With the French Revolution in full swing, people are being carted off to the guillotine every day. The Pimpernel can't stand by and do nothing--and so she, along with a league of like-minded people, set out to save as many as they can. A master of disguises, Lady Scarlet Cavendish slips in and out of France, risking her life to save others. While she has various disguises, the one seen most often is the one she wears in polite society--that of a vapid, fashion-obsessed woman. This disguise has served her well, keeping anyone from suspecting her role as the Pimpernel, but when she finds herself falling in love with Matteo Durand, whom she has rescued from France, she longs to be able to share her true self--but can she do so? Or does Matteo have secrets of his own?
This is sort of a retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel, which I read twenty years ago and I don't really remember anything about it, other than who the Pimpernel was. Therefore, I can give no opinions on how this compares to the original, what they have in common, or how they are different. But I can say that this is an intriguing story. Scarlet is a strong character, and I liked seeing her various disguises and methods for saving others. I also really liked the fact that she wasn't always successful--simply because it made it more realistic. If she'd been 100% successful, it would have seemed too good to be true. The French Revolution is so horrifying, but Johnson did a great job showing the realities without being overly gruesome; she didn't make it too graphic but also didn't downplay it. Well-written and engaging, this is a great choice for fans of historical fiction.
I received a review copy from the author. All opinions are my own.
4 stars.
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