The book The Divided Crown is full of life lessons and they come straight forward through the whole book all the way to the end of the last page. It is a very exciting and thorough with always something to look forward to on every page. The book deals with tragedy, magic, treason, and betrayal. 

      It all begins with a young prince, 14 year old Jerret, that inherited the throne after his Mother GodQueen Rodarren died. As he was beginning to be king, he was deceived by his “closest” advisors, the Harus family, who are cruel and only want power and high status in their lives. As they become close to the king, something dreadful happened to their plan. The family never got to be in power for very long. 

      In the book you are reading from a third person point of view most of the time. You always know what is happening. You are never left in the dark for any part of the book. 

      The first lesson you learn in the book is to let others make their own decisions, even if you think their decision is wrong. You could tell them what you think and let them consider it and the possibilities. 

      The next lesson you learn is not to take responsibility for the death/actions of others that you could not prevent. For example, when Mathewar’s first wife Embre died, he drowned his sorrow in sattery, an addictive, drug-like substance. He thought, and still does, that Embre’s death was his fault because he couldn’t protect her. He was blamed for a lot of the deaths that happen through the book. Everyone that he was and is close to died at some point in the book. He blamed himself the whole time for not being there to protect them all.

~ Crystal Ingram, grade 12, Trumbull County Career and Technical Center