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Hi!
Today I have the honour of being a part of the blog tour for the debut YA novel by author Gita Trelease, Enchantée.
Set in Paris just before the French Revolution, the synopsis for this one intrigued me so I was delighted to accept the invitation to read and review it.
Paris in 1789 is a labyrinth of twisted streets, filled wth beggars, thieves, revolutionaries - and magicians... When smallpox kills her parents, seventeen-year-old Camille is left to provide for her frail sister and her volatile brother. In desperation, she survives by using the modest magic she learnt from her mother; a cursed talent to use which costs Camille dearly. But when her brother disappears Camille decides to pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette herself.
The atmosphere in this one is stellar - the contrast between the poverty on the streets and the wealth in Versailles is startling. Camille is struggling to provide for her siblings, and the strain of using magic to maintain the illusion of wealth in order to get what she needs soon becomes overwhelming. But she is not the only one with secrets - not by a longshot.
I really, really enjoyed this. I prayed it wouldn't be a trilogy because I was so desperate to find out what would happen to Camille and Sophie - but this is a glorious standalone. The characters will return, but you can start this book safe in the knowledge that you won't be left with a cliffhanger. This worked for and against me - I wanted to devour it but also savour it.
I love the various themes in the book - as well as the central theme of magic and illusion, the book also dealt with political unrest and the events leading up to the French Revolution. It's not a time period I'm overly familiar with, and it made me want to learn more about the reign of Louis XVI. The book also touched on racism and homophobia, dealing with both topics in a sensitive and respectful manner.
The characters stayed with me for days after I finished this, I think Chandon was my favourite (for whatever reason I pictured him as a younger Andy Serkis, which added greatly to my enjoyment of him).
This is one to watch out for, and definitely one for fellow YA fans or those who are interested in magic, Paris, or just really good stories.
This was a pleasure to read, sincere thanks to Amber and all at Pan MacMillan for allowing me to read an advance copy and take part in the blog tour. You can check out some other posts about the book below, they range from excerpts to giveaways and are very much worth a read.
You can purchase Enchantée from usual retailers, or request it at your local library.
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