Whitebeam
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
We must swallow many a bitter pill if our enemies are powerful enough to control our lives.
Take, for instance, a man determined to wrest the throne of Scotland from the grasp of the English king, the enemy he despises. Worse, his lover is betrothed to his bitterest rival. And about to have his child. Two foes, the most powerful men in the country, united in their hatred of him. If either could lay hands on his child, he would be forced to do whatever they asked. The child would be completely at their mercy.
No one must ever learn of her existence. They must give her up. Their daughter Pippa, having one of the noblest lineages in Scotland, must be hidden in a remote glen far out on the Isle of Arran. Even she must never learn that a family friend is not only her father, but is also a good deal more than just an ordinary soldier. Pippa thinks his endless concerns for fighting and battles are completely self-serving, but his stake in Scotland’s wars for independence goes much deeper than she knows.
She is about to find out the truth. And that same bitter pill will be held to her lips.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Debut author del Mara's account of the First War of Scottish Independence follows Pippa, a fictional love child between two real-life figures: Robert de Bruce, leader of the Scottish forces, and Isobel MacDuff, who crowned Robert king. In 1297, Isobel gives birth to Pippa in secret and leaves her to be raised by allies on the Isle of Arran. As Pippa grows, she has no knowledge of her true parentage, but she is visited by a host of famous personages, including Rob. Though isolated, Pippa learns about the ongoing war against the English and the horrors inflicted by both sides del Mara doesn't shy from the realities of medieval warfare. When Pippa is 10, a tragedy forces her from the safety of her home, and she joins Rob as his army marches across Scotland. It's fascinating to see the war through Pippa's eyes, though Pippa's reactions to important historical events can feel muted. Despite a heavy buildup to Pippa's own appearance on the battlefield, the ending glosses over the aftermath. Ages 12 up. (BookLife)
