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Revolution

Written by: Jennifer Donnelly
Narrated by: Emily Janice Card,Emma Bering
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Publisher's Summary

Brooklyn
Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break. 

Paris
Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want - and couldn’t escape. 

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages - until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present. 

Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart.

 PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.  

©2010 Jennifer Donnelly (P)2010 Listening Library

What the critics say

" Revolution is a sumptuous feast of a novel, rich in mood, character, and emotion. With multiple hooks, it should appeal to a wide range of readers." ( School Library Journal)

What listeners say about Revolution

Average Customer Ratings
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Exceptional!

Amazing story! Keeps you intrigued. Well written and well read. Have listened to other Jennifer Donnelly books and will be listening to more. Thank you!

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not for me

I read the Tea Rose series by this author, and they were amazing. I loved them!! However, this is the second other standalone book by this author I have read, and it is in my opinion, once again, a complete digression from the style of writing used in the Tea Rose series, I can’t even finish this book. I believe it is potentially written for a much younger audience, such as older teens. I’m very glad I got it on sale.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Stick with it.

I found it a bit difficult to get into it at the beginning. However I am so glad to have listened to it. Great story brought to life by great narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I love the way she brings history into life!

even if it's added with a fictional flair! the pain is tangible, and somehow very real! loved every minute. the narrators were just brilliant!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Jennifer Donnelly did it again

The Revolution was a great story. The way Jennifer Donnelly draws me in to her stories is amazing. I never had any interest in the French Revolution but I enjoyed this book so much.

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  • DPM
  • 2010-10-25

Great for any age

I am a 55 year old father, as far away from the "youth adult / female" classification of this book as one can get. I generally listen to historical fiction and took a chance on this because of another adult review in Amazon recommnding it. It was one of the best audiobooks I have purchased ( over 400 and counting). It had everthing I ask for in historical fiction - characters to move the plot along, real history mixed with the story, and good enough writing to cause me to research the period ( the French Revolution) on my own. I have 2 quibbles. One, the character from the past is read by an adult ( Emma Bering), who sounds like an adult, and I had to continually ignore that - they should have used a teenage narrator as they did with the girl from the present (Emily Card), as that is the obvious intent - teenager to teenager. Second - SPOILER ALERT - the time travel thing at the end of the book, though entertaining, felt manufactured and unnecessary, a perplexing break the straight narrative that had been used to that point,
Other than that - wonderful. I recommend it for any age

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31 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Fee
  • 2010-11-13

Perfection

I've bought probably more than a hundred audiobooks but not many of them is as good as Revolution. Both of the narrators are awsome. I don't want to make this too long but all I wanted to say is that this book touched my life and I'm sure it can touch yours too.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Julie
  • 2010-11-19

Excellent Engaging Fiction for All Ages

I'm another middle-aged reader who enjoys reading young adult fiction. In fact,
I actually aspire to write some someday. Jennifer Donnelly has given me alot to look up to in this novel. It's a layered, thought-provoking story with characters I hated to leave behind after three days of frantic listening. Without being heavy-handed, the author highlights parallels between different eras and different kinds of revolution. Even if readers don't think that they are interested in history, they'll still be likely to be drawn in by Andi's story.

The time-travel plot-device was deftly handled, and it actually only occurs in the last third of
the book, after it's been well set up. And by
then I would have gone anywhere the author
chose to take me, time-travel or not!

I also can't praise Emily Card's amazing
narration enough. She does a tremendous job
of "being" Andi. Her performance is moving,
funny, and unpretentious. She is also so good
at voices that I think she could have handled
reading Alex as well. Emma Bering's Alex is

initially less engaging, and hearing her mature
voice speak the words of a 17-year-old does
take some getting used to, as other reviewers
have said. However, Alex does speak with a
different vocabulary that's meant to evoke
another time, an era where some young people
were likely to sound more mature than their
age, at least to our modern ears. So, Ms. Bering and her main character are not that
badly matched, and she does a fine job with
the many other voices in Alex's world. But
Card's award-worthy reading, and the great
story, are what make Revolution more than
worth my credit--and what made me write my
first review.

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9 people found this helpful

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  • Arwen
  • 2010-11-21

Gold Standard

The reviewer who summed it up as perfection pretty much scoops my review of this story, but for my unabridged opinion, please continue.. this is one of those rare books that not only is an engaging, entertaining story deftly written (with an intelligent, wry sprinkling of humor) by Ms. Donnelly, but makes an engrossing listen as an audiobook. The narrator(s) do a great job, and bring so much life and "animation" to the characters..without being over the top. Both of them pretty much nail the personalities and essence of Andi and Alex spot on, and even the more "minor" characters are engaging. This is a wonderful story that takes you so much farther and in such a different direction than it might sound like in the beginning, even though the beginning is enough to pique one's interest. (Sampling the excerpt made me want to continue on with the story..) It is a masterful blending together of different elements such as music, history, family relationships, travel, first love, overcoming grief, and a young woman's finding love and her "path" in life. This woven tapestry of a story is deftly written by the author, and if, as a human, you are touched by any of the aforementioned elements, you don't want to miss this story. Enjoy!

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Marianna
  • 2011-01-08

Amazing! So sad I've finished it.

I'm a high school librarian and I've already started book talking this book to students and teachers. The title Revolution refers to the French Revolution and it is a wonderful combination of contemporary fiction, historical fiction, and mystery with a touch of romance thrown in. I think this one will appeal to both boys and girls. Musical references are woven into the story and now I feel compelled to visit itunes to check out the composers the main character loves.

I'm currently searching madly for another title that might fill that void I always feel when I've finished a really wonderful title. This is the best book I've read since finishing Life of Pi! Thank you so much Jennifer Donnelly.

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5 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Tess
  • 2010-11-26

Very enjoyable

I enjoyed every minute of this book and could not wait for the next opportunity to continue listening. The different characters were true and honest. The narrator was pleasant to listen too. It was truly a pleasant listen.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Hawaii Tesla Detailing
  • 2012-05-22

Multiple Stories in One/Great Narration

There are multiple stories going on which is really interesting. It took a while before I could really get into the story so you may have to hang in there knowing it will be worth it in the end. You also have to be in the right mind set when you are listening to it. It is not a light read/listen. I tend to listen to audiobooks while I work and so what I can listen to will depend on what I am working on. This book required a little more attention so things weren't missed. There is a lot going on and it is a long book so plan accordingly. I appreciated the amount of research that had to have gone into writing this book. There was a lot of detail on multiple subjects. The narrators did a great job with both the characters and voices. I am interested in looking into other books by this author and the narrators.

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Mark
  • 2012-02-01

Three stories in one - two of them fun

This novel is really three separate and connected stories in one. The first is a tale about a senior in high school who is depressed and her music is no longer enough to keep sane. She is a musical genius, and is dealing with grief, difficult parents, and a difficult school situation. She is a believable and engaging character, and when the novel is in her voice, it is at its best. The girl, Andy, is in Paris over her winter break, and discovers a journal written by a girl Alex during the French Revolution. The novel alternates between Andy's life, and Andy reading Alex's journal. I enjoy historical fiction, and got the book mostly because the 18th century France part piqued my interest. That started out strongly, but grew less and less engaging, as Alex's journal had too much 3rd person description of the French Revolution, and not enough of her personal story. On top of that, Alex's life and time never came alive to me on the page. Finally, there was a 3rd story, towards the end, something that I will not talk about for fear of it being a spoiler. I will say that this piece did engage me, and made another time and place come alive.

Two of the three parts worked for me, and I was looking at this as a 3 to 4 star book. The reader was excellent, and helped me bump my rating to the solid 4 star category. The main reader captured the main character, Andy, so well. She was also very funny and on-target with the voice of the mother of Andy's Indian classmate. Another reader did a solid job with a French accent (I assume it was a different reader, as there were two for this book). This is a young adult book and will especially appeal to middle school or high school girls. I enjoyed it as an adult male. I am a teacher, and I am always looking for titles to add to my school's summer reading list. I will certainly add Revolution.

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Shari
  • 2010-12-08

Great escape...

Great escape on a number of levels, age, time, place and attitude. The protaganist here is a somewhat unlikeable 17 year old; smart, angry, a bit redundant but fascinating. (Like many of us if we look back honestly). I got a feel for revolutionary France and the perspective from the "Royal's" point of view. Was reminded just how much a 17 year old knows and feels. Good narration with a couple accent slips but easy to follow.

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  • Ilse
  • 2017-04-02

The French Revolution told from the inside

I don't know.....I bought the book based on people's reviews & I must admit as much as I like Historical romances, it wasn't what I expected. It's a 'double-story', one timeline in the past & one in the present. Both are good, but in my opinion you have to be REALLY 'into' the French Revolution to thoroughly enjoy this. Andy was hurting so much I could scarcely wait for the book to finish just because I knew (or desperately hoped) there must be a 'positive turn' in the end (& there was)
Not sure.....it's good, but its not really a book I can rave about & not one I'll listen to again.

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2 people found this helpful