This was such a fun read. I am a huge fan of Cogman’s The Invisible Library series so I was expecting an adventure with this one and I wasn’t disappointed. The French Revolution, The Scarlet Pimpernel and Vampires make for a fantastic mix. I love how the concept of Vampires was used in this story and how they worked within the different societies of France and England of the time. It was a great way of getting across the political landscapes of the time and discussing the history behind the various events of this novel.

I really enjoyed Eleanor as a character, she is niave in certain aspects but savvy in others and we learn as she learns making he such a great character to follow. I love that we got her moments of whimsy, of rightous anger, of terpidations and fear. I like that a lot of the early book was about her life and how she had ownership of it even as a maid and the decisions she took as to when to conform to social norms and when to break free of them. She is no timid little mouse turning into a lion, she is more waiting patiently to choose when to roar and that makes me love her as a character. I also really the League of the Scarlett Pimpernell. There are so many nods to the original work. There is a lot of fun behind Sir Percy and his gang, you can tell a lot of love went into writing them.

The plot is great, from getting to know Eleanor and her advertures in France. Gettting to know the members of the League of the Scarlett Pimpernell, especially Charlie. The heist itself and a midpoint twist I did not see coming it was just completely entertaining. I really think a lot of people would like this fantastical twist on both the french revolution and the tales of the Scarlett Pimpernell.

An egalitarian take on The Scarlet Pimpernel - with added vampires! Eleanor is a maid in the household of Lady Sophie, who is considered a reasonable and even benevolent employer despite being a vampire. But that does not prevent Eleanor being lent to Sir Percy Blakeney for a particular task.
This task is not connected to Eleanor’s skill as an embroiderer but her resemblance to a particular French aristocrat. If Eleanor agrees to impersonate this person in France then she will be rewarded with an apprenticeship which would lead to independence and perhaps her own business. But it is her own sympathy at the thought of a woman imprisoned with her children that makes her agree to the dangerous expedition. She might not have agreed if she had realised how perilous the situation was in France, or that French vampires are not as civilised as their British counterparts.
This is an excellent re-imagining of the world of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Eleanor, who is a woman and a servant, gives new depth to the story without detracting from the dashing and witty sweep on the original (I have read the original books.) Her compatriots in the adventure are sometimes hindered by their privileged background while her history gives her an adaptability that lets her see a way through.
A very easy and engaging read that I sped through. I am delighted to know this is the first of a trilogy especially since it does not leave the book ending on a cliffhanger
I had a copy of this book early through NetGalley.

Vampires, tick! History, tick!Scarlet is a thrilling retelling of the tale of The Scarlet Pimpernel
An absolutely emersive . . . and wonderfully written.

This is my second book from Genevieve Cogman, and as with The Invisible Library, I loved it. Scarlet is an historical fantasy taking place during the French Revolution. Eleanor, our FMC, travels to France to stage a coup to save Marie Antoinette, thanks to her resemblance to the queen. However, in a world where vampires live together with humans, things don't go smooth. And as I got to know Cogman's writing style, I enjoy her descriptions and slower pace of the story compared to what I'm used to read. The story is full of spionage and action, and although I usually go for books that have romance, this one is really slow burn (at least if it's going to happen). I can't wait to read book 2.

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review
I love The Scarlet Pimpernel and to see a retelling told right is a difficult task. This vampire swashbuckler take manages to match the entertainment of the first book and at first glance it seems it follows the same pattern as the classic adventure only to turn into a witty heist combined with an Aesop of “eating the rich tastes good but can give you pretty bad diarrhea” that ends up being a great deal of fun.

Revolutionary France with aristocratic vampires? How could I say no to such a premise?! Especially with such a stunning cover… And the easy style of writing and sense of adventure throughout drew me straight in. If you, like myself, aren’t familiar with the original story of the Scarlet Pimpernel, all you need to know is that it’s about an English nobleman who braves daring rescues in France to save nobles from the guillotine during the Reign of Terror in Revolutionary France. What Genevieve Cogman has done is take that concept and add vampires, and frankly why wouldn’t you? Unlike the original text – from what I can gather – this tale is not told from the point of view of the upper class, but rather by a kitchen maid named Eleanor, who serves in a vampire’s household in England.

Eleanor was the perfect main character; it took me a few pages to find her voice amid all the other things being introduced, but once she got going she was a quick-witted, caring, and ambitious young woman that I was rooting for throughout. She becomes involved with the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel because of her uncanny resemblance to Queen Marie Antoinette herself, though all she’s initially told is that she looks a bit like a French noblewoman they are trying to rescue. And, somehow, I had not realised that the book’s blurb outright states that this is the queen, and so I was quite proud of myself for having figured it out before Eleanor does. Either way, the early chapters spent at the League’s headquarters as Eleanor is taught French, pose, and spy craft were thrilling. Especially as we’re slowly introduced to the League and all their different talents.

Scarlet is written in an easy style that nonetheless feels classic, almost as if it had been written at the time of the text that inspired it. It’s clear that Cogman put a lot of care and research into the setting, because every detail worked together to make things feel vivid and real; the specifics of the clothing each character wore especially captivated me, because of how well it worked to convey what class, nationality, and alliance the character was professing. Eleanor and The Pimpernel himself especially play with disguises throughout. The easy style I’ve mentioned also contributed to it feeling like a romantic (in the traditional sense) adventure story, aided by the near escapes, moonlit chases, and extravagant rescue plans. It was all really fun! There was also a bit of actual romance, though I do wish this had been built up a bit better. That’s probably my only complaint…

The other thing I’ll say is that about halfway through the narrative took a turn I was not expecting, adding a whole other layer to the plot and world building, and that just added to my enjoyment. I won’t say more about it because the joy is in the discovery, but if you’ve read this I’d love to know what your reactions were! It heightened the stakes, and has made me very keen to read the next instalment, whenever it eventually comes out… reading Scarlet also sent me on a mini-Cogman binge, and I devoured three of her Invisible Library series because I enjoyed her writing so much. They had been sitting on my shelf for a while now, but in a way I’m glad that this new series was my first introduction to the author, because it does something that I haven’t encountered in fantasy before, which is very exciting.

I'm not a huge fan of novels about the French Revolution, but as soon as I saw vampires I was in. I must say though, the vampires felt a bit like an afterthought in the book and could have been very easily removed without the plot particularly suffering.

That said, I did enjoy the book! Action packed adventure with a hint of the supernatural, it was a good read. I was a little confused about what Nellie actually thought about the Revolution though. She was overall quite wishy washy and that did annoy me at times!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful, light-hearted historical fantasy seamlessly mixing vampires with the French revolution.
With high stakes, magic, and vampires, the story follows English maid Eleanor, who bares a close resemblance to the Queen of France, as she gets wrapped up in a plot to rescue French aristocrats and vampires from the revolution. This is a retelling of Scarlet Pimpernel and as we follow the story we see Eleanor grow and start to question the situation she has found herself in, with some analogies to capitalism and elitism. However, this is still a very fun and enjoyable start to a fantasy series.
There is wonderful , vivid worldbuilding integrated with 18th century history. Oh and we can't forget the romance - it isn't the main plot of the story but I did like this little side plot.
Thank you to NetGalley and PanMacmillan Tor books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A historical fiction about the French Revolution but with vampires? Yes please!

Seamstress, Eleanor, leaves England and goes undercover as a lookalike of the Queen of France, who is facing the guillotine, under the watchful guidance of the Scarlet Pimpernel and The League.

This was a really fun read although the pacing was a little slow for me. The world building was so evocative and I adored Eleanor (and hoping for more for her and a potential love interest!!)

All in all this book is absolutely perfect for history lovers! It was my first read from this author and certainly won't be my last!

A thrilling adventure in the world of the Scarlet Pimpernel with the ingenious addition on vampires and a feminine heroine who holds her own in a world pitted against her.

Scarlet is a thrilling reinvention of the tale of The Scarlet Pimpernel with the addition of magic and even more mayhem.
An absolute corker . . . totally engrossing and superbly written ⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Scarlet" is the second book in the Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman. It is a fantasy novel that blends elements of mystery, adventure, and alternate history.

The supernatural genre typically deals with stories that involve elements of the supernatural, paranormal, or occult. The author focuses on the conflict between supernatural forces and human beings, exploring themes such as good vs. evil, the battle between darkness and light, and the struggle between life and death. Included in this book, is the draw from folklore, myth, and legends, as well as from various religious and spiritual traditions. Overall, the author offers readers a chance to explore the unknown and mysterious and to delve into the darker aspects of the human experience. This is a book that can and will captivate readers of all ages.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, and no significant gaps between words. Some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

Scarlet was a lighthearted romp style fantasy filled with revolutionaries, mayhem and magic. Eleanor is fairly happy with her life as a servant in the household of Lady Sophie, even if she does serve a Vampire. But one day her world is turned upside down, sent away by Lady Sophie, Eleanor enters a world where she is needed, not for her skills as a servant but for who she looks like. It seems that Eleanor has a likeness for Marie Antoinette and she is quickly drawn into a plan to rescue Marie and her children from their prison in Paris. But there is more to fear out there than revolutionaries, and Eleanor quickly finds herself drawn into a centuries old battle between Vampires and their fiercest enemy yet.

Eleanor was a great character. She's a servant and because of that isn't a girl who is prone to flights of fancy, she's streetwise, capable of looking after herself in a fight and someone who, when asked to risk her own neck to save someones she's never met, hardly hesitates despite the danger. She does start a little naive, but as the story progresses she she has some serious emotional growth and I enjoyed seeing her progression from wide eyed girl wanting to save the world, to a slightly more jaded one who realises that to get anywhere in this world she has to play the game. Alongside Eleanor the story mainly focuses on the other members of The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel, namely their leader Sir Percy, the person who first notices Eleanor likeness to Marie Antoinette and Charles, the young Lord who is tasked with teaching Eleanor the history she will need to survive her time in Paris. The characters were fun, but a little lacklustre and they came across as almost caricature like and read like stereotypes of English gentlemen.

I think one of my favourite parts of this book was Eleanor constantly questioning the Leagues decision to save the royalty of France. Coming from a position of servitude, she can see the revolutionaries point of view, maybe she wouldn't go as far as murder, but she can certainly envision a world where titles mean little and everyone is seen as an equal. She is constantly showing them that their viewpoint isn't necessarily correct but, being nobles they tend to ignore her, and I did get a little annoyed at how often Eleanor's opinion on the matter changed. Cogman uses Eleanor, as well as the addition of Vampires to our historical world, to add in social commentary around the aristocracy and servant's and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Eleanor questioning the decisions made by both sides, and coming to realise that she doesn't in fact live in a fair world.

I did feel like the start of the story dragged a little, we spend a long time wondering what exactly Eleanor is going to be asked to do, but once she gets in with the League the story moves at an impressive pace and I found myself flying through the pages. Cogman's writing style had a levity and English style wit to it that lent itself to a faster and more entertaining reading experiences, whilst still managing to add tension and some terror to the story when it was needed. There are a few well placed plot twits and, although the 'Scarlet Pimpernel' part of this story is wrapped up, Cogman still leaves us with plenty of unanswered questions that ensure I will be picking up the next book in the series.

If you're looking for a little light fantasy with low stakes, a fun and feisty heroine and revolutionaries then look no further. Eleanor's back and forth on whether she agreed with what the league was going did annoy me a little, but as a whole I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will definitely be picking up the next book.

I’ve enjoyed the invisible library series from Genevieve Cogman, so the prospect of a retelling of the Scarlet Pimpernel - with vampires - was too good to resist.

Fortunately, Scarlet delivers on the anticipation. It’s a fun romp that introduces a good set of characters, focused on Eleanor, a resourceful maid thrown into the League of the scarlet pimpernel with the goal of rescuing key aristocrats. It’s not particularly deep, and perhaps there’s a bit too much “oh why won’t people listen to me just because I’m a female servant” (despite repeatedly proving herself, 185£ century chauvinists are going to chauvinist…), but you’ve got the French Revolution and vampires and some weeks that’s all you need.

Next two parts of the trilogy soon please!

Good fun, though not up to the Invisible Library, I am afraid. It felt rather too much like The Scarlet Pimpernel had been rephrased with a few vampires thrown in for good measure. Baroness Orczy wrote fifteen books in the Scarlet Pimpernel series, so will the next one be an original plot or another retelling? We'll have to wait to see.
I recommend this book, as it was enjoyable, and I have my fingers crossed I will settle into the next book or two. Or should that be thirteen...

What a wonderful romp through renaissance France! Filled with dashing deeds, startling surprises and well, vampires, this book is a great retelling of a classic.

Terrific! This book is the stuff of dreams - it infuses the turbulent Reign of Terror with supernatural elements and produces a fast-paced adventure that is full of unexpected twists and turns. Cogman's writing is engaging and captures the essence of the period perfectly. However, while Eleanor's situation is complicated by both her gender and her lowly social class, which provides an interesting contrast to the original text (where a male aristocrat dons the disguise of The Scarlet Pimpernel to save his fellow gentry from the menacing blade of the guillotine), the reason for her motivation to aid the cause and to rescue the royal family is unclear. This change in social class puzzled me but other than this, I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the next in the series. Wholeheartedly grateful to the publisher for allowing me to read it in advance in exchange for an honest review.

Scarlet is The Scarlet Pimpernel with Vampires basically. We enter this world via Eleanor who is amid of a lovely old vampire who only drinks blood from the young servants and never enough to make a dent. Elenor just so happens to bear a striking resemblance to certain French queen who is about to have her head separated from her body and so Elenor is farmed out to some posh boys who want to pull the old switcheroo and rescue the queen and her son. This was solid stuff, there’s a lot of sticky stuff about class and the right and wrongs of the revolution but Cogman sort of skates over that by having an even worse alternative in the dusty old Vampires. I liked Eleanor she’s feisty and brave and thinks for herself just enough to question things. All in all this was a fun jaunt.

This is my first time reading a book from this author and I really enjoyed it. It’s definitely made me want to read more from her.
This book is a reimagining of Scarlet Pimpernel but with magic and Vampires!
I felt this book was well written with a steady pace. I did feel that the characters didn’t quite have enough depth to them but feel that it will come in the next book. I felt this book was setting itself up ready for the next in the series.
I look forward to reading both book two and three in this trilogy.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I will start this review by saying that I am a huge fan of Genevieve Cogman's previous Invisible Library series. I think that is important for context here as I feel it may have clouded my judgement a little with this reading

Scarlet is a good book, it's well written, imaginative and clever however, fir me, it just doesn't have the same magic as her previous books.

To be fair this is the first in a series and as such will be going the groundwork for future books so I will be interested to see how they develop.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review