The King of Montreal: A Novel
By Daniela I. Norris
Genre: Young Adult (YA), Historical Fiction
Pages (print): 157
Via: Author Request
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Whaddya do when it’s 1800, your dad is King Louis XVI, bloodthirsty Parisian mobs are hot on your trail, and it’s a really, really bad time to be the dauphin of France?
Author Daniela I. Norris tackles that question and more in this charming historical fiction novel about 15 year-old Louis-Charles and his adventures in worlds both Old and New.
Part historical fiction, part coming-of-age tale, and part young love, The King of Montréal spins a sail-able story that may have you packing for Montréal to find out more. Or maybe catching the next flight to Paris.
The Story
The story follows a Charles’ journey of self-discovery, where he finds a new family and the strength to move on from the past. Thoroughly researched and historically sound, the text draws on actual events while deploying non-linear narrative. Example: Charles’ present adventures are intertwined with his past. Like, as a member of the aristocracy – his father and the dauphin of France when marauding mobs were executing same – Charles flees for his life aboard the Freedom. (Hello, A Tale of Two Cities.)
He also can’t swim. Oops. Big Oops when the Freedom goes down. Charles also has a nasty recurring cough. That figures in later.
Rescued by Basque fisherman, Charles is taken to the port of Montréal. He’s left to feed fir himself as ac15 tear-old who can’t reveal his true identity. He lives in his “hideout by the river.”
Charles soon meets the lively and enigmatic Roisin, an Irish beauty newly arrived from the Old Country. A budding romance develops. They help each other find work as they also dodge Pierre and his gang of street thugs. (Kimber: Can I bite Pierre? Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh?)
Meanwhile, Charles is saving money to finance a trip to New York in search of a friend of his presumably drowned tutor. Speaking of friends, the friendship between Charles and the young Mohawk Kariwase and Jacob Fast Deer is refreshing.
There’s a bizarre flight into Deism a la Voltaire on pp. 69-70 that seems out of place.
Bouncing POV
The POV bounces between present day first person (Charles) and backstory third person as Charles and his tutor flee France aboard a ship bound for the New World, Freedom. (The ship’s name has a double meaning.)
Loose Ends
With loose ends left dangling, the ending leaves much to be desired. “And so, on a late afternoon in the last week of November 1800, a Mohawk man and a pregnant European woman were seen riding away into the distance on the back of a brown mare…”
More from Her Royal Crankiness: The last few indie books we’ve read were real stinkeroos. Think eau du skunk. On steroids.
Warm and winsome with sturdy writing buoying a clever and intriguing plot, The King of Montreal was a breath of fresh air. Finally.
Kimber: Wait. Is that Madame de Farge?
Pages & Paws 