Genre: Children’s historical
Format read: hard copy
Representation: Disability, possible autistic coding?
Rating:

When my roommate found out I never read this book as a child, she insisted I had to read it. Honestly, I’d never even heard of it before she brought it up and put it very firmly on my TBR pile.

I think this is considered a chapter book, but children’s lit isn’t my area of expertise. It follows Robin, a young boy in medieval England who is left at home with the servants while his Father is off fighting the Scots with the king and his mother has been called in the service of the queen, who is unwell. But then Robin falls ill, and while he has recovered he’s lost the use of his legs. Meanwhile, plague is ravaging London and the servants run off, leaving this disabled child completely alone.

He’s saved when a monk, a friend of his father, comes to check on him, and takes him back to the monastery. Brother Luke tolerates his bursts of anger and frustration at his newfound situation and loneliness, and helps him find a new normal before taking him to be rejoined with his parents.

Overall, the plot is solid but because this is a short book, barely 100 pages, there isn’t much room for subplots or character developement. For the first two thirds of the book Robin is an obnoxious asshole (understandably, so, but he’s still annoying), and as things heat up at the end the resolution seems too simple.

Maybe this is just because I’m an adult reading a kids book, but I really wanted this to be a 500 page epic a la The Pillars of the Earth, to really get into Robin’s quest to heal and find himself in a world where he’d be easily pushed aside.

I didn’t rate it very high, but that’s my personal opinion. If there’s a kid in your life who is maybe struggling with a physical disability, or a major change in their life, then this would probably be a good book for them to pick up. Or even just to spark an interest in history.