School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Mobley's latest work of historical fiction centers on a perilous adventure during the French Revolution. At 19, Claudie feels trapped by a tedious, white, working-class destiny, laboring in her father's inn. Abandoned by her mother and abused by her father, she sees herself as unmarriageable--a plain, "sturdy" girl, unlike her pretty little sister Mathilde. However, everything changes for Claudie when she and her sister find themselves in the middle of a scheme to steal the crown jewels from the leaders of the French Revolution. Readers will appreciate Claudie; she's a strong character who gradually grows in confidence even as she falls in love with Yannig, a staunch royalist. This well-researched story offers a unique glimpse of the French Revolution from the perspective of the women who acted as spies, messengers, and planners behind the scenes. By reimagining the theft of the French crown jewels, this book brings to life an often unseen side of the revolution outside of Paris. VERDICT Recommended for readers of historical fiction who appreciate strong female leads and stories with elements of adventure, spy craft, and romance.--Talea Anderson, Washington State Univ., Pullman
Publisher's Weekly Review
Set in the volatile early years of the French revolution, Mobley's (Bobby Lee Claremont and the Criminal Element) YA debut is a well-paced historical adventure featuring plenty of romance and valor among its cued-white cast. Since her mother abandoned the family to become a nun, "solid, useful" Claudie Durand, 19, has become caretaker to her volatile father, pretty younger sister Mathilde, and the travelers who stop by their small inn in Brittany. Lately, she's had her hands full keeping her sister's flirtations with the dashing town messenger in check as well as trying to quell the town's fears that the violent revolution in Paris might reach the countryside. When revolutionary soldiers destroy their entire village, the sisters are unwittingly thrust into a dangerous mission to deliver a valuable stolen jewel to the French resistance's handsome leader. Against her better judgment, Claudie finds herself drawn to this mysterious man--and the cause for which he and so many seem willing to die. Claudie is a worthy heroine whose clearly wrought insecurities pair well with her fierce loyalty, appealing wit, and admirable self-reliance. Alongside a swoony if predictable romance, Mobley pairs heart-stopping danger and valiant heroism with a stark portrayal of war's far-reaching costs. Ages 12--up. Agent: Jennifer Weltz, Jean V. Naggar Literary. (Nov.)
Kirkus Review
French counterrevolutionaries attempt to finance war with the French Blue, one of Louis XIV's crown jewels. While most of France is rocked by revolution in the autumn of 1792, rural Brittany, where 19-year-old Claudie helps her harsh father run a village inn, is quiet until postman Jacques Lambert brings news that the crown jewels have been stolen. Claudie views her younger, prettier sister Mathilde's infatuation with Jacques with a mix of distrust, envy, and resignation--her plain face and strong build mean her father wants to keep her for her labor. A few days later, their peaceful world is destroyed: Fleeing aristocrats take shelter at the inn, and the revolutionaries pursuing them burn the building down and go on a killing spree. Then Claudie discovers a large blue diamond and, dreaming of a normal life, travels to England with it on a risky secret mission. In reality, the gem resurfaced some 20 years later, recut as the Hope Diamond; Mobley's story fills in the gaps enticingly. Claudie and Mathilde, in particular, are very finely drawn, with both girls able to make believable leaps from countryside to high society. The arc of the plot does falter at the end, however. Characters read as White; the Chevalier d'Éon, a real gender-nonconforming person from history, plays an interesting supporting role. Compulsively readable, credible, and fun. (historical note) (Historical fiction. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Claudie resigned herself to a life running her father's inn a long time ago, knowing her younger sister was the one who would attract the suitors. When Paris is thrown into revolution, she doubts it will come to her small community. So when the uprising, and all the violence and destruction that come with it, does reach her, she must make quick decisions about how to keep her sister safe, where her loyalties lie, and what to make of her attraction towards a stranger who came into her life at the moment her world was turned upside down. The Diamond Keeper is an interesting look at the French Revolution through the eyes of counterrevolutionaries. Claudie is a compelling protagonist because she can understand the motivations driving different sides of the revolution while still puzzling out which side speaks to her. This pulse-pounding piece of historical fiction will appeal to fans of adventure and romance. Pair this with Madame Tussaud's Apprentice (2014), by Kathleen Benner Duble, for another nuanced look at the French Revolution.
