Queen's Blessing

by Madeleine A. Polland

Eleven year old Merca and her brother Dag are orphaned by the ravages of King Malcolm's army. Merca has vowed revenge. However, she and her brother are saved from death by Malcolm's queen, the kind St. Margaret.

Genres: Historical Fiction

Hardcover

First published December 1, 1964

About the author

Madeleine Polland (who also wrote as Frances Adrian) was born in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland, on May 31, 1918.

Madeleine was educated at Hitchin Girls' Grammar School, Herfordshire, from 1929 to 1937.

After leaving school, she served in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, and shortly after leaving married Arthur Joseph Polland in 1946.

Madeleine Polland has written several books for children and many novels for adults. Her first book for young readers, CHILDREN OF THE RED KING, was published in the UK by Constable in 1960.

Reviews

[Rosemary · Rating 3 out of 5]

YA or younger, historical novel in 11th century Scotland, the story of Merca and her little brother, Dag, learning to survive in a country ravaged by war, finding safety and love where they least expect it, from their enemies, Margaret and Malcolm.

[Ilsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the descriptive writing of this book. The one thing I didn't like so much was the grudge the elder sister held for so long against the king for killing their parents. From their tragic epidemic to their imediate success when the queen adopts her and her brother, Dag, she is always planning to find a way to kill him. Only when she sees an assasin creeping toward the king with a knife, she realizes that the king has changed from when he had raged war across their peacefull town. She lets loose a scream, alerting the king, and saving his life. She then returns to the castle changed and now much reformed from her always angry, tense self.