Eleven-year-old Alix is the daughter of the baron of Wanthwaite, whose lands along the Scottish border are among the best in England. But when her family is killed and her lands seized, Alix is forced to flee from the only home sheโs ever known. Her one hope of restoring her inheritance is to plead her case to King Richard the Lion Heart, who is far away in France, preparing to go on his Crusade. Alix resolves to follow him. She cuts her hair, dresses as a boy, and takes the road south to London.
Disguised as a beautiful young boy, Alix is more than befriended by the handsome and mysterious King Richard, even becoming his favorite page. Their relationship sets tongues wagging and places Alix in considerable danger as the battle for Jerusalem unfolds.
This is a bawdy, often crudely funny historical tale based on the fictionalized character of Alix of Wanthwaite. I knew nothing about this book, the author and very little about this time period however I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this well written story that I picked up at the library. It was originally published in 1958 so this novel has stood the test of time. Younger readers will compare this story to Disneyโs Mulan who also disguises herself as a boy in order to honor her family. ย However this character differs as she is complete with wit, a sense of adventure, the challenge of becoming a young woman in the company of men and the unexpected romance. Language is an odd mix of scots, gaelic and other dialects but it was simple to capture the meaning when used and definitely added reality and credibility to the story. This book was filled with heroes, villains, twists and turns, adventure and romance and the lush landscapes of Scotland.
Quotes I liked:
I thought of the terrible events of the day. The very worst was drinking Scottish blood, for while I knew the vow of brotherhood didnโt hold since I wasnโt a boy and could be no oneโs brother, I wasnโt sure that I wasnโt a Scot. A fate worse than death.โ
Every day I clean the Winchestersโ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a... read more
Every day I clean the Winchestersโ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a... read more
Review:The Measure by Nikki Erlick was a book I waited far too long to read. I just couldnโt stomach the idea that everyone in the world would find out their relative life span. The whole idea of this scared me but when my book club chose to read it, I dug in with enthusiasm.Iโm so glad I did. This book is more about life and how we live it, rather than about dying. Itโs told by a cast of eight characters who are deeply affected by the strings they received. The length of the string parallels the length of your life. All the characters are struggling with their results because even if he or she gets a long string, there will still be people they know will be gone soon.How the world at large handles the strings was so well done. People are switching boxes hoping it could change their destiny. Support groups are offered. Protests occur. The world is in a very different place. Much of this book made me think about the differences between fate and destiny. This story offers many intertwined connections between the characters that makes for a powerful and meaningful ending. Iโm so looking forward to whatโs next from this author. @nikkierlick @williammorrowbooks William Morrow ๐ Would you open a box that told you how long your lifespan is?#themeasure #scifilight#bookreader #bookclubpick #goodbookfairy... See MoreSee Less
Seems like a unique read