Glorious Poison (Battalion of the Dead series)
Paris, 1794. The Revolution is over, and Robespierre is dead, but all is not peaceful. There are two groups at work. One has the Duc de l’Aubespine and his cronies, and the other is the Battalion of the Dead. The Duc wishes to restore the Bourbon dynasty, King Louis XVI and his Queen Marie Antoinette having died at the guillotine. The Battalion of the Dead aims to rescue victims from the guillotine. There appear to be spies in both camps.
Kat Dunn seems to have a high imagination as to what happened, reminiscent of The Scarlet Pimpernel novels. This is the third book in a trilogy, and although it can be read as a standalone, I would have preferred more information as to what happened in the other two. There is a little coverage in the publisher’s blurb, but not enough as far as I am concerned. The story is a well-told thriller set in the late 18th century, but apart from that there is little history to it. The characterisation is good and certainly comes alive enough for the reader to keep turning the pages to see what happens next. It is an interesting read that might appeal to the YA audience for which it is intended, but didn’t tempt me to read the other two books.
