Grade 8 Up—This is a disappointing look at what should be an exciting topic. The coverage is superficial, barely skimming the surface. (For instance, there is no mention of Jacques Necker, the Marquis de Lafayette, Charlotte Corday, or the Marseillaise.) The writing is ponderous, stodgy, and boring. Most of the quotes are neither enlightening nor inspiring, and there is a decided deficiency of human-interest stories and anecdotes. The illustrations rely heavily on dreary group scenes, adding little to the text. A check of footnotes shows sloppy research. Students would do better to check the adult shelves for material on this era.—Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.
