St. Bartholomew's Eve - A TOS Homeschool Crew Review

In late August I learned there was a new Heirloom Audio adventure for us to review!

Shortly thereafter I received in the mail a small package that contained a two-CD set of the adventure entitled St. Bartholomew's Eve. 



Heirloom Audio is a company that creates high quality audio adventures based on historical novels by G.A. Henty, an author of children's historical novels in the early 1900's. The story of St. Bartholomew's Eve is set in France in the 1570's.

For many years Protestants in France, known as Huguenots, had been fleeing from persecution, going to Switzerland, Holland or England. The story of St. Bartholomew's Eve begins with 16-year-old Philip Fletcher, born in England to Huguenot emigrants, travels to France to stay with his aunt Emilie and cousin Francois, Huguenots still living in France.

Philip stays with his extended family for many years. The Protestant believers have to worship in secret -- it is a very dangerous time to be a Protestant in France. It was intriguing some of the methods used to determine whether the family was practicing Catholicism or Protestantism, such as asking a child in the family to sing Ave Maria (which the Huguenot children were not being taught by their parents). How scary!

The story builds gradually. Initially you come to know the individual characters -- Philip, with his British accent; Francois, and his family members. As Philip and Francois mature, they are also learning fighting tactics, becoming strong young men, and meet new people. 

They begin engaging in battles to defend the Huguenot people. At other times, though, the Catholics are hunting them. Sometimes they hide. Sometimes they flee. Eventually, though, the conflict is unavoidable. The ultimate battle that occurs in the story is known, historically, as the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. The battles and preparations leading up to this last stand of the Protestants is engaging, and the final battle is compelling and sobering.

I never like to covey enough information that the reader feels I've given spoilers, so I will stop there. Suffice it to say that I encourage you to consider investing in this audio drama.

What I love about materials by G.A. Henty is the way he focuses on historical events that have become obscure and isolated to us through the passage of time, and by creating an engaging narrative he draws us into an adventure that we care about and learn from. The plight of the French Huguenots of the 16th Century is something we should not allow to be forgotten in obscurity any more than we would want the plight of the Jews in World War II to be forgotten. Remember the saying, "Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it." 

Heirloom Audio creates dramatizations of G.A. Henty adventures, featuring talented actors, such as those shown below:

Sound effects combined with skilled acting draws the listener into the gripping adventure. I loved St. Bartholomew's Eve, as I have loved the other Heirloom Audio adventures I have listened to. Filled with realism, historic events are conveyed that can be upsetting. In this adventure Philip befriends a young lad who later loses his leg while doing his part as the Huguenots defend themselves against the Catholic attackers. Later the one-legged lad is still fighting in conflicts, endangering himself for the cause. This type of story content is realistic but upsetting to my daughter, who has a tender heart. Because these adventures contain content that can be upsetting to some, I do encourage you to listen to the story first, without your children, so that you can determine which of your children you want to have listen to the adventure and at what age.

Other adventures by G.A. Henty that have been dramatized by Heirloom Audio that I have had the opportunity to hear:

• Under Drake's Flag (my review)
• In Freedom's Cause (my review)
• With Lee in Virginia (my review)
• The Dragon and the Raven (my review)
• Beric the Briton (my review)
• The Cat of Bubastes (my review)
• In the Reign of Terror (my review)
• Captain Bailey's Heir (my review)
• Wulf the Saxon (my review)

St. Bartholomew's Eve, produced by Heirloom Audio, once again upholds the high standards that Heirloom seeks to maintain in each of their audio adventure productions. I highly recommend this adventure to you.

But don't take just my word for it. Other members of the Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Crew also reviewed St. Bartholomew's Eve, and you can read their reviews and see what other homeschool mom's think by clicking on the link below: