Book Review - Nemesis and the Swan by Lindsay K. Bandy

 

Photo Credit - Amazon

 

Helene d'Aubign is accused of being a spy and is thrown in jail in revolutionary Paris. The nineteen-year-old aristocrat recalls the events that led to her predicament. She must decide if she will follow the path of her parents or will she abandon the man she loves.

While Helene grew up in a world of privilege and surplus, her progressive governess has instilled radical ideas of a revolution in her early years. Her family tries to prevent her to follow the dangerous path of the revolution but, she has her own ideas. This includes falling in love with a young apprentice. Helene is determined to be with him even though the revolution threatens to tear their family apart.

When violence erupts in Paris, Helene is forced into hiding with her family. She discovers that her family is keeping a deadly secret from her. As Helene tries to find the truth behind the murder, she travels back to Paris to find her beloved. In Paris, she realizes that everything has changed and she can no longer trust anyone. Helene must choose between her family's past or betraying her heart.

I enjoyed reading the book even though it was very slow and predictable. I liked that Helene followed her heart and followed the path of forgiveness of her accuser. There were some parts of the story that wasn't resolved but, the ending was satisfying. Helene is portrayed as wanting the revolution to happen but, she doesn't really express any ideas about it or question her family's priviledge. Instead, she gets annoyed when the artist follows certain progranada of the revolution because the citizens are after her blood. I feel like at times she was pretending to be in favor of the revolution. Overall, I enjoyed the book and I look forward to reading other books by the author.

 **Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

 

Nemesis and the Swan

by Lindsay K. Bandy
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Release Date: October 27th 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Fiction, France

 

Synopsis:

 

From her prison cell in revolutionary Paris, nineteen-year-old aristocrat Hélène d'Aubign recalls the events that led her to choose between following in her parents' unforgivable footsteps or abandoning the man she loves.

 

Despite her world of privilege, Hélène is inspired early on by the radical ideas of her progressive governess. Though her family tries to intervene, the seeds of revolution have already been planted in Hélène's heart, as are the seeds of love from an unlikely friendship with a young jeweler's apprentice. Hélène's determination to find true love is as revolutionary as her attempt to unravel the truth behind a chilling set of eye-shaped brooches and the concealed murder that tore her family apart.

 

As violence erupts in Paris, Hélène is forced into hiding with her estranged family, where the tangled secrets of their past become entwined with her own. When she finally returns to the blood-stained streets of Paris, she finds everything-and everyone-very much changed. In a city where alliances shift overnight, no one knows who to trust.

 

Faced with looming war, the mystery of her family's past, and the man she loves near death, Hélène will soon will find out if doing one wrong thing will make everything right, or if it will simply push her closer to the guillotine.

 

BOOK LINKS

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AUTHOR INFORMATION

Lindsay Bandy writes historical and contemporary young adult fiction as well as poetry. She lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with her husband, two daughters, and two cats, and currently serves as the co–regional advisor of the Eastern Pennsylvania region of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

AUTHOR LINKS

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TOUR SCHEDULE

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