A sweeping saga spanning decades. The hunt for a treasure worth millions. Part mystery, part history, The Crimson Heirlooms by Hunter Dennis is a tale worthy of the classics writers, a legacy of Hugo, Dickens, and Tolstoy.

Spanning the decades between 1776 and 1832, the majority of the story follows Xavier Traversier and Jacob ‘Jake’ Loring. Xavier, having found that his family’s finances are in collapse, takes the reins. In an impressive, Herculean effort, he re-establishes the name of Traversier as in to be respected, restoring them to their place as First Family of Nantes. To do so, he learned every aspect of his trade, from weaving linen, to captaining a ship. Shrewd business acumen rebuilt his fortune. Sadly, part through slave trade. As the decades pass, Xavier decrees that his business empire- the Traversier Trust- shall be turned over to the person who possesses the Cross of Nantes, a missing Traversier heirloom.

Meanwhile, in 1832, Jake, a student at Louis le Grande, becomes embroiled in a revolutionary plot. It fails and he is captured. Though he should have been deported, Jake was put on trial and found guilty. Yet his sentence is forgiven, thanks to what is basically bail and blackmail. Jake is tasked to search for the Crimson Heirlooms- the Cross & and what is known as theS Song As his search begins in earnest, more questions are raised than answers found.

This story explored concepts of socialism and fascism as they were intended. Sadly, even the best of philosophies are often corrupted by those who don’t fully understand what they stand for. The entirety of this tale is a rich medley of philosophic ideas, most especially of Rousseau.

It is a wide-ranging tale, exploring notable events and practices of the time. Jake is right in the middle of the Revolution, and the American Revolutionary War is mentioned. Life in colonial areas such as Le Cap Francias in Sainte-Domingue. As the tale progresses, Xavier’s timeline becomes populated with other characters, who get their own chapters. Some, like L’Oublie, are one shots, as he merges into Xavier’s. Estelle and Guillaume get many chapters, preparing to take centre stage in the next book. Xavier’s first meeting with L’Oublie is terrifying. Worse though, is the story of Xavier’s trip as captain. Though he promises Bouchamps that he wouldn’t engage in slave trade, and had no interest, that’s exactly what he does. They overstuff 275 human beings into the cargo hold. The conditions were horrid, and slaves fell sick and died. They were treated little better than animals. The consequences of rebellion were truly horrific. Of course, I’ve never understood keeping slaves. L’Oublie himself is a rather enigmatic character, and happens to be one of my faves. Once his loyalty is given, he is bulldog tenacious. Loyalty is a prime value for me. He’s also kinda scary. I’d certainly feel safe with him at my back!

Dennis makes use of both French and Old Garlic throughout. There is a translation/pronunciation guide at the end, but I chose to forego flipping back and forth, and rely on my rusty French and smattering of modern Gaelic. I was pleasantly surprised to find I had gotten most pronunciations correct!

Overall, I found the book well-researched and quite enjoyable. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series!

***This book was reviewed via the Seattle Book Review