I am an avid reader of historical fiction and this one did not disappoint. The authors thrust you into the lives of these six women and made you feel as though you were there. You could feel their emotions as they fought for what they felt was right. If you like historical fiction and you like stories of strong women, this book is for you. The different authors did a great job of weaving each chapter to the next.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Wonderful written book all about the women involved in the French Revolution. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for the review copy.

I was given an ARC ebook copy of this books. I asked for it since I admire these historical fiction writers so much. But COVID got in the way and I did not read it in time before it was published. Recently, I purchased the Audible edition of this book and I am so glad I did. Listening to this book, with different narrators really gave each woman an individual voice.

I have read a ton of history books about the French Revolution but this taught me so many new things. It is about women from all walks of life from a fruit seller to a princess during the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror that followed it. The Revolution starts with the active participation of women and a call for their equality and that slowly falls apart. Everyone wants some kind of power or someone that is weaker than themselves. In the Revolution, just like Christianity and other movements women are active and at the forefront of the action but are ultimately sidelined and maligned. Smart women who want to take an active part in the political lives are seen as unnatural and whores.. The same holds true in politics today.

I enjoyed getting to know these women all the while knowing that, for most, the Revolution would end at the guillotine..I have tried to do more research on these ladies because most are based on historical women but there is not a lot out there on some of them. Thank you for giving these ladies a voice. This is the kind of book that you want to purchase just so you can get your friends to read it!

My review as posted in Goodreads...

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley. Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to read and review it.

So where do I start...

If I was rating this book based purely on whether or not I liked it and was engaged in the story, I’d give it two stars. It wasn’t as boring as The Goldfinch, after all...

If I was rating this book based on the overall concept of writing from the points of view of 6 very different women’s experiences during the French Revolution, the importance of this period of time in the history of women, and the stellar authors that teamed up to write it, I’d give it four stars. I mean, Kate Quinn...am I right?!?!?

However, for me personally, I simply enjoy reading a story and focusing more on the characters and story, rather than the details of the politics. When I explained this to my husband he said, “You do know the French Revolution was entirely about politics, right?” Duh, yes, I understand and appreciate that, it’s just personal preference in style of reading, if that makes sense...hence my compromise of three stars.

If you love the fine details of politics, by all means, read and love this novel. If, like me, you enjoy the story line of the book, you may not be as engaged as you expected and hoped to be.

A look at the French Revolution thru the eyes of seven very different women! Each brings a unique perspective of the changes going on in their country. Women don't have a place in politics or a voice, but it doesn't stop each of them from fighting for their individual purposes.
The authors gave us a tremendous amount of historical details and interesting facts...I found myself googling the characters to learn more.
Thank you to all of the authors for bringing such a different twist on this time period. Very enlightening indeed. Great read!
Thanks for the ARC from Harper Collins, NetGalley and Goodreads.

I was lucky enough to receive a free ARC of this through the Book Club Girls, NetGalley & William Morrow & I am so grateful to have been able to read this.

Crafted by 6 bestselling authors, all of whom I have read before, it offers a unique perspective on a tumultuous time in history that is possibly little known to some American readers. This book tackles the French Revolution through the eyes of six women of different social class & background. Each author wrote for a specific woman & chapters bounce between the characters point of view giving it a cohesive feel despite the differing perspectives. As these women navigate this tumultuous & dangerous time they encounter each other & spread their influence. Mixed with the history lesson the authors provide they also explore what it meant to be a woman in that time & the way that history often ignores the opinions & experiences of an entire gender. These women wanted to enact change & fight on the frontlines so in a sense they were fighting not only the French Revolution but a gender revolution as well.

Each of these six women was different, with unique goals, perspectives, & experiences, but each was a valuable window through which to view different aspects of a period in time with global impacts. I found something admirable in each of them, even the ones I disagreed with, and that is a true victory for the authors.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, you will learn a lot & see a new side to this historic conflict.

I will suggest Ribbons of Scarlet to my friends and patrons who read historical fiction. I enjoyed the seven women's individual stories and how the characters intertwined in the stories. The varied backgrounds of the women added to the compelling story. The women were strong and committed to their causes. Although seven authors collaborated on this book, I felt a uniform voice throughout. Skeptical at first, I quickly became engrossed in the story and had trouble putting this book down. Thank you to William Morrow & Company and NetGalley for the ARC.

My knowledge of French history is sorely lacking, so this was an interesting read for me. Certainly less dry than what I recall from world history in school. I did enjoy some of the story lines more than others. I found myself Googling the names of those women featured in the stories. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Sophie de Grouchy. I was glad her character kept popping up in the threads of the others stories. Louise, the fruit seller really grew on me. I loved her spunk and how she got more involved in the Revolution as the stories progressed. She and the other ladies of her class started to organize and I found myself cheering them on. We got to see inside the castle walls with Princess Sophie Perinot, sister of King Louis. Charlotte Corday's story was quite shocking. It is amazing to realize that women have been fighting for their rights since the French Revolution and we continue to fight today. Many steps forward and too many steps back, but I know we will always have these women, forced to be reckoned with. The list of authors contained in this compilation is like a Who's Who of historical fiction. Magnifique!

I don’t normally like collaborations , but this one is something special. All these writers, two whom I’ve never read before, brought out each one of these heroic characters in their own way. I am now going to read more about women in the French Revolution!! Bravo Ladies!

Such an interesting premise, several recognized authors collaborating in a historical novel about women in the French Revolution. I think, however, that it is best suited for paper format over e-book.

No rating because I could not finish this one which is probably my own fault for choosing a book set during the French Revolution. I thought because I’ve been enjoying WW1 and 2 historical fiction and these particular authors that this would perhaps appeal to me as well. It turns out the 1700’s is just not my cup of tea.

Thank you Netgalley for extending me an ARC.

“It is easier to avoid giving a man power than to prevent him from abusing it.” – Manon Roland⠀
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I’m definitely a little late to the party on this one! However, I finally had a chance to sit down and read Ribbons of Scarlet, a novel told in six parts, written by six best-selling female authors. The six stories tell the overlapping stories of the women who changed the course of history and politics during the French Revolution.⠀
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I love historical fiction novels. With all of the hype around this one, though, I was a little hesitant when I first picked it up. However that hesitation melted away quickly as I fell in love with Sophie “Grouchette” de Grouchy. A strong willed, educated woman, during a time when women were not involved in politics or the law, Sophie breaks all the rules of society for a woman. She is the perfect way to grab at a reader’s attention and heartstrings and pull you into the era of the French Revolution and into the heart of Paris and the center of French politics.⠀
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While this novel is solidly historical fiction, centered around six real life women who changed French politics, it also feels very timely for the world we are living in today. There is a record number of women running for president in the 2020 elections. During the 2018 mid-year elections, more women were on the ballot across the country than ever before. Just like the six women in Ribbons of Scarlet, American women are changing US politics today.⠀
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A free copy of this book was provided for my honest review. #partner

Fantastic novel written by amazing author! I am always looking for novels by Quinn, Dray, Knight, and Perinot. I also ask intrigued by historical fiction set during the French revolution. The events that were going on, and the people involved makes for a great story.
I 100% recommend reading this, as well as other novels by these authors.

What is Ribbons of Scarlet about? It is about empowering women. From royalty to fruit sellers the reader learns about six different women with different lives with the same goal. It is the eighteenth century where women have no place in politics, but these women put themselves right in the middle of the French Revolution.

We have The Philosopher by Stephanie Dray; Sophie de Grouchy Condorcet (Grouchette) was a prominent salon hostess from 1789 to the Reign of Terror. She was well-connected and influential before, during, and after the French Revolution. Her salon became a meeting place for those opposed to the autocratic regime and she survived the Revolution, publishing her husband's works.

The Revolutionary by Heather Webb takes on Louise "Reine" Audu, a fruitseller who participated in the French Revolution. She along with others led the Women's March on Versailles. The march started by women who were upset about the high price and scarcity of bread. She was part of the delegation that met with the King but was later arrested and jailed. Her stay ended with her going "insane".

Then we have The Princess by Sophie Perinot. Madame Élisabeth was a French princess and the youngest sibling of King Louis XVI. She stayed with the royal family when they fled Paris during the Revolution. She had the ear of the King and often tried to advise him. As a result of being the sister of the King, she was executed.

The Politician by Kate Quinn features Manon (Madame) Roland who was a French revolutionary, salonnière, and writer. Along with her husband, Jean-Marie Roland de la Platière were both supporters of the French Revolution. They were involved in the Girondist faction but fell out of favor during the Reign of Terror and was executed on the guillotine.

The Assassin by E.Knight has Marie-Anne Charlotte de Corday d'Armont, also known as Charlotte Corday was another figure in the French Revolution. Jean-Paul Marat was a member of the Jacobin faction who exerted power via his newspaper. Charlotte felt that his death would save the people of Paris. She did kill him and was executed for her crime.

Lastly, The Beauty by Laura Kamoie protagonist is Charlotte-Rose-Émilie Davasse de Saint-Amarand who was the daughter of a courtesan becomes a heroine when she takes on Robespierre.

Let's just say that I love any and all stories by these talented authors. How they could take six powerful French women and combine their stories into one fantastic novel beats me but they did. I knew about the French Revolution, King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette but nothing about any of the heroines in the book. I was sad for the women who were executed and in such an inhumane way but I was happy that they were an important part of the history of France. Each of these authors is talented in their own right but writing together, very powerful! Well researched and put together, one of my favorite books of the year!

I picked up Ribbons of Scarlet because my library was hosting an author event (with all six authors!), and I wanted to make sure my intro blurb was accurate and insightful. But I was also intrigued by the beautiful cover, and I wanted to find out how six authors could write a cohesive, coherent novel.

The good: the French Revolution is a fascinating subject, and I thought the use of different viewpoint characters in each chapter helped to depict how many different sides there were. You might argue that the use of different POVs in each chapter makes it more like a collection of short stories than a novel, but characters recur throughout the chapters and each chapter moves forward chronologically. In addition, I loved getting female perspectives of the time. Hilary Mantel’s "A Place of Greater Safety" is fantastic, but limited to Desmoulins, Danton, and Robespierre, so I appreciated getting to pop into the head of familiar figures like Manon Roland as well characters I was less familiar with like Emilie de Sainte-Amaranthe.

The meh: Perhaps it’s the risk you run when you have seven main characters, but I was more interested in some of the narrators than the others (for instance, I really enjoyed Sophie de Grouchy’s chapter and started googling her afterwards, but I felt less interested in the chapters with Louise Audu and Charlotte Corday). I also felt like the novel could have continued past the Reign of Terror, since the French Revolution--more so than other historical events--does not have one precise stopping point.

Overall, though, I thought it was well-written, well-researched, and enjoyable to read, and would definitely recommend it.

This was an absolutely stunning novel on so many levels. It’s written by six authors from 7 viewpoints, combined to tell the story of these women and the French Revolution, from it’s inception through The Terror. Each viewpoint and experience was different, but these are real women, some who were way ahead of their time in their quest for change and equality. The research by each author that went into this novel is staggering and the writing to bring each woman to life was amazing. Not only was each part well-written, but each wove seamlessly into the next, while also revisiting them later in the novel.
I had a cursory knowledge of the French Revolution before I started this novel, and it dropped me into the Revolution, where I felt I had a front row seat, or was beside each woman, experiencing their fight and their beliefs, and their horrors. There were so many horrors, but these women stood and fought for their beliefs in their own way, and were strong and empowered.
This novel floored me, in a good way. I took my time with it, wanting to be sure I didn’t miss anything and was able to really give it the attention it deserved. This was is one that shouldn’t be missed.
#RibbonsofScarlet #WilliamMorrow&Company #TallPoppyWriter #BloomReads #TallPoppyReviewer #NetGalley

Given the list of authors involved in writing this novel, I was certain I'd enjoy it, but still it surprised me. I hadn't expected that a collaboration among so many different authors could come together as such a perfect, cohesive whole.

There are six parts, each focusing on a different woman (though one part centers on two women). The women are from diverse backgrounds, ranging from a poor fruit seller to a princess. Each character tells her story in first person, and with a different author at the helm of each of these stories, every character has a her own distinct voice.

Every one of these six stories feels as if it could stand on its own, but combined, they tell one complete, unforgettable story. The parts are arranged in chronological order with the first set before the Revolution and the last set during the Terror. Though each part centers on one main character, each part has appearances by most of the other women too. That way, once a characters section has wrapped up, her story may continue. And if the character hasn't been featured yet, the reader has already gotten to know her. This criss crossing of characters was perfectly done and made for a solid, unified whole.

I definitely found some characters more relatable than others, but there was more to relate to here than the women. There were themes that are very relevant today.

I also appreciated the range of emotion in this book. Of course there was horror, but there was also tenderness and love.

I learned a lot reading this, and I appreciated the authors' notes at the end.

I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys historical fiction or even books about strong women.

I was fortunate enough to have an ARC to base this review on, but I was so impressed by this novel that I ordered a finished copy.

This highly readable and interesting historical novel showed me how little I knew about the French Revolution. This novel provides the perspectives of six women, each person's perspective written by a different and talented author. Each woman was involved and deeply affected by the revolution. Some supported the King, and some supported the revolution. The collection included historical figures of Thomas Jefferson, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and many of the families. It was an excellent read, and I highly recommend it for fans of historical fiction.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc!

I don't think I've ever read a novel like this - where each part builds on the previous section, all leading to an epilogue after the sixth part. The more I read it, the more I liked it, even though the subject matter was pretty heavy. The French Revolution is not a huge area of interest for me, but with so many WWII novels out there, reading about a different piece of history was a welcome change. The six authors here pulled this novel off with great style and panache. An immensely sad, but very important and special book. Recommended.