The Red Necklace (French Revolution, #1)

My rating:

add to my books

The Red Necklace (French Revolution #1)

by Sally Gardner

3.76 · rating details · 1,976 ratings · 448 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

371 pages

Published (first published October 22nd 2007)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

The Dark Is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper

Hidden Gems: YA-Fantasy Novels

68th out of 515 books — 1,236 voters

New YA historical fiction in 2010-2011

22nd out of 92 books — 290 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,732)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 28, 2010

Cara rated it

· 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 myster...more

like 5 likes

· see review

Jun 09, 2008

Molly rated it

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...more

like 2 likes

· see review

Oct 16, 2011

Jo rated it

Shelves: library, ya, 2011, boy-crush, gorgeous-prose, when-can-i-move-in, you-got-a-friend-in-me

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.

like 2 likes

· see review

Jun 21, 2011

Alkyoni ~ Kingfisher of books rated it

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 d...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.
(less)

like 1 like

· see review

Jul 11, 2010

Valerie rated it

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...more

like 2 likes

· see review

Aug 15, 2011

Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it

· review of another edition

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

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 nat...moreMore 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)

(less)

like 2 likes

· see review

Dec 11, 2008

Jennifer Wardrip rated it

· 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 per...moreReviewed 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.

(less)

like 3 likes

· see review

Jun 04, 2011

Candice rated it

· 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!!!!!!!

like 1 like

· see review

Oct 16, 2009

Shannon rated it

· 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 do...more

like 1 like

· see review

Jan 02, 2009

Lynda rated it

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?

like 1 like

· see review

Dec 27, 2008

Aaron rated it

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...moreYannick 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)

· see review

Aug 18, 2011

Marissa Meyer rated it

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

· see review

Aug 12, 2011

Lindsay rated it

· 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, mayb...more

· see review

Aug 04, 2011

Amanda rated it

· 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 elem...more

· see review

Jul 30, 2011

Karthy (Hiding in the Stacks) rated it

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 i...more

· see review

Jul 17, 2011

Book Geek Reviews rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

· see review

Jul 16, 2011

Ori rated it

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

· see review

May 12, 2011

Linnae rated it

· 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, the...more

like 1 like

· see review

Aug 05, 2010

Jennifer rated it

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

· see review

May 05, 2010

Jennifer rated it

Product Details

* Pub. Date: September 2009
* Publisher:Penguin Group (USA)
* Format: Paperback, 416pp
* Sales Rank: 64,343
* Age Range: Young Adult

* ISBN-13: 9780142414880
* ISBN: 0142414883

The Red Necklace is a historical fiction story that takes place during the French Revolution. The story begins with a magic show. Yann, a young gypsy orphan, is raised by Tetu, a dwarf that seems to be keeping secrets f...moreProduct Details

* Pub. Date: September 2009
* Publisher:Penguin Group (USA)
* Format: Paperback, 416pp
* Sales Rank: 64,343
* Age Range: Young Adult

* ISBN-13: 9780142414880
* ISBN: 0142414883

The Red Necklace is a historical fiction story that takes place during the French Revolution. The story begins with a magic show. Yann, a young gypsy orphan, is raised by Tetu, a dwarf that seems to be keeping secrets from him. Yann can read minds and occasionally see into the future, while Tetu is able to move things without touching them. The showman of the group is the magician Topolain. Their show is so popular because they seem to give life to a doll. Unfortunately, Topolain’s vanity and greed gets the best of him. They end up taking a show for Count Kalliovski, which ends up with the murder of Topolain. Yann and Tetu barely escape with the help of Sido, the marquis’s ignored daughter. This is where the adventure begins. Tetu puts plans in motion to have Yann go to London to stay with a banker’s family. In their attempt to escape, Tetu is shot. Yann believes him dead and forces himself to carry on with Tetu’s wishes. Yann studies to become a gentleman in London, but destiny catches up to him. He goes to the gypsy camp and trains to use the strings of light that allow Yann to move things without touching them. Then Yann has to go back to Paris during the worst political uprising in their history and try to save Sido.

I really enjoyed this story. I go back and forth with historical fiction. There are times that I get bored with the setting and would like to have something either more fictional or more factual, but this was a great story. The middle is a little slow, but the ending is definitely worth the wait. I felt like I learned a bit about the French Revolution as well as enjoyed a great fantasy type story. Yann is a character that you can really sink your teeth into. He has multiple levels and the reader can struggle through life with him. There are a few unanswered questions about his character which I think the author has given the reader room to interpret. Sido is also a wonderful character. She is such a good-hearted woman. There is a large part of her character that is historically accurate, even though as a reader I don’t want her to be. All in all, I think this would be a gripping tale to give to a student that is hesitant to read something that has to do with history. It’s a good bridge with history and fantasy.

4/5 stars(less)

· see review

Feb 24, 2010

Sarai rated it

Shelves: young-adult-fiction

From Booklist
A Gypsy boy, Yann, and the dwarf who has raised him are caught up in drama on and off the stage, where they work with a magician and his automaton. Outside their Parisian theater, revolution is beginning to boil. Inside, the magician is murdered by the villainous Count Kallovski, who has Yann in his sights as well. So begins a finely crafted tale that crosses years and crisscrosses countries, as Yann becomes a young man with a mission: to save the lovely Sido from her heartles...more

· see review

Dec 27, 2009

Ash Bruxvoort rated it

Sally Gardner's The Red Necklacetakes place during the French Revolution. Yann Margoza is a Gypsy who has no knowledge of his background or family but is able to throw his voice. He is working for a magician. Yann and the other magicians are taken to the home of Marquis de Villeduval upon the order of Count Kalliovski. Here the young men put on a magic show for the French aristocrats, including the Marquis' daughter Sido. Sido has been away at school for some time, but is also brought to the hou...moreSally Gardner's The Red Necklacetakes place during the French Revolution. Yann Margoza is a Gypsy who has no knowledge of his background or family but is able to throw his voice. He is working for a magician. Yann and the other magicians are taken to the home of Marquis de Villeduval upon the order of Count Kalliovski. Here the young men put on a magic show for the French aristocrats, including the Marquis' daughter Sido. Sido has been away at school for some time, but is also brought to the house upon the order of Count Kalliovski. She has a limp and her father hates her, but she has a good heart and great spirit.

Yann is also gifted with the ability to read minds. As soon as he meets Sido he falls in love with her. He hears her desperation and he wants to help her. The Marquis is convinced by Kalliovski that Sido should be married to him. Kalliovski is very evil, not to mention a little old for Sido. Sido feels like she has no choice. Kalliovski is a very influential man but there are many questions in the air about him. Not to mention the many murders that have happened on his watch, which always end with the victim's neck donning a red necklace. Sido is creeped out by Kalliovski but she feels there is nothing she can do.

When Yann returns from London a few years after first meeting Sido he discovers the Count's desire to marry her. He immediately comes to her rescue, risking everything to help her even though he knows they are of very different classes and could never hope to marry.

This was the first novel I read for my Young Adult Self Challenge. I love the French Revolution so this was a great book for me to start with, although there wasn't quite enough history for me. The mania of the time is definitely portrayed but there is not a great amount of information or historical context. Still, I enjoyed the book for a YA novel. Yann is a fantastic character and a great hero. I loved the parts where he learns about who his real parents are and what happened to them. His ability to read minds was interesting, but it didn't feel too hokey to me. There wasn't quite enough about Sido in the book for me to really like her. She just seemed kind of sad and bleh. Also, the novel says she has brown hair but the woman on the cover has blonde hair? Perhaps I was missing something with that but it always frustrates me when covers don't line up with books.

http://englishmajorjunkfood.blogspot.com (less)

· see review

Oct 18, 2009

Maura rated it

What truly got me interested in the book was the cover and the bio on the back, but after reading it the bio isn't good enough to explains how beautiful and and amazing this book is. I don't think any bio could. The words are smooth and wonderfully described. You feel as if you really there in Paris or London during the French Revolution. The book has everything from Murder, Magic, romances, history.
The things I absolutely adored with this book is the characters and how they're developed. ...more

· see review

Sep 07, 2009

Krissie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

· see review

Sep 01, 2009

Erin rated it

· review of another edition

Yann Margoza is a young Gypsy orphan who has been raised in theatres across France by a dwarf and a magician. As the seeds of the French Revolution are being sown, Yann and his caretakers spend an evening entertaining a wealthy marquis with a penchant for extravagant spending and the mysterious Count Kalliovsky. A premonition has told Yann that the night will end in tragedy and when the magician is murdered by Kallivosky, the dwarf and Yann must escape a simialr fate with the help of the marqu...more

· see review

Aug 17, 2009

Aarti rated it

The Red Necklace is a really riveting young adult fantasy novel that focuses on a French boy of gypsy origins, Yann, who has magical abilities to move things and read people's minds. It also features a young aristocrat woman, Sido, who is trying to escape marriage to a vile, older man who excellently reinvents himself with each change in the political climate of France. The characters are all very richly-drawn and engaging. The story gets a bit bogged down in itself a couple of times, but genera...more

· see review

Jul 06, 2009

Xine rated it

· review of another edition

The scholarship that went into this book was fabulous! I really thought I was there! It didn't grip me in the way that I, Coriander did, though.
It's my opinion that The Hero was a little too much "comic-book handsome, dark, mysterious lad who seeks the answers to the questions that haunt him about his past," and The Heroine was just too much "blonde hair blue eyes fair skin, sweet, loyal temperame- *hork*." (So sorry about horking, there. She didn't affect me like that...moreThe scholarship that went into this book was fabulous! I really thought I was there! It didn't grip me in the way that I, Coriander did, though.
It's my opinion that The Hero was a little too much "comic-book handsome, dark, mysterious lad who seeks the answers to the questions that haunt him about his past," and The Heroine was just too much "blonde hair blue eyes fair skin, sweet, loyal temperame- *hork*." (So sorry about horking, there. She didn't affect me like that when I was reading her. Maybe because of her HORRIBLE TRAGIC MARRING FLAW- She limps.)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a kid's book. That's no reason not to expect more.

I fell utterly in love with so many of the other characters (or I despised them, as Gardner pleased). One thing I especially loved about the characters in this book is that they had personality traits that were not required to advance the plot. Some people were passionate just because they were passionate. Another character was a little person just because he happened to be a little person. No agenda, nothing. It is such a relief to me when I can trust an author to just tell me who her characters are instead of being tricked into noticing that someone loves brandy because it will be important later.

Now... about the person who read the book to me. Carrington MacDuffie. She's strikingly fabulous. In fact, I'm gonna go find other books she's read so she can read to me more.
But there are two sides to the audio of this book.
On the one hand, the reader was so skilled that I didn't even have to suspend my disbelief when a male character or a female character was talking. I didn't have to think, even. They just were. The narrator captured masculinity, femininity, cowardice, bravery, inattention, malice- she was a superstar. She painted vibrant, rich personalities and mannerisms on the people in the story without caricaturing 'em. Definitely snap up any book she reads.
On the other, it is really, really, really not necessary to have all the french characters in the book speak their English with a French accent. The book is set in freaking France. It might be the narrator's choice, or it might be the director's choice. For cripes sake. Enough with the superfluous accents. It's annoying. Yeeees, there is a plot point in which a character's accent comes in to play, but the funny thing about books is that the author will tell us when there's an accent. I really, really doubt zat zee 'ole bouke is wri-tan leik zis so 'as to aksentuate ze Franchness.

(less)

like 2 likes

· see review

Apr 12, 2009

Kelly rated it

The Red Necklace takes place during the time of the French Revolution. Yann, a fourteen year-old gypsy boy that has the power to read minds and see into the future, goes to entertain at a party with the magician Topolian and Tetu, a father-figure to Yann. During the show, however, the magician bows to his final showing when a trick-gone-wrong kills him.

Sido, the twelve year-old daughter of a wealthy man who happens to be in debt, knows that the magician was murdered by the man who i...more

· see review

Apr 08, 2009

EJ Johnson rated it

Recommends it for: nobody

I was shocked at how poorly written this book was. The author has won awards for other books. I hope they were written better than this was.

The book takes place during the French Revolution. It has a great storyline just poorly put together. Yann is a gypsy who can read minds and throw his voice which he does in a stage act with a Magician and a dwarf who has his own "supernatural" talents. Meanwhile there is a very crafty bad guy who kills people and leaves behind a red g...more

like 2 likes

· see review

Oct 18, 2011

Kirstine rated it

Shelves: fantasy

This is not exactly a book I would have ever come across by myself or even given a chance if I had. To be honest, the only reason I gave it a go, is because Tom Hiddleston narrates the audiobook.

But I'm very happy I did. I'll admit I might not have enjoyed it as much as I did if Hiddleston hadn't been the one reading it to me. He is a splendid actor and the voices he made and his way of reading certainly mirrors this. He is as talented with his voice, as with everything else. I had a ...moreThis is not exactly a book I would have ever come across by myself or even given a chance if I had. To be honest, the only reason I gave it a go, is because Tom Hiddleston narrates the audiobook.

But I'm very happy I did. I'll admit I might not have enjoyed it as much as I did if Hiddleston hadn't been the one reading it to me. He is a splendid actor and the voices he made and his way of reading certainly mirrors this. He is as talented with his voice, as with everything else. I had a brilliant time just listening to him bringing the various characters to life, sometimes even questioning if he was indeed voicing ALL the people, because it just seemed so unbelievable.

That said, the book itself is pretty good as well. Much of what kept me paying attention, was Hiddleston, but obviously also the plot itself.
I found myself liking this book and its characters, much more than I originally thought I would. I loved the take on gypsy magic, and found the entire plot very refreshing from what I usually read. It wasn't exactly a fast paced or complicated plot, after all it is a sort of childrens' book, but it wasn't too simple either. It was interesting.

While Yann and Sodi were very likable characters and very easy to root for, I found the villain, Count Kallivoski, to be quite compelling as well (not because he's a nice person, mind you, but because he's interestingly written). He's unsympathetic, cruel and merciless enough for anyone to eagerly await his demise, but he's not simply evil either, there's a human depth to him, and it's made clear he might not always have been this way, that he might have once wanted to change. I like that, it makes him an excellent villain, because he's got reasons to act as he does, he's got passion (or lack there-of). And man-made cruelty is by far the scariest thing there is, in my opinion.

While the ending leaves plenty of room for a sequel (and such a thing has already been published) it is possible to read it as a single book. I'll admit, though, that it actually left me wanting to read the next one, because while it isn't a cliffhanger, it doesn't exactly wrap things up either. Still, we'll see if I ever get around to the second one, since there's no Tom to read that one aloud to me.

Other than that, it's brilliantly executed, the book never loses focus, it's got a rich and flowing language and is all in all just a really good book.

I still recommend you get the audiobook if you intend to read it, Tom Hiddleston's narration made "reading" it a rather more fun and thrilling ride. (less)

like 1 like

· see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 124 125 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Sequel	3	65	Oct 31, 2008 03:17pm

combine
Other Editions (14)

More editions...

Genres

Historical Fiction

194 users

Young Adult

117 users

Fantasy

71 users

Romance

34 users

Young Adult > Teen

21 users

European History > French Revolution

16 users

Adventure

15 users

Fantasy > Supernatural

10 users

Cultural > France

10 users

Fantasy > Magic

7 users

See top shelves...

Readers Also Enjoyed

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

More about Sally Gardner...

Books by Sally Gardner

The Silver Blade (French Revolution, #2)

Magical Kids II: The Smallest Girl Ever and The Boy Who Could Fly

Magical Kids: The Invisible Boy and The Strongest Girl in the World

The Smallest Girl Ever (Magical Children S.)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Pin It

Trivia About The Red Necklace

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from The Red Necklace

“There is nothing to fear except the power you give to your own demons.” — 25 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.” — 14 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Red Necklace
avg rating	preview: The Red Necklace Goodreads rating: 3.76 (1976 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1948904.The_Red_Necklace?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1215645062m/1948904.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1948904.The_Red_Necklace?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner[/url]

The Red Necklace (French Revolution #1)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Readers Also Enjoyed

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website