Plot summary, “A Place of Greater Safety” by Hilary Mantel in 4 Minutes - Book Review
1"A Place of Greater Safety" by Hilary Mantel is a historical novel set during the French Revolution. The novel primarily focuses on three key figures of the revolution: Georges-Jacques Danton, Camille Desmoulins, and Maximilien Robespierre. These characters come from different backgrounds and possess distinct personalities, but they play crucial roles in the events of the revolution.
The novel begins with the early stages of the revolution, as the Estates-General meets at Versailles to discuss redistributing power in France. It follows the rise of these three men within the revolutionary circles and their involvement in the formation of the National Assembly. The storming of the Bastille in 1789 symbolizes the people's desire for change.
Desmoulins and Danton, despite their differences, become close friends. Desmoulins is eloquent and creative, while Danton is a charismatic orator. Danton later proves himself as a tactician and a pragmatist who helps the new republic navigate internal and external challenges.
In 1792, the threat of foreign invasion by the Duke of Brunswick unites the French people, and Danton rallies them to defend their country. However, as time progresses, Robespierre's vision comes to dominate, leading to the Reign of Terror, a period marked by ideological purity and mass executions. The Committee for Public Safety, led by Robespierre, institutes the death penalty for those who oppose the revolution.
Desmoulins begins to criticize the excesses of the Reign of Terror through his writings, but this ultimately leads to his execution. Danton, who had been friends with Robespierre, also meets a tragic end as the violence of the revolution spirals out of control.
The novel concludes with the end of the Reign of Terror, which claimed the lives of many and left the survivors reflecting on the price of revolutionary ideals. The title, "A Place of Greater Safety," is a poignant reference to the grave, symbolizing the tragic fate that befell those who played central roles in the revolution.