The amazing tale To Crown a King is set in Scotland during the reigns of the infamous King Edward and the legendary William Wallace. Scotland is untamed and wild, and its feeble King John is in charge. However, after King John declined to lend aid to England in their war with France, their southern neighbour, England, invades, terrorises, and attempts to tax Scotland through the Lowlands.
Scotland has been ruled by its numerous lords and noblemen during King John’s protracted absence. Although the majority support Scotland, some have given in to English pressure. The eight siblings of Christina Bruce are devoted to Scotland’s freedom from the English crown. Each member of the Bruce family, who are descended from Celtic nobility, is exceptional in their own right.
The Bruce children must decide between devotion to their family and to Scotland when their father opts to support England. Another conflict they face is in Scotland, which must unite behind a single leader in order to defeat King Edward. However, as clans vie for the Scottish throne, long-standing family conflicts set them against one another.
In a turbulent period when family names and alliances are crucial, Raedene Jeannette Melin depicts Scotland’s familial clans expertly. The reader’s interest will be captured by superb pictures, spectacular scenery, flawless editing, and captivating narratives. This fascinating tale vividly depicts Scotland’s complex battle for peace and independence.
All the names were first a little confusing for me to remember. The novel got engrossing and addictive after I had the family clearly in my mind. Few people have actually experienced the narrative from the perspective of a female ally; most people have only heard it from William Wallace’s point of view.
About The Book
Scotland, 1295. The kingdom is on the verge of rebellion. John Balliol wears the crown, but even his powerful Comyn kin cannot break King Edward of England’s insatiable desire to conquer the northern realm.
For Christina Bruce, neither man is worthy of being called King of Scots. Born into the influential Bruce family, the only noble house to rival the Comyns, she is expected to obey her father and side with England. But when a chance meeting with an outlaw named William Wallace brings her into the conflict, she risks everything to get what she wants most – freedom.
From award-winning author Raedene Jeannette Melin, To Crown A King is the empowering tale of Christina Bruce and her struggle between family loyalty and Scottish freedom. Discover her untold story and follow along as she takes her destined place in history.
The Review
To Crown a King
To Crown a King by Raedene Jeanette Melin is the fictionalized story of Christina Bruce, the sister of Robert the Bruce, and the struggle of William Wallace to win Scotland's independence. Little is documented of Christina but Melin has taken what there is and made in into a wonderful story, reminiscent of many of the Wallace and Robert Bruce stories already written, but from a new perspective. Christina is unique among women of the time, and yet extremely traditional. She outlived many of her contemporary rebels, living to marry twice and support the cause courageously. To Crown a King is an extremely readable book and Christina a very sympathetic character. The plot was what it was and Melin managed to uncomplicate it and make it accessible to a lover of history but not a non-fiction reader. The struggle is real and has been going on for a thousand years...still is today although not nearly as violently as in the past. I recommend this book highly for any lover of history or of Scotland.