Book Review: ‘The Académie’ by Susanne Dunlap

Much of what I read is largely determined by the hype that surrounds it. I like to know what people are talking about, and very often, I’ll follow up on their suggestions. I’ve heard author Susanne Dunlap mentioned many times and had yet to read any of her books, which is odd since I’m a huge fan of historical fiction. So when the opportunity arose to read her latest book, The Académie, off NetGalley, I definitely seized it. However, from the first page, I had a feeling that this wasn’t quite the book I had expected. The Académie is a somewhat interesting twist on post-revolution France at best. Its unappealing characters and mostly predictable plot are its downfalls.

The story follows four girls living outside Paris right after the French Revolution. We first meet the young Eliza Monroe from Virginia. Her mother transfers her into a premier boarding school, and she is introduced to Hortense and Caroline, both relatives of Napoleon Bonaparte. It’s instantly obvious to Eliza that the two girls can’t stand each other, and she tries to worm her way into both of their graces. Hortense is beautiful, kind and smart, while Caroline is scheming and bratty. We then meet Madeline, a poor girl living under the shadow of her brutal mother, a famous stage actress. All the girls are connected, and change is coming in France, will they be able to survive it and find happiness?

It was very hard for me to find any of the girls likable. Each chapter switches off a perspective between Eliza, Hortense and Madeline. Normally, I find that brings a lot of depth to the characters; however, there’s hardly anything redeeming about them. I’m probably being too harsh, but as much as I tried, I couldn’t make myself care about them. I came the closest to liking Madeline, but her character makes a complete 180 toward the end out of nowhere. The whole ending involving Madeline was the only non-predictable thing of the novel, by the way. I usually appreciate surprises, but this one didn’t work for me.

The one thing The Académie has going for it is that it’s an easy read. I read it completely in a couple sittings. The author did pace the plot well. The historical aspects were interesting but the girls’ involvement in them sort of killed it for me. It didn’t help that Eliza, Hortense and Caroline were real. Obviously, the author took liberty with some of the events and the girls’ personalities. But they were real people, and I think it would’ve worked much better if she had created fictional characters and place them in that setting. Many would reason that’s practically one in the same, but I did apply my knowledge of French history while reading it, and I couldn’t suspend belief for the entire novel.

While The Académie wasn’t my cup of tea, I am still open to trying out some of Dunlap’s other novels. I can’t help it, as a fan of historical fiction. Plus, I really do want to understand what all the hype is about.

Rating: 2/5 stars

The Académie is available to purchase in our TYF Store, powered by Amazon.

Book info:

Publisher:  Bloomsbury Children’s Books (February 28, 2012)
Length: 368 pages, Hardcover
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance
Completed: March 2012

Advertisement