Maire Antoinette, Serial Killer
Author: Katie Alender
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Summary:
Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She’ll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family’s French roots.
But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette.
Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won’t believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is suddenly in danger…
Acclaimed author Katie Alender brings heart-stopping suspense to this story of revenge, betrayal, intrigue — and one killer queen.
First Sentence: In her apartment high above the streets of Paris, Gabrielle Roux stood in front of the bathroom mirror, still wearing her daringly short purple dress and sky-high platform heels.
My Review:
Right before BEA, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding Maire Antoinette, Serial Killer because of its gorgeous cover and its awesome premise. People were talking about the book and how they hope it’ll be good because hello, with a plot of Marie Antoinette’s ghost being a serial killer, chopping off people’s heads all around Paris, what could go wrong? It turns out some things can go wrong with that, as I later found out.
What I expected from Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer was a book focused on the whole mystery, thriller, and suspense of Marie Antoinette going around Paris killing people for no reason, with maybe a little bit of romance added into the mix. What I got, however, was a totally different story. About 80% of the book revolved around popularity in high school and outfits (aka looks) – books I avoid reading nowadays having read tons of those kind of books when I was in middle school. A huge part of Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer revolves around Colette’s struggles with being in the in-crowd and finding her true self outside of the whole popularity sphere. The whole popularity theme of Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer was really cliche and has been done before a billion times. Trust me, I should know. You’re talking to the girl who read the entire The Clique series by Lisa Harrison (including the summer series spin-off), the entire Gossip Girl series plus its spin-offs, The Ashleys series by Melissa de la Cruz, The It Girl series by the author of Gossip Girl, and tons of those kinds of books obsessively when I was a kid. Hey, it was a guilty pleasure of mine.
Hidden in her compliment was a buried threat. Specialness, in Hannah’s eyes, was something that could be taken away as easily as it had been granted. (49)
As for Colette, right from the start, I couldn’t stand her. You know those popularity books where the girl ditches her once true friends just to get the opportunity to be in the in-crowd? Yeah, Colette is one of those people. Colette is shallow, spoiled, and a bit slow. I was always ten steps ahead of her and figured out answers to some mysterious questions way before she finally figured things did. Also, what kind of daughter speaks so rudely to their mom? I know that we all get really mad at our parents now and then, but I’ll never talk to my mom the way Colette casually did. I was just downright aghast at her behavior. The one and only redeeming quality Colette has is that like in most popularity books, in the end, she realizes being popular isn’t all that after all.
Mom’s forehead creased. “I’m sorry, honey.”
“Don’t be sorry,” I said. “Just unhand me, woman.” (16)
The other 20% of Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer was about the serial killing of course. I absolutely loved that part of the story. There were short beheading scenes (I can definitely say that those people deserved what they got) and tons of suspense revolving around why Marie Antoinette was murdering certain people and not others. The conclusion to this serial killing plot ended sadly, but satisfactory. In the end, I want more of the whole serial killing plot, which was overshadowed by the popularity part of Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer. If Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer focused more on the serial killing instead of the whole popularity theme, Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer would be a really enjoyable read.
There was some romance in Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer, as hinted in the summary of the book. The love interest in this case is Jules and there isn’t really anything much I can say about him. All Jules does is unknowingly try to help Colette solve the mystery surrounding Marie Antoinette by giving her the basic tour guide information. He didn’t know about the whole ghost situation until around the last four or three chapters. In other words, Jules is forgettable and quite bland in my eyes. I’ve read about way better and more interesting love interests than him. I also didn’t feel any sort of chemistry between Colette and Jules.
She raised one eyebrow. “He’s totally infatuated with you, Colette. I think you could ask him to steal you a puppy or something and he would do it.” (233)
Overall, I’ll recommend Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer to people who love reading books about popularity, aka people in middle school or high school or something like that. It’s a good read for people even younger than that because there are absolutely no gory or bloody scenes in the book.
Was I disappointed that Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer doesn’t live up to its awesome premise? Yeah, but I’m glad to have read it anyway. Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer is a fluffy book that can definitely entertain you on dreary Sundays.
Cool review! I love the cover. I think I will recommend this to my younger cousins, it’s more their age range. ;)
Thanks Cali! (:
Yeah, if your cousins are younger than we are, they’ll definitely enjoy this one. MASK is more their style.
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
Well, it’s Sunday but not so dreary xD I’m reading this now..sorry it didn’t live up to exceptions but, hey, everyone needs some fluff in their life!!
Happy reading
Jackie
Jackie recently posted…The Gravity Between Us {Blitz}
I hope you’ll love this one more than I did Jackie! -crosses my fingers for you-
And Sundays are always dreary to me, I mean, SCHOOL IS TOMORROW.
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
I’m sorry this book disappointed you :( I think I’ll be disappointed to when I get to read it since I’m expecting lots of mysteries and awesomeness….I’ve been into mystery and crime books but sadly, based on your review I think I won’t love it….
Kezia @ Chapteriosity recently posted…[In Bullet Points] The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore
If you’re looking for lots of mystery, MASK won’t be the book for you. It’s like 20% mystery and that’s it. It’s also easy to predict and figure out what is happening. :l
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
I’m sorry it didn’t work out :)
I think fluffy reading is ok but from time to time.
Great review :)
Ruty@Reading…Dreaming
Ruty recently posted…THY WILL BE DONE: giveaway
Yeah. D:
Fluffy reading is definitely wonderful from time to time. It helps you relax. :D<3
Thanks Ruty! (:
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
That’s the exact problem I had with it too. I was expecting something way more than a shallow “woe is me I’m popular but my friends are jerks” storyline.
Angie recently posted…Review: This Is How I Find Her by Sara Polsky
Exactly! If the book was on the serial killer plot alone, MASK would be absolutely AMAZING, but alas, it’s not.
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
Aww! This makes me sad I had high hopes for this book in ways of blood and gore but oh well :( BTW The Clique and The It Girl series were guilty pleasures of mine in middle school too!
Chloe Lee recently posted…A [B.O.O.K.L.I.F.E] Weekly Roundup #6
There’s some blood and gore, but it’s not explicitly stated, if you know what I mean.
Ha ha, high five! Looks like I’m not the only one with those kind of guilty pleasures in middle school! ;D
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
Well, that is a disappointment. This sounds like a good book. Mysterious and suspenseful, and fun! Turns out, I am not a fan of the popularity plot line, so I don’t believe that I would be a huge fan of this book. Very disappointing. I will give it some serious credit for that awesome cover!
Yeah, MASK had such an awesome premise that I was so sure I was going to love it, but the whole popularity storyline ruined it. ):
If you’re not a fan of a popularity storyline, then I recommend that you avoid reading MASK. You’ll probably not enjoy it.
And the cover is gorgeous, isn’t it? :D
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
I hate it when such an interesting premise is overshadowed by a shallow MC with popularity issues :( It sounds so uninteresting.. Like the author tried to spice it up by just adding Marie Antoinette. I wish it was the other way around..
Mel@thedailyprophecy recently posted…Review 207. Sarah J. Maas – Crown of midnight.
Exactly! It’s like she wanted to write a book about girls and popularity, knew hardly anyone would be interested, so she added the minor Marie Antoinette serial killer plot. D:
I wish it was the other way around too. If it is, it would be fantastic! :D<3
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
So saaaad. :(
It looked like a good book… until the review *sigh* I don’t think I’ll bother reading it :/
Jules recently posted…Review, Character Interview and Giveaway: Permanent Shadows by C.E Wilson
I’m so sad too. Group hug? D:
If you ever read this one Jules, I hope you’ll enjoy it more than I did.
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
Woah, I’m bummed :( I was looking forward to some blood and mystery and paranoia. But if this is more about being popular (and eventually realizing that suprise! it’s not that great), then that’s not really my type of read. Those plots usually resolve themselves very similarly across different books, as you said. Then again, since I haven’t read as many popularity-books as you have, maybe it will be more interesting for me? Meh. I’m confused now. But thanks for the warning, Kelly!
Carmen B. recently posted…Book release spotlight & Giveaway: Discovery, by Brina Courtney
Ohhh, time for a popularity lesson. Popularity books are usually:
1. Girl wants to join the it crowd and betrays/ignores her friends to do so
2. Girl is already in the it crowd but wants to take over aka be the alpha
or 3. Girl is already in the it crowd, but thinking/wanting to be out.
MASK is #3. I hope that little lesson was helpful. ;D
Ha ha, I dunno really, it really depends if you think the whole sucking up thing is lame or not. I personally think it’s also lame and I was constantly rolling my eyes when I read those parts. But who knows, maybe you’ll like reading it. ;D
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
Aahh I had not heard about this book yet! The premise sounds good, but this thing about popularity … is not for me.
I really dislike books where the story revolves around popularity, outfits and blah blah blah it’s very annoying and superficial hahahahaha The other part of the story sounds good, however :)
great review!
Yeah, popularity books are usually for younger people, not older people like us. :l
The Marie Antoinette serial killer part of the book is awesome. I just wish there was more of it though.
Thanks Kassi! :D
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
Oh my gosh, I’m so upset! I heard about the book and have been kind of excited about it, waiting for it to come out and to hear people’s opinions on it. This is the first review of it that I’ve seen, so I’m disappointed to hear that it wasn’t as great as everybody was hoping it’d be. Cliché high school drama is NOT what a look for in a book like that. I hate it when books have such awesome potential and then just totally ruin it. Ugh.
Miranda @ Tempest Books recently posted…Book Review: Croak by Gina Damico
Yes, ugh. Books with high school drama in it isn’t for me either. MASK would be so much better if it left that part of the book out and just focused on the serial killing part.
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
aka people in middle school or high school or something like that.
HAHA, well I’m certainly not in middle school. Or high school.
I’m a bit disappointed you didn’t enjoy this one. Scholastic is always a solid choice for me, so I knew it’d at the very least be a competently written book. I hadn’t expected to enjoy it as much as I did though which was a pleasant surprise!
In my review I mentioned that it seemed like two separate books for the first half – until the families’ pasts were revealed. Then everything came together for me.
Leah @ The Pretty Good Gatsby recently posted…Reality Boy by A.S. King
Ha ha, oops. :P
But I’m glad you really enjoyed this one Leah! I wish I could. :l
The writing in MASK was definitely good, but it’s just the whole popularity storyline that just dragged me down. If there was more of the serial killing plot in it, I would be really pleased.
The thing is, I figured out the families’ past thing the exact moment when Colette got the key, which was right in the very first chapter I believe? So when the big reveal came, it just didn’t click for me like it did for you. o:
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
This doesn’t sound like a book for me. The title is really eye-catching and I was eager to see what it was about, but I don’t like reading about shallow people, as you mentioned the main character was.
Thank you for the review!
If you hate shallow people, then this one is definitely the book to avoid. The cover is indeed eye-catching though! ;D
No problem Lindsey!
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
Hmmm….food for thought . Thanks for the review….
Ha ha, hope I didn’t really scare you off this book Traci. o:
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
I was curious about this book.. I havent read too many reviews on it..It doesnt peak my interest to read it- Great review!!!
I guess this book isn’t just the one for you Sarah. o:
Thanks! (:
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
Great Review! :)
Sad to hear that you were disappointed, I was excited for this book but now I’m probably not going to read it since I wanted more mystery.
Thanks Ellen! (:
Yeah, if you wanted to read a book with a lot of mystery, then this book is definitely not the one for you.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [57]
good booooook!
This book was one I was really excited for as well. However, I read so many reviews that are similar to yours. I thought it was going to be a dark, twisty historical fiction story and as a result it’s still sitting on my shelf…..
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