Customer Reviews

Son of Charlemagne (Living History Library)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
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This book tells you a lot about Charlemagne, but it is great for children because it is from a young boy's point of view. The young boy happens to be Charlemagne's son. It is well written and it gets the facts of history well in your mind without having to study! Its very interesting and I recommend everyone to read it!

We enjoyed this story of Charlemagne told by viewing the life of one of his sons, Carl. While not intensely detailed in regards to his historical battles, though they are referenced (and one particularly brutal event is covered intensely), it gives more of an insider view with the focus on his family life. That was very interesting! This incredible world leader was a devoted family man who desired for his children to travel with him whenever possible. He humbly sought a better education for himself, his children and his subjects. This focus led to the Carolingian Renaissance. While Charles the Great certainly had flaws, those too were inspiring examples. These multifacted qualities resulted in his rise from King of the Franks to coronation as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Son of Charlemagne was written very personally, a tender glimpse into the real life struggles of a political giant.

My sons and I enjoyed this book. It is about Charlemagne, but written from the perspective of his eldest son, so it keeps their interest. This booked sparked us looking into Charlemagne in more detail, from the history books, so it was great.

This telling of the life of Charlemagne was clearly intended for younger readers, but I must tell you, I enjoyed it very much anyway. Told through the eyes of Carl, his second son, the story of Charlemagne is brought to life in a vivid and personal way. The tale focuses mainly on the private lives of the great King and his family, mentioning most of the great battles and campaigns only in passing. It makes plain Charlemagne's love for his family, even though the demands of rule often forced him into difficult--and sometimes brutal--decisions.

I particularly liked how the author was able to convey historical detail about the time period in an interesting way without being overly didactic. The book introduces the young reader to a variety of historical personages (like Alcuin and Pope Hadrian) and ancient peoples (like the Saxons and Avars). The book makes clear Charlemagne's attachment to learning and his devotion to the Catholic Church and the Papacy in particular.

Personally, I would have preferred a little more action and detail on Charlemagne's military accomplishments, but I suppose that's a man thing. If you like historical novels with a Catholic flair like this one, I would also recommend Belisarius: The First Shall Be Last

I think "Son of Charlemagne" was very interesting. Before reading the book, I didn't think that well of Charlemagne, but after reading this book, my opinion changed. This book develops the life of Charlemagne through the eyes of his son, Carl. The plot was well developed, but on the negative side, the continuing change in area was confusing. The constant change from city to city was confusing, especially when I would go a few days without reading it. There was also many main characters, and so it was hard to remember who was who. I still enjoyed it, however, because it taught history, (which i don't particularly like), in a novel setting, so it was more fun to read. I have already recommended this book to someone else. And I would recommend it to you, too, if you would like to learn more about French medeivel history. Just be prepared for some confusion, unless you can easily hold a bunch of information in your head!!

Haley Houchens
(age 13)

I really enjoyed reading Son of Charlemagne for history. I learned more facts about Charlemagne in this book than in a regular study on him. It is a great book to read in your spare time. This book is told by his son Carl's point of view.

By Kali Barrett
This story is about Charlemagne and his family but is focused on his son Carl. It is historical- fiction. It happened in the Frankish Empire which is now France. They lived in the country and had multiple homes. They have to go through a Saxon uprising, Bertha marrying against her father's will, and Pope Leo gets attacked. The part I like best is when Bertha, Carl's sister, marries a school teacher named Anghilbert against her father's will. You should read it to find out what happened. I recommend this book for kids my age.

This story is about Charlemagne and his family but is focusing on his son, Carl. It is historical fiction. It happened in the Frankish empire which is now France. They lived in the country and had multiple homes. They have to go through a Saxon uprising, Bertha, Carl's sister, marrying against her father's will, and Pope Leo gets attacked. The part I liked best is when Bertha marries a school teacher named Anghilbert against her father's will. You should read it to find out what happened. I highly recommend this book for kids.