In Search of Honor

15 year old Jacques Chenier is the son of a skilled sculptor in France on the brink of revolution. He practices every day with his father, until the quality of his work cannot be distinguished from that of his father's. Life changed drastically the day his father is killed, and the murderer's "justice" is no more than a fine because he is a nobleman's son. Jacques nurses his hatred for the aristocracy as he pursues the praise of men. Soon he is arrested for helping a nobleman out of some silverware in exchange for a bust that was not paid for. During his time in the Bastille, Jacques meets an interesting old "madman." Pierre-Joseph has two prized possesions -- a Book, and a crudely fashioned flute. Although he has been in a tower cell since he was a young man, and he is very old now, his music is not sad. The Book is the inspiration for the songs he writes, "Hear, and your soul will live." Jacques escapes from the Bastille to find that his mother has starved herself to death, mourning for his father. He agrees with the leaders of the Revolution that the nobility must no longer be allowed to run the country on their whims, or even to live. At the storming of the Bastille he rescues the old man from the tower cell. Despite the many years of imprisonment without hope of a trial, Pierre-Joseph does not rejioce to see the head of the fortress' governor on the end of a pike. He comes to live with Jacques. The boy is now associating with all the important, though fickle, people in his quest for honor; an honor to "see, hear, feel right now!" Pierre-Joseph warns him that the praise of men has a high, high price, and is not lasting. But Jacques is stubborn, and must experience this hard truth for himself. By the conclusion of the tale, Jacques has learned the value of true honor, and can say with Pierre-Joseph, "If you desire th worship, worship Christ." Feel Jacques' heartbreak when he realizes he has rejected everything of true importance, and the joy of his repentance. "In Search of Honor" draws a telling picture of the honor that brings lasting peace, and is not found in the praise of men.

My eighth grade students and I read this book together in school. We all enjoyed the story because it coincided with our study of the French Revolution. The tale follows the trials and tribulations of young Jacques as he grows up during this uncertain time. There are many historical references and it made my students feel like they really knew what life was like during that time. The story also contains an inspirational message and meaningful "moral". An excellent historical fiction novel!!

I really enjoyed this book, and to tell the truth I'm surprised I did. Usually I select a book that has a girl as the main character, or at least a little romance to make it more interesting. Since this book had neither, I only read it because it was supposed to be good and we already owned it. I hardly cared about the French Revolution. But once I had started "In Search of Honor", I could hardly put it down!This book is the story of Jacques Chenier, a fictional character whose life is torn apart one day when his father is murdered. His desire for revenge gets him in deep trouble, and what follows is a gripping story of hate and its consequences, as Jacques learns the true meaning of honor. Even if you aren't interested in the French Revolution, I would recommend this book.