Ribbons of Scarlet by Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Sophie Perinot, Heather Webb, and E Knight
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Ribbons of Scarlet is one of the greatest novels about the French Revolution that I have ever read. I love that six female authors came together to write a novel about the women of the French Revolution. And I absolutely love that the historical women in the book are from all walks of life—from the nobility to the poor market women in Paris.
Ribbons of Scarlet is divided into sections about each woman—Sophie de Grouchy (the philosopher), Louise Audu (the revolutionary), Princess Elisabeth (the pious princess), Manon Roland (the politician), Pauline Leon and Charlotte Corday (the assassins), and Emilie de Sainte-Amaranthe (the beauty).
The central theme of each section always centers around each woman’s view of what being a woman means during the chaotic years of the French Revolution. Each other displayed the struggles women faced when they sought independence in a society controlled by patriarchal standards. Even during a significant revolution, women face oppression. Each woman had to confront their fears about the barriers society forced upon them, forcing them into submission and servitude to men’s whims and traditions.
I love that there are so many different points of view on the roles of women in the 18th century. One woman may find joy in marriage and motherhood, while another sees that life as the end of her freedom and life. One woman will always share her point of view, while another regretfully bends to the words of the men in her life. It was wonderful to compare and contrast the lives and beliefs of the women featured in Ribbons of Scarlet.
One of my favorite parts of the novel was the Assassin section. It was so interesting seeing the similarities and differences between Charlotte Corday and Pauline Leon, who have polar opposite views on the radicals in the revolution. Yet, they both use violence to get the points across. I also loved the conversation between Sophie de Grouchy and Manon Roland—two women who are very vocal in their opinions and, as a result, are degraded and called whores. The similarities in their marriages and differences in their progress were fascinating to read.
The continuity between each woman’s story was perfection. I love that it showed the continuation of the revolution from different viewpoints but was still clearly thought out and easily understood as a timeline of events. It was also amazing to see how one character from one section could affect a character from another section’s story and actions.
Finally, I loved how realistic and emotional each author’s writing felt. Each author was unafraid to get into the gritty details of the horrific Reign of Terror and all the emotions that went with it. As a woman reading Ribbons of Scarlet, I experienced an array of emotions, from anger to happiness to sadness to pride. The novel was indeed an emotional and thought-provoking experience.
Ribbons of Scarlet is a must-read for historical fiction fans, women’s fiction fans, and people who love to read about the French Revolution.
Favorite Quotes from Ribbons of Scarlet:
- “Nothing spares women…Whether we ask for the vote or only for bread, whether we march on the streets or keep to our salons, there are those who will find us at fault–and make us suffer for the crime of asking for more.“
- “We trade wry smiles: two women who have been called whores, simply because that is the word for any woman with an opinion and a voice to express it.”
- “Because as much as [Jacobins] killed my countrymen, they seemed to take a sick, perverted glee in killing my countrywomen. They killed us for being too political, too intelligent, too opinionated, too daring, too pretty.“
- “The crowd around my guillotine hushed and cried, but around others the people cheered and celebrated. Beautiful, terrible humanity. Capable of the most inspiring and creative genius and the greatest and most unimaginable abominations.“
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