The Secrets of Morgarten
A handsome knight on the run with a secret mission, a charming tracker with a famous father and a position of pacifism, and a beautiful young weaver who finds her heart torn between these two men. It’s 1315, and Magda, a skilled weaver, lives under threat from the greedy Habsburgs hoping to invade her home, which sits at the border of the Confederation Helvetica. She meets Sébastien, on the run since all Knights Templar have been declared heretics. However, Sébastien’s arrival threatens the budding romantic feelings she’s developing for Walter, son of the infamous Wilhelm Tell, who delivers messages to Magda’s father. When Habsburg soldiers begin stirring up trouble, Magda, Walter, and Sébastien will need to trust each other in order to survive what’s to come.
There are some minor errors in the book. There appeared to be a name mix-up as Magda is once referred to as Martha. There are also a few missing quotation marks, plus a few instances where characters are identified by name before being introduced. The narration deftly switches between Magda, Sébastien, and Walter as it moves between political tension and personal relationships. The historical details and its landscape are well-explored. While the characters are somewhat predictable, they have enough depth to stay interesting. They also have enough secrets and ulterior motives to keep readers guessing what’s coming next. I enjoyed the layers of side stories and characters, particularly that of Switzerland’s folk hero Wilhelm Tell and the potential aftereffects of his legendary crossbow skills.
