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britwhimsy's review against another edition
4.0
As always,Michelle is great at writing a good historical fiction novel. Takes a good writer to keep me interested. This was a hard read for me though being that the French Revolution had so much unneccessary bloodshed and etc. So the story was rather dark and depressing, but that what it must have been like at that time in history. I really did not know much about the French revolution and what happened during the time so it was educational. She ends the book with the details of the characters and the actual events that she used for the book. Then what was changed for the story and not actual fact.
danelleeb's review against another edition
4.0
A biographical account told through the events of the French Revolution, this book is based on actual events, documents, and people. It's an engrossing tale of the turbulence and danger of the times.
Most people know the name 'Madame Tussaud' from the various tourist attractions with locations around the world, but this woman truly existed and made her living via the life-sized wax models she created (usually via her photographic memory, sometimes by sketches, or a plaster mask).
Her family owned the Salon de Circe, a wax museum in Paris where the tableaux and exhibits of the famous and notorious people provided many Parisians with the news. When Marie gets the attentions she's always wanted from the royal family - with a visit to her attraction by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette - she begins to live a sort of double life - acting as a tutor and then becoming a friend to the king's sister, whilst living amongst the poor people of Boulevard du Temple.
As the republic crumbles and everyone begins to turn on each other, Marie, a foreigner in France with brothers in the king's Swiss Guard, must do whatever she can to survive. And that's why she begins to make the death masks and figures of those who meet their death by the new contraption for killing - the guillotine.
Overall, it was an incredible way to tell the story of Marie Grosholtz, or, as we know her, Madame Tussaud.
Most people know the name 'Madame Tussaud' from the various tourist attractions with locations around the world, but this woman truly existed and made her living via the life-sized wax models she created (usually via her photographic memory, sometimes by sketches, or a plaster mask).
Her family owned the Salon de Circe, a wax museum in Paris where the tableaux and exhibits of the famous and notorious people provided many Parisians with the news. When Marie gets the attentions she's always wanted from the royal family - with a visit to her attraction by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette - she begins to live a sort of double life - acting as a tutor and then becoming a friend to the king's sister, whilst living amongst the poor people of Boulevard du Temple.
As the republic crumbles and everyone begins to turn on each other, Marie, a foreigner in France with brothers in the king's Swiss Guard, must do whatever she can to survive. And that's why she begins to make the death masks and figures of those who meet their death by the new contraption for killing - the guillotine.
Overall, it was an incredible way to tell the story of Marie Grosholtz, or, as we know her, Madame Tussaud.
mushroomhaze's review against another edition
2.0
A bloodthirsty time which definatley led to a bloodthirsty book filled with war, love, treachery and every other dramatic plot theme you can name (well, excepting a few obviously. Necrophilia doesn't feature at all, sorry if that disappoints you). I liked it mostly, well....then again.....but...I don't know I think perhaps I'm disappointed.
I thought this would be like Moran's earlier books and it just isn't, Marie wasn't as developed and as interesting as Moran could've made her and WHAT WAS UP WITH HER MARRYING THE IDIOT TUSSAUD? All along the book it's blatantly obvious that she loves Henri and they are to be togther foever etc. etc. I'm happy about this, in fact I love it! But Moran spoils it for me completely! She removes ALL THE ROMANCE! ALL OF IT! GONE! HOW COULD SHE?!? ......I'm not a happy camper.
Although I found the time interesting as I haven't read about the french revolution much so it was nice to learn about the time period I can't help but think that Marie wasn't a big a deal as was made out. If she was so important why wasn't sent to the scaffold first? Everyone else of importance seemed to be, why not her? Perhaps due to the fact that she wasn't so big a deal on one side maybe? Though I admired her buisness acumen, especially for that time and her level-headedness even when I lost all sympathy for her when she let Henri leave.
Basically that's all I have to say, interesting but not the best and the romance was removed. It deserves a sad face even :(
I thought this would be like Moran's earlier books and it just isn't, Marie wasn't as developed and as interesting as Moran could've made her and WHAT WAS UP WITH HER MARRYING THE IDIOT TUSSAUD? All along the book it's blatantly obvious that she loves Henri and they are to be togther foever etc. etc. I'm happy about this, in fact I love it! But Moran spoils it for me completely! She removes ALL THE ROMANCE! ALL OF IT! GONE! HOW COULD SHE?!? ......I'm not a happy camper.
Although I found the time interesting as I haven't read about the french revolution much so it was nice to learn about the time period I can't help but think that Marie wasn't a big a deal as was made out. If she was so important why wasn't sent to the scaffold first? Everyone else of importance seemed to be, why not her? Perhaps due to the fact that she wasn't so big a deal on one side maybe? Though I admired her buisness acumen, especially for that time and her level-headedness even when I lost all sympathy for her when she let Henri leave.
Basically that's all I have to say, interesting but not the best and the romance was removed. It deserves a sad face even :(
amgamble's review against another edition
Tussaud is a good person to follow to cover a lot of viewpoints of the French Revolution: the nature of her business and her ambitions meant that she had contacts on all sides of the conflict. Moran makes vivid how living through a major historical movement might feel--how they result via a series of perhaps small decisions by many players.
forgotmyline's review against another edition
4.0
I thought I wrote a review for this, but apparently I didn't. I blame my upcoming move and being busy or something. Yeah. Aaaaaaanyway, I really enjoyed this. I only occasionally read historical fiction (I'm not counting romances here) and I've never been super interested in novels about the French revolution, but this got pretty good reviews. It's also told from the perspective of Marie Grosholtz, who later became Madame Tussaud or wax museum fame, which made it seem like it would add another interesting element. It did. I loved Marie's voice, I loved the author's writing style. The author gives you a good feel of life during the revolution - the uncertainty, the terror - without the book getting bogged down by the history.
katielasky's review against another edition
5.0
This book is very informative about the French Revolution and reign of terror. I learned a lot and it was very Interesting and exciting!
zpw1820's review against another edition
5.0
Love love love this book! The characters are beautifully written, the history is incorporated in an interesting and meaningful way, and it really makes you see both sides of the French Revolution, something I haven't seen done well in any other books about the time period.
millyficent's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
chelcyharrell's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
laurapoulosky's review against another edition
3.0
This was another 3.5-star read for me. Although I was already aware of most of the events of the Revolution recounted here, it was interesting to have a chronological review in the form of a historical novel from a point of view I hadn't been given before, that of "survivalist" (rather than true royalist or revolutionary) Marie Grosholtz, who eventually becomes Mme Tussaud. The atmosphere of the Reign of Terror was evoked convincingly. The writing style was clear and straight-forward, not particularly elegant or poetic, which I suppose is why I wasn't as entranced by the book as I'd hoped to be.