Book Review - The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green

I recently finished the excellent historical novel, The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green.  This story covers the little-known period of the French founding New Orleans.  The history is fascinating and often horrific, and author Green tells this story through the character of Julianne.  Julianne's personal story is filled with tragedy, and yet her character shows great perseverance.  The author weaves historical details into the text, as well as the difficulties early colonists faced.  She does not shy away from difficult facts, including how brutal life in a new colony could be.  Native American characters are treated with respect and realism.  The multi-faceted issues of the day and how they effected regular people are integral to the story, and the author does a fine job of keeping the plot moving with plenty of action. This book has plenty of heartache and violence, but Julianne learns to cope and even to bloom in spite of her travails.  Her compassion and deepening realization of forgiveness and grace are encouraging.  Overall, this book is very well-written, and I recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction.

I received this book from the publisher, Bethany House, in exchange for my review, but all opinions are my own.