Book Details:
Book Title: The Girl of Many Crowns by D.H. Morris
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 305 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: New Classics Publishing
Release date: October 4, 2024
Content Rating: PG due to some mature subject matters, but no graphic violence, language, or sexual content.
“D H Morris’ talent shines through in this debut. She no doubt did extensive research to bring this story to life. I loved how they were able to portray Judith. The historical details were so vivid, I felt as though I was transported back in time and living in the medieval times.” – review by Amy Campbell, Locks Hooks and Books.
“The book sent me down the rabbit hole of reading more about Baldwin Iron Arm, which itself was a super exciting bonus activity (and yes, a bonus – the author is a descendant of Baldwin Iron Arm and Judith – can you even imagine finding your ancestors back to… years 837 – 879?).” – review by @this.human.reads
The true story of a powerful Knight and a runaway Queen who unite to defy an empire.
The Kingdom of Francia – 856
Thrust into the political intrigue surrounding the throne of Francia, young Princess Judith loyally supports her father, King Charles. She strengthens his kingdom by marrying twice for political alliance.
But, when Judith refuses to marry a third time at her father’s command, King Charles imprisons her in one of his palaces.
Baldwin “Iron Arm” is a trusted knight and companion to Princess Judith’s brother, Prince Louis. Baldwin helps protect Francia and the king’s family from Vikings, rebel Lords, wars, and assassinations plots.
When Judith and Baldwin fall in love without the blessing of the king, will they be able to hold on to their faith and each other after unleashing the fury of an empire?
I received a copy of The Girl of Many Crowns for an honest review. What follows is my opinion and mine alone.
The Girl of Many Crowns is a historical fiction novel that follows the story of Judith, a princess who went through three marriages beginning at the age of twelve. One thing to note that I did not realize until I started reading is that Judith is a real historical person. She did get married off to a king at the age of twelve. It’s a disturbing fact in history that oftentimes is forgotten, that it was commonplace to exploit and marry off children to people twice or even three times their age.
Because of this, a portion of the sales of The Girl of Many Crowns is going to a charity that help children who have been or are being trafficked.
The format I experienced was the audiobook, which is narrated by the author. Because of that, I’m not going to focus on the narration itself. The book is a tad bit slow, but that is easily fixed with your preferred audio app. It’s great read when you have a long day of work to do, roughly thirteen hours worth of listening at its normal speed.
The writing is like other historical fictions that truly transport you to the time period. There are some words you may have trouble with but a quick search or the context clues helps.
All in all, the story is a great view into the historical lives of people I didn’t know existed. It’s both informative and entertaining while putting to light a cause that will benefit the future.
You can find the audiobook here for purchase.
A native of San Diego, California, D. H. Morris has lived on four continents and traveled through many countries. She has four children and eleven grandchildren and currently lives in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Choral Music education and pursued graduate work in English at USU and law at the University of Utah. She is also a published playwright.
As a descendant of Judith and Baldwin, the author discovered their intriguing story while doing a genealogical project. This journey inspired her to research everything about the 9th Century – including food, politics, travel, war, education, clothing, jewelry, religion, holidays, marriage customs, and medicine. She loves talking about this remarkable time in history when the European countries we know today were being formed and fighting for their very existence.
THE GIRL OF MANY CROWNS Audiobook & Book Tour Giveaway
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Casia's Corner 
Great post!