A Fearless Bronze Age Girl and Her Loyal Pony - an Editorial Review of "Amalie's Perilous Journey"

Book Blurb:

Meet Amalie, a fearless girl from the Bronze Age, and her loyal pony, Roble who are inseparable. When a stranger brings tragedy to her village, Amalie is left alone, facing an uncertain future. The new clan leader forces her to choose between an unwanted life in his crowded home or setting out on a perilous journey to the coast.

Fueled by determination and a sense of adventure, Amalie sets off on an overland quest, making unexpected enemies and discovering an unlikely friend along the way. Her path is fraught with dangers—hungry wolves, wild rivers, killer storms, and the ever-present threat of slavers.

As she faces the unknown, Amalie must summon all her courage to survive as death or destitution looms if she fails.

Buy now and lose yourself in the world of horses and bronze-age adventures.

Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/QNacrlK

Author Bio:

Jacqueline P. Vincent hails from the beautiful county of Dorset, England, also the home of Thomas Hardy. She has four children who are doing their own thing in various parts of the world. She lives in Galicia, northern Spain, the green jewel of the Iberian Peninsula, with her sainted partner, John. She is renovating her traditional stone house with help from 'Workaways' who join her from all corners of the planet as part of a cultural and work exchange. She feeds them and they build walls or weed.

She writes short stories, poetry, flash fiction and articles for magazines. She has work published as part of several anthologies, The Good Life in Galicia series and Distant Voices Talking Drums. She had twelve articles published in The Purbeck Magazine and an in depth piece in Motorhome Monthly Magazine.

Editorial Review:

Editorial Review: “Amalie’s Perilous Journey” (Book One: The Bronze Age Series) (Amazon says this book is for 8-18 years old readers, the book says 9-13 years old)

Author: Jacqueline Vincent

“Keep up, you lot,” Amalie cried out to her friends, who huffed and puffed behind her. 

“It’s alright for you. You’re riding Roble, we’re on foot,” Balere yelled, followed by a shriek of, “Eeek.” 

Amalie spun her head around and saw Balere sliding down the slope on her bottom. “Are you okay?” she called, slowing Roble to a trot. 

“Yes, no thanks to you,” Balere said, wiping mud off her wool-plaited skirt. “Mama will be furious.”

Amalie grinned and said, “Last one to the Castro is a dope.””

“Amalie’s Perilous Journey” by Jacqueline Vincent is a fantastic glimpse into the Bronze Age through the eyes of a child. An adventurous, sassy child named Amalie. The story in set in what is now Spain, and Vincent has crafted the ultimate quest plot as Amalie leaves her village to strike out on her own, accompanied by her faithful horse Roble. She has allies; Gero, who accompanies her, and Hai, the partner that her parents had wanted for her. But things are not what they seem, and Amalie must rely on her wits and her growing independence. Her character is highly relatable and written in a way that will appeal to range of ages, possibly middle-graders most of all. 

The dialogue in the novel is written in a modern voice, although Amalie and her friends are discussing Bronze Age concerns, and of course, horses. Bronze Age shopping is at a market rather than a mall, and includes, for example, negotiating the purchase of an axe-head and a knife. The conversations are authentic and give the reader a good sense of the character’s personalities. Vincent also introduces the idea of “ambiguity” where there is doubt about some character’s motivations, and also good and bad personalities for Amalie to assess. The author’s careful balance between the internal challenges she faces (bereavement, self-determination and independence) and the external challenges make for an action-packed plot with plenty of emotion.

There may need to be some adult/parental guidance or discussion about some themes in the book – Amalie’s parents die of illness and there is reference to Amalie having a potential “mate” chosen for her by her parents. The idea of Amalie having to leave her village and rely on her own resources will be thrilling for some younger readers and possibly scary for others. Vincent’s writing style includes some telling as well as showing, which may be appropriate for younger readers who are identifying emotions and learning about social interactions.

“After eating, she built the fire to a warming blaze to last the night, collecting a pile of spare wood for later – just in case. Her hand checked that her knife was in its sheath, and the amber and slate beads were in the small purse. She attached both to her belt–she didn't want to be caught unawares again. Content, she pulled out her mother's cloak, now dry, and wrapped it around herself,. Another glance into the woods told her Roble was nearby, with his head lowered, eyes half open and resting a rear hoof.”

The storyline of “Amalie’s Perilous Journey” has several twists and turns, and is also full of historical detail. It’s a great way to introduce middle-graders to the past and a raw way of life where individual and communal survival are deeply intertwined. In finding her own path, and challenging the decisions of her village, Amalie is challenging this structure and leaving the familiar protection of all she had known. The story has different levels of meaning that readers of varying ages will grasp in different ways.

““Okay, I understand why you can’t tell me. But why do you need to leave?” Amalie asked as a frown creased her brow. “Do you mean away from this place or from somebody?” 

“From here.” 

“Why from here?” Amalie asked quizzically. “Because when I was in town yesterday, a man bumped into me and when he turned to chastise me, he hesitated. I was so happy after catching my first fish I didn’t recognise him. Just another stranger, I thought. But my nightmare brought to the surface who he was, and I think he recognised me.” 

Gero took a breath, paused and let the air release in a slow, steady stream, then he lowered his head and stared at his fingers as they trickled sand into small piles. “You didn’t tell me.””

“Amalie’s Perilous Journey” by Jacqueline Vincent is an absorbing read that will wrench middle-graders from their devices (or keep them glued, depending on the format purchased!). What a relief to read a historical novel such as this, with a female heroine overcoming so much and prevailing – or at least surviving - during such a rich area of history. There is much to learn, and wonder about. Amalie is indisputably the main character of the story, but the second lead is without doubt her steed Roble; the bond between them is heart-warming and adds another wonderful aspect to the story.

*****

“Amalie’s Perilous Journey” by Jacqueline Vincent receives 4 stars from The Historical Fiction Company

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