To Crown a King is an extraordinary story set in Scotland during the time of legendary William Wallace and notorious King Edward. Scotland is wild and untamed, and ruled by the weak King John. However, their southern neighbor, England, invades, terrorizes, and tries tax Scotland through the Lowlands after King John refused to send aide to England in their war with France. In King John’s prolonged absence, Scotland has been ruled by its many lords and noblemen. Most are loyal to Scotland, but some have caved to English pressure. Christina Bruce and her eight siblings are loyal to Scotland and independence from English rule. The Bruce family is descendent from Celtic royalty and each is remarkable in their own way. When her father chooses to side with England, the Bruce children must choose loyalty to family or to Scotland. And England is not the only battle they have; Scotland needs to unite behind one leader in order to stand a chance against Kind Edward, but old family rivalries pit clans against each other as they Vie for the Scottish crown.
Raedene Jeannette Melin is masterful in her portrayal of Scotland’s family clans during a chaotic time when family names and alliances mean everything. Excellent imagery, dramatic landscapes, impeccable editing, and hypnotic storylines will hold the reader’s attention. This exciting story brings Scotland’s complicated struggle for peace and independence to life. In the beginning, I found all the names a little hard to keep straight. Once I had the families straight in my head, the story became addictive and captivating. Many have heard the story from the perspective of William Wallace, but few have experienced it from the perspective of a female ally.
This is a fantastic read that you will find difficult to put down as well as to stop thinking about the characters aftre you complete the book!