This historical, magical adventure of a found family with a diverse cast was sadly not as up my alley as I wanted it to be. However, if you find the concept of 'Frankenstein meets a gang of misfits during the French Revolution' is spiking your interest, please give this book a go.

Dangerous Remedy follows Camille and her battalion as they attempt daring rescues of those about to meet a bloody end at the blade of a guillotine. Camille is a revolutionary’s daughter, but she is not necessarily a friend of the Revolution. When their most recent rescue doesn’t go to plan, and they find themselves in the company of a scared but powerful girl, the team now find themselves in the sights of both the Royalists and the Revolutionaries. But who is she really? and who can she trust?

rep: bi m/c, black m/c, biracial lesbian m/c, gay m/c

trigger warnings: violence, death, human experimentations, gore

Dangerous Remedy, while quite serious and dark at times, was just a purely fun read. A f/f relationship? A bi love triangle? found family? a dark & mysterious girl? lots of witty humour? lots of swashbuckling action? the french revolution???? It’s hard not to fall in love with this book.

I really do love a good opening, and Dangerous Remedy had a really great introduction to each character – action-packed and humorous. It really drags you into the story and from the very first page, you are already rooting for this ragtag group of do-gooders.

Dangerous Remedy takes place during the French Revolution and the reign of terror led by Robespierre – a time when anyone who was suspected as not being loyal to the Revolution could be arrested and killed via guillotine. Dunn managed to create a really atmospheric and captivating setting that really drags you into the story. There was an added element of ‘magic’, but it was quite subtle and, in a way, realistic.

The writing style was easy to read so that made it a nice, quick, and enjoyable read. It’s a fast-paced novel full of twists and turns, and as a reader, you are dragged along for a fast, intense, and thrilling ride.

I loved each and every character, and there was a really great f/f relationship between Camille and Ada, complex and fully fleshed out. Each with their own wants, needs, and their own doubts about the relationship. What I would have loved more of though, is maybe a little more time spent exploring the friendships between the other characters, and also exploring Al, Guil, and Olympe in a little more depth too.

Overall, Dangerous Remedy is an exciting and fun adventure featuring a brilliant ragtag team trying to uncover the truth and protect a new friend while fighting off both royalists and revolutionaries.

I enjoyed this title so much! I thought the plot was so intriguing, and the characterization very strong! The description used by the author was so evocative I felt transported, and I kept turning until the very last page. I think the cover is very cute - I'll be sure to purchase this for my store!

Dangerous Remedy is the first YA series that I have seen compared to Six of Crows where I actually felt it. This book has a group of friends at its core that really work together well. I understood them all from the beginning and loved learning more about them throughout the story. 
This main romance in this novel is between two women and it's very good to have these two be the centre POVs as well. As much as I would have loved to read more about the other characters (especially Al, who is my favourite), it felt way more natural to just jump between Cam and Ad. 
The Story overall is exciting and fun, the characters play of each other well and I was genuinely surprised by the big twist in the end. 
Overall a great start into a trilogy I will happily continue.

This YA historical fiction, alternate history, fantasy, sci-fi novel - hard to put down a genre for it, so many possibilities - was a book I was really looking forward to. The pitch "Six of Crows meets Les Miserable" and the setting "French Revolution Paris" made for a change. Add a cast of LGBTQ+ characters. 

Alas, what I read was a book that didn't meet with my expectations. The characters weren't really fleshed out; I'd have liked more backstory to... everything. The diversity of the characters was painted in bold letters across the first few chapters. It felt a overdone. Some of the historical information presented was, to my knowledge, inaccurate or bordering on unbelievably far fetched; the science too. 

The ideas presented made my head hurt with questions about them. I kept rolling my eyes at the inevitable love triangle trope. 

I'm sure lots of people will like this book very much. I wanted to like it, just couldn't.

Kat Dunn's debut novel Dangerous Remedy is a fast-paced historical fantasy romp set in the French Revolution during the Reign of Terror. Left an orphan after her parents were executed, our protagonist Camille leads her battalion in a courageous and noble effort to rescue other prisoners headed for the guillotine and reunite them with their loved ones. 

The book opens with a short summary of the current political state in France to help set the scene. Way too long ago in my final year of high school, I studied History: Revolutions which covered this particular time period and it was interesting to see a few familiar names and dates seeded throughout the novel. It's clear that the author has done her research, but the setting needed to be fleshed out more in order to keep readers invested in the political conflict. There are some books where you're thrown in blind and gradually piece together details through observing the characters, but that isn't the case here as we learn little more throughout the book than we did at the start, and it's as though the clashing ideologies of the French Revolution and resulting impact on its society are presumed to be common knowledge.

A huge issue for Camille and crew is being caught between a rock and a hard place after they rescue a girl with never-before-seen powers that the Royalists and Revolutionaries desperately want to use to advance their cause. The battalion go through hell and back to try and keep Olympe out of the clutches of both sides, but they're basically interchangeable for all we know of their background and motivations. It feels like Camille and the others are basically on the run from a single group because the antagonists aren't clearly distinct in their principles and worldviews, and as they're very thinly sketched out villains, I found it difficult to recall which name belonged to which party. I did appreciate what I believe to be the overall message that sometimes the cure is worse than the disease (ie. that the increasingly brutal methods taken to overthrow the monarchy and its supporters eventually made the revolution as corrupt as the royals and aristocrats they condemned), but it needed a stronger background to make this message ring with clarity and conviction.

Our heroine Camille and her girlfriend Ada are the most fully-formed characters in the battalion as they have the benefit of alternating chapters devoted to their point of view, and their romantic relationship as well as their family bonds are explored and allowed to grow and develop. I found Ada particularly sympathetic because she voluntarily left her life of comfort and privilege to live with Camille in run-down crumbling bases to support her risky prison-break schemes out of love for her. Unfortunately they start off the book as an established couple so we don't see them fall in love or understand why she sacrificed everything for Camille. Guillaume the deserter and Al the aristocrat in hiding have few choices left to them, so their involvement with Camille makes more sense, but neither receives much character development. However Al is particularly witty and responsible for most of the fun banter in this book, which makes him an enjoyable character.

Camille herself is a frustrating character - through the writing, we're given to understand that she's a clever charismatic leader who's been the architect of many daring and triumphant rescue efforts, but we don't have the opportunity to see this in action. I understand that a story where everything goes exactly according to plan and it all works out perfectly for the protagonist would be rather dull, but Camille careens from one ill-thought-out escapade to the next without learning anything from her skirmishes with the enemy. Even worse, she's the type of heroine who requires rescuing, but then boldly asserts that she could've handled the situation herself, even with all evidence pointing to the contrary. 

It's certainly realistic that a teenage girl wouldn't be very experienced or proficient in planning heists, and it's worth noting that at various points, a couple characters express doubt in her abilities which is a relief given the trainwreck from each scheme of hers we read about. However I question why she is established as this great mastermind in the first place when the girl who is unwilling to take a comrade to hospital for near-fatal wounds because it's not safe for anyone to know where they are is the same girl who doesn't question an old acquaintance randomly showing up at the door of their hide-out. You'd think that would raise some alarm bells for someone involved in underground resistance!

Dangerous Remedy has a unique premise set in a time period we don't see explored much in YA fiction and I give credit to the author for including multiple diverse characters. The story itself struggles to overcome the poor world-building and a heroine who's billed as more accomplished than she acts, but other characters like Ada and Al are endearing, the intrigue around Olympe's powers is a great hook and the action steadily increases in excitement and intensity which makes this easy to binge-read.

I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for a review. Thank you to both the publisher and Netgalley for providing this. 

I have to start with the cover because that’s what drew me in. It is absolutely gorgeous and really in tune with the theme of the book! Zephyr books in general is on their game when it comes to covers!

I’ve read quite a few books recently based on the French Revolution and this is definitely one of the stronger ones from a historical point of view. The representation in this book was amazing and the pairings really seem to work. Moreover, the charge tor’s were delightfully sassy at times and the dialogue was really well done. 

That being said, the variety of POV was rather lacking and so I feel there was a missed opportunity here. I also found comparisons to SOC to be rather misleading! I just didn’t get the same vibe. I found the pacing to be okay  though I admit to putting it down a few times for a lack of action. 

I’ve rated 3 stars because while I did enjoy it it didn’t hold my attention completely and took me far too long to finish.

Story
I’m going to try to sum up my feelings as coherently as possible for Dangerous Remedy. This book is marketed as Six of Crows meets Les Miserables. If you didn’t know, Six of Crows is my favourite book. There’s no discussion about it. I love Six of Crows. So if you market a book as “it’s like Six of Crows” I’m going to compare it to Six of Crows in my mind.

I tried really hard not to. I know no other book will live up to SoC. That is my personal bias, and I am okay with that. You are allowed to disagree with me. However, this has always been about MY reading experience, and I always try to be as objective as possible. BUT that’s not always possible, as I am a human being with my own feelings and opinions.

THAT being said, let’s get into it (winks). The story itself is really great. The premise is unique, I mean who doesn’t want disaster gays running around during the French Revolution? YES PLEASE.

Writing
My real problem with this book is the pacing. Even though Dangerous Remedy starts off with an action scene, there’s very little action for the rest of the book. The pacing is weird, one moment I’m completely enthralled and the next I can’t be bothered. The writing isn’t bad, but I was not a fan of the massive info dumps done through text in the beginning.

Characters
I’m going to level with you, I did not care for any of the characters. Seriously. I’m heartless on a regular basis, but at least I (sometimes) care for fictional characters. Not these. I didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters, even though I wanted so badly to connect with Camille because I just love criminal types (yes, I’m looking at you Kaz Brekker).

They all fell flat, although Al was perhaps the only one I really liked. I was on a solid 3.5 stars for most of the book. It just lacked intrigue and atmosphere. However, at around the 80% mark, I started to sit up and really enjoy what was going on. The story really picked up and I became more invested in the characters, earning it another half star.

Overall I just think I’m a little tired of fantasy. When you read so many fantasy books they all start to look the same, but that also means you can distinguish great books from just average ones. Honestly, I was let down by Dangerous Remedy, but I’m still cautiously optimistic for the sequel.

This book is wonderful. It’s a deep plunge into diverse historical fiction and I wish we could have more books like that. As a French-based blogger and especially recently Parisian, it was really wholesome to have this novel set up in Revolutiorian Paris. It’s action-packed, and yet it features flawed and highly satisfying characters that you learn to love and care as the plot unravels and the turmoil put them in a delicate situation.

The plot revolves around a group of young adults who call themselves the Bataillon des Mortes and whose goal is to rescue people who are unfairly sentenced to death in this context of Terreur. During one of their rescue mission, they met Olympe, a convict who is not who she seems to be and the group finds themselves in the eye of a storm that overwhelms them: a war between the royalist and the revolutionaries.

This book had me tensed and excited. The pacing is really well-paced and you often find yourself holding your breath during action scenes and yet the author still takes her time to introduce and develop complex characters. Even though I found Camille caricatural at some points as her catchphrase became repetitive, I can only admire Kat Dunn’s skill to develop character’s arc to their full potential without losing the intensity of the plot or its action. I loved the fact that this book still surprised me with its twists and its betrayals and often let me gasping or grinning. It is a genuinely exciting read and it really is one of these books that let your mind wanders and allows you to escape for a bit into an adventure.

This book is a wonderful ode to found family as a trope. It features a really sweet f/f couple, even though I’m a bit wary of miscommunication as a plot point, and it explores rich and complex dynamics between misfits. I have a sweet spot for Ada, who can be considered as the scientist of the group and Al, a noble with trust issues and alcoholic problems who try to keep his walls up, and the friendship that blossomed between the two of them. They are so well-fleshed characters, with their flaws and their ambitions, and it’s kind of unsettling to finally see a story where the characters drive the plot and not the other way around. Without a spoiler, I would say that the complexity and the depth of the characters are what makes the ending of Kat Dunn’s novel so surprising, so satisfying, and why it works so well.

What really caught my attention in this book was how carefully and masterfully Kat Dunn intertwined fantasy with historical fiction, creating a believable and complex universe, I really loved how Olympe’s power was linked to the scientific discoveries of the time, concerning electricity. Through your reading, you can notice how carefully the research was done, and I can describe the number of details that warmed my heart, bringing me back to the Paris I left two months ago because of COVID.

« Don’t you know who we are? » she said. « We’re the battalion of the Dead. Death couldn’t stop us, what makes you think you can? »

To sum it up, everyone who ever wished for a strange yet compelling mix between Frankenstein and the X-men set during the French Revolution will love this book to pieces. I’m really excited to see what will come next for the Bataillon des Mortes and what futures challenges they will have to face in the next book.

I love the representation in this book so much. It’s bad ass and honest! Just what literature needs right now. 
Some of the characters felt a little neglected for me and I would’ve liked more chapters from others point of view. 
This book was fast paced and honest; it really captured the feeling of revolutionary France!

An epic story of love, politics, history and teamwork. 
While I loved this book I have to admit I was a tiny bit disappointed. This was purely because the reason I wanted to read this so badly is because the team was compared to SoC and that’s one of my favourite books. So I think I had the bar set almost too high? 
I really enjoyed this. The writing style is beautiful, it flowed so well and I found it such a joy to read. The team dynamic was different, not in a bad way by any means but the battalion was actually a lot more divided than I expected? I didn’t really like Al until the very end, I found Camille frustrating and annoying at times, I adored Ada and Guil. The plot twists are INTENSE and entirely unexpected, but I felt that too many came at once (all near the end, as you’d expect but there were SO many). This is a good thing cause it’s left me eager for the next book (I’m assuming there’s a next) but in comparison to the ending, the rest moved quite slowly. 
The romance was EVERYTHING. I really clicked with Ada as a character and her struggles in wondering if she’s doing the right thing by herself or if she’s following because of her love interest. Her inner battle with her feelings and the thoughts her father puts on her was something that really kept me on the edge of my seat during the entire book. 
There’s a lot of great action, it’s different to any other fantasy I’ve read so I don’t think it SHOULD be compared to any others, as it’s fantastic on its own!

Firstly I want to say thank you to Zephyr books for sending me an ARC of Dangerous Remedies, I am so grateful for the opportunity.

Now, I have to admit I have no knowledge of the French Revolution. So embarrassing. When I first starting reading Dangerous Remedies, I realised something was missing in my understanding and therefore had to pause and google the French Revolution. I am by no means a historian, or smart by any stretch of the imagination. A short explanation of the French Revolution was all I needed to get me started, so please don’t let that put you off.

I really liked the writing style of this book. Whilst some of it was fairly heavy at the start with the world-building I found that it was a really easy read. The writing flowed to the point where I literally flew through it. Whilst Dangerous Remedies is not written in verse, the writing felt poetic to me, all the words on each and every page fit perfectly together. I really love a book that I can immerse myself into, and read at a pace that I desire (normally super quickly).

The characters in this book really made it for me. They were wonderful. Im not sure I can pick a favourite character, I loved all the different characters for many different reasons, all unique to the other. I did really like each of their development and how throughout the book you were fed bits of information so you built a gradual relationship with them. The characters in particular really did give off a Six of Crows vibe and I’m all there for that!

I am really intrigued by the ending. I am so interested to go on another journey with these characters in order to get to know them even better. I cant wait to see what happens next and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series. I recommend that you pick this book up if you haven’t already.

Dangerous Remedy is the first instalment in a brand new and stylishly innovative historical fantasy series and Kat Dunn’s debut novel set against the turbulent backdrop of the French Revolution. It's very much a homage to The Scarlet Pimpernel but puts a modern, bang up to date spin on things. It’s 1794 and the Terror of the French Revolution is at its height. Camille and her gang have been hired to rescue a girl from the guillotine. But the job’s not what it seemed - the girl’s no aristocrat, and she’s not exactly human either. The Royalists who hired them and the Revolutionaries keeping the girl locked up both demand her back. But who - or what - is the girl? And why is everyone so desperate to get their hands on her? Camille’s pride is hurt - she loathes being tricked. Refusing to hand her over, she sets out to learn the truth. When she does, she’s forced to choose between loyalty to the people she loves, and the revolution itself.

This is a deeply impressive, thoroughly entertaining and completely immersive read from the opening pages. The plot flows beautifully and keeps you enthralled with ample twists and turns and sprinkles of magic. We become acquainted with a fearless group of ragtag heroines who are interesting and superbly developed; the group is primarily made up of societies misfits. I simply loved that there was, happily, great LGBT+ representation here, too. The band of the misunderstood is known as The Battalion of the Dead whose mission is to rescue those unfairly persecuted by a brutal and oppressive regime that is all-powerful in Robespierre. This is a wild ride of emotion and surprises. Set in the 1700s I loved the gay relationship that was formed between Camille and Ada because it felt natural and unforced which really made me happy. I literally can't wait for the sequel. Many thanks to Zephyr for an ARC.

introduction:

I received an Advanced Reading Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Well, April was not a good month for me in terms of reading. There wasn't much that was grabbing my interest, and I ended up finishing half as many books as March. I was starting to get into a slump, and then I began reading "Dangerous Remedy".

summary:

Camille, a revolutionary's daughter, leads a band of outcasts – a runaway girl, a deserter, an aristocrat in hiding. As the Battalion des Morts they cheat death, saving those about to meet a bloody end at the blade of Madame La Guillotine. But their latest rescue is not what she seems. The girl's no aristocrat, but her dark and disturbing powers means both the Royalists and the Revolutionaries want her. But who and what is she? 

In a fast and furious story full of the glamour and excesses, intrigue and deception of these dangerous days, no one can be trusted, everyone is to be feared. As Camille learns the truth, she's forced to choose between loyalty to those she loves and the future.

review:

I don't know how this book isn't being talked about more! A strong, dynamic squad of characters, heists, LGBT and POC rep, and on top of that it is set during the French Revolution!

I really liked the characters, they were not overdone, and not caricatures which often happens when a book surrounds a large cast of characters. They were complex in their relationships with one another and quite realistic. I really liked Camille and Ada's difficult friendship and romance, from completely different backgrounds, they were so similar and so different from one another at the same time. I really look forward to how they grow in the next book. 

I really enjoyed the plot twists and the flaws to their plans, that were really well handled, better than "Six of Crows" which people often try to compare it to. In my opinion, I thought this book was stronger and it doesn't really seem fair that they are compared, because in many ways "Dangerous Remedy" is so completely different from "Six of Crows". I thought the characters were far more realistic. The only parallels you can draw between each of the books, are the "squad" and the heists, that's where the similarities end.

I loved learning more about the history of the French Revolution, which is probably one of my favourite historical events that has happened in Europe. So granted, I loved the setting and the historical context this book had. I also really liked the integration of perspectives of people who've come over from the French colonies, I felt like it certainly added to the scope of the narrative. 

The prose was crisp, but not overly simple. It was accessible, and easy to follow while also having a lovely balance of more flowery language mixed in. It never distracts or takes away from the pacing either, which I have to say was very strong. This story was really well-balanced in many ways, but I have to say I think was most-impressed by the pacing. It was constantly moving forward, even as we had time to sit around with the characters and get to know them better, there was always something happening big or small, there was never really a dull moment. From a debut author, this balance was extraordinarily impressive. 

The only thing that stops me from giving this a 5-star review, is just that I felt like I wish I had gotten to know some of the other members of the "battalion des morts", or the story's squad, just a bit better. I really wish there had been flashbacks of their childhood and the things that helped developed their characters into who they are when the story begins. I feel that would have made me a bit more connected to the characters. Which isn't to say that I wasn't connected to the characters, I think they all have very good bones. I would just like to see more growth in the next book. I really hope this book ends up getting three or four books, because I really like the direction this book took at the very end. 

While people compare it "Six of Crows", I would say this book is more "Frankenstein" meets "The Diviners".

Overall, a debut novel that exceeded all of my expectations. Kat Dunn is an author to watch.

3.5 Stars. 

- Set in Revolutionary France, Camille and her outcast friends form the Battalion des Morte. Group of people who make it their duty to rescue people from prison and the guillotine. In their latest rescue, they discover a girl who has been hidden from the world due to her dangerous powers. They make it their mission to stop her from falling into the wrong hands on either side of the revolution. -

Thank you to Zephyr for providing an electronic advanced reader copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A little bit gothic with a hint of science fiction and a dose of history, Dangerous Remedies had a great atmosphere. I loved the historical French setting and the story was well rounded.

Kat Dunn described the setting with such rich detail that I felt as though I was standing with the characters myself. The scenes were action filled, sometimes gruesome, and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat.

I wished all of the scenes had received the same level of detail and there were times I forgot that the book was actually set in the past. I would have liked just a few more historical details littered through out the chapters.

There were some good twists through out and a few wow moments that definitely caught me by surprise. A lot of the great action was bunched towards the end of the book and I wish it had been spread out a little bit more throughout the story.

For me, the relationships between the characters were what drove the story. Each character had their own quirks, personality, and qualities that they brought to the group. I really enjoyed the love story between the main characters and the obstacles they faced a long the way.

I did feel as though you didn’t really get to know the characters that well until later in the book, but when you did get to know the gang, there wasn’t a character I disliked. Even the villains were well written and memorable, and not to mention incredibly creepy.

Dangerous Remedy is filled with suspense, adventure and a dash of horror. I liked the story, loved the atmosphere and it holds loads of potential for the sequel. Now that I know the characters and the story is set, I am interested in reading the next adventure.

The characters in this book were really well written, they almost jumped off the page at you. I really like Ada and Camille and thought they had absolutely wonderful chemistry. 

The writing style was good, however, in places i did get a little lost but this eventually came together at the end, and i thought the author did a wonderful job of writing the setting in France. 

I enjoyed the plot, and I thought there were lots of interesting story lines, which all eventually came together at the end, and I think for a debut novel this did really well at building you into a new fantasy world and not being too confusing with the characters and their relationships. 

Overall, a very fast paced, action packed adventure and I am already looking forward to book two!

I really enjoyed this, I generally avoid historical fiction ( I am not sure why) but I picked this up because something in the synopsis drew me (probably the mention of darkness) but I was so happy I chose to read this. It completely blew me away. It was absolutely enthralling, entertaining, enjoyable (all the E’s) and I was hooked from the very start. The writing is stunning, the characterisation is great, well thought out characters with real development during the story. There is great humour and emotion between the action and it’s so twisty and turns you’ll be spinning, you don’t see anything coming. An absolutely amazing book.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

*4.5*

"Death couldn't stop us, what makes you think you can?"

This book surprised me, in a completely amazingly great way. I loved this and historical fiction is not a favourite genre of mine. This is definitely up there for a favourite book of 2020 and it's only May.

Chaotic queers in the French Revolution, we stan. It felt a bit like three musketeers and, obviously, frankenstein. It was very fast paced for me, I would devouring this book - took me only two days and for such a rich story, I'm am again surprised it didn't take me longer but I was so enchanted by it I couldn't stop.

I had a love/hate relationship with Camille, as aspected. She frustrated me but she's such a strong badass and that just outweighs the times I wanted to punch her. Ada - oh my god, Ada, I loved her. 

Looking forward to the next one.

This book was fantastic! Highly anticipated and well worth the wait! The characters were rich and believable and it was thrilling to take this journey with them.

In the midst of a failing French Revolution, the Battalion of the Dead is saving innocents from the guillotine. They are hired to save a mysterious girl name Olympe, with a dangerous power. The group gets caught in a power tug-of-war between the Revolutionaries and the Royalists, therefore a decision to keep Olympe safe from both is made.

I am impressed with the way the author delivers her descriptions. With such vivid pictures and a lyrical tone. The action makes you gasp, the emotional scenes your heart to seize or soar. Dunn doesn't just string words together, she performs a rhapsody.

The world building is magnificent, transporting you to the essence of this revolution. I felt like I could reach out and touch the buildings, the people. The Battalion are a group of tormented but courageous characters, They are considered 'different' in their society, and you can't help but root wholeheartedly for them.

Adventurous, full of smirk-worthy dialogue (mostly and delightfully from Al) and nail-biting suspense that didn't leave me any nail intact, especially close to the end. The emotional turbulence and jaw dropping surprises are so eloquently delivered. And oh those ugly truths and betrayals, that will hit you in the gut.

Presenting such important themes like choosing your own fate. The right to be who you really are and want to be. Justice and standing up for what you believe in. No wonder this story has a revolution as its backdrop.

Ending with the promise of an even more exciting sequel, this was a thrilling ride of historical fiction, a fascinating start to a new series that cannot be missed.