Their Castilian Orphan (The Castilian Saga)
The turbulent times of Welsh rebellion against English rule in the 1290s come vividly to life in this captivating novel. Against this backdrop, the story tells of an orphaned boy raised by his doting foster parents, encompassing birth, death, love, and sorrow across a vast landscape of turmoil and upheaval. Lionel, the orphan, believes himself to be of Castilian heritage. His foster parents, Noor (Eleanor) and Robert, are Castilian/Welsh and English, and are in service to Edward, King of England, who is trying to stamp out continued uprisings of the rebellious Welsh while also preparing to go to war in France. Robert’s half-brother, Eustace, adds a strong level of menace to the lives of both Robert and Lionel because Eustace feels cheated of the full feudal heritage that he believes is his due. Woven into this main narrative are many other strands that follow characters who demonstrate how Welsh, Castilian, French, and English people already lived together, married each other, and fought both together and against each other at this place and time in history.
A fast-paced plot and deeply empathetic characters involved in very emotional circumstances will give readers an adrenaline rush when reading this book. Hard to put down, it will both entertain and inform readers in a way that will let them learn more about life during this particular period in history, but also feel the ongoing humanness of people everywhere in every time. Highly recommended.
