THE MINSTREL’S TALE

In a sturdy debut harking back to a traditional style of historical fiction writing, a nobleman’s daughter, with a brilliant musical gift, rebels against a forced marriage, disguises herself as a boy, and sets out to become a minstrel. The dismal prospect of being married off to a coarse old widower prompts 13-year-old Judith to take to the road as “Jude,” hoping to realize her dream of studying at Edward III’s school for minstrels. With her stepfather’s fierce falcon Percival as her only companion, Judith/Jude travels for months, doggedly enduring the hardships of sleeping outside, but finding help and shelter at need; maintaining her disguise, thanks to well-placed friends and a few hasty departures; and reconciling an understandable inner conflict between what she’s been taught about women’s duty and the demands of her talent. The author creates a fairly vivid sense of period with set pieces and small details, allows violence (Judith/Jude is several times beaten or menaced) but doesn’t dwell on it, and—despite a happy ending in which Judith and a noble ex-minstrel, who knows her secret, fall in love and ride off together to be wed—leaves the door ajar for sequels. Not exactly venturesome writing for these times, but an enjoyable adventure nonetheless. (Fiction. 11-13)