Elusive is the follow-up to Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman that loosely follows the adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel with added vampires. Elenor one time maid and blood donor is now working for the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel and finding it both thrilling and deeply awkward as she is not strictly a servant anymore but neither is she a gentle woman but then a French diplomat goes missing, and adventure calls again. I have to say I think this book was a bit of a mess. In the prologue we are introduced to two characters we never hear from again and Cogman can’t seem to decide if this is a historical novel or a fantasy novel. Much of the book is focused on conveying the complex history and political manoeuvring of the French Revolution, there’s also a bit of commentary on social class and gender roles and them -oh yeah! - vampires. This made for a bit of a slog and we didn’t even rescue Talleyrand that happens off book and is reported back in a few sentences. All of it lacked focus and drive. I wanted more derring do and vampires.

So, revolutions are to countries like hard reboots are to laptops, right? Right? Ok bear with me a bit. When things fail and nothing is working properly, all the usual buttons of governments refuse to budge, things get corrupt, and nothing is changing then users need to run and press that reset button and hope for the best. Sometimes things get better, sometimes it’s a problem deferred for a bit longer and sometimes we find out the software ain’t coming back from this. There is no rhyme or reason which outcome we get when this happens. In Genevieve Cogman’s excellent and intelligent fantasy novel Elusive we return to the world just after the French revolution, where the Scarlet Pimpernel has rescues to perform, vampires and magic do exist and a former English maid turned spy named Eleanor is finding revolutions and binary definitions of right and wrong don’t always align.

Eleanor is now working for Sir Percy Blakeney aka The Scarlet Pimpernel both in his household but having shown her skill for impersonation, adventure, deception and bravery is now firmly one of his team who focus on saving French nobles from Madam Guillotine. Eleanor also has the dead spirit of an ancient mage named Anima hiding in her head who can aid her (when the Mage agrees). On top of this Eleanor is debating Vampires who are seen as well honoured members of society but after her recent adventures have shown a meaner side, one that Anima says is their true nature. Not helping matters is the not so small matter of France and England being at war; a mysterious Prince of Paris making schemes on both sides of the channel fermenting distrust and rioting everywhere and rumours that Marie Antoinette is roaming the streets of France drinking blood. The Scarlet Pimpernel was investigating but is very very quiet. Eleanor finds herself soon embroiled again in the spy games, daring rescues and danger she definitely does not enjoy…at all. But Vampires are now starting to pay attention to Eleanor and that brings even more chance of death to everyone.

I loved this book for its combination of a thrilling well paved action-adventure story and without slowing the action at all an intelligent exploration of what revolution means. Cogman is having a ball wit the period and the type of adventures the Scarlet Pimpernel was known for. We have dramatic confrontation with French spymasters at the opera, Eleanor getting involved in riots while trailing subjects, a wonderful set-piece based around Mont-Saint-Michel where a simple decoy mission becomes a daring prison escape and then finally the drama returns to revolutionary Paris where final stands await. Eleanor finds herself here often acting on her own initiative, learning the art of lying, planning and subterfuge and being very good at it – knowing how the nobility and those in power thinks from the position of a former servant has many advantages and just as much as we have fighting, explosions we also have battles of wits, intelligence and sometimes hoping for the best. This is a story propelling itself with skill and ease that it never feels to sag.

Of course, Elusive is also a fantasy novel and here Cogman starts to explore two key concepts Magic and Vampires. In terms of magic now Anima resides in Eleanor’s head we get Eleanor using magic (or at least trying to) which adds a new element to the various adventures (often an incendiary one) but also opens up the lore of the world. That vampires and magic-equipped humans have been at war for some time and somehow the vampires won a few centuries ago. Anima is a cross between mentor and your hardest schoolteacher who takes few fools. She very much loves to put Eleanor in her place and is constantly surprised that Eleanor is often not going to take that on the chin. Their tense relationship if really fleshed out in this book and it’s a fascinating relationship. Cogman’s vampires I love for two reasons. They are genuinely scary and inhuman. Sinister dancing balls, a lack of compassion and underneath a veneer of posh civility lies a cruelness and ruthlessness that makes their scenes really have moments of creepiness that make you feel we have a genuine threat to face. They too have factions and games within games, but you feel Eleanor has a real opposition to face and now Eleanor is no longer on the staff of Vampires she finds her former loyalties no longer have that strong a sway on her.

This brings me to the other joy of the book. They way Cogman uses the whole story and Eleanor to explore the ideals of revolution against what humans tend to make of them. In many ways the Pimpernel tales are a typically strange British invention - adventure stories where The British rescue the good guys who are proponents of monarchy, landowners and extreme privilege and peasant s wanting freedom and equality are clearly in the wrong. Yep, it has an interesting question of sides. Cogman explores what revolutions can be in really interesting ways. The story notes The French revolution boosts those seeking a new beginning with topics such as democracy, slave emancipation and feminism all being cited against real-life historical events. Eleanor reflects this theme too, a working class made is placed within the nobility and treated as an equal - most of the time. Issues of gender and class are subtly explored here. The Pimpernel’s team need to get their heads around that a woman can be as active as a man but also the really interesting angle here is class.

A smart working-class woman, who is given knowledge, trust and skills starts to show she is as goof and often better than her fellows. This also starts to make Eleanor review her prior understanding of the world. Why are working class people just expected to serve? Do the revolutionaries actually have a point? it’s a very subversive angle which starts to pull at the thread that the Pimpernel’s cause is the right one. It also examines the bloodier side of revolutions (aptly as the book starts as The Terror beings) that those in power start to suspect everyone and violence and bloodshed erupts. Can you really keep your hands clean in a revolution? Do they just move different people into positions of power to repeat the old mistakes? The story is opening up new themes that I’m really interested in seeing where these plot threads lead to which neatly aligns to Vampires which while often are just depicted as Capitalism (for great reasons) but Cogman adds a new spin – Vampires are those in power who refuse to give it up – power for power’s sake alone. A refreshing modern spin I again want to see what the series does next with.

Safe to say Elusive is a fascinating story that while offers an excellent adventure story, a fascinating setting and lovely character work we also get a very interesting interrogation of revolutions and their real-world impacts. Its provocative and a book asking the reader some questions you don’t usually expect in fantasy adventure tales. I think it is one of Cogman’s best novels and I can’t wait to see where the series goes next.

3 .5 (rounded down) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to PanMacmillan and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was excited to read the second.

For a large part of the book there wasn’t a whole lot going on or really anything moving the plot forward. That’s why I have rounded down, the last part finally had some purpose and things got interesting so I will be reading the third book, but this instalment really suffered from second-book syndrome.

The second book in the series continues the conspiracy threads from the first and is a significant improvement. Eleanor now works with the Scarlet Pimpernel and his crew, diving into a plot involving the 'Prince of Paris' and a looming rebellion against France's National Convention. While the focus on aristocrats can be a bit distant, the intrigue picks up with the clash between mages and vampires. The parts involving Chauvelin are particularly engaging, adding depth to the story's conflict.

4/5.

I loved this latest instalment of this quirky and off-the-wall series! Irreverent and quirky, full of intriguing characters and a beautifully developed imaginative alternate reality. A fun and fast-paced read that’ll have you hooked in no time.

A great sequel to Scarlet, great character development, Eleanor is really starting to come into her own among the established circle of the Scarlet Pimpernel, I enjoyed this more than Scarlet, as with the original The Scarlet Pimpernel, Genevieve Cogman brings wit, humour, friendship, and a dash of romance to The Terror of revolutionary France.

I immediately watched the Anthony Andrews and Ian McKellen 1982 Scarlet Pimpernel (for about the 50th time), because Genevieve Cogman conjurs up the vibe so well, I wanted more, she also manages to write believeable clever female characters with agency, but in a way that doesn't feel anachronistic, and weirdly the fae and vampire elements don't seem out of place either.

Elusive is the sequel to Scarlet which I really enjoyed. This was even better than the first book in my option and that one was great.
I absolutely loved going back into this exciting world full of Vampires, Spies, History and Revolution.
I adore Eleanor as a character and felt that her growth in this book was amazing. I love seeing a character developing throughout a book.
The book was well written and easy to follow along with. The book had a good fast pace and I loved the twists in the book especially the ones I did not see coming.
The ending was fantastic and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.
Sorry for the delay in posting feedback I already thought I’d posted my review for this one!

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

Note: I grew up reading the Scarlet pimprnel books and still love them after all those years even if I know that it was not always all white-vs-black.
Genevieve Cogman took the best traits of the series, brought it into XXI century and added some fantasy aspects.
She did an excellent job as Sir Percy and Marguerite mantains most of the characterial traits I loved but there's more. Eleanor, the young maid who became a member of the League, is the main character in this novel and she's also the one who gave me a way to look to the high society world in a different way.
Action, intrigue, vampires: there's enough to make me happy and look forward to the next story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Elusive is the sequel to Scarlet, which I thoroughly enjoyed when I reviewed it, so I have been looking forward to this next instalment in the series. It definitely lived up to its promise!

The setting for these books is such a fantastic concept. It's the French Revolution, the Scarlet Pimpernel is running around rescuing nobles, but there are also vampires. It's so elegant in its imagining, because it is such a natural fit. Probably more than any other time in history, the French Revolution is a period steeped in aristocracy and blood, mainly the blood of the aristocracy to be fair, and if there're two things commonly associated with vampires, it's blood and aristocracy (or high school and sparkles, but let's not go there!)

Of course, Elusive doesn't retread the same ground as Scarlet. It's clear to see how much progression is being made, with Eleanor, our main character, on a fascinating character arc. She's no longer quite the clueless girl of the first book, her education, specialised though it may be, and her experiences are shaping her and her view of the world. She's a lot more aware of what is going on around her, of history and politics and rights and justices. She's a lot more forceful, making her own mind up more and pushing people in the direction she wants to go in. She's a woman who knows her own mind and isn't afraid to speak it, though actually some of my favourite moments are when she does hold her tongue, but we, the readers, see what thoughts are running through her head, usually a snarky comment that is both amusing and would be unwise to voice aloud.

Curiously, she's not the only one who knows her own mind, as after Scarlet she has a new voice in her head, a very interesting ghost with her own attitudes, prejudices and ideas. The interplay between Anima and Eleanor is wonderfully done and adds a lot of depth to her character. It also opens up some really intriguing mysteries that are partly explored here but leave a lot of scope for future stories.

There's a lot in this world for Eleanor to explore and only some of it is supernatural. There's a lot in here about class and gender, both of which have a huge impact on Eleanor. I loved the exploration of her place in society, not really just a servant any more but definitely not one of the aristocrats who make up the rest of the League. I really felt like she was trying to figure out where she belonged, and finding herself falling somewhere in the middle, neither one nor the other, and coming to terms with what this means. The gender divide adds to this, with the natural impulse of the men being to try to protect her and keep her from harm, however much she tries to put herself into danger. Of course, Eleanor being Eleanor, she's able to use all of this to her advantage much of the time, and her class status allows her to do things that the others couldn't possibly do.

The French Revolution is a time of really complex politics and philosophies, as a desire and need for genuine change was corrupted and turned into the Terror. Elusive captures a lot of this complexity really well, with no simplistic right or wrong, good or bad, but competing factions and philosophies to try and balance. Watching someone trying to do the right thing in the middle of that whirlwind of blood and corruption is very interesting and is handled really well. There are certainly no easy answers!

The Scarlet Pimpernel himself takes something of a back seat in this story, though his shadow looms over most of the action with a lot of references to what he would do if he were there. I like this approach, as it gave Eleanor time and space to shine. Or maybe time and space to mess up. Elusive has that middle of a trilogy feel, where things go quite dark before they're resolved, and it has a lot of interesting things to say about failing

Elusive is a fantastic book built around a wonderful concept. I'm looking forward to Eleanor's continuing adventures now.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book! It was so exciting to venture back into the world of spies, vampires, and revolution in Book 2 of the Scarlet Revolution.

Another excellent instalment, even better than book one! I adore Eleanor as a protagonist and can't wait for more from her in the next.

Firstly, if you haven’t read Scarlet before picking up this offering – then shelve Elusive and track down Scarlet, first. A great deal happens in the first book, which you need to understand to fully appreciate Eleanor and her current state of mind in this slice of the adventure.

At the beginning of the book, Eleanor now finds herself working as a servant in the Blakeney household. Given what transpires in Scarlet, her resemblance to Marie Antoinette is no longer of any use, so while she has been accepted into the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel, her role isn’t crucial. It leaves her in an awkward between-stairs situation. She’s still regularly called into meetings and discussions with the Blakeneys and certain aristocratic guests, which means she’s treated with suspicion by the rest of the servants in the house. But it’s painfully clear that none of the other members of the League treat her with quite the same respect as everyone else.

I enjoyed seeing her coping with the increasing sense that she doesn’t really belong anywhere – complicated and enhanced by the voice in her head, I’m not going to say more than that as I don’t want to veer into Spoiler territory. Eleanor soon finds herself back in France on a mission. But as the political situation within France remains chaotic and highly dangerous – Cogman brilliantly encapsulates that by showing how the League’s own plans go horribly awry.

However, once everything goes to Hell in a handcart – that’s when Eleanor comes into her own. Partly due to her own natural adrenaline-fuelled ability to think on her feet – and partly due to the help she gets from said voice in her head. The way the vampires are woven into this historical era on both sides of the Channel is masterly. I’ve read one or three vampire tales in my time, where they are depicted as living openly alongside the rest of us mortals. And this depiction is one of the very best. Cogman’s handling of the historical era is also superb. My one grizzle – the book ends on something of a cliff-hanger so I’m now waiting impatiently for the next one to find out what happens next. The series is very highly recommended for fans of well-written historical fantasy. While I obtained an arc of Elusive from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10

“Elusive” is the continuing story of Eleanor, a serving girl that has been dragged into a world of mystery, power and intrigue. As a member of “The League of the Scarlett Pimpernel” she has placed herself in danger and rubbed shoulders with dangerous people. The politics of Revolutionary France and England are not quite as history tells - in this retelling Vampires exist and many are powerful members of the aristocracy. The book retells the exploits of the fictional League from a new perspective. Some characters match those from history, some from the fictional tales of “The Scarlett Pimpernel” and some are new creations. The book is well written, full of meaningful depictions of people and locations. The plots are quite involved, you need to understand some of the politics of the age, or at least keep a track of the character names and which “side” they purport to be on. In fact, the sides both morally and politically are what is in question throughout the book. The only side the reader is encouraged to be on is that of Eleanor as she battles with her morals, upbringing, loyalties, loves and circumstances to produce a thoroughly enticing novel. I look forward to read the final part of this trilogy to see where Eleanor’s awakened political and moral insights take her.

A clever and intriguing sequel that I was sad to see end. I am not going to spoil the book because the twists were unexpected and that ending was fantastic.

I really enjoyed visiting with the determined and stubborn Eleanor again and joining her on a dangerous adventure during a tumultuous time in France's history.

I know, given the ending, that there will be a third book and I can't wait to read it!

📜 Historical fantasy
🇨🇵 Revolutionary France
🩸Vampires
🔎 Spies
📖 Book 2 of The Scarlet Revolution

Vampires, spies, Revolutionary France, and a dash of romance; Genevieve Cogman returns for another historical fantasy romp with The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel in Elusive.

Cogman's light and humorous writing keeps this a fun and light read, even amongst "The Terror" of Revolutionary France.

For me, Eleanor's character growth is the real strength of Elusive. She's become more politically aware, her experiences amongst the revolution leading her to more deeply question the class divides that restrict her own life and opportunities, and the chafing gap it causes between herself and other League members. She's using her own initiative, deciding for herself, and I like her all the more for it! The plot didn't feel quite as tight to me as that of Scarlet, but it was far more satisfying character-wise. Plus, the haphazardness of events seems to just be an intrinsic part of The League's antics.

I enjoyed learning more about Anima and that intriguing side of things. There are definitely more mysteries to unravel!

All in all, it was good to be back amongst The League and their whimsical characters

I loved Elusive! It was such a fast-paced, fun read. I loved the characters and the story pulled me in right from the beginning. Can't wait for more!

Thank you for providing me with an ARC copy of Elusive. Note: I have not read the first book in this series.

This was a fantastic book. I loved the combination of historical events with magic and vampires. The author was able to seamlessly mix fantasy and historical genres together and use elements of magic and vampires to explain historical events which I found super interesting! I enjoyed the mystery elements that were woven into the book and the setting up of the rise of the mages and battles between mages and vampires. I really hope Anima’s character is explored further in the third book as I really enjoyed this character. I liked that the book was a fun read but still had social commentary and the strive for social change and was therefore able to show a maturation in themes throughout to match the historical setting of the book and the viewpoints of its characters.

The sequel to Cogman's Scarlet, Elusive features the characters, and setting, of Baroness Orczy's Scarlet Pimpernel series in which an English nobleman and his friends, acting anonymously, rescue French aristocrats from the Terror during the Revolution.

In Scarlet, the premise was established, with our reluctant hero, housemaid Eleanor, being "lent" by her vampire (I'll come to that in a moment) employer, Lady Sophie, to Sir Percy Blakeney (the Pimpernel) and his crew to that she can impersonate Marie Antoinette to facilitate a rescue. (Yes, Eleanor closely resembles the French Queen, something which I speculate may be a future plot point). All Eleanor wants is the opportunity to set up as a modiste, earning an honest living through her needleworks skills, but it is not to be. Cogman draws Eleanor as a convincing protagonist who's not afraid to think for herself, albeit the position she's in is precarious due to the vagaries of the English class system and, of course, patriarchy. Any fear I had that that exploring Orczy's "rescue the aristos" angle might seem dated or crass was rapidly dispelled by the intelligent and engaged way in which Cogman presents the realities of Revolutionary France and the crimes of the ancien regime. She also overcomes that fact that she's probably the only person living now who's read the Pimpernel books and that for many, knowledge of them will be limited to the "They seek him here, they seek him there" verses and the Carry On parody. (Is there a proper literary term for works better known from derivatives and parodies than from the original text?)

With Elusive, Eleanor pretty much gets her own adventure, driving much of the action (albeit she has to be somewhat underhand about this) and getting back to France, in the absence of Sir Percy (hence the book's title) to stage a diversionary raid on Mont Saint Michel, where a large number of prisoners are held hostage.

As we learned in Scarlet, vampires are a thing in this world, indeed they're one of the evils against which the people of France rose. The vampires formerly had enemies in the order of magicians/ sorcerers who they defeated and had expunged from history. Eleanor just happens though to have the should have the last remaining sorcerer, Anima, hitching a ride with her. And Anima has her own plans, which also involve Mont Saint Michel...

I loved Scarlet, but now I find I actually enjoyed Elusive even more. Eleanor has much more licence here and is less subject to others' machinations and orders. The relationship with Anima, her unexpected passenger, grows and develops, the two very different women struggling with, but learning to understand and trust, one another. Eleanor has grown, and deepens further here in her understanding of the world, and wherever her story is going, it isn't leading to her becoming an enthusiastic lackey of the British Establishment: she can see the reasons for the Revolution, and enthusiastically urges another young woman, freed from captivity, to strive to make it a better Revolution. There's a questioning side to Eleanor's nature which contrasts with the other members of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel. They may be perfectly affable, honourable young men by their own lights, they are brave and by no means stupid, but nor have been servants and so they are comfortable with a level of privilege and wealth which is only maintained by repression.

Eleanor sees more clearly.

This story is both more straightforward and more layered than its predecessor. More straightforward, in that it's clearer from the start what Eleanor faces, and what she is doing. We don't have to wait for it to be revealed where the story is going. More layered, because with different factions in play - several different groups of vampires, including the late Marie Antoinette, now one of the undead, the French authorities, personified by Citizen Chauvelin, who has his own difficulties, the sorcerers, whose motivations and fate become clearer and who have some remaining power via Anima, and lots more besides (spoilers!) - Eleanor has to dig deep into her store of knowledge, talent, and courage, and also broaden it with new abilities. She has power, up to a point, but much of her success in this adventure comes rather from persuasion, empathy and quick thinking, in circumstances where a false step could see her and all her friends sent to the guillotine.

As ever in Cogman's books, there is some sharp writing here, both to convey to us the reality of things from Eleanor's viewpoint and to keep the story moving. I especially enjoyed the way that Cogman will have her characters describe a plan, and then jump to the aftermath of its execution, giving the essence of the story without needing to repeat herself. She also often visualises opportunities, situations and schemes as fabrics to be worked rather than timelines, using needlework metaphors to show Eleanor grappling with the difficulties she's in. That's not something I'd come across before and it is a very effective and economical way to portray things.

So - if you loved Scarlet I think you'll love this even more, if you haven't read Scarlet, go and do that!

4 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2024/05/27/elusive-scarlet-revolution-2-by-genevieve-cogman/
My Five Word TL:DR Review : The French Revolution with Vampires

Elusive is the second instalment in Genevieve Cogman’s Scarlet Revolution series and is an instalment that I really enjoyed. I would say before I start this review that being the second in series there may be potential spoilers below so bear that in mind before continuing on (although I do endeavour to avoid such things).

As we start this next instalment we’re back in England. on the estate of the Blakeneys, where Eleanor is once again acting as a maid. The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel still continues to make dashing rescues across the water and Eleanor has been involved but her involvement mainly comes into play only if they need someone to act as a maid and for the most part you can feel her frustration that she seems, in many respects, to be exactly where she started. A maid, at the whim of her employers and with very little voice in the matter.

Within fairly short order Cogman sets up the main theme for this episode. Nefarious plots are afoot and Sir Percy (aka the Pimpernel) has travelled to France in search of information. Unfortunately, all has gone quiet and eventually the League must formulate a plan to go in search of their missing chief. Eleanor manages to wangle a place on this latest mission and pretty soon becomes much more deeply embroiled than originally anticipated.

I don’t intend to go any further into the plot. I would say that once again I had good fun with this. There’s enough adventure thrown in to keep the pace alive and kicking and I found the pages turning very easily with this second instalment.

What I really liked about this.

Firstly, Eleanor’s development is really coming along. She is a willing student who likes to learn and her own political sensibilities are increasing surely and steadily. I did still feel for her in this book. She reminds me a little of Eliza from My Fair Lady who has learnt to speak perfectly and no longer fits on the streets but neither does she fit in the ballroom. Eleanor is very similar in that she is still a maid, she has little voice in the plans of the League (which makes sense in a lot of ways given her lack of experience I suppose) and she’s a little like a duck out of water. The other servants of the household are a little mistrustful of her which you can understand given the degree of attention she seems to receive but at the same time she isn’t of high birth and can’t really develop friendships or have any real voice amongst the other members. I did feel frustrated on her behalf at times, especially given the risks that she’d already put herself through. All that being said, I liked this element of the story. It provides an intriguing social commentary about the period and Eleanor’s knowledge and sensitivities make for an easy discussion for the rights and wrongs of both scenarios.

In my last review I kept one particular element in reserve – Eleanor has found herself with a ‘passenger’ a ghost or spirit, if you will, has taken up residence inside her head – I didn’t want to spoil that element for readers of the first book as it’s nice to discover during the read. I mention it at this point because the obvious enmity between mages and vampires becomes much more apparent in this instalment and in fact you can see that this is going to play a role as the series progresses.

I liked the developing relationship between Eleanor and one of the League members. This isn’t a central part of the story but it’s a nice touch and keeps very much to a back seat – I felt like it give Eleanor a real friend, someone who was concerned about her and prepared to listen.

I thought the storyline was intriguing. Eleanor becomes involved in a hasty plan to save some prisoners from almost certain execution, one of them a character from the first book. The whole plan goes to hell in a handcart and quickly becomes a ‘seat of the pants’ type scenario.

We travel to Paris again where Eleanor becomes wrapped up in the underground world of the vampires and a new pretender – the Prince of Paris. I felt like the vampires in this story really started to show their fangs. I felt in Scarlet that they were cloaked in the respectability that their wealth has afforded them but here we start to get the impression that their true nature is simply waiting for the opportunity come to the fore These are immortals, and they’ve been playing the long game.

Once again, there is a dramatic finale, the same as book 1 Sir Percy plays a very small role with Eleanor taking centre stage for the most part although all the league are always immeasurably relieved to hand back the reins when he does eventually put in an appearance.

Overall, I’m enjoying this series. I like the way it’s written. There are certain restrictions that are placed on our MC as a result of the period and her position in society, but for the most part the author has brought to us a very easy to like and capable character in Eleanor. She isn’t well educated but she’s keen to learn. She has courage but still feels fear whenever she’s rushing into a situation that is dangerous and it’s interesting to join in her adventures because of the way she’s developing. Plus, this ending, a perfect set up for the next instalment.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

A gripping book, great fun, historically interesting (even if a slightly unusual take) and with plenty of action, twists and good stuff.
Great to see Marie-Antoinette back again, and I loved the Mont St Michel parts.
The characters we mostly know from the previous book in this captivating series, and so we can concentrate on enjoying their behaviour and quirks. Who cannot want Eleanor and Charles to work out well?
Seeing all this from the POV of a 'lowly maid' is a great angle, and works really well.
With this brilliant author, you know the book is going to be good, and I cannot wait for the next book in this unusual and compelling series.

Now safe in England, Eleanor, is still working as a maid for the Blakeneys whilst being a member of their League of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Sir Percy Blakeney has returned to France to investigate the disappearance of a notorious French diplomat named Talleyrand. The circumstances of his disappearance are odd & it leads to the discovery of feuding vampire factions battling to gain power in the chaos of revolutionary France, which risks trouble spilling out onto the streets of England. Can the League solve the mystery & head off further violence?

It's that 'difficult second book of a series' time but the author mostly manages to avoid the main pitfalls. The book is surprisingly light on actual vampires considering the theme, & Sir Percy Blakeney is absent for three-quarters of the book. What we do have is Eleanor's growing frustration that she isn't fully accepted as a member of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel in her own right & her yearning to play an active part in what is happening. Alongside this, Eleanor still carries the secret of 'Anima' (ancient mage) in her mind & she wonders how she would be viewed even by those on her own side if they knew she can perform magic. Overall it was a really enjoyable read with action, historical detail, & just a smidgen of romance, although it is a little slow-going at times..

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Pan Macmillan/Tor, for the opportunity to read an ARC.