The Pale Assassin

Reader: Elise S
Age: 13
Title: The Pale Assassin
Author: Patricia Elliott
Publisher: Holiday House
Pub Date: 10/15/09
Galley: Yes
Annotation: Eugenie is a spoiled fourteen-year-old aristocrat, living during the French Revolution. She is unaware, however, of the political turmoil surrounding her, until she and her brother are threatened. They must flee France, and the gaze of the pale assassin.
Recommend: No
Compelling Aspect of the Book: I didn't know very much about the French Revolution before this, and now I have more detailed information. I also liked all the descriptions of the clothes they wore.
Did you finish: Yes
Were you disappointed with the book at all: From the cover, I thought the main character was going to become the assassin, and she didn't. That made me sad. Also, there was very little character development until far into the book, and then it was extremely sudden, and at the end the girl goes back to being vain. On top of that, the guy she absolutely hates, she falls in love with him almost overnight.
Did the cover reflect the contents: The cover looks good, and is interesting, but does not reflect the book. The main character, Eugenie, looks quite deadly in the picture, and she never really is. She is wearing a pretty dress though.
Age Range: 12-13
Quality: 2Q Needs more work
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal