Description
BY KAREN ULLO
New Orleans, 1795. In the wake of the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, Alix de Morainville Carpentier—a former lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette, now married to her gardener—seeks peace and security in the Spanish colony of Louisiana. But her journey into the man-eating swamp called Attakapas reopens the wounds of her old life in France. Alix is forced to reckon with the choices that saved her life at the cost of her honor—and perhaps her soul.
In revolutionary France, the Old World is dying; the quest for liberty, fraternity, and equality has become a nightmare where the price of dissent is blood. In the wilderness of Spanish Louisiana, a new civilization is beginning to emerge—but in this budding New World, the slave trade perpetuates the systems of oppression that sparked the revolution. Caught between old and new, scarred by trauma and grief, will Alix ever find a home where she can truly be free?
To Crown with Liberty is a historical novel based on riveting legends from George Washington Cable’s Strange True Stories of Louisiana (1888).
Kathryn Bochman –
Where to begin? Karen Ullo’s To Crown With Liberty certainly defied my expectations. History, danger, sacrifice, love, war, and adventure all worked in harmony to create a story that held me spellbound. With the French Revolution as a backdrop, Ullo whisked me away to a time that caused my heart to ache and my head to spin. Her characters were true to life and entrenched themselves in my soul, telling a tale that I will not easily forget.
Redemption, faith, forgiveness and restoration fill the pages of this book. Ullo can certainly weave a story that resonates!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
tarynmdelong –
You’re going to want to read this book!
“To Crown With Liberty” is an exciting, romantic (and clean!), and beautifully told story about the French Revolution and what it did to the Church and to human beings. It’s also the story of love, adventure, and mercy.
I love historical romance but struggle to find novels in this genre that I feel good about reading. “To Crown With Liberty” is much more than a romance, but it does have a romance in it, and I found it aligned with my Catholic values without hitting me over the head with it.
(Disclaimer: I received a free e-book in return for an honest review.)
Talita Adendorff –
A very interesting read!
This was my first novel by Karen Ullo and one of the reasons I signed up for the launch team was because I find the French Revolution interesting. It is well written and the storyline kept you reading. It has a split timeline and it took me some time to get used to it, but once I made sure to check the date and location at the top of each chapter I got into the story.
It is well-researched and I learned a lot about the French Revolution. I was aware that it is a Catholic novel, but I did not expect as much Catholic jargon and although it does fit in with the historical setting, as a Protestant, a lot of it went completely over my head.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction, especially the French Revolution, and I feel that it is a well-written, excellently researched, and well-thought-out novel with a beautiful story and interesting characters.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book, but the views and opinions are my own.
phillipians4_8 –
An artfully written masterpiece! Mesmerizing and beautifully written, To Crown with Liberty filled a need for a read I didn’t realize I had. Karen Ullo brings to life oft-forgotten places and time. I saw a gilded and tottering France, and a frightening frontier. I smelled the perfume and excrement of Versailles, the raw terror and stench of the Revolution, the fear of a new beginning in the swamps of Louisiana. Karen Ullo brought me into the life and heart of Alix. I felt her joy and despair, saw her crumbled dreams and hopes, and wished to weep with her. This book invoked a sense of longing for times and places I have never been and people I have never met. The dual timeline meshed perfectly as I watched Alix break and heal simultaneously as her old and new lives collided. To Crown with Liberty will bring you an experience you will not soon forget or wish to forget.
Content warning: Makes mention of marital intimacy, prostitution, leering gazes, several kisses-not detailed. One kiss and touch- semi-detailed.
Also of note, this book is published by Chrism Press. So if Catholicism isn’t your cup of tea, this may not be for you.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Laura Cisson –
Full of rich and heartbreaking history, this story takes the reader from the halls of Versailles to the swamps of early Louisiana.
I love the way the author wove this story together, exploring events from the past side by side. The dual timeline was genius.
The characters were well-developed and, despite tragic circumstances, held onto their faith. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a great read.
Thank you to Chrism Press for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
7graftcl –
I really enjoyed this novel by Karen Ullo. It is a story that weaves past and present. Pre and Post revolutionary France as well as the tale of immigrants trying to forge a new life in the Louisiana Territory.
While the view is past and present, I wouldn’t consider this a split time.
It follows the aristocracy pre-French Revolution and some of the drawing room conversations. Our heroine, Alix is unloved by her mother owing to a difficult birth and subsequent birth injury, but much loved by the caretakers family. Until she comes of age and is sent away to a convent for schooling and then into an arranged marriage.
She witnesses life at the French court as a lady in waiting as well as the stirring of the revolution due to her husband’s political leanings.
We watch the revolution rise and fall through her eyes and the effect on her family, friends, and other loved ones, the Royals, as well as the Church.
It is a tale of wrestling with faith and beliefs, sacrifice and loss. Alix eventually comes to terms with her past, acknowledging her inner strength and finding forgiveness, love, and peace in her future.
I received a complimentary copy this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Megan Lakner (verified owner) –
This book will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Before reading it I had only a cursory knowledge of the French Revolution, more the broad strokes of it than any of the finer details. I really appreciated how the author brought such historical detail to her story while keeping me completely immersed in the characters and their story. I also really appreciated the Catholic faith woven throughout the story as well, not only does it ring true historically but it added further depth to a somewhat heavy storyline.
The novel goes back and forth between just before the French Revolution, the years leading up to it, and the years after it was over when Alix and Joseph had fled to Louisiana. I appreciated seeing a story take place in a time period that not many stories feature. The author did a great job weaving it all together into a very compelling story. I kept turning the pages, needing to find out how it would all end.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction. There is some romance involved, though is not the main focus of the story necessarily. The author paints the picture of how dark a time the French Revolution must have been for those living through it, without becoming overly graphic about it either.
I received a free advanced copy of the book from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
dovandobrown –
This is my 1st book by Karen Ullo and I was pleasantly impressed by her descriptive
writing. Based during the French Revolution and ending in Louisiana, it’s filled with gorgeous details, making you see the beauty of France, feel the terror of the revolution and the challenges of the journey the untamed nature Louisiana.
While based in Catholic views, the historic detail keeps those who may not be, in the story. The gradual unveiling of the story is well done, keeping me engrossed in the book, wanting to know how she came to be where she currently was. While very sad and heartbreaking due to the time period, it also gave hope and healing with love and faith as the catalyst.
I would strongly recommend this book to those who are looking for well written book based during the French Revolution from a woman’s perspective with a faith based approach. It will keep you engrossed to the end, engaged with the characters and leave you with a hopeful end.
I received a complimentary copy this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
sassyjd32 –
Wow! This is an amazing book! It should be made into a movie, it’s that good! There’s intrigue, suspense, murder, espionage, and a sweet love story! The imagery is fantastic! I truly felt as if I was in Paris, wandering through the halls of the palace. I could also feel the heat of Louisiana.
The characters are written brilliantly! My favorite is Joseph. He’s compassionate, loving, and gives of himself over and over. Alix suffered much heartache, but she grew and matured as a woman.
There are some difficult circumstances in the book. The murder situations are descriptive, there’s abandonment issues, and a really intense accident that leads to death. I feel like these parts don’t take away from the book; they are part of history. The theme of liberty rings true throughout the book! Liberty to be who you are meant to be, liberty to have freedom of religion, and liberty to live life free!
I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from the author/publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
authorkendallhoxsey –
I have never read a Karen Ullo novel before and this knocked my socks off! Her writing is immensely descriptive and lyrical. I’ve studied the French Revolution but this was the first historical fiction novel that truly made me ‘feel’ the anguish and terror that such a revolution wrought upon its people. There is a small amount of romance but it is not the main focus of the novel. Rather the heroine’s journey from a life of privilege to what it means to stay alive and maintain your faith and dignity during an inhuman period. For anyone interested in the French Revolution I highly recommend this novel. Ullo will truly transport you and evoke a depth of emotion not always achieved by authors.
Disclaimer: I requested an ARC from the publisher and author. All opinions are my own.