Disclosure: I won a copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers programme.
This book attempts to hit several genres in what I believe is to lure readers of the following genres: time travel, Christian theme, historical fiction, young adult, fantasy and paranormal.
Unfortunately, by setting the story in an England that was both violent and led by a King deeply suspicious of foreigners, and by using modern tropes such as female independence, leaves the reader without a foundation.
The premise is good and had it been more widely developed - meaning had it the story been set over a longer period of time, I think the author might have been more successful.
It is a quaint story, if one is not bothered by all the inconsistencies and the ease with which the characters can interact, but I would hesitate to suggest that anyone with knowledge of history be offered this title.
A note on the Christian theme of the book. I do not typically discuss this sort of thing as my beliefs are my own. However, I got the sense that the author was attempting to link modern Christian approaches with the strong religious themes in history. Unfortunately, the motives for Medieval "devout" religious beliefs and those of the modern Christians are decidedly different both in context and practice. Thus, the unified understanding of prayer in the novel seems quite strange and out of place. For me, the Christian themes were overbearing and stilted the narrative.
Publisher: Kirkdale PressPublication Date: 16 June 2012Format: ebook
Review previously appeared on the now defunct Bookworm's Buffet Blog
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