LitPick Review
Alina: A Song for the Telling by Malve von Hassell is a historical fiction novel that follows Alina, a young Christian noblewoman, as she travels to Jerusalem. The story begins tragically, with Alina’s father found dead in the pond near their home in Provence. Alina’s mother and sister passed away just months before due to an illness. Alina and her brother, Milos, who are only fourteen and fifteen, are the only ones left. When their aunt and uncle take over the estate, Alina and Milos, rather than be forced into lives they do not want, decide to follow a group of crusaders to Jerusalem under the guise of going to pray for their father’s soul. Their aunt and uncle are only too happy to send them off instead of dealing with them.
Alina and Milos learn and grow while on their journey, and also get mixed up in political intrigue when they take positions in the court at Jerusalem. Milos becomes a squire to Count Stephen of Sancerre, and Alina becomes a companion for Princess Sibylla of Jerusalem. Alina must try to survive among spies, secrets, mistrust, and even murder, all while working to achieve her dream of becoming a trobairitz, or female troubadour.
Opinion:
I really enjoyed this YA historical fiction because it isn’t a time period often covered. The Crusades and life in Jerusalem in the 1100s were topics I had little knowledge about, but it was exciting to learn about them. I also loved that certain characters, like Count Stephen and Princess Sibylla, were based on real figures from history. Rather than getting a general idea of what it might have been like back then, I felt completely immersed with the actual people who lived there.
Alina felt so relatable in her worries and desires, even with so much time separating me from her. This novel is very character-driven, and we see Alina grow from an awkward and grieving young girl to a decisive and strong young woman. The ending felt a bit strange because it ends without a solution to the main problem of the story: how to get the estate back from Alina’s uncle for Milos to run and not be married off by Alina’s aunt. But it could be an open ending, leaving room for a sequel. I would recommend this book to any history enthusiasts, and I hope we get more of Alina’s story.
