The Last Troubador is the story of a band of so-called heretics in Carcassone, France, for May Day, in the historical era of the Inquisition. Their intent is to rescue their spiritual leader. For people like me who are not quite up-to-speed on the sordid history of this time, just reading that description might make them say, "Hmm, not for me." But I enjoyed Armstrong's The Game so much, I wanted to give The Last Troubador a try. I am SO glad I did! This story is a universal one and its characters are unlimited by the era of its setting. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who enjoys a page-turner of a story. And isn't that all of us who frequent this site?
Although I am completely unfamiliar with Tarot and normally I shy away from stuff like The Inquisition-- also because of my unfamiliarity with it and the history of the Catholic church, I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Troubador. I don't have any more understanding of Tarot than I did-- but I enjoyed the story so much that I suspect that's not a problem!
It was the RELATIONSHIPS that pulled me in-- and the characterizations. I loved Armstrong's visual style of writing. Ramon's courage was striking. Adelais' rebellion and self-determination... but the character who really got to me was Seigneur. The author masterfully transformed him from an icon of darkness to a symbol of hope-- and that's not an easy thing to do. I was cheering for his survival and anxious that he would die in the joust.
Courage, compassion, and justice-- those ideals resound through The Last Troubador. I can't wait for the next installment!
First Place Winner in historical fiction in the Purple Dragonfly Awards for excellence in children's literature, and named a U.P. Notable Classic.
Feel like you are in the moment nearly 100 years ago with a young girl, daughter of Finnish immigr
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