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(More customer reviews)This is a well-researched work of historical fiction that captures the essence of medieval life in feudal England. It is set against the precarious political and religious philosophical backdrop of the turbulent fourteenth century. It is a time when life was cheap, and death always seemed to be just around the corner. It tells the story of two people whose paths cross in the latter half of fourteenth century England and the events that follow. The politics of the day, both the religious and secular ones, would leave their imprint on each of them, as well as on their progeny.
Lady Kathryn, having been locked in a loveless marriage, has recently been liberated by her dissolute husband's death. In a time when women were little more than chattel, she has been left as mistress of Blackingham Manor in East Anglia. She is trying to shepherd it along, as it is the inheritance of her fifteen-year-old twin sons, Alfred and Colin. She is fraught with concerns over money and the possibility that John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster with whom her late husband imprudently allied himself, and who was now Regent to the young King Richard, might not maintain his power for long. If so, the fact that he is a patron of the heretic John Wycliffe and his Lollard followers could prove to be potentially disastrous for her and her family.
In order to try to conserve her property, as she fears that it will be swallowed up by the King's taxes, as well as the seemingly endless tithes required by the church, Lady Kathryn agrees to take in a boarder at the local abbot's request. In addition to conserving her property, she is also trying to keep at bay the unwelcome advances of Sir Guy, the local sheriff and friend of her late, unlamented husband, as well as the owner of the property adjacent to Blackingham Manor. She knows full well that she would just be the means to acquiring Blackingham Manor and increasing his holdings.
The boarder in question is an artisan named Finn, who has with him a beautiful teenage daughter named Rose. Together they take refuge at Blackingham Manor. Finn is a master illuminator who works for the Church. While working for the Church, however, he labors in secret for the heretic John Wycliffe, illuminating an English translation of the Bible, something that is forbidden by the Church. Moreover, Finn is a widower with a secret past, one that will cause Lady Kathryn much grief of her own making.
The freethinking Finn and the newly liberated lady of Blackingham Manor soon find that they have quite a bit in common. Their friendship grows into a passionate romance that neither of them would have expected or anticipated. In the wake of their passion, however, a chain of unstoppable events is unleashed. Finn and Lady Kathryn's relationship will lead her to a crossroad where she finds herself with her loyalties divided between Finn and her sons, forcing her to make a choice she would rather not have to make. Moreover, unbeknownst to them, Rose and Colin likewise find love budding between them with ramifications beyond their understanding.
Always at the center of the book is life as it is lived on Blackingham Manor and the everyday concerns that go along with living in a place under such oppressive circumstances. Always in the backdrop is the political and religious turbulence that would one day eventually lead to the Reformation. Meanwhile, that turbulence has the capability of profoundly changing the lives of everyone living at Blackingham Manor. Serving to complicate matters further, is the murder of an avaricious priest, which murder appears to be laid at the doorstep of Blackingham Manor. In addition, Lady Kathryn's malevolent overseer, the yeoman Simpson, is dealing her a bad hand and causing untold mischief among her serfs. Consequently, there comes a time when the seething cauldron of unrest bubbles over, taking everyone in its path for a ride not of their own choosing.
This author is a welcome new voice in the historical fiction genre. She has managed to create interesting and somewhat unusual characters not often found in historical fiction. A prominent character in the book is the local anchoress, which is based upon the mystic, Julian of Norwich, a character one does not often see mentioned in historical fiction of the period. Nor does one often come across an illuminator as an integral character in a novel. The author also seamlessly weaves historical figures into the fabric of her fiction with practiced ease. This is a well-defined, imaginative book that brings the Middle Ages to life. It will be enjoyed by all those who love well-written historical fiction.
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