Troubadour

Troubadour

A dramatic historical thriller from the acclaimed YA author, Mary Hoffman.

When Bertran witnesses the brutal murder of the Pope's legate, he risks his life to warn others of the war that he knows is certain to follow. By order of the Pope, the crusaders begin sweeping through the country, destroying all those that do not follow their religion. Bertran uses his status as a troubadour to move from castle to castle, passing word about the coming danger.

In the meantime, Elinor, a young noblewoman facing a loveless marriage, falls in love with Bertran and leaves her friends and family to become a minstrel herself. Together they find themselves on the run from the Pope, and enveloped in a rising tide of bloodshed that threatens the very fabric of their society.

From the author of the bestselling Stravaganza series comes a dramatic tale of persecution and poetry, love and war, set in 13th Century Southern France.

International Praise for Stravaganza
"Hoffman's fast-paced plot tightly integrates the fantastic with the historical and frequent cuts between viewpoints ratchet up the suspense."- Kirkus Reviews
"The lovingly created, richly detailed locales are one of the distinctive pleasures of the series, along with the subtle portrayal of both major and minor characters... shifts in points of view and setting... propels the story, carrying readers along for an adventurous ride. A fine sequel to the first novel." starred review, Booklist.
"Hoffman... does a fine job with her alternative worlds (and) her winning main characters." The New York Times, Book Review

Mary Hoffman is an acclaimed children's author and critic. She is the author of internationally bestselling picture book Amazing Grace. Her Stravaganza series for Bloomsbury has been bestselling with a huge fan base and its own fan forum. She is a complete aficionado of Italy. Her novel, The Falconer's Knot was set there and was also shortlisted fro the Guardian Fiction Award. She has three gown up children and lives with her husband in West Oxfordshire.

Troubadour
Allen and Unwin
Author: Mary Hoffman
Price: $27.99