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Crusade

3.21 of 5 stars 3.21 · rating details · 66 ratings · 18 reviews

Robert: Left on the steps of a church as a baby, Robert was often hungry but never stole food like the other orphans in town. Introverted and extraordinarily intelligent, he knew all the Latin prayers and hymns by heart by the time he was five years old.

Georgette: Her own mother died in childbirth, leaving Georgette with a father who, seventeen at the time, had neither exp...more

Paperback, 256 pages

Published January 3rd 2011 by Bloomsbury

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Nov 25, 2010 SJH (A Dream of Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, for-review, young-adult

'Crusade' tells the story of the Children's Crusade in France, 1212. There are a number of different versions of what actually took place, but Linda Press Wulf has written a beautifully evocative re-telling of one particular version of events. History buffs will love this book and for those, like me, that didn't really know anything about the Crusade, then this is an opportunity to enjoy a wonderful story as well as fill in some of those gaps in knowledge.

Press Wulf has created two fictional ch...more 'Crusade' tells the story of the Children's Crusade in France, 1212. There are a number of different versions of what actually took place, but Linda Press Wulf has written a beautifully evocative re-telling of one particular version of events. History buffs will love this book and for those, like me, that didn't really know anything about the Crusade, then this is an opportunity to enjoy a wonderful story as well as fill in some of those gaps in knowledge.

Press Wulf has created two fictional characters who guide the reader through the events of the book: Georgette, a peasant girl and Robert, an orphan who was adopted by the Abbey when he was just a small boy. They are brought together on a shared journey to the Holy Lands, by a young boy called Stephen, who is gathering children to lead on a crusade to Jerusalem, where he prophecises that they will be able to peacefully persuade the Muslims to convert to Christianity. Georgette and her brother Gregor, along with a band of children from their village, set off with Stephen, believing that they are on a mission to carry out the work of God. They are joined by Robert, who has become disillusioned at the Abbey and is seeking a higher purpose in life.

The story follows them on their journey through extreme hardship and hunger, sickness and poverty. Some of the things that the children have to face are heart-breaking and several times I felt very emotional reading it and imagining what they had to go through. At one point in the story, the older children have to leave the younger ones behind as they're too weak to go on. I can only imagine what they must have felt having to abandon their siblings and friends.

Eventually Georgette and Robert do meet and I enjoyed seeing how their two stories merged. My only criticism would be that I would have liked to have followed them further, as in a way it seemed the book finished just as their story was getting started. However, their relationship is very sweet and touching and I was glad that they eventually did find each other.

Overall, I thought that this was a fantastic account of a significant event in Medieval history. It's informative and educational, but also a really moving read that was both touching and poignant and beautifully written. (less)

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Nov 10, 2010 Kirsty (overflowing library) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books

I thought this was a fab little book which I really enjoyed.

Crusade follows the story (albeit a bit loosely as it is hard to know exact details of the crusade as the official history on the topic is somewhat lacking) and focuses in particular on two characters who are part o the crusade: Georgette a peasant girl and Rober, an orphan who has been brought up within an Abbey. I enjoyed getting both a male and female perspective in this story and loved seeing how their stories finally linked up and...more I thought this was a fab little book which I really enjoyed.

Crusade follows the story (albeit a bit loosely as it is hard to know exact details of the crusade as the official history on the topic is somewhat lacking) and focuses in particular on two characters who are part o the crusade: Georgette a peasant girl and Rober, an orphan who has been brought up within an Abbey. I enjoyed getting both a male and female perspective in this story and loved seeing how their stories finally linked up and interwined as the novel progressed. I thought both main characters were very sweet and I enjoyed finding out more about them.

I was particularly interested to read this book as I am yet to have found another work of historical fiction what focuses on the children's crusade. I have seen others that looks as crusades more generally but I think the children's crusade is particularly interesting and a topic that can really draw in young adults as they can relate to the people involved in the main story line. I teach High School history so this book is an utter god send for me. It is also good as it is quite broad in its focus covering not just ideas about crusades but also a variety of aspects of Medieval life including medicine, home life, towns and villages and the influence of the church more generally.

One aspect the book does really well it that it explores the nature of religion and the diversity of faith and people' attitudes to other faith. The ideas but forward are still very much relevant to a modern audience and ive the reader much to think about.

I certainly see why it has been compared to the work of Crossley-Holland and Laird - there are certainly similiarities in both the writing style and the content matter and I imagine if you've enjoyed work by either of these two authors you will enjoy Press Wulf's foray into medieval historical fiction.

A thoughtful, well writte novel which both entertains and educates the reader by providing an exciting storyline and awesome characters along with posing intelligent and thought provoking questions about medieval life which are still relevant and poignant to a 21st century reader(less)

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Apr 12, 2011 Imo :D (Omnom Books) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: time, ya

My god, i absolutely HATED this book :(

The story was just so boring, and so depressing. There was no real romance between Georgette and Robert, and even i found that they moved way too fast for a couple of people who only met a few days before.

The crusade also, was not well described. Georgette was not really involved in the actual planning and constructing, she just plodded along and watched as everyone around her died.

I really wanted to give up about halfway, but the only reason i kept going...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Dot Scribbles rated it 3 of 5 stars

To be honest I am not completely sure what to say about this book. I know nothing about the children's Crusade so I was intrigued to find out more but there seemed to be quite a few slow parts in the book with lots of sleeping in fields.
However, I loved the questions that this book raised and I think that it would provide many talking points with young adult readers. Why did these children join the Crusade, was it their faith that got them through the journey and what is it that made the leader...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Regina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance, 2011, i-own-this

This story is an interesting take on a historical event that i didn't really know about before. I had no idea there was a children's crusade along with the crusades everyone hears about in history class nowadays. The blind devotion to a cause doomed to fail made me somewhat depressed but then novel kept me reading on.
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I like the determination and tenacity of the characters. I feel that Georgette is truly a strong female lead who doesn't need to be a badass fighter like most girlpower types in no...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sent-for-review

Crusade tells the story of one of many Children's Crusade through the eyes of fictional characters Georgette and Robert, two very different young teenagers who are united on a quest to reach the Holy land. Robert is an orphan who was left on the church steps as a baby but he never stole food like the other orphans in his village. As he grows older, it became apparent that he is extraordinarily intelligent and by the time he is five years old he knows all the Latin prayers and hymns by heart. The...more Crusade tells the story of one of many Children's Crusade through the eyes of fictional characters Georgette and Robert, two very different young teenagers who are united on a quest to reach the Holy land. Robert is an orphan who was left on the church steps as a baby but he never stole food like the other orphans in his village. As he grows older, it became apparent that he is extraordinarily intelligent and by the time he is five years old he knows all the Latin prayers and hymns by heart. The Church Abbot notices his talent and takes him in as the Abbey's ward to be taught as his protege student. Georgette is a peasant girl whose mother died in childbirth. Finding her home life dull, she befriends the elderly village priest who teaches her more about her faith. When a young thirteen year old prophet who is no older than herself arrives in Georgette's village looking for new children to she is drawn to the prospect of seeking glory for God, unlike many of the other children who just want a chance to travel and see the world. Along with her brother, who is known for his fiery temper, she leaves her village and everything she has ever known along to join the Crusade.
Later in the journey, when the Crusade stops at Robert's abbey to ask for food, Robert joins too. He has become dissatisfied with his life in the Abbey where everything is governed by routine and the Abbot and wants a different life purpose.

The journey is more difficult than expected and the children must face every hardship imaginable from starvation and sickness to death. For months, they must rely on the kindness and goodwill of the inhabitants of passing villages, towns and cities but with thousands of children with empty stomachs, food becomes extremely scarce and Georgette and Robert have no way of knowing when their next meal will be. The things that they had to endure are heart wrenching and emotional to read about because many of the children are very young at only eight. I am glad that the author did not try to shy away from the realities of what the Children's Crusade would have been like.

They were both really likable and strong characters and my heart went out to them in their struggles as they were very easy to warm and relate to. What I loved most about them was how despite all the terrible things that are happening around them and the realisation that the Crusade isn't as focused on their holy mission as they first thought, they both remained true to their beliefs and faith.
I really liked how the story was told from the point of view of a boy and a girl, especially as it makes the story more appealing to both genders. It was also really clever how the stories of Georgette and Robert began to come together and entwine towards the end. However, my only disappointment was when the book came to an end when their story together began to pick up. It did pick up all of the loose ends but it also left a lot to the imagination so if the author wanted to, there is room for a sequel.

I learnt a lot about the Children's Crusade through this fictional retelling of events and found the fate of these children very interesting. I think that it has just the right amount of action and history for younger readers to enjoy the story too and learn more about the Crusades must have been like by following the story of characters near their own age who it is easier to relate to.

Verdict: Linda Press Wulf has created a wonderful and beautifully evocative story based loosely on what little is known about the events of the Children's Crusade. I really recommend it!
(less)

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Jan 08, 2011 Kai (Amaterasu Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-tbr-pile, arc, books-i-own, for-review

Original review posted at Amaterasu Reads

When I first read the summary of this book, my brain immediately took off and created a montage of scenes from one of my most favorite historical movie, Orlando Bloom’s Kingdom of Heaven. Fitting, I think, since the movie is about the fall of Jerusalem, the Holy City, to the hands of the Muslims.

Crusade was a book I wouldn’t usually read. Though it is YA, I consider this outside my usual comfort zone. In a sense, Crusade is a difficult read, but like the...more Original review posted at Amaterasu Reads

When I first read the summary of this book, my brain immediately took off and created a montage of scenes from one of my most favorite historical movie, Orlando Bloom’s Kingdom of Heaven. Fitting, I think, since the movie is about the fall of Jerusalem, the Holy City, to the hands of the Muslims.

Crusade was a book I wouldn’t usually read. Though it is YA, I consider this outside my usual comfort zone. In a sense, Crusade is a difficult read, but like the little kids in the story, pushing through to the end, I loved it.

It’s different. Different couldn’t begin to describe how I felt reading this book.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine being apart from my family for days, let alone months. And the characters in this story were little kids! I had a hard time swallowing the fact that children even as young as seven would answer to the call of the Crusade, leaving behind their families for a great cause, for God. People were poor, and the only thing they can hold on to was their faith. And what other way to show their faith than to join a Holy Crusade?

It was something that you know was bound to fail. How can kids who were merely in their teens defend themselves, let alone reclaim Jerusalem from grown men, experienced in fighting, when they finally arrive to the Promise Land? Will they even arrive? But for some reason, it was fascinating to see how most of the kids held on to the journey. It was hard, daunting, and my heart felt like it was being crushed into pieces every time a child succumbs to the harsh journey. I’d like to think they were blinded by their own faith, but who am I to judge the kids in the story?

It was a heartfelt read. Linda Press Wulf’s book was a unique journey through the time where faith was so strong; it’s like a tangible thing, something everyone can believe in when they have nothing else to turn to. Georgette’s voice was vivid, and though wavering at times, it was a truthful account of a child who went for a journey that would change her life in ways she didn’t even imagine. This combined with Robert’s deeper understanding and complex musing of his life and his faith, providing a clearer voice to the story, made Crusade an unforgettable read.

Religious in ways that matter, Crusade is a story of a band of children’s journey seen through the eyes of Robert and Georgette, two very different people with a story of their own to tell, brought together in the end by the very same Crusade that had abandoned them. After all, you can't talk about the Crusades without touching the subject of Christianity and how it was during those times. This side of the story made me re-examine my faith a little bit, but it's what made me like the book more.

Linda Press Wulf has a remarkable talent for writing. It’s evident in how detailed her writing can be. I’m usually reluctant to read historical books, but you can tell how Wulf is well-versed with the theme she chose to write on.

Over all, reading Crusade is a gamble I’m glad I took. I have learned to love Robert and Georgette and was delighted to read along as they matured, their characters forged into something stronger through all the hardships and the loss they have faced, the love that they have for each other, and the important realizations they have come to about faith and life in general, all of which they wouldn’t have known were it not for the doomed Crusade that brought them together.

I’m surprised that I loved Crusade more than I thought I would, and I’d gladly recommend this book to anyone who would love to read a book with a deeper message once in a while.(less)

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Oct 03, 2011 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not sure what to say... it was entertaining and it was clean. I liked the characters. Georgette and Robert were both good people, trying to find their way in the world, going through hardships, etc. I've never read much about the children's crusades, so it was interesting to read a historical fiction novel about it. Nothing too compelling going on though, just a little too surface, but still a good book.

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Oct 13, 2011 Ariadne Baltazar rated it 4 of 5 stars

What did I think of Linda Press Wulf's 'Crusade'? I thought it was...really good! Reading this, has given me an insight of one of the children's journey in the crusade. Battling diseases, famine and malnourishment. Whilst hanging on, and keeping their beliefs in the Holy Father aloft. But, is their journey to reclaim the Holy Land of Jerusalem, for God? or for their own glory?

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Jan 22, 2012 Vickie Ramage rated it 5 of 5 stars

The first chapter of Crusade had me hooked, starting with Robert's story of how he ended up with the scar on his face and then how he ended up in the clutches of Pere Abbe. After this chapter the book moves on to Georgette, who is a peasant living with her father and brother in a small village. Georgette has a friend, Father David, who teaches her to read, which is quite unusual for a Peasant girl but fits with Georgette’s intelligent character perfectly. Christianity, Robert and Georgette's fai...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Virna rated it 2 of 5 stars

I don't know anything about the crusades ,the story have hardships diseases ,hunger, a little romance ,and lot of religion

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Feb 19, 2011 Saviour rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Read my full review at

http://swordandsandalkids.blogspot.co...

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Nov 04, 2011 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Wulf does a marvelous job of portraying the hardships the young crusaders endure. She shows that children were subject to the same conflicting motivations as crusading adults and risked falling prey to the same errors. Innocence is so easily lost.

The Children’s Crusade is an exciting and tragic historical episode, and Crusade by Linda Press Wulf does justice to the tale.

See my complete review at Reading World.

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Mar 25, 2011 Jennifer rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anybody that likes bland books and HISTORICAL fiction (1200's in France)

Horrible. I didn't even finish. This book is SO bland and horribly written. i wanted snooze most of the time but I kept reading since I got it imported from UK so... But it's too bad. Don't read.

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Sep 20, 2010 Kelley marked it as to-read

1/3/11

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Mar 21, 2012 shoot. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Enjoyable. Good main storyline and good characters. The ending seemed to dither a tad though.

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Mar 01, 2011 Dariya rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-religion-love-hope-loss

"It was an OK book.....I thought it would be a bit more exciting but it was interesting to learn how thousands of children would put their faith in one boy and leave their home only to be betrayed..... def cool but expected a but more action"

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Sep 30, 2011 Hannah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, young-adult, own

I really liked it, but you know how your seventh grade teacher always says, "Show me, don't tell me." Well, I felt like Linda Press Wulf did a little too much telling and not enough showing.

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