Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Kate Alender
Publisher: Point
ISBN: 978-0-545-46809-1
Synopsis: Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She'll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family's French roots. But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette. Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won't believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is in danger... (from book cover)
I so wanted to love this book! But, as Abe Lincoln once said, "I cannot tell a lie". I have read a ton of biographies and historical fiction about Marie Antoinette; the doomed and misunderstood Queen of France, who was executed by guillotine at the end of the 18th century. I love Versailles and seeing picture and movies from that palace. I also love, love, love a good campy ghost story, with a centuries old mystery to solve. This book had everything that I loved combined, but in the end it was a bit disappointing and didn't meet my expectations.
The first thing that put me off was her rich friends. One was ok and a normal, well-to-do teenage girl, but the Queen Bee of the group was horrible. I just could not understand why anyone would care what she thought, never mind be her friend. I would have told her to bugger off in the first few lines of the book. I kept waiting to see if she got her comeuppance in the book, but she didn't really. I would have loved to see some of that bad Karma come back on her. The main character of the book was quite good. I was rooting for her with the mystery, with her friends and with the French tour guide.
The description of Paris, Versailles and le Hameau were great. Alender did a great job of describing them to the reader (especially since this reader has never been). I also liked the description of how the surroundings and the history made Colette feel because I think I would have a similar reaction. The early encounters with the ghost were also quite good and creepy. There was a nice build up to the climax.
The climax is the main thing that let this book down. We have been building to this moment and the showdown with the ghost and I had a "what just happened" moment. Spoiler Alert: the showdown was over by someone just saying sorry. And not a long, explanation of why they were sorry, just a vision and then just, "Je suis desole". I'm sorry too because I was disappointed.
It wasn't a terrible book, but it wasn't one of my favourites either. I think that if you are into history, the French Revolution and ghost stories, this could be good, easy read. It was a quick read. I started after lunch, was mostly done by 4:30 and finished the last chapter this morning. It was just lacking that je ne sais quoi that good ghost/mystery stories need to make me happy.
If you've read the book and would like to comment, agree or disagree, please post a comment below.
Happy Reading!
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