Jennifer Donnelly

Contemporary Brooklyn and the brutality of Revolutionary Paris converge seamlessly in Jennifer Donnelly’s REVOLUTION — a breathtaking novel that weaves two girls’ stories into one remarkable account of life, loss and enduring love. In 2002, a New York Times article about the DNA identification ... (more)of the heart of Louis Charles—the young son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette—caught the eye, and emotions, of Jennifer Donnelly. The back story of his death touched her so deeply she was inspired to write REVOLUTION, her first young adult novel since her Printz honor-winning A Northern Light (2004). In the story, Donnelly turns the reigns over to two very distinct voices—Andi Alpers who lives in modern day Brooklyn, and Alexandrine Paradis who lived over two centuries ago in Paris. Andi is on the edge, destroyed by rage and grief and about to be expelled from Brooklyn Height’s most prestigious private school. She’s angry at her parents, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Alexandrine always dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape. Their stories come together when Andi travels to Paris and discovers Alexandrine’s diary in an old guitar case. She is moved by her words to the point of obsession, and what unfolds is an exhilarating journey where the past becomes suddenly — and terrifyingly present. Donnelly’s passion for history and hands on research shines brightly on the pages of REVOLUTION. Through Andi and Alexandrine, Donnelly explores the importance and power of art and music, takes on families in crisis, mental illness, and racial and class inequality. Readers young and old will relate to these issues, and find themselves immersed—grappling with the same questions that inspired Donnelly to write. JENNIFER DONNELLY is the author of two adult novels, The Tea Rose and The Winter Rose, as well as the widely acclaimed, award-winning young adult novel A Northern Light, winner of Britain’s prestigious Carnegie Medal, the L.A. Times Book Prize for Young Adult literature, and a Michael L. Printz Honor Award. She lives and writes full time in upstate New York Hudson’s Valley.

Please join us for a Launch Party and reading celebrating the publication of Jennifer Donnelly's "Revolution."