Scarlet

PRAISE FOR THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY NOVELSTHE UNTOLD STORY“Cogman skillfully gets new readers up to speed on the rich worldbuilding. . . . Bibliophiles new to the series will be charmed by the premise and find this an easy starting point, while returning readers will be thrilled with the nail-biting conclusion. It’s a joy to see this series going strong.”—Publishers Weekly“Fantasy fans will be thrilled as book eight of the action-packed series ventures further into the depths of the Library than ever before.”—Booklist (starred review)THE DARK ARCHIVE“The lightning-fast pace, colorful characters, and a surprise revelation will thrill fantasy fans eager for more of Cogman’s Invisible Library series.”—BooklistTHE SECRET CHAPTER“Cogman charts the heist with the fluid mix of humor and adventure series readers will expect, while adding new dimensions to fan favorite characters and introducing dangerous enemies.”—Publishers WeeklyTHE MORTAL WORD“This is an explosive, tense, and witty novel, full of exciting incidents, cranky dragons, treacherous Fae, and political consequences. It’s enormously fun, and balances humor and action very well.”—Tor.comTHE LOST PLOT“The Lost Plot is full of life and wit from the start . . . A pacy-to-breakneck speed adventure through Prohibition, The Lost Plot is a hi-gin-ks read.”—SFF WorldTHE BURNING PAGE“Libraries, Librarians, dragons, Fae, chaos, dastardly baddies, and a Sherlock Holmes–style detective all thrown into the mix equal an excellent read. . . . It’s packed with chaotic and dramatic adventures and is witty, to boot.”—The Speculative HeraldTHE MASKED CITY“This witty fantasy also includes a Holmesian detective, a wondrous magical train, some fascinating Fae politics, frequent funny moments, and a very limited time for Irene to rescue Kai, all making for a thrilling and deliciously atmospheric adventure.”—LocusTHE INVISIBLE LIBRARYNo. 2 on the Independent’s (UK) Best Fantasy Novels of 2015 ListOn Library Journal’s Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Books of 2016 List“Ms. Cogman has opened a new pathway into our vast heritage of imagined wonderlands. And yet, as her story reminds us, we yearn for still more.”—Tom Shippey, The Wall Street Journal“A dazzling bibliophilic debut.”—Charles Stross, Hugo Award–winning author of The Nightmare Stacks BY GENEVIEVE COGMANINVISIBLE LIBRARY NOVELSThe Invisible LibraryThe Masked CityThe Burning PageThe Lost PlotThe Mortal WordThe Secret ChapterThe Dark ArchiveThe Untold StorySCARLET REVOLUTION NOVELSScarlet ACEPublished by BerkleyAn imprint of Penguin Random House LLCpenguinrandomhouse.comCopyright © 2023 by Genevieve CogmanExcerpt from The Invisible Library copyright © 2016 by Genevieve CogmanPenguin Random House supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin Random House to continue to publish books for every reader.ACE is a registered trademark and the A colophon is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataNames: Cogman, Genevieve, author.Title: Scarlet / Genevieve Cogman.Description: First edition. | New York: Ace, 2023. | Series: Scarlet revolution novelsIdentifiers: LCCN 2022056157 (print) | LCCN 2022056158 (ebook) | ISBN 9780593638286 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9780593638293 (ebook)Subjects: LCSH: France—History—Revolution, 1789-1799—Fiction. | LCGFT: Vampire fiction. | Paranormal fiction. | Novels.Classification: LCC PR6103.O39 S33 2023 (print) | LCC PR6103.O39 (ebook) | DDC 823/.92—dc23/eng/20221220LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022056157LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022056158First Edition: May 2023Cover design by Adam AuerbachCover image: Portrait of Henrietta, daughter of Henry, 1st Viscount St. John. Agar, Charles d’ (1669-1723) (attr. to) © De Morgan Foundation / Bridgeman ImagesBook design by Alison Cnockaert, adapted for ebook by Kelly BrennanThis is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.pid_prh_6.0_143429686_c0_r0 CONTENTSCoverPraise for Genevieve CogmanBy Genevieve CogmanTitle PageCopyrightDedicationThe French Revolution: A Few Brief NotesDramatis PersonaePrologueChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24AcknowledgmentsExcerpt from The Invisible LibraryAbout the Author_143429686_ To the Terminology and Classifications team, who I’m sure would rescue me from the guillotine. THE FRENCH REVOLUTION: A FEW BRIEF NOTESSocial and economic inequality—unemployment, high food prices, economic depression, poor taxation management and resistance to reform by the ruling elite—don’t always lead to countrywide revolution and the public execution of the king. Yet sometimes they do.A full discussion of the French Revolution would be far more exhaustive and accurate than these few pages (and also wouldn’t include vampires). However, most people agree that it truly began with the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, after rumors circulated that King Louis XVI planned to shut down the National Assembly—an assembly made up of commoners—and prevent reforms. Peasant uprisings followed across the country; in an attempt to calm the population, the National Assembly published the August Decrees which abolished feudalism (including the nobility’s exemption from taxes), tithes and sale of judicial offices, and proclaimed equality before the law, freedom of worship, and more. Furthermore, the creation of the National Guard made Paris the best-policed city in Europe. With little choice, Louis XVI reluctantly agreed to constitutional monarchy and wore a tricolor cockade. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was adopted in August 1789.So far, so good.However, the Assembly was increasingly divided. Matters came to a head in June 1791 when the royal family attempted to flee Paris to seek refuge in Austria. They were recognized and arrested, but public opinion turned against the king; he was accused of trying to organize counterrevolutionary action—a betrayal of the Revolution and its ideology. The Assembly demanded oaths of loyalty to the regime, and fear of “spies and traitors” spread. Preparations began for war. During this period, many French aristocrats, bereft of land and privilege, fled France for more sympathetic countries. Others joined royalist rebellions or tried to make the best of the situation.The guillotine was introduced to France for popular executions in April 1792. It was considered both merciful and symbolic of equality among citizens