Book Review; Crusade by Linda Press Wulf

I really like this cove because it captures
the spirit of the book well. I also
like the glossy and raised up red cross
in the middle on my paperback copy.

Summary (from blurb)

When a dazzlingly handsome boy riding a white charger arrives in Georgette's village she is spellbound- both by the boy and by the crowd that surrounds him. They are all children. The boy is even more entrancing when he speaks. He seeks volunteers to join his Crusade- a perilous mission from which some may not return.

Georgette has never left her village before, but she knows she will follow the boy. And so begins a journey filled with terrible danger, sacrifice and true love, a journey which will take all of Georgette's courage to survive.

My review and thoughts

When a surprise copy of Crusade arrived for review from Bloomsbury arrived through my door, I was very excited as it sounded just up my street. Before, I hadn't read any fiction about the Crusades or the Children's Crusade but I learnt about them at school so I was eager to read the author's interpretation of these events.

Crusade tells the story of one of many Children's Crusade through the eyes of  fictional characters Georgette and Robert, two very different young teenagers who are united on a quest to reach the Holy land. Robert is an orphan who was left on the church steps as a baby but he never stole food like the other orphans in his village. As he grows older, it became apparent that he is extraordinarily intelligent and by the time he is five years old he knows all the Latin prayers and hymns by heart. The Church Abbot notices his talent and takes him in as the Abbey's ward to be taught as his protege student. Georgette is a peasant girl whose mother died in childbirth. Finding her home life dull, she befriends the elderly village priest who teaches her more about her faith. When a young thirteen year old prophet who is no older than herself arrives in Georgette's village looking for new children to she is drawn to the prospect of seeking glory for God, unlike many of the other children who just want a chance to travel and see the world. Along with her brother, who is known for his fiery temper, she leaves her village and everything she has ever known along  to join the Crusade.
Later in the journey, when the Crusade stops at Robert's abbey to ask for food, Robert joins too. He has become dissatisfied with his life in the Abbey where everything is governed by routine and the Abbot and wants a different life purpose.

The journey is more difficult than expected and the children must face every hardship imaginable from starvation and sickness to death. For months, they must rely on the kindness and goodwill of the inhabitants of passing villages, towns and cities but with thousands of children with empty stomachs, food becomes extremely scarce and Georgette and Robert have no way of knowing when their next meal will be. The things that they had to endure are heart wrenching and emotional to read about because many of the children are very young at only eight. I am glad that the author did not try to shy away from the realities of what the Children's Crusade would have been like.

They were both really likable and strong characters and my heart went out to them in their struggles as they were very easy to warm and relate to. What I loved most about them was how despite all the terrible things that are happening around them and the realisation that the Crusade isn't as focused on their holy mission as they first thought, they both remained true to their beliefs and faith.
I really liked how the story was told from the point of view of a boy and a girl, especially as it makes the story more appealing to both genders. It was also really clever how the stories of Georgette and Robert began to come together and entwine towards the end. However, my only disappointment was when the book came to an end when their story together began to pick up. It did pick up all of the loose ends but it also left a lot to the imagination so if the author wanted to, there is room for a sequel.

I learnt a lot about the Children's Crusade through this fictional retelling of events and found the fate of these children very interesting. I think that it has just the right amount of action and history for younger readers to enjoy the story too and learn more about the Crusades must have been like by following the story of characters near their own age who it is easier to relate to.

Verdict: Linda Press Wulf has created a wonderful and beautifully evocative story based loosely on what little is known about the events of the Children's Crusade. I really recommend it!

Thank you to Bloomsbury UK providing a copy of this book for review.

In My Mailbox and thoughts about In The Shadow Of The Lamp by Susanne Dunlap

In My Mailbox is feature held by the lovely Kristi at The Story Siren, which encourages bloggers to share what new books they have got this week.

This week I got:

Crusade by Linda Press Wolf for review from Bloomsbury, which is being released in January. Thank you Bloomsbury!

Blurb summary:

'When a dazzling handsome boy riding a white charger arrives in Georgette's village, she is spellbound- both by the boy and by the crowd that surrounds him. They are all children. The boy is even more entrancing when he speaks. He sees volunteers to join his Crusade-  a perilous mission from which some may not return.

Georgette has never left her village before, but she knows she will follow the boy.

And so begins a journey filled with terrible danger, sacrifice and true love, a journey which will take all of Georgette's courage to survive.'

The press sheet describes it as 'both thought provoking and powerful it should find a place in every historical fiction fan's library.'

I have had this on my TBR list ever since I saw it featured on a Waiting on Wednesday post and it was a lovely surprise to have it arrive through my mailbox. It sounds so intriguing and is set in a period of history that I have not read much about so I'm looking forward to reading it.

Over the last week I have read finished reading Captivate by Carrie Jones and will be reading the third book in the Need series, Entice soon.

My thoughts about In The Shadow Of The Lamp by Susanne Dunlap

I won an ARC of In The Shadow Of The Lamp by Susanne Dunlap a few weeks ago on her Facebook page and this week I finished reading it. I will post a review nearer the release date in April next year but I want to share some of my thoughts about it now.

Here is the Goodread's description of it:

'It's 1854 and sixteen-year-old Molly would give anything to change her circumstances as a lowly servant in a posh London house. So when she hears of an opportunity to join the nurses who will be traveling with Florence Nightingale to the Crimea, she jumps at the chance. The work is grueling, the hospital conditions deplorable, and Miss Nightingale a demanding teacher. Before long, the plight of British soldiers becomes more than just a mission of mercy as Molly finds that she's falling in love with both a dashing young doctor and a soldier who has joined the army to be near her. But with the battle raging ever nearer, can Molly keep the two men she cares for from harm? A love story to savor, and a fascinating behind-the-scenes imagining of the woman who became known as "the lady with the lamp."

I loved the premise for it as I have studied Florence Nightingale at school and I thought it sounded like it was told from an interesting angle and it turned out that I *loved* it! It was everything a fantastic YA historical fiction novel should be. The protagonist Molly was a character that I instantly warmed to and she was a very strong willed girl with lots of courage to overcome her fears making her very sincere. Her voice was very distinct and really drew me into the story so that I read it at every spare moment I had at school, on the bus, or at home. Susan Dunlap has captured the horrors and hardships of the Crimean war through the eyes of a young girl in words perfectly.  It is one of my favourite books that I have read this year and should definitely be added to your 2011 reading list!