In this third installment of the Scottish quartet, Duncan MacDonald is excited to join his father and the MacDonald clan in the fight to restore Prince Charlie to the Scottish throne. But he is allowed only to meet the prince, for he is deemed too young to fight. After listening to stories of war heroics and bravery, Duncan and his cousin Ewan decide to run away and join their Scottish brethren in the battle at Culloden. But when they arrive at the camp, instead of finding exciting adventures and honorable battles, they discover horror, death, and great dismay among the men. Will Duncan be able to find the courage and determination to continue fighting for his country’s cause?
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From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up–Duncan is eager to rise to the call of the fiery cross when the men of clan MacDonald follow their chieftain and Bonnie Prince Charlie into war. His father goes, but permits the 13-year-old and his grandfather to accompany them only as far as the meeting place. They return to the farm bursting with tales of the brave Scottish clansmen and their reverence for the prince. When his cousin Ewan learns of his father's death, he insists on revenge and convinces Duncan to run away with him to war. A bloodbath ensues, Ewan is killed, and Duncan follows the prince into a terrifying battle against the British. Just as families gathered around the hearth when elders shared their tales of war and heroism, Yolen and Harris reward readers with a gripping journey into the Scottish Highlands. The brutality, slaughter, and destruction of war are evident throughout, but some of the history might be difficult for readers to follow unless they read the concluding author's note first. Also, some of the dialect can be a bit daunting. The ending relies heavily on coincidence–prone to fits, Duncan has one that actually saves his life, the spirit of his dead sister is there to help him, and he finds the slain Keppoch's valuable brooch. Still, through authentic voices and vivid description, the Battle of Culloden comes alive in this boy's journey into manhood.–Kimberly Monaghan, formerly at Vernon Area Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Gr. 6-10. Yolen and Harris, who cowrote Queen's Own Fool: A Novel of Mary Queen of Scots (2000) and Girl in a Cage (2002), now tell the story of a young highlander who fights for Bonnie Prince Charlie at Culloden. Just 13 and prone to seizures, Duncan is disappointed when he is not allowed to join his father and the other men of the village in answering their clan chief's call to war. But before the year is out, he has shouldered his father's work, suffered the loss of loved ones, fought in a bloody battle, and helped his prince in an unexpected way. The convincing depictions of people and relationships earlier in the story deepen the sense of despair during the battle, which is realistically depicted as cruel, violent, and gory. Structured in three sections, the novel creates a strong sense of life in the Scottish Highlands in 1745-1746, of the carnage at the battle of Culloden, and of Duncan's growing awareness of the world and his place in it. Combining a sensitive portrayal with dramatic tension, Trina Schart Hyman's sensitive jacket art promises exactly what this novel delivers: a spirited historical adventure and a sympathetic hero. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting Tale of the Tragedy of Culloden
July 26 2005
By Tamela Mccann
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Yolen and Harris set this story in 1745 with the return of Bonnie Prince Charlie, son of the "Pretender to the English Throne", who has come to Scotland in order to claim the throne for his own. Duncan MacDonald is a 14 year old boy who is taken in by the glory of war and honor and wishes longingly to accompany his father to battle. Things developing as they do, Duncan receives his chance to be in the thick of fighting at the devastating battle of Culloden and he discovers that true war is not anything like he'd thought it would be. A side story of the "fits" Duncan suffers becomes a major plot point later on but is a bit of a distraction. The story is flavored with the dialect of the Scottish people and a glossary is included at the end. This is a realistic portrayal of a young boy's dreams of war and the inevitable shattering of not only the dreams but of lives as well. Good, solid, interesting but not riveting reading.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Prince Across the Water
Mar 15 2005
By Patricia S. Brown
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
When Bonnie Prince Charles comes home to Scotland and tries to rally his people to retake his throne from the English, he disrupts the lives of all the Scottish people. Duncan and Ewan are two boys from the same village who run off to fight for their prince - a prince they have never seen. Charles is defeated and forced to run for his life, Ewan is killed, and only Duncan is left to remember how he fought for his prince and to pass the legends on to his children.
There are several Scottish words in the text, but the authors have provided us with a little glossary at the end. They also include the factual information that was used in constructing the story. I recommend this book for readers of historical fiction. It is written on a level that makes it usable in middle school, but older readers may enjoy it as well.
There are several Scottish words in the text, but the authors have provided us with a little glossary at the end. They also include the factual information that was used in constructing the story. I recommend this book for readers of historical fiction. It is written on a level that makes it usable in middle school, but older readers may enjoy it as well.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting Historical Fiction
Nov 19 2012
By Charles R. Thomas Jr.
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Prince Across the Water is well-written. It is an easy and entertaining read--a great fictional account of events surrounding the battle of Culloden.
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