Parents banished forever,
a life of servitude ahead for her,
acquiesce to the invaders’ plans or fight back?
Taking children from their families, reducing persons devoted to the land’s health for generations to become merely indentured workers, erasing any and every hint of the native language and traditions – typical actions of invading forces…
Read the first chapter as Malley is dragged away to the invaders’ school (preparing her to be a house servant, if she toes the line) here free, courtesy of the publisher, then visit your local library or independent bookstore to see how she deals with its restrictions as she looks for ways to escape.
This historical fiction playing out in a country which doesn’t exist in our history is as satisfying as the author’s The Wicked and the Just (recommended here) set in 12th century Wales, both featuring strong young women who fight against conquerors who invaded their homelands.
How do you rebel against injustice without endangering others?
**kmm
Book info: R is for Rebel / J. Anderson Coats. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2018. [author site] [publisher site] [author video interview] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.
My book talk: Imprisoned at the conquerors’ brainwashing school, Malley seeks ways to fight back like her Melian grandparents did without endangering her chambermates or being sent to the workhouse – small errors equal demerits, rebellion means death… but she feels so dead locked indoors, away from the fields and forests and honest work.
The Wealdan Empire forbids every tradition that made Malley’s life good – hair braided by family pattern, songs celebrating resistance fighters by name and deed, the very names that connect her to her history – but the young woman finds secret picture messages showing that another rebel is here.
How can Malley find others willing to risk rebellion, when every girl is urged to report the tiniest infraction made by another?
Why was she given the part of that butchering General Cur in the play that the girls must perform for Wealdan officials?
Hearing whispered encouragement from her storied name-kin Mallianne in dreams during the darkest nights, perhaps Malley can find an opportunity for rebellion, redemption, escape!
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