Series: Scarlet #1
Release Date: May 11th 2023
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 336
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

A thrilling reinvention of the tale of The Scarlet Pimpernel with the addition of magic and even more mayhem.

In Revolutionary France, the aristocrats are vampires – and they face the guillotine. However, the Scarlet Pimpernel, a disguised British noble, is determined to rescue them. These predators are being offered sanctuary by their aristocratic British kin, but at great cost to London’s ordinary people. Then an English maid discovers the only power that could stop them. Assuming she survives.

Scarlet is the first book in the trilogy, set during the turbulent French Revolution.

Review

I’ve always wanted to try Genevieve Cogman’s Invisible Library series but haven’t gotten around to it, so when I heard this would be the first in an all new trilogy I jumped at the chance to read it. A reimagining of the Scarlet Pimpernel, the story follows Eleanor, a young maid who happens to look a whole lot like Marie Antoinette. Tasked with assisting the League to rescue Marie Antoinette and her children, Eleanor embarks on a daring adventure in revolutionary France. But with the aristocrats and vampires being sent to the guillotine, will Eleanor be able to complete her mission and survive unscathed?

Scarlet is such a fun and entertaining read. I must admit I know virtually nothing about the Scarlet Pimpernel, but that didn’t stop me from being completely captivated by this story. Fast paced and full of action, this is such a clever and well executed story. I loved the idea of ‘the French Revolution with vampires’ and Cogman did a brilliant job of weaving the vampires into the story. They weren’t present as much as I expected them to be, so I am intrigued to see if vampires will feature more heavily in the subsequent books. Cogman also really brings the sights and sounds of Revolutionary France to life and I loved the vivid descriptions of Paris.

Eleanor is a really interesting main protagonist. She wants to do what’s right and help people, but also can’t help agreeing with some of the revolutionary ideas. I was really fascinated by the way Eleanor grappled with being part of the League but also not being an aristocrat. The other characters felt well developed and I enjoyed seeing how Eleanor’s relationships with the other League members changed as she became more involved with their adventure. Scarlet is a gripping story, full of adventure and mayhem. Cogman has created a really fantastic opening to the series and I cannot wait to see where the characters will go in books two and three.