Title: The Princess Adelina Author: Julie Sutter
Genre: Historical fiction
Age Level: Older children and up
Chracters: Adelina, Hedan, Geila, Gisilhar, Regiswind
Plot: Adelina is a Christian maiden, a missionary's daughter, living in ancient Germany. She is going to be baptized, and although her mother wishes to be there, she cannot come due to sickness. Before Adelina can be baptized, though, the Christians scatter from the planned baptismal service because the German ruler has just passed away, leaving his pagan wife and religiously undetermined son in charge of the land. Adelina returns home just in time to receive the blessing of her dying mother.
Plot: Adelina is a Christian maiden, a missionary's daughter, living in ancient Germany. She is going to be baptized, and although her mother wishes to be there, she cannot come due to sickness. Before Adelina can be baptized, though, the Christians scatter from the planned baptismal service because the German ruler has just passed away, leaving his pagan wife and religiously undetermined son in charge of the land. Adelina returns home just in time to receive the blessing of her dying mother.
Meanwhile, the Herzog's (German ruler) son, Hedan, is deciding how he will rule- whether he, like his father, will protect the Christians, allowing them to continue unmolested in their faith; or whether he will contend with them with pagan zeal. Hedan's mother, Geila, attempts to sway her son towards paganism and set him against Gisilhar, a Christian Bavarian chieftain. (Gisilhar wants to ask Adelina's hand in marriage but refrains because she has so recently been orphaned.) Hedan decides that he will not allow the Christians at Hochheim to continue meeting to worship God, so he rides to tell them of his decision and forbid them to continue to meet. However, something unexpected happens which changes his plans: first, he hears the sound of the church bells ringing, which reminds him of his father; and then he comes across Adelina tending to a wounded man in the woods. Hedan is transfixed. He admires Adelina's beauty but also her genuine faith and piety, and he determines that he will marry her. In honor of her (since she is a believer), he will not forbid worship of her God in his land. At first Adelina is hesitant and fearful (and unbeknownst to others, it seems that she has had feelings for Gisilhar), but then to help her fellow Christians, she agrees to marry Hedan.
However, Geila is against Adelina from the beginning and does everything in her power to make life miserable for her. Through false suspicions of infidelity on Adelina's part and his own jealousy, Hedan begins to distance himself from Adelina and her faith. She, though, is sorrowful, both because of his attitude toward her and because of the unrelenting persecution she experiences as a Christian among pagans.
Eventually, the tide of a battle is turned by Hedan and his Christian followers, but whatever might have been gained by the victory is empty when Hedan dies in a battle not long after. Adelina flees and founds a school. While she is there, Hedan's and her son is born.
After some time, a ship captain arrives at Adelina's school and presents her son with the Herzog's heirloom. Then the captain tells Adelina of her husband's rescue from the battlefield by two Christian men, recovery from nearly mortal wounds, and conversion to the Christian faith. The captain then removes his disguise- to reveal that he is actually Hedan! He brings Adelina home with him, and eventually Geila too becomes a believer.
Precautions: A few of the pagan traditions described might frighten or confuse younger readers.
Ratings: This book, based on a true story, is interesting, historical, and compelling! Adelina provides a wonderful example of a devoted Christian and a faithful wife, even under much-less-than-ideal circumstances and persecution. She is also a godly, femininely strong princess and a good role model for young ladies.
Ratings: This book, based on a true story, is interesting, historical, and compelling! Adelina provides a wonderful example of a devoted Christian and a faithful wife, even under much-less-than-ideal circumstances and persecution. She is also a godly, femininely strong princess and a good role model for young ladies.
