Rook by Sharon Cameron

Rook by Sharon Cameron

Review

Title: Rook 

Author: Sharon Cameron

Book length: 469 pages

Content note: I recommend YA audience 14 and up due to some violence

“When it came down to it, Sophia Bellamy simply feared boredom more that she feared death.”

This book stands alone as a good and enjoyable read. BUT, if you understand a little about the French Revolution and if you have read the classic novel, The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy you will enjoy it even more. The incredibly interesting setting is in France and England in the distant future after a slight polar shift. The characters know about the shift, they know that chaos, death, and struggles to survive followed, but all other knowledge has faded into myth and legend. They find ancient artifacts and are fascinated, intrigued, and completely bewildered by them.  

The characters feel that their ancient ancestors were too dependent on “machines” and that dependency made them weak during the difficult times. Therefore, the corrupt (of course) and nefarious government officials make decisions about who can use the developing technology in their society. They also make quick decisions about who will go to the “raze” (which is a gillotine). Seventeen year old Sophia Bellany  is “The Red Rook,” who rescues people from this fate. She admits to herself that this dangerous work is exciting and thrilling. She has several loyal accomplices including her brother Tom, her friend Spear, Orla and other household servants. But she is in rather a pickle because her family income has been taken away by the government, and she has to marry to get a marriage fee to save her family. AND, her new fiancé, Rene, is a cousin to the story’s villain, LeBlanc. LeBlanc, the minister of security in the French government, widely goes about killing anyone for anything that interferes with his agenda. He knows that he can not accomplish his goals unless he finds and executes the Red Rook. 

The setting is awesome in this book and so are the characters. I really like Sophie and I love the relationship she has with her brother and Orla. She has trouble trusting her handsome fiancé who she thought would be dull and easily managed, but turns out to be smart and intuitive. Can she trust him? AND can she fall in love with him? Can she save her family? Can she keep saving people from the Raze and maybe empty the whole prison? 

If you like adventure, a great setting, interesting characters and more adventure ..... read this book.