Sylvia by Bryce Courtenay

Like many fictionalised versions of history, this story of the Children's Crusade of the early 13th century is centered on one character. In this case, a young girl named Sylvia. Taking in the true historical character of Nicholas of Cologne, and the mythical character of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, (who might, actually, have been one and the same) the tale tells of how Sylvia becomes involved with thousands of children who were called to the banner of Christ to start a disastrous pilgrimage to regain the Holy Land for Christendom. 

Sylvia's life veers from an early childhood which is dominated by a doting mother, through a period when she is at the mercy of a violent and sexually abusive father, via Jewish tailor's household, a brothel and a nunnery, to a harrowing journey, on foot and overland, from Germany to the Mediterranean coast. All before she is 16.

The language Bryce Courtney places in the peasant girl Sylvia's mouth, as she tells her tale, appears to be intended to convey a medieval atmosphere. In this readers opinion, however, it is unnecessarily verbose, detracting from the storytelling and giving a lie to Sylvia's peasant origins and age.  Still, it's an original take on an obscure period of European history and does, in spite of the overblown language, tell a rich story and convey the futility and tragedy of thousands lost children.

Not the easiest read but a good story told almost as a fairytale.