- a young Christian woman becomes wife to the local duke-figure
- set in Germany in the early 700s, when persecution against Christians waxed and waned, depending on who was leader
- convo: battle talk, deaths, alcohol/drinking mentioned, worship and sacrifices to false gods, various persecution of Christ-followers, potential theological discussions
- language and vocabulary quite difficult (tips below)
Type: biographical chapter book
Ages: 8+
Author: Julie Sutter
A time in history almost no one has heard of! The fact that it’s a true account of Princess Bellaheld (and others around her) brings it more alive to readers. Beyond that, as the story progresses, she quickly becomes someone to look up to for courage, unwavering faith in Jesus, and true biblical femininity.
PLEASE READ: This is not your average modern book with easy vocabulary. It will certainly present a different style to those not used to reading older books. Let me encourage you to persevere with these tips:
- Get familiar with the terms the publishers graciously lay out in the Glossary. Herzog means “Duke” and is used on the regular. He is the highest leader of the land, and his wife is always Herzogin.
- There are also various other words commonly used in old literature–such as meet meaning fit or molested simply meaning bothered. Be ready for some thees and thous, too.
- Consider reading the first few chapters silently before reading aloud to your children. It will help you pick up the rhythm and main characters’ names.
- Speaking of names, a precious few are actual names our modern tongues and minds are used to! Just pick a way to pronounce them and move on. 🙂 Here are some of the most common ones:
- Bellaheld
- Gozbert
- Geila
- Haimerich
- Pillung
- Gisilhar
- Hedan
- Hezzilo
- Regiswind
- If it’s helpful, the publishers also sell an audiobook version you can download. I have both read and listened to The Princess Bellaheld. The reader does a pretty good job, and the whole thing is only 3.5 hours at 1x speed. Their app works perfectly for listening or you can download to whatever device you like.
- Lastly, something I find really important in our own house for any new read-aloud: protect the beginning. What I mean is to make sure, barring emergencies, you won’t be interrupted for a while. I’ve found that if our beginnings are choppy, we all have a much more difficult time getting into any story. Set up yourself and your family for success!
A few more thoughts on the story. It ended up being more gentle than I had imagined after reading the initial synopsis. Though there are deaths, tensions, and people who hate the Christians, it’s truly presented in a family-friendly way. It’s almost never graphic, though injuries are mentioned. Parents should also know that humans are sacrificed by the pagans to their false gods.
Readers will rejoice when an occasional character is granted mercy and salvation! Remembering this happened in real history gives a bright example of how God works in the midst of seemingly-impossible situations. He works all things for good for those who love Him. The light can never be quenched by the darkness. God reigns always, and it’s good for us to read about his faithful followers who lived before us.
Happy reading!