ANNOTATION

Ursula, condemned as a witch because of her knowledge of healing, escapes being burned to death when she joins her father and thousands of others who follow Peter the Hermit on the first Crusade from Cologne to Jerusalem in 1096.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Ursula, condemned as a witch because of her knowledge of healing, escapes being burned to death when she joins her father and thousands of others who follow Peter the Hermit on the first Crusade from Cologne to Jerusalem in 1096.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Fans of historical fiction may yawn at the prospect of yet another tale about a high-spirited heroine who is accused of being a witch mainly because she can read. But the heroine's conviction for witchcraft serves a startling purposeas a plot device to get 16-year-old healer Ursula and her apothecary father away from 11th-century Cologne to join the People's Crusade. Bradford, who won the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award for this novel, stumbles a bit with the dialogue, which is an odd pastiche of prim archaisms and modern English. But she shines at portraying the often brutal lives of common people in medieval Europe. Focusing on the Crusaders' slaughter of Rhineland Jews, she demonstrates that intolerance and savagery toward "outsiders" was as unconscionable then as it is now. Ursula and her stonecutter companion, Bruno, are horrified at the carnage; later, they refuse to join their fellow crusaders in pillaging and plundering the villages en route to Constantinople. Although Ursula's safe return to Cologne and marriage to Bruno end the story on a happy note, the preponderance of the novel hangs heavily with woe and suffering. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Accused of being a witch, Ursula joins the People's Crusade to Jerusalem in 1096 to escape burning at the stake. "Focusing on the Crusaders' slaughter of Rhineland Jews, [Bradford] demonstrates that intolerance and savagery toward `outsiders' was as unconscionable then as it is now," said PW. Ages 12-up. (Dec.)

Children's Literature - Mary Sue Preissner

Seventeen-year-old Ursula finds her life ending, rather than just beginning. Who would have known that in learning the healing arts from her father and in learning to read from a local monk, she would find herself sentenced to burn at the stake for being a witch. To save herself, she must join the People's Crusade, working along the side of her father as physician to Count Emil. As thousands of these pilgrims journey to Jerusalem, they overrun the countryside, devouring and destroying it like a pack of hungry wolves. Through her many experiences, Ursula learns about independence, love and loyalty.

The ALAN Review - Jennifer Monseau

Bradford skillfully draws readers into this historical account of the People's Crusade of 1096 and the many injustices that occurred. The heroine, Ursula, is a young girl struggling to find her place in a male-dominated society. Ursala is determined to use her talents as a healer to help others, but many people view this as wrong because women should not have special healing powers. When she is accused of being a witch, the only way her father can save her from death is by agreeing that they will both accompany others on the People's Crusade. On this holy pilgrimage, Ursala and her companions witness many brutal attacks on innocent people all in the name of God. The brutality they are exposed to leads them to question the validity of the Crusade and the mentality of their fellow crusaders. Bradford's tale provides a realistic and disturbing view of the Crusades and leaves readers questioning how so many people could view murder, theft, and brutality as acceptable in God's eyes.

VOYA - Cindy Lombardo

High school history books are frequently less than forthcoming on the more morally troublesome aspects of the Crusades and the vicious behavior of the men who fought in them. This compelling work of fiction features a heroine whose courage, spirit, and loyalty help her endure the horrors that the pilgrims experienced as they made their way across Europe to Jerusalem in 1066. Ursula, an apothecary's daughter who possesses a book on the healing arts, is accused of being a witch and sentenced to be burned. To save herself, she agrees to accompany her ailing father and help him provide medical care for Count Emil, a high-ranking follower of Peter the Hermit, the mad leader of the People's Crusade. Aided by Bruno, a young apprentice stonemason, Ursula struggles to keep herself and her father safe from the many enemies both within and outside their camp-men and women whose thirst for blood results in death and destruction on a scale scarcely imaginable. Bradford combines a wealth of historical detail with an unflinching portrayal of the idealistic fervor that led thousands of ordinary people to leave their homes and march off in search of religious salvation and glory. An overly brief Prologue establishes the historical context of the novel and a map shows the Crusade route. Recommend this to your YA readers who devour historical fiction, and don't be surprised when they come back looking for additional factual material on a fascinating, and horrific, period in religious history. VOYA Codes: 4Q 3P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Will appeal with pushing, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12). Read all 8 "From The Critics" >