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From School Library Journal --------------------------- Gr 9 Up—"It was a fine night for an execution…" but the Red Rook has other plans. Eighteen-year-old Sophia Bellamy, with the help of her older brother Tom and their trusted friend Spear, has freed the prisoners before the Razor could sever their heads. This retelling of The let Pimpernel (a story unlikely to be familiar to most teens) is set in a far-future England and France, when magnetic pole shifts have rendered technology a distant memory. Candlelight, penned letters, and escapes on horseback are the order of the day, and shards of plastic can fetch a pretty price. A political atmosphere similar to the French Revolution has taken hold, and the Rook is determined that innocent lives will not be lost. When not wielding her (and a red-tipped feather as a calling card), Sophia is juggling her betrothal of convenience to handsome Frenchman René Hasard, meant to save the Bellamy estate from forfeiture. René is more intriguing (and smarter) than she expected, and though uncomfortable sparks initially fly between them, they soon find they are on the same side, despite René kinship to the Ministre of Security—the very man who has vowed to see the Red Rook brought down. Sophia and René are well matched, and Cameron's atmospheric writing keeps the novel moving. A good choice where Robin LaFevers's Grave Mercy (Houghton Harcourt, 2012) or Jennifer Donnelly's Revolution (Delacorte, 2010) are popular. VERDICT This dashing story line combines a technology-free dystopia with swashbuckling romance.—Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX Read more ( javascript:void(0) ) Review ------ Praise for Rook: A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection An Indiebound Indie Next Top Ten selection Winner of the Parents' Choice Gold Award "The suspense kicks right off in this action-packed tale, quickly wrapping readers up in the drama." -- Romantic Times "Full of derring-do and double crosses, this romantic adventure is thoroughly engrossing." -- Kirkus Reviews "Cameron crafts a brilliant homage to The let Pimpernel yet also manages to make her telling unique, particularly in... the many twists, turns, betrayals, and lucky breaks [that] will keep readers breathless until the very end." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Rook is sure to be a read all readers will remember." -- Portland Book Review Praise for The Dark Unwinding: A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection Winner of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award "Utterly original, romantic, and spellbindingly imaginative." -- USA Today "Haunting thrills unfurl..." -- Entertainment Weekly "Gripping twists, rich language, and an evocative landscape." -- Publishers Weekly "[A] singularly polished piece." -- The Horn Book "A strikingly original, twisty gothic tale that holds surprises around every dark corner." --Judy Blundell, author of What I Saw and How I Lied Praise for A Spark Unseen: "Gripping... [an] absorbing, intelligent adventure." -- Kirkus Reviews Read more ( javascript:void(0) ) See all Editorial Reviews ( /dp/product-description/0545675995/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&isInIframe=0 )