Review: The King's Command by Rosemary Hayes
Today, I'm delighted to share my review for The King’s Command, a gripping historical novel about the plight of Huguenots during the reign of King Louis XIV, by Rosemary Hayes.
As I have Huguenot ancestors (who, as it appears, moved to Germany via Alsace in the 17th century), I found the topic particularly interesting. Well worth checking out!
The King’s Command is currently on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club. Find fascinating guest posts, tempting excerpts, and other reviews here!
The story begins with Lidie's 16th birthday. The extended family and friends come together to celebrate. Although she has recently lost her father, adding a wistful touch to the party, she enjoys the attention. The family isn't rich, but comfortably well off. They are also part of a large Huguenot community in a small town in Gascony. At the event, she meets Isaac, the community doctor, and his son, Samuel, who studies law.
Lidie is a typical teenage girl of the times, interested in clothes and gossip, but she is also, like her mother, firm in her faith. The restrictions put in place by King Louis XIV are already felt, in that their community is forbidden to worship in their temple, although – unlike in other towns – the building still stands. Instead, they meet in small gatherings or in the forest.
Rosemary has travelled widely but now lives in South Cambridgeshire. She has a background in publishing, having worked for Cambridge University Press before setting up her own company Anglia Young Books which she ran for some years. She has been a reader for a well known authors’ advisory service and runs creative writing workshops for both children and adults.
Rosemary has recently turned her hand to adult fiction and her historical novel ‘The King’s Command’ is about the terror and tragedy suffered by the French Huguenots during the reign of Louis XIV.
Connect with Rosemary:
The King’s Command is currently on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club. Find fascinating guest posts, tempting excerpts, and other reviews here!
The King’s Command
Rosemary Hayes
The story begins with Lidie's 16th birthday. The extended family and friends come together to celebrate. Although she has recently lost her father, adding a wistful touch to the party, she enjoys the attention. The family isn't rich, but comfortably well off. They are also part of a large Huguenot community in a small town in Gascony. At the event, she meets Isaac, the community doctor, and his son, Samuel, who studies law.
Lidie is a typical teenage girl of the times, interested in clothes and gossip, but she is also, like her mother, firm in her faith. The restrictions put in place by King Louis XIV are already felt, in that their community is forbidden to worship in their temple, although – unlike in other towns – the building still stands. Instead, they meet in small gatherings or in the forest.
Right from the beginning, there's an underlying sense of danger, and Lidie has several dangerous encounters which bring the point home that she and her like are not safe.
Then there is Isaac, a doctor who runs a small hospital, financed by Huguenots, but where he treats all sick regardless of their creed. When the regional Intendant – on royal orders – forbids that he trains Huguenots, he continues in secret, at great risk.
Then, a few years later, they hear of a massacre, in Poitiers, where the Huguenot community was targeted – officially – by what turned out to be mercenaries. Many were tortured, raped, and killed. Some converted to Catholicism. Even more Huguenots fled with the clothes they wore.
As the plot progresses, we discover random attacks, spies, and dangerous occurrences that affect Lidie, her family, and Isaac. The underlying threat is ever-present, and grows as their situation becomes more and more precarious.
Lidie's development from playful teenager to a thoughtful young woman is wonderful to watch. As we read, she grows up before our eyes, always keeping her faith, but more aware of the danger to their livelihood - and their lives. She fancies Samuel, but the lad is too busy studying to even think about her. Her feelings are hinted at, as we rarely see them engage with each other early on. But as the focus of the novel is on the danger to the Huguenot community, it works well. Then, as she grows into a young woman, taking after her mother, we discover her courage and determination.
Isaac is a fascinating character. He is hard-working and selfless to the point of endangering his own life to keep teaching those who would seek it, even if it's banned. He considers his oath to treat the sick over the king's orders.
There are other interesting characters, and the narrative sometimes head-hops within scenes, but it's not distracting in this case as it adds to give an overall picture.
The King’s Command is an engrossing tale of love, faith, and – ultimately – survival. We care about the characters and fear for their lives. The plot takes us through a decade, during which more and more horrors await. Events are told in some gruesome detail, but it's never gratuitous. Indeed, it showed us the reality of life for those who dared to oppose the Catholic Church and its desperate attempt at clinging to power.
The King’s Command is an engrossing tale of love, faith, and – ultimately – survival. We care about the characters and fear for their lives. The plot takes us through a decade, during which more and more horrors await. Events are told in some gruesome detail, but it's never gratuitous. Indeed, it showed us the reality of life for those who dared to oppose the Catholic Church and its desperate attempt at clinging to power.
A personal, moving and utterly absorbing portray of what Huguenot families faced during those dangerous years, The King’s Command is an unmissable account of the courage many showed in the face of torture and death – and the ultimately difficult decision of whether to your home behind and survive – or die at the hands of the king's thugs.
Highly recommended.
Blurb:
‘An absorbing tale told with sensitivity. The forgotten struggles of Huguenot refugees come to moving, heartrending life.’
~ Steven Veerapen, author of A Dangerous Trade
Highly recommended.
~~~
Blurb:
‘An absorbing tale told with sensitivity. The forgotten struggles of Huguenot refugees come to moving, heartrending life.’
~ Steven Veerapen, author of A Dangerous Trade
16 year old Lidie Brunier has everything; looks, wealth, health and a charming suitor, but there are dark clouds on the horizon.
Lidie and her family are committed Huguenots and Louis XIV has sworn to stamp out this ‘false religion’ and make France a wholly Catholic country.
Gradually Lidie’s comfortable life starts to disintegrate as Huguenots are stripped of all rights and the King sends his brutal soldiers into their homes to force them to become Catholics.
Others around her break under pressure but Lidie and her family refuse to convert.
With spies everywhere and the ever present threat of violence, they struggle on.
Then a shocking betrayal forces Lidie’s hand and her only option is to try and flee the country.
A decision that brings unimaginable hardship, terror and tragedy and changes her life for ever.
Rosemary Hayes has written over forty books across different genres, from historical fiction to chapter books for early readers and texts for picture books.
Praise for Rosemary Hayes:
‘One of the very best historical novels I have ever read’
~ Sandra Robinson, Huguenot Ancestry Expert
‘The King’s Command is Rosemary Hayes’s first novel for adults, but the story-telling skills she has honed over a prolific career as a prize-winning children’s author are evident on every page of this tense, immersive and dramatic account of religious persecution in late seventeenth-century France.’
~ Kat Armstrong, author
‘The detail within this book is fascinating and I learned so much about what like was like in the late 17th century. It’s excellent!’
~ Amazon Reviewer
Buy Link: International Buy Link
About the Author:
Rosemary Hayes
Rosemary Hayes has written over fifty books for children and young adults. She writes in different genres, from edgy teenage fiction (The Mark), historical fiction (The Blue Eyed Aborigine and Forgotten Footprints), middle grade fantasy (Loose Connections, The Stonekeeper’s Child and Break Out) to chapter books for early readers and texts for picture books. Many of her books have won or been shortlisted for awards and several have been translated into different languages.
Lidie and her family are committed Huguenots and Louis XIV has sworn to stamp out this ‘false religion’ and make France a wholly Catholic country.
Gradually Lidie’s comfortable life starts to disintegrate as Huguenots are stripped of all rights and the King sends his brutal soldiers into their homes to force them to become Catholics.
Others around her break under pressure but Lidie and her family refuse to convert.
With spies everywhere and the ever present threat of violence, they struggle on.
Then a shocking betrayal forces Lidie’s hand and her only option is to try and flee the country.
A decision that brings unimaginable hardship, terror and tragedy and changes her life for ever.
Rosemary Hayes has written over forty books across different genres, from historical fiction to chapter books for early readers and texts for picture books.
~~~
Praise for Rosemary Hayes:
‘One of the very best historical novels I have ever read’
~ Sandra Robinson, Huguenot Ancestry Expert
‘The King’s Command is Rosemary Hayes’s first novel for adults, but the story-telling skills she has honed over a prolific career as a prize-winning children’s author are evident on every page of this tense, immersive and dramatic account of religious persecution in late seventeenth-century France.’
~ Kat Armstrong, author
‘The detail within this book is fascinating and I learned so much about what like was like in the late 17th century. It’s excellent!’
~ Amazon Reviewer
Buy Link: International Buy Link
~~~
About the Author:
Rosemary Hayes
Rosemary Hayes has written over fifty books for children and young adults. She writes in different genres, from edgy teenage fiction (The Mark), historical fiction (The Blue Eyed Aborigine and Forgotten Footprints), middle grade fantasy (Loose Connections, The Stonekeeper’s Child and Break Out) to chapter books for early readers and texts for picture books. Many of her books have won or been shortlisted for awards and several have been translated into different languages.
Rosemary has travelled widely but now lives in South Cambridgeshire. She has a background in publishing, having worked for Cambridge University Press before setting up her own company Anglia Young Books which she ran for some years. She has been a reader for a well known authors’ advisory service and runs creative writing workshops for both children and adults.
Rosemary has recently turned her hand to adult fiction and her historical novel ‘The King’s Command’ is about the terror and tragedy suffered by the French Huguenots during the reign of Louis XIV.
Connect with Rosemary:
Thank you so much for hosting me - and for that lovely review of The King's Command. It would be great to see some of it (last two paras perhaps) up on Amazon if you are happy to do this. So appreciate your support. Rosemary x
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