Stormbringers by Philippa Gregory
Simon and Schuster, 2013. ISBN 9780857077356.
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Historical fiction. Romance.
Religion. In 1453, a stranger tells Luca Vero, a trainee priest,
that he has been chosen to search for indicators that the end of the
world is imminent. Along with his servant, Freize, and clerk,
Brother Peter, they travel across Europe, where they meet Isolde, a
Lady Abbess, who has left the abbey with her servant, Ishraq, to
regain her inheritance, stolen by her brother. Isolde and Luca are
attracted and all five begin to travel together, the two becoming
closer. So begins the first book Changeling in this series Order
of Darkness, introducing the main characters and their plans.
Stormbingers, the second in the series, takes them to Piccolo
in Italy where they are amazed at the large number of ragged and
weary children, and entering the town find that a charismatic leader
has told them of Jerusalem and the last days where the graves will
open. Luca must interview this young man to see if he can add
anything to his knowledge about the end of the world, his reason for
travelling. But he and Isolde are transfixed by the words he utters,
thinking that he is speaking to them about their lost parents, and
being together once again. The suspicious Freize doubts Johann and
questions his motives. But follow him they do, and when a tidal wave
occurs, sucking the water out of the harbour, Johann and his
followers think it is a sign from God to walk across the sea. When
the water returns most of the children are drowned along with many
from the village, so Isolde and Ishraq are branded stormbringers and
put on trial for their lives.
Gregory weaves a tale redolent of Medieval life, with its plethora
of suspicions and religious fervor, the crusades and hatred of Islam
behind the ill-fated children's crusade of the fifteenth century.
Although historians disagree about the possibility of the children's
crusade, Gregory's story rings true because of the mass of detail
which forms the formidable background, and the interplay between the
main characters will have readers following their story eagerly.
Fran Knight