I didn't come to this book with a pre-existing love for the Scarlet Pimpernel (or even having read it before), but I suspect Scarlet would have pleased my black marxist little heart more than the original anyway. It's an easy, fulfilling read: it was fun both as a classic adventure and as social commentary. Just when I was starting to worry that the sweeping nobleman spy narrative would overtake the pragmatic considerations that are more natural for someone who is of a servant backgroud, the text reassured me that Eleanor was fully aware that whilst she was a heroine in a romantic dress-up narrative, she is very much aware that the stakes in the game are quite different for a bunch of young gentlemen playing at saving the world from what's in it for her. I enjoyed that she was allowed anger and resentment, as well as room to engage with what the revolution means for her vs for people in fashionable suits and Oxford degrees, even if at the same time she was charmed by the gang and its dashing games - I would maybe have preferred a bit more of the angry side, but let's make allowances for the fact that the book is a sweeping romantic adventure at the core, even if its heroine is more sensible than 90% of its cast. I also liked the place the vampires were given in the aristocracy of both England and France: obviously they are a natural fit for the not-so-subtle metaphor of a parasytic upper class, and the book capitalized on that both to both add a supernatural dimension to the story and to, well, encapsulate what the rage against the aristocracy was about.

Also -- I hope Hugo haven't put you off the descriptions of Parisian sewers e n t i r e l y -- the book is diligent about paying its homage to the classics! :D

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy for Scarlet.

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First off, when I heard that the author of the Invisible Library series was writing a new book, I knew I had to add it to my TBR right away! Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman is a retelling of the Scarlet Pimpernel with vampires! The story revolves around Eleanor, a human maid who gets involved in a plot to rescue aristocratic vampires. With her striking resemblance to French royalty, Eleanor is the perfect pawn for the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Will she succeed in her undercover mission? Can she hold her own against bloodthirsty vampires?

Here is an exciting excerpt from the Prologue:

"'You have no friends in Paris anymore, citizen,' Chauvelin said. 'And you'll received far more justice from the Republic than any common citizen of France did before the revolution.'
...
'These days, citizen, the Republic rules in France. You aristocrats and blooddrinkers, you sanguinocrats are no longer welcome - and will no longer be tolerated.'

Overall, Scarlet is an amazing adult fantasy retelling of the Scarlet Pimpernel. It will appeal to fans of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies or Interview with a Vampire. One highlight of this book is the world-building. I loved how this book transported me back into the time of the French Revolution. I really felt like I wasn't in the modern world anymore. Another highlight of this book is

If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would say that I miss Irene and Kai from the Invisible Library. I know this complaint is unfair, and I shouldn't compare the author's new series to her old one, but I can't help it. Nevertheless, I will continue to instant-read any book that the author writes, and she continues to be one of my favorite authors. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of fantasy retellings in general, you won't regret checking out this book when it comes out in May!

I love retellings and this is no different. It was well written with a compelling storyline and characters that I thought were well developed and each brought something to the story. I loved it and can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy

I was grateful for the brief notes at the beginning giving a quick overview of the French Revolution as I know next to zero about it. Presumably the vampires and sorcery that take centre stage in the novel based in this troublesome time period are down to artistic licence.
Like many Cogman fans who cites Irene Winter as one of their favourite fictional characters, I was saddened to hear the author was taking a break from the Invisible Library series, however I shouldn’t have worried. Scarlet features an equally hardass female protagonist in the form of Eleanor who starts out as an ambitious maid to an aristocratic vampire in England and ends up as an associate of the Scarlet Pimpernel trying to rescue royalty from incarceration in Paris.
I absolutely loved this rip-roaring caper and am eager to read further adventures of Eleanor and the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel.

I loved all of Genevieve’s Secret Library series and I really wanted to love this one too. However, I just couldn’t get into it and finally gave up.
The subject and historical background were very good but poorly executed. My copy was pre publication so I hope it is still subject to rewrites. The quality of the writing was not up to Genevieve’s usual standard and it was all a bit clunky and predictable. Sad because I had looked forward to this book for months and was delighted to get a copy via NetGalley. So, not for me but other fans of the Secret Library may well love it.

The French Revolution is one of my favourite periods of history & The Scarlet Pimpernel forged into my memory as a hero of that age. This time period was brutal, anarchic & terrifying as it was, but throw in some Vampires, a Widow Capet doppelgänger & things get even more fascinating. I adored this novel. The book is certainly true to the history of the period & culture of the time and the author’s imagination is on fire. Fast paced, historical supernatural fiction at its best. Really good fun, really good read. Huge thanks to the publisher & NG for the ARC

Like all Invisible Library lovers I was saddened when Genevieive Cogman announced that the last book was, if not the ending to her clever, inventive series, the closing of the chapter for now. But I was cheered by the announcement that she was writing a new series and not just a new series but one based on the Scarlet Pimpernel. As a romantic bookworm of a child I reread the adventures of Sir Percy over and over, and so the idea of one of my favourite authors retelling one of my favourite series was irresistable.

Despite sky high expectations Scarlet doesn't disappoint, in fact subtle layering of class consciousness and gender roles onto a story about highly privileged males breathes freshness into the story. Our heroine, Eleanor, is a housemaid whose dreams are of rising high enough to become a lady's maid so that she can spend her time sewing rather than scrubbing floors. For a girl in her position talent is not enough to help her escape drudgery so when she is asked to take drinks up to her mistress she jumps at the opportunity and at the subsequent request that she go to work for her guests for a few months. But her new employers aren't interested in Eleanor's embroidery skills but her resemblance to a woman currently imprisoned in France and how that resemblance will enable an audacious rescue attempt.

This being Genevieve Cogman society is a little different to that in the history books. Vampires are common, occupying aristocratic positions of wealth and Eleanor's own mistress is a vampire whose servants are expected to donate blood as part of their duty. Cogman cleverly weaves the supernatural in with the adventure to create a fun, high paced caper. I loved it. Highly recommended.

A fascinating book, and set in the period that I love, beautifully described and written, this is the author’s best book yet, I loved her Invisible Library series but this one tops it by far. I would give it ten stars if I were able and I do recommend this retelling of the Scarlet Pimpernel with vampires among the aristocracy.