The Mark of the King

I have read very few historical fiction books set in the colonial days. After reading this book, I think we need more set during that time. I found the book to be extremely fascinating and the details were very well defined . I was swept back to a time where life was very hard and people were treated with little respect. I couldn't believe the conditions that people endured during that time period. The colonists worked hard and had to overcome lack of food, horrible weather conditions, danger from others and diseases that seem to rapidly spread throughout the colonies. Some of the men in the colonies were rough, stole from others and tension was thick among the people.

I absolutely fell in love with Julianne right away. I can't imagine show more being accused of a crime you didn't commit and know you have no hope to prove your innocence. She is a sweet person with a compassionate heart and is known as a great midwife. The decision she made to gain freedom came at a harsh price. Would you do anything to gain your freedom? I loved how the author wrote her as a strong woman determined to make a better life for herself regardless of her circumstances.

There are some very emotional moments in the story that really captured the essence of the struggles of the colonists . I can't say enough good things about how beautifully written this book was. Julianne wants to be loved and sometimes she felt that would never happen. When Marc-Paul was introduced into the story , I was quite intrigued by him. Being a French military officer is prestigious and I thought his character was wonderful and especially loved his faith that he drew strength from.

The book captures perfectly a time period in Louisiana during the early colonial days. I was mesmerized by the history and culture during that time. I don't know if I could have survived fighting off mosquitoes, going through swamp land, facing enemies and having to find ways to get food . I encourage everyone to grab a copy of this emotionally charged historical book that touches on faith, forgiveness, survival , betrayal and love.

I received a copy of this book from LitFuse. The review is my honest opinion. show less

This is what historical fiction is all about- introducing readers to new time periods and places in history that our books in school barely touched on, while simultaneously loving the fictional characters involved in the story! From the first chapter, these characters were easy to adore, and I loved how the author explained the history of how Louisiana was settled & the fight with the self-sufficient Native Americans. This time period is fascinating and honestly pretty new to me. I found myself flipping through these pages as fast as I could & even sobbing silent tears right alongside the characters without even realizing it. Green does an amazing job at explaining the different hardships that would have been experienced in the early show more 1700s while also weaving in how no one is too far from the grace of God. These characters showed strength, doubt, grief, thankfulness, joy, and sorrow - and I was feeling it right along with them.

Although historically accurate, it was a still a heavy book so I can understand how it wouldn't appeal to every audience. show less

The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green is an historical saga set primarily in French Colonial Louisiana. Julianne Chevalier, the heroine, is a French midwife who is unjustly convicted of murder after a noblewoman she is attending dies in childbirth. She is branded with a fleur-de-lys, “the mark of the king”, so that all will know she is a murderess. Her only option to escape the horrendous French prison system is to go out as a colonist to Louisiana. Since her only relative, her younger brother Benjamin, went to Louisiana as a soldier and vanished, she eagerly accepts this fate.

Once started on this path, she quickly faces hardship. Convicts are forced to wed each other before shipping out. They realize they are basically breeding show more stock to populate the colony for France. The conditions in and around New Orleans are harsh. Supplies are scare, skills are lacking in the convict population, disease and vice are rampant, and the soldiers and colonists are caught in political tensions between England and France and the Indian tribes each bribes to be their allies.

This novel is a fascinating glimpse into a little known chapter of history. The history is seamlessly woven into the tale, and the tale is fascinating. Julianne is drawn into a web of secrets and lies involving her convict husband Simon, her missing brother Benjamin, and the upright French officer Mark-Paul Girard who acts as her guardian angel while hiding his own secrets.

This is an inspirational novel, published by Bethany House, but the inspirational aspects are handled with a light touch and the novel should have broad appeal. I received an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are mine alone. show less

Jocelyn Green has made herself a new fan for life with her book, The Mark of the King. Green's description of the Parisian prison, Salpêtrière, causes the reader to cheer mightily for Julianne's release, only to have hopes dashed as we see the conditions upon which she may depart for Louisiana. Eyebrow-raising, hair-tingling;replete with historical detail of English, French and Indian interactions, we see New France as it really was. Not as the king's regent portrayed it, but as a battleground of intrigue, sabotage, misery and starvation. When drawn with an artist's brush intermingled with hope, faith, and love, what an incredible saga emerges from the pen of Jocelyn Green. This was my first book from her, but I will be adding Jocelyn show more Green to my all-time favorites.

I received a complimentary copy of the book to review from the publisher, but that did not influence my review. My opinions are solely my own. show less

Jocelyn Green has become a must-read author for me. Her historical novels are marvels of meticulous research — the reader truly feels like she has stepped back in time. I have been trying to catch up on my Green reading, and chose an audiobook for The Mark of The King. This novel took me to a familiar place — New Orleans — but an unfamiliar time in the city’s history. The beginning of the French colony is explored in this novel, especially the time period in which the French government sought to populate the area by arranging marriages and shipping the new couples to settle and multiply. I found the history fascinating, and Green does a wonderful job of supplying details to make the era and the people come to life. The story show more line and main characters are fictional, but the author includes historical figures to add to the novel’s authenticity. I loved main character Julianne. Her indomitable spirit and hopes for a future are heroic. She faces obstacles and hardships that ring true. Other characters, including leading man Marc-Paul, are also well-developed and so very real. You will find many to love, and many to despise. The subtle spiritual truth of being more than what the world brands us runs throughout the novel and applies to many of the characters. It is also a message very relevant to today. As stated, I listened to the audiobook. The narration was excellent — character voices were especially good.

I loved The Mark of The King. If you haven’t yet read this novel, I highly recommend it.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

The setting and the plot is unique, and full of fascinating details about the early French settlement in New Orleans. It tells the story of grace in the middle of dishonor and despair. It creates a fascinating picture of colonial life with the believable characters at the heart of the story. It is diffidently a "must read" for all history buffs.

The beautiful front cover was the first thing that caught my eye when I saw this book and, thankfully, the novel lived up to it. I was hooked from the first scene and was captivated following Julieanne's journey from France, where she had been branded a criminal, to New Orleans as she struggled as a young bride trying to find her place in the new colony. The rich, historical detail was excellent without being overbearing and I was interested learning about the hardship the French settlers faced when they arrived in Louisiana - starvation, Indian attacks, loneliness, floods, humidity and the daily efforts to stay alive in a desolate environment.

The main characters came to life and I was totally engrossed in their stories. Julieanne was show more strong and resilient while Marc-Paul was a man with strong convictions and a gentle heart. I also loved Lily, the little girl of mixed breading that Marc-Paul brought into his home. She was a little sweetie.

"The Mark of the King" was not only an excellent historical read, it was also full of adventure, love and excitement. show less