A Crown in Time

A Crown in Time

by Jennifer Macaire

3.5 out of 5

Synopsis
Since it was perfected in 2900, time travel has been reserved for an elite, highly trained few. However, on certain occasions, a Corrector is needed to rectify a mistake in the past.

Do your job well, and you'll go down in history. Fail, and you will be erased from Time . . .

In the far future, a convicted criminal is given a chance at redemption. The Corrector Program at Tempus University is sending Isobel back in time, to the year 1270, to rewrite history.
Her mission? To save the crown of France.
If she follows the Corrector's Handbook everything should run smoothly. But soon, Isobel finds herself accompanying a hot-headed young noble on his way to fight the infidel in Tunis: a battle Isobel knows is fated to be lost.
Isobel must fulfil her duty, knowing she can never return to her time, knowing one wrong move can doom the future, or doom her to be burned as a witch . . .

The first in an exciting new time-slip series, from the author of the action-packed Time for Alexander series, Jennifer Macaire. A CROWN IN TIME will have you on the edge of your seat from the very first page . . .



Review
As payment for her crimes, the disposable Isobel is sent back to correct history. She has one mission: stop Jean from going to the crusades.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

After killing a child by her careless driving, Isobel gets a life sentence. Because of her studies into Medieval French poetry, she is selected to be a Corrector.
Basically, a time-traveller made an error that is disrupting the timeline, when young Lord Jean overhears about the Crusades. Suddenly inspired, he dies in Tunis, instead of staying home and producing a bloodline that will eventually be on the French throne.
Now, Isobel has to go back to counter the problem.

When Isobel goes back in time, she has to travel with the Crusaders, learning to survive in the Middle Ages.
This was a fascinating look into the Crusades, focussing not on the glory of battle, but the day-to-day life. From the wearying marches through rough terrain, and how the Crusaders put a strain on every town they visit. For the most part, the 'soldiers' are young villeins (peasants), who have joined the Crusade so they can eat.
There's the stressful boat journey, and living with the disease that comes with cramped conditions.

Isobel's relationship with Charles is absolutely adorable. He is only ten, and has been half-starved all his life; but he really thrives as Isobel's shadow. He helps her in every way he can, wanting to be useful.

The not-so-good.
I always felt that Isobel's narrative was observational and distant. There's no passion or variation in how she presents everything.
This may be explained because technically everyone around her is already dead; or perhaps she has become institutionalised whilst in prison. She sort of fell into a relationship with Jean; chose to have a fling with a handsome lawyer; and was raped by a prison guard. Each of these are treated with the same distance and fact-presenting.
(Don't get me started on Isobel having a sexual relationship with teenage Jean. Shudder.)

Whereas the historical story is presented very strongly, the future that Isobel comes from (and all the science fiction attached to it) is poorly lacking. Certain things in the future are referred to when the plot needs it, then dropped without explanation.
I have no idea what Isobel's life was like before her crime. There was a mention about being harvested for eggs? But also being raped by a guard? How do people travel back in time? How do they travel back to the future? If the brains behind it could simply erase the past to fix the timeline, why send Correctors back at all?
The future never felt real to me.

Overall, this was a 3.5 out of 5 for me. The historical aspects are very strong and it was interesting to get an in-depth, unflinching view of the Crusades.

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