The Red Necklace (#1)

Description

The story of a remarkable boy called Yann Margoza; Tetu the dwarf, his friend and mentor; Sido, unloved daughter of a foolish Marquis; and Count Kalliovski, Grand Master of a secret society, who has half the aristocracy in thrall to him, and wants Yann dead. Yann is spirited away to London but three years later, when Paris is gripped by the bloody horrors of the Revolution, he returns, charged with two missions: to find out Kalliovski's darkest deeds and to save Sido from the guillotine. With a tangle of secrets, a thread of magic and a touch of humour, the follies of the aristocracy and the sufferings of ordinary people are unfolded as their lives move relentlessly towards the tragic and horrific days of the Terror. THE RED NECKLACE is not only a tremendous adventure story but a vibrant and passionate picture of Paris in turmoil and of a large cast of memorable characters.

Promotion info

Sally Gardner's second full length novel following on from Nestle Prize-winning I, CORIANDER. RED NECKLACE hb sold over 18,000 copies. I, CORIANDER has sold over 160,000 copies. Overall Sally Gardner's sales over one million copies. The French Revolution is one of the most significant historical events. Rights sales for Sally's older fiction in 21 territories. Hardback published to stellar reviews: 'Like A Tale Of Two Cities rewritten by Angela Carter, this is a tale steeped in wickedness of a ferociously enjoyable kind' (The Times). 'Melodramatic props like secret passages and a beautiful heiress ... come alive by the sheer quality of her writing' (Independent). 'Brilliantly rich and complex' (Independent on Sunday).

Awards

Shortlisted for Booktrust Teenage Prize 2008.

Reviews

'Exquisitely constructed...sophisticated, unpatronising...this book is a challenging read but also extremely rewarding. With vivid descriptions and fluid prose, this tale of magic, murder and madness brings 18th-century Europe to life on the page' WATERSTONE'S BOOKS QUARTERLY 'Gardner's story is told with relentless pace, and breathes fear and trepidation into the reader' INIS '...an exciting, well written story with plenty of intrigue and plot twists to keep the reader hooked' WRITE AWAY

Author description

Sally Gardner trained at art college and went on to work in the theatre, winning awards for her costume designs for some notable productions. After her twin daughters and her son were born she started to illustrate children's books, and then turned to writing. She lives in North London.