How could I resist a story set during my favourite historical era, the good old F-Rev, and with a plot similar to the Scarlet Pimpernel series? Unfortunately, Kat Dunn's YA adventure didn't quite work for me, although I must applaud the author for her background research into eighteenth century Paris.

The 'Battalion of Death', like the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel. are a group of anti-revolutionary rebels who save innocent lives from the guillotine: 'the last port of call for anyone with a loved one in trouble – whatever side they were on' (although they charge for their services!) Formed of 'a deserter, an aristocrat in hiding, and a runaway daughter', they are lead not by a wealthy Englishman masquerading as a fop but by Camille, a teenage girl whose parents were executed as traitors to the Republic. And that's kind of where my problems with the book begin. As one of the Battalion points out, 'She wasn’t able to save them, and now she’s making up for it. Excuse me. That was just too clichéd, it upset my delicate constitution.’ I understand that this book is written for younger readers, or should be, but Camille and her team of teenagers are like the cast of a high school soap opera, all labels and issues. Cam and her parents. Ada, her girlfriend, and her controlling father. Guil, who is still trying to prove himself to his family. And Al, disowned for being gay and who now has a drug problem. Helpful for any teens struggling with their home life or sexuality, no doubt, but the extended counselling session was a little overpowering. The Frankenstein-esque plot - about the rescue of a young woman who can generate electricity after being experimented on in the womb - felt neglected compared to all the heavy-handed themes of motivation and empowerment. And the constant repetition of Cam's motto - 'There’s no such thing as fate, no destiny. Everything is a choice' - almost drove me mad! I personally am not a goldfish, I can remember what I read from one chapter to the next.

I just felt like the characters were ridiculously immature, especially Cam, who seems to spend most of the book bemoaning her role as leader: 'I tell myself I do the right thing, but I don’t. I can’t sleep because all I can think of is how I hate myself. Am I a bad person? James, tell me. Am I a bad person?' I know she's young and French, compared to the buttoned-up and British Sir Percy, but her constant need for reassurance must have taken up at least half of the book!

The setting was well crafted and Olympe was by far the liveliest character, pun intended, but I think the author could have eased up on the introspection to greater effect. I don't think I'll be continuing with the rest of the trilogy. ( )

*4.5 ( )