THE RED NECKLACE BY SALLY GARDNER

It is 1789. The French revolution is in its early stages and Yann Margoza is living with the dwarf Tetu and a magician in Paris. After the magician is murdered by the evil Count Kalliovski while the entertainers are performing at the house of the selfish Marquis de Villeduval, the Marquis' unloved daughter Sido helps Yann to escape. Yann and Tetu must flee Kalliovski, but while they are fleeing, Tetu is shot. Yann goes to London and there he is educated over the next two years, but the Revolution is gathering steam and France is becoming increasingly dangerous. Sido is trapped and Count Kalliovski is scheming, and Yann must face danger and return to France to rescue Sido and discover the secrets of the Marquis and Kalliovski.

This book is historical, romantic and mysterious. The plot is complex but very clever and the characters are well-developed and realistic. The fantasy elements of the book make it appeal to a wide range of readers.

The history in the book is particularly intriguing, involving both the events surrounding the start of the French Revolution and the stories of the gypsies in France and England. A perspective on the Revolution is given from both sides of the Channel.

The romance in the novel is not overused but still touching. Yann and Sido share a fascinating bond - though they barely know each other they long for each other like well-acquainted lovers and their relationship is almost spiritual in the way it is described. This makes it a refreshing change from the overused, extreme passion often present in young adult books.

The mystery, however, is what makes this book. The backgrounds of the characters and Kalliovski's evil deeds are revealed as the book goes on, and although the reader can sometimes guess what is coming some plot twists are unexpected and fascinating.

The book does have a few flaws, however. Sometimes the plot is difficult to follow and some characters were confusing. I lost track of who everybody was, even though I only read the book over a few days. I found I could not remember some characters. The book was also fairly long for the story, and contains a lot of detail that, although it is interesting, is not necessarily relevant to the plot.

Overall, however, this was an enjoyable and exciting read and I am intrigued to read what happens in the sequel.

Butterflies: 8 out of 10
Recommended for: people over 11
Warnings: the book is set in the French Revolution and there is a fair amount of violence, particularly at the end of the book. There are also references to the occult and spirits, so that is also something to consider if you are an adult buying this book for a child.