My FIve Word TL:DR Review : A Promising Start to Series

Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman is another of my backlist books.  I loved the idea for this book and was really pleased to have a review copy but, the best laid plans, last year’s reading got derailed and this year I’m trying to tick off as many of those books as possible that got left behind in the fallout.

So, Scarlet.  A fantasy with vampires and magic, set during the French Revolution with none other than the Scarlet Pimpernel gracing the pages.  It brings to us an easy to like MC and a plot to save Marie Antoinette.

I’m not going to over elaborate on the plot.  In a nutshell this series brings to us a housemaid called Eleanor.  Eleanor works for a Baroness who also happens to be a vampire (vampires are universally recognised in this alternative world and most of them are nobles although none of them are allowed to hold political or military positions).  Anyway, our new leading lady bears a striking resemblance to Marie Antoinette, currently imprisoned and awaiting trial.  And, so, a plot is hatched, Eleanor finds herself switching employers and under the guise of a seamstress in the employ of the Blakeneys before being whisked off to France as part of a cunning plan.

Lets take a look at what worked for me.

I loved the writing.  This does have something of a build up so you need to be aware of that going into the story.  I liked that element to be fair in fact I would probably have been a little annoyed if Eleanor had simply been thrown into the deep end without seeing a little of what she had to go through to get to that point.  As it is, there is still very little time to really train Eleanor, Madame Guillotine waits for no one after all. I liked the set up, it plays well into the story and the style and settings very much put me in mind of the original story but with something of a lighter and more airy feel.

Although, on the face of it, this is a Scarlet Pimpernel reimagining the story is very much Eleanor’s.  Sir Percy makes appearances and he and his trusty band are very much present but we focus on Eleanor and the scrapes she gets into. (and out of)  I liked that element, I didn’t want this to be another Pimpernel story, and this instead brings us a new leading lady who questions things, isn’t totally resourceful but at the same time uses her wits to rescue herself.  Which isn’t to say that she doesn’t slump with relief sometimes when she can leave control to others but I liked that she had a little bit of punch.

I loved the adventures that Eleanor got into once she arrived in France.  There was plenty going on and she went in and out of trouble frequently, falling into the hands of those she really didn’t want to encounter.  The pace really picked up for the grand finale and saw our intrepid band racing against time over and under the streets of Paris.

Put simply, I loved reading a period story based on an already very well known fictional character but with a different spin on things.

I did have a few little niggles but nothing that spoiled the story for me.  At first, the vampires felt a little bit weak, or they lacked bite, but, we do eventually see the other side to them and I imagine that this is something that will be developed in the next story.  I feel like this element of the story has been underplayed in this first instalment and we’re maybe going to get a good look at the wolf that has been hiding amongst the lambs.  The author includes some discussion about the haves and the have nots and I think having Eleanor on board helped in that respect because she clearly brings a different perspective to this band of nobles.  I would like to see that element strengthened.

Overall, I had fun with this story, I already have Elusive lined up to read and I’m looking forward to seeing what escapades Eleanor gets up to next.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks.  The above is my own opinion.

My rating 3.5 of 5 stars