Kodomos থেকে Лесхоз, Kazakhstan
I first noticed this book because the cover caught my eye at Target. When I realized it was a new Michelle Moran book, I put myself on the list for it at the library right away! The material for this novel is fascinating--it tells the story of the woman who would become Madame Tussaud, the name behind the famous wax museums all over the world. Her name was originally Marie Grosholtz, and she and her uncle were wax sculptors during the French Revolution. They ran an exhibition of wax figures depicting important figures of the day, including Marie Antoinette, politicians like Jefferson and Robespierre, and criminals like the Marquis de Sade. This was how a lot of the commoners of Paris kept up with current events and since there were no TVs or photographs, it was their opportunity to see famous figures in a life-like form. Then, once the Revolution started spiraling out of control, Marie was called on to make death masks of the so-called "traitors" that were sent to the guillotine. As always, Moran does fantastic storytelling in a historical context. In addition to the insane events of the Revolution itself, there were so many interesting details, like how they had to be constantly changing the figures in their exhibition to reflect the changing politics and the feelings of the commoners. I do think Moran tends to sacrifice character development for plot--I felt like I wanted more of a connection with Marie, especially because I've read so much Sharon Kay Penman and she has such a gift for making you feel so strongly about the characters. However, Moran does an excellent job capturing the chaos, paranoia, and terror of the Revolution. It's an easy read and one that kept me fascinated throughout.