After being imprisoned and branded for the death of her client, twenty-five-year-old midwife Julianne Chevalier trades her life sentence for exile to the fledgling 1720s French colony of Louisiana, where she hopes to be reunited with her brother, serving there as a soldier. To make the journey, though, women must be married, and Julianne is forced to wed a fellow convict.
When they arrive in New Orleans, there is no news of Benjamin, Julianne’s brother, and searching for answers proves dangerous. What is behind the mystery, and does military officer Marc-Paul Girard know more than he is letting on?
With her dreams of a new life shattered, Julianne must find her way in this dangerous, rugged land, despite never being able to escape the king’s mark on her shoulder that brands her a criminal beyond redemption.
Jocelyn Green has penned an epic new adventure saga in The Mark of the King. A fantastic and dramatic look at life in the French Louisiana colony in the early 1720s, I couldn’t put it down.
There were so many aspects of history that Green wrote into this book that I was completely unaware even existed; I didn’t realize that any part of North America was ever forcibly populated by criminals; that there were wars between the French and the local Native Americans long prior to the well-known French and Indian War; that New Orleans was a planned city, and much, much more. Knowing that these true historical facts formed the basis of this story made it even more exciting.
Not that it wasn’t on its own. Life was hard in New Orleans, and Julianne faced more than any one woman should ever have to endure. I constantly wondered at her persistence and diligence, because I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have her outlook if I lived in her circumstances. The humidity and mosquitos alone would have done me in! Her faith and character are to be admired and can teach much.
I loved Green’s smooth writing style, too. Each time I thought I had something figured out, due to words that stood out or perceived foreshadowing, the story swung into a new direction. I never saw it coming, but the transitioning was smooth, and the details made it all fit perfectly as events unfolded. That can’t be easy to do, but it makes for a fabulous story.
If you’re a fan of historical fiction of any kind, definitely give Green’s The Mark of the King a try.
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I received a free copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity. All opinions are my own.
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