*Editorial Book Review*
The King’s Command
by Rosemary Hayes
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.
“Men’s morals are easily turned by the offer of money.”
The Edict of Nantes had put an end to The French Wars of Religion and the Huguenot population now lived in a welcomed peace. Their loyalty to the French crown was unquestionable. In peace, everyone prospered.
But alas, the Sun King, Louis XIV, was a devoted Catholic. On October 18th 1685 he revoked the Edict of Nantes his grandfather had signed. Under Louis’ command, Huguenot clergy were expelled, and their churches destroyed. Huguenots were forbidden to assemble and their marriages would be considered null and void. Baptism and Catholic education would be compulsory for every child.
Under this decree, the Huguenots were left with very little choice. Did they renounce their religion and fall into line, or did they dare to risk the wrath of their unforgiving king by staying true to their faith?
The King’s Command: For God or Country by Rosemary Hayes is the unforgettable story of the Brunier family—a family torn apart by the edicts of a king, but brought together by their love for God and family.
I was correct in thinking that this book would be an emotional read. It was fortunate that I had tissues at hand, as many times I found myself reaching for them. But once I started reading this novel, it became impossible to put down. The story is compelling and the characters are drawn with a tangible realism.
This novel opens with a sweet sixteen birthday party for Lidie Brunier. Lidie comes from a wealthy family whose future is seemingly a bright one. She enjoys the luxuries of life, especially the latest silks, and is hoping to find the kind of love her mother had for her father before his untimely end. However, there is a dark cloud on the horizon that threatens to destroy everything that Lidie has ever loved. At the opening of this novel, she is a young girl filled with dreams. By the end, she has wisdom beyond her years and has suffered unimaginable hardship. I thought Lidie’s depiction was sublime, and she was a character that I came to care about. Through Lidie, Hayes has depicted the horrors the Huguenots had to face, but at the same time, Lidie is an incredibly brave heroine and one I could not help but admire.
Another character that I enjoyed reading about was Doctor Isaac Verdier. Isaac is a practising physician, a scholar, and a somewhat progressive thinker when it comes to medicine. However, he is a Huguenot, a follower of Calvin, and under no circumstances will he renounce his faith. I thought Isaac’s character was endlessly fascinating. He is a man of principle, but he is also a passionate doctor and a loyal friend. I thought his depiction was fabulous, and I enjoyed reading about him. Likewise, Isaac’s son, Samuel, was also a character that piqued my interest. A scholar like his father, Samuel has an intelligent wit, but he can also be reckless which at times gave a very desperate edge to the story.
The King of France is the antagonist in this story, and although he’s absent in this novel, his decrees are felt by everyone. Hayes’ readers are provided with a clear depiction of the Huguenot persecution, resulting in several distressing and harrowing scenes. This novel doesn’t gloss over the violence towards the Huguenots, but it is about so much more than the persecution they faced. It is primarily about the Brunier family’s experiences in a dangerous and constantly changing world. The Brunier family was portrayed wonderfully and I became emotionally invested in them.
Despite the heartache and the terror, the most common theme in this novel is that love and compassion are the most important qualities one can possess, and the characters in this book demonstrate these qualities consistently. Even when they disagree, the Brunier family always takes care of each other, and I thought their relationships with each other were both fascinating and poignant.
The enthralling narrative by Hayes is a testament to the hours spent researching this period of history. Hayes has an intuitive grasp of what makes history worth reading, and she is the perfect guide to take readers back to a traumatic and dangerous past for those who followed Calvin’s teachings.
What distinguishes Hayes’ book from others on a crowded bookcase is her novelist eye for human detail. The pages of this book offer a glimpse into humanity’s finest and darkest moments. While the Dragonnades terrorise the Huguenot population to such an extent that many renounce their faith and fall in line with the wants of their king, others are determined to hold onto their faith no matter what the consequences. The King’s Command is a very heartrending story that promises to leave a lasting impression on all who read it.
The King’s Command: For God or Country by Rosemary Hayes’ is impressive and brilliant in equal measure. Historical Fiction enthusiasts who appreciate quality writing and an engaging narrative need to put this book on their to-read list. It is a novel not to be missed.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club
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.
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Thank you Mary Anne for such a thoughtful and positive review.
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