The Red Necklace by Sally Gardener

The Red Necklace is a fantastic historical novel set in the French Revolution.
It is about a boy called Yann who is able to read people's minds and throw his voice. Yann works with a magician - called Topolian- and a dwarf- called Tetu. The three of them put on a show where the main magic trick is the Pierrot a puppet which can move, talk and read people's minds. The puppet works as Tetu has the magical power to be able to pull the threads of light, so he can make things move, so that's how the puppet walks. Yann is able to throw his voice from backstage and the audience asks the puppet questions, Yann reads their minds and answers as if he's the puppet.

So when one day Topolian is asked to go and perform at a Marquis house every thing goes wrong. At the party the Marquis throws is the famous Count Kallovski who lets people borrow money in exchange for their deepest darkest secrets that they wouldn't tell anyone.

When Topolian lets it slip that he recognises Count Kallovski, so the Count kills him. He does this as one of the tricks is that Topolian can be shot and that he won't die. However, Count Kallovski tampers with the gun and kills Topolian.

Yann and Tetu have to escape from the house, the Marquis daughter Sido, helps them escape as she hates her father. Yann and Tetu safely escape the house and go back to the theatre.

Sido hates her father as he is an arrogant, rich man. He hates his daughter as she reminds him of his wife who died when Sido was very young. The Marquis detests her as she isn't beautiful - just plain- and because she walks with her limp. Sido rarely sees him as he sends her to convent.

Yann and Tetu have to hide from Count Kalloviski as he wants to kill them. Things get so bad that Yann gets sent to live in England with Sido's aunt and uncle who are very close friends to Tetu's friend.

But when Sido and her father fear the worst and they need to escape France, they contact Mr Toll. Mr Toll is actually very bad and he sends them to prison to die for being aristocrats. Can Yann save Sido who he has found that he is in love with? Read the book to find out.

This is an excellent book and I loved it. I give it an 8 out of 10.