4 out of 4 stars
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The Crimson Heirlooms by Hunter Dennis tells the story of an American student studying abroad in France in 1832. The student is involved in a secret society determined to start a revolution, but the student soon finds himself choosing to be blackmailed by a millionaire over losing his life. The millionaire is looking for two heirlooms: a necklace, the Cross of Nantes, and the lyrics to a song "the devil sang as he danced across the blood-drenched hills of the Vendée Militaire." However, before the student can start his search for the missing heirlooms, the author takes us back in time to show us how they were lost in the first place.
The Crimson Heirlooms is one of the best-written historical novels I've ever read. The time leaps between 1832 and the mid- to late-1700s showed the reader two completely different French landscapes. Dennis obviously has done his research, gently introducing background information and history to readers without overwhelming them, guiding them through historical events with a firm hand on their backs, making them feel as if they had been there themselves and were just reading another person's view on things.
My knowledge of French history extends to Les Misérables and the little bits of high school Literature and History classes that I can actually remember. Despite that, I had no trouble at all immersing myself in the world that Dennis created, slipping into the time periods like I was slipping on silk gloves. Every new town thrilled me, every new character spilled their secrets and inner thoughts little by little, pulling me into their secret societies and making me feel like their closest confidant. The entire time I was reading, I kept wondering if this was a lost classical manuscript. I had a hard time believing that Dennis could emulate authors from decades and even centuries before his time with such consistency.
I caught just a handful of typos throughout the entire novel, things like "arouse" versus "arose." Overall the editing was superb. Dennis can be wordy at times, making me grateful for the ability to look up words with a single touch on my Kindle, but it suits the style of the book. The book was so well-rounded that I wouldn't be able to think of any suggestions even if I tried.
Overall, I would give The Crimson Heirlooms a hearty 4 out of 4 stars. It could easily become one of my favorite historical series. When I reached the cliffhanger at the end of the book, I almost screamed out of frustration. I am highly looking forward to the next installation in the series, to see where the heirlooms will find themselves next, and whether the student being blackmailed will be able to out-trick his blackmailer as he gets closer to finding the mysterious heirlooms. I would highly recommend this book to historical fiction fans, especially those who enjoyed Les Misérables, who are looking for an intelligent and complicated but satisfying story. Once you start reading, I doubt you'll be able to put it down.
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The Crimson Heirlooms
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