked up the book with eager hands.

Yann is a gypsy boy who can throw his voice, read minds and sometimes even see into the future. On one fateful night he loses his gift, but not before he meets the limp but beautiful Sido. They don't know it yet, but they will see each other again and have much more impact on each other than they could imagine.

The plot is shrouded with mystery and hidden secrets. Ma...more

8 likes · like · see review

Nov 10, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Amber Gibson for TeensReadToo.com

THE RED NECKLACE is a fascinating tale of the French Revolution, the story of Yann, a gypsy boy, and Sido, the daughter of a Marquis. As fate would have it, their histories are intertwined in a way that both need the other if they are to have any hope of surviving the bloodbath of the Revolution.

Gardner's thorough research and grasp of the zeitgeist is apparent. The power of gypsy magic was a well-accepted fact of the time period and the inclusion of...more Reviewed by Amber Gibson for TeensReadToo.com

THE RED NECKLACE is a fascinating tale of the French Revolution, the story of Yann, a gypsy boy, and Sido, the daughter of a Marquis. As fate would have it, their histories are intertwined in a way that both need the other if they are to have any hope of surviving the bloodbath of the Revolution.

Gardner's thorough research and grasp of the zeitgeist is apparent. The power of gypsy magic was a well-accepted fact of the time period and the inclusion of the paranormal does not distract from the historical context of the novel, but actually adds to the dangerous and unpredictable atmosphere of the times. Dialogue between the aristocracy could have been more sophisticated to better illustrate the principles of the Revolution, but Gardner does an overall excellent job of depicting the Reign of Terror.

The night that Yann and Sido first meet, Yann is working as a magician's apprentice, putting on a show for the Marquis and other members of the French aristocracy, including the sinister Count Kalliovski. When the magician is murdered by Kalliovski, Sido shows unexpected courage in helping Yann escape a similar fate.

Years pass before Yann has a chance to repay the favor. Sido, like all French aristocracy, is in danger of the raging passions from the hoi polloi, and also from an impending marriage to Count Kalliovski, a fate that is perhaps worse than death. Can Yann rescue Sido from both the guillotine and one of the most merciless men on the planet?

Gardner is successful in crafting a strong hero in Yann, though Sido is at times a frustratingly passive damsel in distress. However, she does have rare moments where she manages to redeem herself and display heroine potential.

The Marquis de Villeduval, Sido's father, is an utterly despicable - if somewhat flat - character with nary a redeeming quality. Count Kalliovski is a wonderfully constructed villain, with danger and power augmenting his every action, and an open-end that allows him to return with a vengeance in THE SILVER BLADE, Gardner's follow-up, detailing the height of the Reign of Terror.

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Jun 09, 2008 Molly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: recommended-reads, authors-i-adore

I loved Sally Gardner's I, CORIANDER, and was eager as could be to get my hands on the ARC for her next book. I was an even happier girl to find that her next book was one that combined two of my favorite topics: the French Revolution (yes, this is a direct result of the Les Miz obsession of my teenage theatre years) and GYPSIES! (Seriously. What is it about the word "gypsies" in any form that I find so irresistible?!)

And glad to say that THE RED NECKLACE was totally engaging, well-written, wel...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 19, 2012 Kat (Le Pauvre Cœur) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: awesome-main-character, historical-fiction

Tom Hiddleston read this.

Tom fucking Hiddleston read this.

I...must listen to this audiobook.

He could read me a cookbook and I'd happily and joyously listen to it.

EDIT: Alas, I couldn't find the UK audiobook, but I'm reading it anyway. If anyone knows of somewhere I can listen to it, please let me know!

EDIT AGAIN My good friend Sei gave me a link to the audiobook, and now I'm listening and reading it at the same time. :)

Actual Review

Well, it was okay. I love historical fiction, but I didn't...more

25 likes · like · see review

Oct 16, 2011 Jo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, ya, boy-crush, gorgeous-prose, when-can-i-move-in, you-got-a-friend-in-me, hometown-ya

Les Mis-lite.

OK, I kind of demolished this.
Whoops.
I enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would.
Just shows you don't need angst and star-crossed lovers and douchey boys to make a book interesting.

You need bloody revolutions, headless mannequins, blackmail, intrigue, magicians and a lovely, sweet romance with a girl who is just cute as a button.

YES.

Full review to come when my laptop isn't throwing a wobbly.

5 likes · like · see review

Sep 30, 2012 April rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, summer-challenge-2009, ya

The greatest thing about The Red Necklace was the cover. You've got pretty hair and a pretty dress, clearly the book must be good, right? Wrong, this book was horrible!
Read the rest of my review here

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Jun 21, 2011 Alkyoni ~ Kingfisher of books rated it 3 of 5 stars

So. The Red Necklace. To be honest, I’m not sure about my feelings for this book. While I, all in all, enjoyed it, there was something missing there.
The story begins in France, 1789. The year when everything changes. Aristocrats are pursued, the people turn into a mob, so on, so on. I’m pretty sure I don’t really need to introduce you to the facts. You probably know the basic things.
This book doesn’t have to do solely with the political turmoil of that period, and the writer did not write it...more So. The Red Necklace. To be honest, I’m not sure about my feelings for this book. While I, all in all, enjoyed it, there was something missing there.
The story begins in France, 1789. The year when everything changes. Aristocrats are pursued, the people turn into a mob, so on, so on. I’m pretty sure I don’t really need to introduce you to the facts. You probably know the basic things.
This book doesn’t have to do solely with the political turmoil of that period, and the writer did not write it in order to discuss the political ideas. This story is about Yann, a young gypsy boy and Sido, the loveless daughter of a Marquis.
Let’s begin with what I liked about the book, no? First of all, it was intriguing. I mean, this book has the French Revolution, a gypsy boy who can perform magic, love, turmoil, betrayal, all that. How can such a recipe fail, right?
It’s true. I loved the parts of the story that involved the Gypsies, mostly because I find them very intriguing and fascinating. I loved the magic in the book, because it was slight, there but not taking over. A whiff of superstition but at the same time it’s presence was undeniable. You just HAD to recognize Yann’s talents. That the world is made up of people who choose to see and those who don’t. Man, I felt thrilled as I read about it.
I also loved the villain. Not in a oh-my-god-I’m-in-love king of way (I’m no fan-girl), but in the whoa-that-dude-is-seriously-evil sort of way. You had to acknowledge the fact that the guy would kill, period. Like his motto said: Show no mercy, have no mercy.
The plot was good, actually. No serious plot-holes, as far as I could see. And interesting and it made you want to read more.
AND! The serious thumbs-up for me was the fact that the book can be read as a stand-alone. There was a bit of a cliffhanger but an acceptable one. One full of promise and not dread.
And there was no whining. Thank the lord for that.
However, as I said, I did have some minor problems with the book.
First of all, the writing. It might be just me, but it seemed to as if Mrs. Gardner wrote the book in a hurry. As if she had this awesome idea in her head and she just started writing and writing and writing. Which I totally understand. Really. But sometimes I felt that she had merely mentioned some of the events, rather than describing them and making them clear to me.
And sometimes I had the feeling that it was too easy to solve a problem. I am not sure whether I’m right or not, that’s just a feeling I had.
Now, the main characters. I had a problem with them. I liked them, really, I did, but I felt as if they were acquaintances of mine, like I didn’t really know them. If you asked me what they liked, what aspirations they had, what kind of people they were I would be vague and probably a bit of a cliché. But, to be fair, I loved them all the same. They were passionate and stubborn and when need be, courageous.
But I still think that Mrs. Gardner should have gone a bit deeper into their psyche.
Now, the romance. That, I did not understand. They met once. Briefly. For years. And they fell in love. Right.
Ok, the romantic in me simply cannot reject the notion of love at first sight. I simply can’t. And to be honest, I don’t want to. I mean, I understand on Sido’s part, seeing as she had been restricted all her life, never really meeting boys her age. And I suppose she was a romantic too. But, Yann? Ok, he was taken in by her beauty and her courage, when she helped him escape, but, I expected him to forget her afterwards. Until he saw her again, possibly, sometime in the future. Though, Mrs Gardner, did not make the mistake other authors have done by making him monastic after he met Sido. No, he afterwards went to London for some years, and from what we could tell he did NOT act like a monk, mooning over Sido. For which I give a thumbs up at Mrs. Garner. Seriously. That was a detail perhaps but still it was well-placed.
Oh, ok, at first the romance was a bit irrational, but I still liked this book. And later on Sido and Yann’s love was just so sweet! I cheered for those guys. No meaningless love triangle, no stalking, no obsessing to an unbearable degree. Plus, I liked them both, so duh.
Alright. So, basically, I enjoyed this book. Some might think that three stars is too little, but hey, it’s three solid stars, and maaaaybe closer to three and a half stars. I did enjoy this book and in the same day I finished the second of the series. So, I recommend it and I’m looking forward to more work by Mrs. Gardner.
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Jul 11, 2010 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Valerie by: Ginny

Shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy

This book is unique, but then again I haven't read any other book about the French Revolution. In school they kind of just skim the French Revolution so I didn't know completely what to expect on the historical front. The story isn't directly in the action, at least in the beginning, but our heroes really get involved in the violence in Paris about half-way through.

The first half of the book was good though I like the second half better. Yann and Sido meet once and never forget each other thoug...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 15, 2011 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, ya-kids-teen, 2009, penguin, own, annoying-protagonist, mc-girl

More like 3.5
I usually am a very big fan of historical fiction---if it is done right.
Sally Gardner is a great historical fiction storyteller, and though The Red Necklace is not one of the best books I've read, it's pretty good.
The setting is 1789-1792 France, with a brief switch over to England. I saw similarites to The Scarlet Pimpernel and A Tale of Two Cities, not only in the setting and plot but also in the story's more intricate details.
Sally Gardner has such a natural gift for using lite...more More like 3.5
I usually am a very big fan of historical fiction---if it is done right.
Sally Gardner is a great historical fiction storyteller, and though The Red Necklace is not one of the best books I've read, it's pretty good.
The setting is 1789-1792 France, with a brief switch over to England. I saw similarites to The Scarlet Pimpernel and A Tale of Two Cities, not only in the setting and plot but also in the story's more intricate details.
Sally Gardner has such a natural gift for using literary elements-- The Red Necklace is full of clever metaphors, allusions and personifications as 18th century France is brought to life. In response to opinions that Gardner "overexaggerates" in her story - both with respect to characters and situations - I humbly remind people that the French Revolution was one major exaggeration after another. Aristocrats were extremely foppish and out-of-touch with reality, and poor, wretched, put-upon peasants turned out-of-control savage. The time of this age swung from one extreme to another. And the two main villains of the novel--a foppish (that's my word of the day, I guess) Marquis and the sinister Count Kalliovski --are entertainingly one-sided. JUST BECAUSE A CHARACTER IS ONE-SIDED DOES NOT MEAN HE IS FLAT! Sometimes the best villains - especially in childrens/YA literature - are the ones who are just downright bad. That being said, the narration didnt really show Kalliovski's POV until the very last of the story, and I would have liked more of a window into his behavior throughout the story. I'm okay with evil characters doing evil things, but I'd like to know why they do evil things or what their purpose is for doing evil things. I'm still a bit confused, in fact, about Kalliovski's reasons for doing anything.
While I love the story's two protagonists - a mysterious gypsy boy named Yann and a longsuffering aristocrat-with-a-heart-of-gold Sido, I feel a bit disappointed by their relationship. Reading reviews of The Red Necklace, I was under the impression that the book would spend a great deal of time - or at least SOME time - on their romantic development, but actually, they only have a few conversations together. Yes, they're in love and all that, but why? Sally Gardner is such a talented author and she really has a gift for words, so I wish she could have given their relationship a bit more detail.
- My one main criticism of the book comes out of this: Her beginning and end segments are clearly the strength of the book, and the middle drags. That being said, the last half of the book, I'd say (beginning when the book flashes forward to 1792) at times feels really rushed, and her once descriptive narrative voice gets choppy and sloppy. For example, when Yann first sees Sido after a 3-year-absence, they just start talking like "oh, whatever. there you are." And then ending...? It should have been better explained. I knew it was coming, but still... an author really needs to expand on the great "WHY's" of their books. And one more nitpicky thing: In historical fiction (particularly kids/YA) you cant just throw out characters without taking the time to explain who they are. The "Big Three" of the Revolution--Robespierre, Marat, and Danton, are all mentioned, but in a very random "name-dropping" sort of way. I knew who they were just because I'd just taken a class talking about the Revolution, but kids will have no idea who they are, so they might as well not have been mentioned.
- I will admit that my little issue could stem totally from the fact that I am a college-age history major. MS and HS kids will love this, and I certainly see this as a book I could read aloud to my future students (though I'd have to edit some parts. Thanks a lot, Gardner :P)

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Oct 13, 2008 Miss Clark rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a fantastical bent

Shelves: children-s, adventure, anglo-phile, fairytale-fantasy-sci-fi-mythology

Our story is over, though in its end lies its beginning.

A gorgeous story, with lovely descriptions and superb narration throughout, and an interesting plot. It is light on characterization, which is painted in rather broad strokes, with the protagonists spending very little actual time together. More of the main relationship is propelled through mystical/ emotional means.

Sido, the shy, neglected and mentally/ verbally abused daughter of the weak and spineless Marquis de Villeduval is a decent...more Our story is over, though in its end lies its beginning.

A gorgeous story, with lovely descriptions and superb narration throughout, and an interesting plot. It is light on characterization, which is painted in rather broad strokes, with the protagonists spending very little actual time together. More of the main relationship is propelled through mystical/ emotional means.

Sido, the shy, neglected and mentally/ verbally abused daughter of the weak and spineless Marquis de Villeduval is a decent heroine. I wished that a little more attention had been paid to her and what she must have endured. I did get irritated at her refusal to leave her awful father behind, who had only ever hated and hurt her, but I could understand it nonetheless.

The Marquis himself is almost comic in the pathetique of his self-absorbed stupidity, selfishness and unmitigated blindness to reality.

Count Kalliovski, our villain, exuded creepy, evilness right out of the pages of this book. Murderer of Topolain, Anis and countless others. Mysterious. Lustful. It is hinted at more than once that he has made some sort of pact with evil. All we really know is that he is Yann's father and that he had been "in love" with Anis, Yann's mother, and murdered her when she would not have him. At the end, it appears the Devil really is going to get him, that "cursed soul." Yann and Sido best beware!

Yann Margoza himself. 14 at story's beginning, 17 at the denoument and on his way back to France at the height of the French Revolution to try and save innocents from the slaughter. A full-blooded Gypsy/ Romany, he is quite gifted. Able to see the future and read minds, he can also work the threads of light, not to mention a talent for throwing his voice. There are hints that Yann is a great shaman-possibly the most powerful yet... Possibly, also, the "King of the Gypsy. That was less clear.

This is all set against the breathless backdrop of the French Revolution, one of the darkest periods in the history of Europe and certainly one of the most devastating for humanity. The bestial cruelty and sheer hateful butchery that was daily engaged in during those years of confusion and wholesale slaughter is still sickening to even contemplate. Sally Gardner seems to present the Revolution as good ideas gone terribly, horribly awry. I believe that the ideas of equality and freedom are paramount to all of mankind, at all times. No argument there. But after having looked into the Revolution's roots, I would have to say that Egalite and Liberte were not the driving forces that inspired those who engineered the Revolution - far from it as they sought to set themselves up as their own special class the first opportunity they had. They used those admirable and monumental goals to gain the support of the masses.... and then betrayed them when it no longer served their purposes to string them along. One review I saw suggested that Gardner portrayed Danton, Marat and Robespierre favorably, but I saw no sign of that. In fact, since they hang out with Kalliovski, I would say they are tinged by association with evil.

I discovered that there is a second book in what is being labeled the "French Revolution" series,though there is no indication if that is the end or if more are planned. It is due out next spring: The Silver Blade. Really looking forward to that volume. The Count is indeed back and kidnaps Sido, again, so Yann has to go get her.... I wonder what role the charm that Yann gave Sido will play?

Oh, and the US cover? Did not like it. If the girl on the cover is supposed to be Sido, she should have dark hair. If not, who is she supposed to be?(less)

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Jun 04, 2011 Candice rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This author is miraculous.
Every sentence is carefully sculpted full of metaphors (my favorite things! ~Sound of Music), alliteration, and literature that just makes you want to sing. I wish all authors took so much care about their writing.
After reading a bunch of books that were good and exciting but had no real literature, this was like a refreshing dip in a natural pool after a long, hot hike.
Please read this book!!!!!!!

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Oct 16, 2009 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

woah, was not anticipating this page turner, but it was a pretty intense read for being again another "young adult" book. The funny thing was that I initially borrowed the cd version from the library and intended to listen to it, but never got around to it. I was enthralled by the cover. Goes to show what a good cover can do for a book. Then the other day, I saw the cover and didn't even realize I was picking up the same book again, this time in the form of a book. I couldn't put it down for 3 d...more

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Jan 02, 2009 Lynda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Marvelous historical fiction set during the French Revolution. What more could you want when a novel contains mystery, romance, a magician, an orphan, a dwarf, an automotan and evil incarnate?

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Dec 27, 2008 Aaron rated it 3 of 5 stars

Yannick Magoza is a young, gypsy orphan that is being raised by a dwarf named Tetu. Each of them possesses an ancient magic that allows them to travel with a successful magician named Topolain. Yann can read minds and see the future, and Tetu is able to control items with his minds. They travel through France, entertaining rich and poor. Things shift for them when they are invited to do a special performance at the chateau of Marquis de Villeduval. It is here that that Tetu and Yann meet two ind...more Yannick Magoza is a young, gypsy orphan that is being raised by a dwarf named Tetu. Each of them possesses an ancient magic that allows them to travel with a successful magician named Topolain. Yann can read minds and see the future, and Tetu is able to control items with his minds. They travel through France, entertaining rich and poor. Things shift for them when they are invited to do a special performance at the chateau of Marquis de Villeduval. It is here that that Tetu and Yann meet two individuals that will change there lives on the cusp of the French Revolution.

The first is the marquis' daughter, Sidonie, who has been living at a nearby nunnery since the death of her mother and uncle (the original marquis) in an accident and her own injury that has left her with a serious limp. A mysterious connection seems to form between Sido and Yann.

The other person is Count Killiovski, a man with a fitting name and a mysterious past of his own. The Count knows Topolain and challenges the magician to perform one of his best known tricks: surviving someone shooting at him. Everyone knows that something is terribly wrong, and things become even more uncomfortable when Yann predicts bloodshed and death for all the nobility in attendance when asked what he sees in the future. Their concerns turn out to be true when Topolain dies during the trick.

Yann and Tetu find themselves on the run, escaping only with the assistance of Sido, who finds herself the romantic target of the count.

From this moment on, chaos reigns as France alls into the darkest days of the Revolution, placing everyone in danger. Yann finds himself in England with an opportunity to improve his education. He rushes back when he hears that Sido has become a captive of the revolutionaries. She believes her only chance to save herself and her father is to wed the evil count, who has strong influence with the revolution's higher-ups.

The writing in this tale is truly beautiful, and the characters are interesting and well-developed. In some ways, this really feels like a junior version of A Tale of Two Cities. I kept expecting Madame DeFarge to keep popping out with her knitting needles from time to time.

I am not sure that young adult readers, the intended audience will be as drawn in as they could be. For one thing, the cover, while beautiful, is going to send most guy readers running even though there is nothing that makes this a particularly girl reader. The other thing that I found frustrating is that all the "action" of the revolution happens off-stage with everyone talking about the grand events that are happening, but there is no real sense of the historic Reign of Terror since the reader experiences none of it directly until the climax.

The real fear throughout most of the work comes in the form of Count Killiovski, who is truly horrible. He has his fingers in everything and he controls people like a puppeteer. In fact, his ties to the situation and the magical abilities of many of the characters seem like an annoying distraction that seems unnecessary with enough horrible things already happening in the rich history that is already to draw upon.(less)

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Jun 08, 2013 Safia ♪ marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, adventure, historical-fiction, audiobooks, cultural

I am going to be completely honest and tell you all that the only reason I found out about this book was because I became a fan of the lovely Tom Hiddleston, and I found out that he read this book for the audio version.

Upon this discovery, of course I was excited. And of course I immediately marked it as a to-read, to read instantaneously after I get back from vacation, to scavenge my shelves periodically for this book. Because he's Thomas William Hiddleston, the handsome British villainous acto...more

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May 27, 2013 Bludhaven rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, female-writers, audiobooks, historical-fiction, speculative-fiction, french-revolution

I always tend to be a bit nitpicky about audiobooks, because a reader has to really perform to get me to concentrate and really listen - and in some cases when the performance is goos enough to make me listen I listen some flaws with the writing/story telling I would probably not found as aggravating while reading. I listened to the audiobook read by Tom Hiddleston and had none of the aforementioned problems. He really managed to gave interesting voices to all the pretty distinctive and eccentri...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Abzi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

I picked this book up because I recognised the author from 'I, Coriander'. This book is written in third person. The protagonist is Yann, a boy with a talent for ventriloquy and on occasion see into the future. With Têtu, the dwarf, they travel round France performing a magic show. Yann's life changes one night after a performance at Marquis de Villeduval's chateau where he meets Sido and from there, the story unfolds.
The first of two books, Yann and Sido's story concludes in 'The Silver Blade'...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Katy-asparagus rated it 4 of 5 stars

Without doubt, this is a GOOD book.
The story is enthralling, the characters charming and believable and I felt as though I was with them, walking through the streets of Revolutionary France.
However, I've only given the book a four star rating as there was just something about the book that just didn't sit right with me - at times I ended up having to re-read chapters as I got lost with the plot line and the associations of the characters at certain points. It just got to the stage around the m...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Jon rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Red Necklace was a great book for me to read this year, along with The Scarlet Pimpernel, fitting in with the French Revolution.

Qualifications: Sally Gardner grew and still lives in London. She was dyslexic, she was thrown out of multiple schools, and was labeled unteachable. Despite her challenges she graduated at a leading London art college with the highest honors. She has been called 'an idiosyncratic genius' by London’s Sunday Times. Sally has also won numerous award for her books inc...more The Red Necklace was a great book for me to read this year, along with The Scarlet Pimpernel, fitting in with the French Revolution.

Qualifications: Sally Gardner grew and still lives in London. She was dyslexic, she was thrown out of multiple schools, and was labeled unteachable. Despite her challenges she graduated at a leading London art college with the highest honors. She has been called 'an idiosyncratic genius' by London’s Sunday Times. Sally has also won numerous award for her books including the Smarties Children’s Book Prize for I, Coriander.

Other works by Sally Gardner include:
The Double Shadow, The Silver Blade, I, Coriander, The Strongest Girl in the World, The Smallest Girl Ever, and The Boy Who Could Fly.

I think all of this proves that Sally Gardener is very qualified. http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

Theme: One of the themes of this book is Good vs Evil. This is an example of theme in this book because Yann has to rescue Sido from the evil Kalliovski.

Another theme of this book includes love. This theme goes with this book because Yann and Sido love each other and have gone great distances to be together. "She loved him. It was so simple. At that moment he realized something that Orlenda had seen so clearly in the palm of his hand: There was only one person for him, and that was, and always would be, Sido de Villeduval." (Gardner 249).

Subject: When Mr. Vawter first assigned this book to me I thought 'OK this is just going to be another ordinary book about the french revolution.' I was very wrong, this book is not your average French Revolution book, The main character is Yann Margoza a gyspy who can read people's minds and throw his voice. At first I thought it was very weird, but as I read further the topic of magic and automatons, and how it all fit into the French Revolution was very interesting.

Overall I thought this book was very good, but some of the plot points felt a little rushed. I would defiantly recommend this to fans of historical fiction. (less)

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Jul 11, 2012 Helen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Truly, I would give this book 3.5 stars. I listened to the audiobook for about the first half, and I must say, it was solely the narrator(Tom Hiddleston)'s voice that kept me going because the first half I found to be rather dull. It was only when Yann returned to Paris to rescue Sido that things finally picked up. (That was when I finally got a copy from my library and read the rest.) I enjoyed the setting. I generally don't like the French Revolution, but Sally Gardner made it seem more tangib...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Naomi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, five-star-reads, historical-fiction-stuff-etc, read-in-2012

"This is Paris, ere the winds of change are blowing, whispering their discontent into the very hearts of her citizens. A Paris waiting for the first slow turn of a wheel that will bring with it a revolution the like of which Europe has never known. In the coming year the people will be called upon to play their part in the tearing down of the Bastille, in the destruction of the old regime, in the stopping of the clocks. This is where the Devil goes walking, looking with interest at the window of...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Crystal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, young-adult

This book isn't terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not one that's going to stick with me nor do I have any ambition to look into the sequel. I'll talk strengths and then weaknesses.

The characters in this are generally wonderful and I think Gardner did a fabulous job capturing the atmosphere of France on the cusp of the revolution - there was obvious and real tension between the haves and have-nots with the haves being entirely frivolous and the have-nots being literally treated...more This book isn't terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not one that's going to stick with me nor do I have any ambition to look into the sequel. I'll talk strengths and then weaknesses.

The characters in this are generally wonderful and I think Gardner did a fabulous job capturing the atmosphere of France on the cusp of the revolution - there was obvious and real tension between the haves and have-nots with the haves being entirely frivolous and the have-nots being literally treated little more than pieces of furniture - and then also capturing the bloody massacres that followed the start of it. (It being a young adult novel, I was expecting it to be a little more sanitized in the violence.) I also think that despite the fact the romance is more than a little silly as an adult reader, it's an enjoyable plot point. It is right on par with other young adult romances though and it has a little substance to it.

The most major weakness I think the story suffered from was its rather clumsy handling of suspense. The book would set you up with a mystery, but it was either given way directly or indirectly just moments after it was set-up. And to be totally honest (and end-book spoilery), I knew who Yann's father was from the moment they set it up that he only really knew his mother's identity (view spoiler). And that's not to say it's a bad thing relying on tropes like that - it's just down to execution. The novel often comes across a little pretentious as it's trying to be clever or seem like it invented this stuff from time to time and it gets a little grating. Especially when this novel has a really bad habit of telling instead of showing. (I think if I hadn't listened to the audiobook, I probably would have quit the book because telling v. showing is a real breaking point between me and the books I read.)

Lastly, I'm not entirely certain Gardner knows what she wants to do with the fantasy element. It seems a little thrown in there and even for a young adult novel, I expect a little more explanation or boundaries in magical/fantastic elements. In The Red Necklace it's just sort of there and really comes across more as a MacGuffin.

All this being said, the book is fairly enjoyable. As I said, the plot is engaging and the characters are all fantastic. I just don't have any desire to read the next book because suspense was so clumsily handled in this book that I don't feel like I really need to read the next one to probably guess at how everything turns out. So, my suggestion is check this book out, but don't hold high expectations and you will enjoy it. I promise.(less)

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Feb 29, 2012 Stephanie Jobe rated it 4 of 5 stars

I’ll admit I have to start with a bit of cover controversy because every female character is dark haired and the damsel on the cover is platinum blonde! I suppose the cover artist knew nothing about the book and thought it focused on Marie Antoinette, but anyway… I enjoyed it. I truly did. The story lent itself well to the third person allowing us to get a better view of events. Though Yann is the protagonist if we were just to follow him the backdrop would be very bland I think but instead you...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Marissa Meyer rated it 4 of 5 stars

As the French revolution approaches and French society is in upheaval, a gypsy boy with the gift of reading people's minds and his adopted family of traveling entertainers are invited to enchant a marquis and his guests. There, Yann meets the marquis's daughter, Sido, an unloved, sheltered girl, and their connection is instant and unbreakable. Though social status, time, distance, and a greedy Count who is set on marrying Sido himself all conspire to keep the two apart, Yann determines to fight...more

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Aug 12, 2011 Lindsay rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy, action-suspense

I listened to the audiobook of this novel in my car, and Carrington MacDuffie does a great job reading it. This novel is an interesting combination of historical fiction and fantasy/magic. It is very well written, and Gardner does a great job building suspense throughout the story. Historical information about the French Revolution has been woven into the plot very effectively, and I really enjoyed the characters, especially Yann, Tetu, and Kalliovski. I would have given this book four, maybe ev...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Red Necklace takes place in the chaotic fires of the French Revolution, following the romance of young Yann, a Gypsy mind reader and voice thrower, and Sido, the daughter of a French noblemen.

I loved this book -it's beautifully written and filled with so much fascinating historical detail but still manages to come across as a great work of fiction rather than a history lesson. Yann is a really interesting character to read about, and I enjoyed the inclusion of a small mystical element surrou...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Karthy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, historical, ya

A compelling blend of fantasy, romance and historical fiction, the story moves swiftly through the streets of Paris and London. In a way, I felt that the book had considerable crossover appeal among all ages because of the shifting POVs and the prose.

The main protagonist of the book is Yann, a mysterious boy, with mysterious powers that are later explained in the story. Raised by a dwarf in a circus-like setting, he is the person in which most of the action revolves. This story is not only a st...more

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Jul 16, 2011 Ori rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens, historical-fiction, romance, reviewed

There is absolutely nothing that I didn't like about this book, and probably far too many that I loved to name. Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel remains one of my favorite books, and although this book did not show me a different side to the Reign of Terror and I did at times wonder how much research had been done on the matter, it was nonetheless an extremely compelling and striking portrayal of the Revolution, as well as an exciting story of secrets, romance, adventure, and even a little...more

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May 12, 2011 Linnae rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, historical, young-adult, mystery-suspense

Yann is a magician's apprentice in Paris, along with his protector Tetu (who is also a dwarf.) When their act is summoned to perform at the party of a Grand Marquis, they all have uneasy feelings about it, but decide to go anyway. Then magician recognizes Count Kalliovski as on old acquaintance, an evil man who's personal motto is "Have no mercy. Show no mercy" and who has most of the French aristocracy under his blackmailing thumb.

When they see the Count at the party, their misgivings turn to...more

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Aug 05, 2010 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Set during the French Revolution, The Red Necklace is a story about a young gypsy named Yann Margoza works as a magician’s assistant – although more often it is he and the dwarf who has raised him that are working the magic. One eventful night his life is changed when the group is asked to perform their magic for a party given by an overindulgent marquis. The magician is killed by the evil Count Kalliovski and Yann meets the marquis’ daughter, Sido. As the story progresses, Yann must rediscover...more

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About Sally Gardner

Sally Gardner grew up and still lives in London. Being dyslexic, she did not learn to read or write until she was fourteen and had been thrown out of several schools, labeled unteachable, and sent to a school for maladjusted children. Despite this, she gained a degree with highest honors at a leading London art college, followed by a scholarship to a theater school, and then went on to become a ve...more

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The Silver Blade (French Revolution, #2)

The Smallest Girl Ever (Magical Children)

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“There is nothing to fear except the power you give to your own demons.” — 51 people liked it

“If things were different, if there were no revolution, no war, no threads of light, if he were rich, would he go back to London with her and ask for her hand in marriage? He smiled, for the answer was simple. Yes, yes, he would.” — 23 people liked it

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The Red Necklace (French Revolution #1)

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