12 Books Set During The French Revolution
The French Revolution was an era of unrest, passion, and political upheaval, a time when the streets of Paris ran red with both hope and blood. From gilded salons to shadowed alleyways, from the opulence of Versailles to the guillotine’s merciless blade, these books transport you to an age where liberty clashed with tyranny and love fought to survive amid chaos.
If you’re drawn to tales of rebellion, sacrifice, and the human cost of revolution, here are 12 must-read books set during the French Revolution.
1. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
⚖️ “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
A literary classic, this novel captures the turmoil of the French Revolution through the lives of two men—one noble, one commoner—linked by fate and love. With epic romance, selfless sacrifice, and a scathing critique of injustice, Dickens’ masterpiece brings revolutionary France to life in unforgettable prose.
📖 Read if you love: Sweeping historical drama, classic literature, and stories of redemption.
2. Ribbons of Scarlet by Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray, and Others
🗡️ The Women Who Fought, Survived, and Died for Freedom
This novel, told by six bestselling historical fiction authors, explores the revolution through the eyes of real-life women who defied their fates—from Queen Marie Antoinette to radical feminists, assassins, and revolutionaries.
📖 Read if you love: Multi-perspective narratives, fierce heroines, and real history woven into fiction.
3. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
🎭 A Masked Hero, A Deadly Game, and a Love at Stake
This swashbuckling adventure follows Sir Percy Blakeney, an English aristocrat who hides behind a foppish persona while secretly rescuing doomed nobles from the guillotine. With daring disguises, high-stakes intrigue, and a thrilling romance, this classic novel inspired many of the masked heroes of modern fiction.
📖 Read if you love: Dashing secret identities, adventure, and romance wrapped in espionage.
4. The Queen’s Necklace by Alexandre Dumas
💎 A Scandal That Shook a Throne
From the author of The Three Musketeers, this novel delves into the real-life scandal of the Diamond Necklace Affair, a conspiracy that helped ignite the flames of revolution. Intrigue, deception, and courtly machinations make this a thrilling read.
📖 Read if you love: Historical scandals, political drama, and the decadence of Versailles.
5. The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye
🔥 Murder, Mystery, and the Shadow of Revolution
While set in New York during the 19th century, this novel explores the aftermath of the French Revolution as characters who fled the bloodshed find themselves entangled in a new world of corruption, secrets, and danger.
📖 Read if you love: Historical crime fiction, political intrigue, and atmospheric storytelling.
6. A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel
⚖️ The Lives of Revolution’s Most Infamous Figures
A deeply intimate and richly detailed portrait of Georges Danton, Camille Desmoulins, and Maximilien Robespierre, this novel follows the real men who shaped the revolution. Mantel brings brilliant psychological depth to these historical figures, making them feel both heroic and tragically flawed.
📖 Read if you love: Immersive historical fiction, real-life revolutionaries, and intricate political intrigue.
7. Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran
🕯️ Wax Figures, Hidden Secrets, and Surviving the Reign of Terror
Yes, that Madame Tussaud—the famous wax sculptor—navigates the revolution, caught between the favor of the royals and the rising tide of the Jacobins. She must choose between loyalty and survival as the world around her crumbles.
📖 Read if you love: Unique perspectives on history, survival stories, and strong female protagonists.
8. Blood Sisters: The Women Behind the French Revolution by Marilyn Yalom
🚨 The Women Who Lived—and Died—for the Cause
A nonfiction account that reads like a novel, this book explores the real women who played crucial roles in the revolution—queens, activists, spies, and ordinary citizens swept up in the storm.
📖 Read if you love: True stories, powerful women in history, and behind-the-scenes accounts of revolution.
9. The Traitor’s Wife by Allison Pataki
💔 Love, Betrayal, and the Revolution’s Reach Beyond France
While focusing on Peggy Shippen Arnold, wife of the infamous Benedict Arnold, this novel reveals how the French Revolution influenced American politics and espionage. A gripping tale of love, betrayal, and the ripple effect of revolution across the Atlantic.
📖 Read if you love: Political intrigue, American and French historical connections, and scandalous betrayals.
10. Liberty: The Lives and Times of Six Women in Revolutionary France by Lucy Moore
🗽 The Revolution Through the Eyes of Women Who Shaped It
A stunning nonfiction book that reads like a novel, this account follows six extraordinary women—aristocrats, revolutionaries, and survivors—who navigated the deadly tides of history.
📖 Read if you love: Real-life heroines, survival against the odds, and gripping historical narratives.
11. The Fifth Queen by Ford Madox Ford
👑 A Courtly Spy and a Queen’s Peril
A literary, intricate novel about Catherine Howard, the ill-fated wife of Henry VIII, this book highlights the intrigues of royal courts that foreshadowed the paranoia and betrayals of the French Revolution.
📖 Read if you love: Historical court drama, powerful queens, and slow-burning intrigue.
12. The Lacemaker and the Princess by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
🧵 A Common Girl, A Royal Friendship, and the Cost of Revolution
A historical novel for younger readers, this book tells the story of a lowly lacemaker who becomes friends with Princess Marie-Thérèse, daughter of Marie Antoinette. As the revolution rages, she must decide where her loyalties truly lie.
📖 Read if you love: YA historical fiction, friendships across class divides, and revolution through a young girl’s eyes.
⚔️ Vive la Révolution! Which Book Will You Choose?
The French Revolution was a time of hope, terror, love, and sacrifice, and these books bring its drama to life. Whether you seek epic romance, thrilling intrigue, or a glimpse into history’s most radical moments, there’s a story here to ignite your imagination.
📚 Which one will you read first? Let’s discuss!
