The Proud Prince

"The Proud Prince" by Justin H. McCarthy tells the story of Perpetua, the executioner's daughter living in Sicily during the reign of King Robert, as she navigates a kingdom struggling with corruption and the cruelty of its new ruler, Robert the Bad. The book creates a picture of a society in chaos, contrasting Perpetua's peaceful life high above Syracuse with the dark happenings in the kingdom below. As the court jester Diogenes brings word of the new king's wickedness, Perpetua's world is put to risk, launching into a conflict between her innocence and the immoral world ruled by a selfish monarch. The early interactions tease at upcoming struggles and set the stage for a clash between the royal court's deceit and Perpetua’s sheltered existence, establishing themes of love, power, and the fight against injustice that will drive the events to come.