Title: Madame Tussaud's Apprentice
Author: Kathleen Benner Duble [ Facebook | Website]
Publisher: Merit Press
Genre: Young Adult Fiction - Historical
Release Date: August 1, 2014
Source: Review copy provided by the publisher, opinions are honest and my own. – review policy here.
In 1789, with the starving French people on the brink of revolution, orphaned Celie Rosseau, an amazing artist and a very clever thief, runs wild with her protector, Algernon, trying to join the idealistic freedom fighters of Paris. But when she is caught stealing from none other than the king's brother and the lady from the waxworks, Celie must use her drawing talent to buy her own freedom or die for her crimes. Forced to work for Madame Tussaud inside the opulent walls that surround Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Celie is shocked to find that the very people she imagined to be monsters actually treat her with kindness. But the thunder of revolution still rolls outside the gates, and Celie is torn between the cause of the poor and the safety of the rich. When the moment of truth arrives, will she turn on Madame Tussaud or betray the boy she loves?
From the hidden garrets of the starving poor to the jeweled halls of Versailles, "Madame Tussaud's Apprentice" is a sweeping story of danger, intrigue, and young love, set against one of the most dramatic moments in history.
- via Goodreads
My love/hate affair with historical fiction...
I've always struggled with historical fiction so I have to admit when I got this in the mail I was just ehh... but the cover staring at me day in and day out eventually won me over. With the French Revolution in its infancy, Celie and Algernon seek rebellion with the commoners against the French monarchy. Similar to the tune of classical literature during the same time period Madame Tussaud's Apprentice struggles to take off in the first half of the novel.
But there's revenge to be had...
Celie and Algernon's bond comes from their mutual hate for the French monarchy as their loved ones have passed. Algernon's rage is fully apparent which keeps him from showing much affection towards Celie but as a reader I know what his end game is. Algernon is street smart and experiences a range of growth and development as the revolution heats up.
Celie comes off as immature for someone who's been living in the streets during the 1700s where living 16 years is impressive in and of itself much less as an orphan. There are moments where I can't help but wonder if she's really prepared to avenge the death of her family or would she rather a life of comfort with Madame Tussaud. With this lingering the stakes are kind of weak.
The history is the winner here...
When I thought the history would drive me away it's what kept me turning the pages. I felt transported into classical literature such as Les Mis and A Tale of Two Cities with the secondary cast behind Celie carrying the torch. Where Celie's narrative and antics failed to impress me it was Madame and her family that provided a sense of realism and will to survive.
Madame Tussaud and the royals steal the novel for me. During a tumultuous time in French history the revolution provides insight into the fall of one of the most powerful and rich monarchies. The family that is built around Celie becomes the foundation to hold her world together when life gets real and their way of life is endangered.
Kathleen Benner Duble's writing lends to realistic visions of the grounds at Versailles and the brewing war. There are a few times during Celie's time on the grounds that she witnesses real moments with the monarch lending a face of humanity to the enemy. Interspersed with French phrases I was whisked away into the ironic romance of the time period.
What I would have liked to see...
More pages! The novel weighs in at 224 pages and introduces us to an amazing solid cast of characters. I would have liked to seen this thickened up and possibly made into a series. In the author's notes Duble talks about how she had to speed up the timeline because the build up to and the actual revolution lasted a long time. But what if she didn't have to speed up the timeline?!?! Wishful thinking says this could've been epic.
The tag line for the novel is "An Untold Story of Love in the French Revolution" and I'm not entirely sold. Since my connection to Celie is a struggle, I feel like third person or multi-first person point of views could've been used to support Celie and Algernon's romantic relationship and to lend more depth to other character relationships. In the end their romance and Celie's bond to others was never flushed out fully so I could feel all the feels.
You'll like this if...
If you enjoy historical literature, quick reads and French culture!
3.5 Stars - Don't always judge a book by it's genre, n'est-ce pas?
