MostlyFiction Book Reviews » Tudor We Love to Read! Wed, 14 May 2014 13:06:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3 ELIZABETH OF YORK by Alison Weir /2014/elizabeth-of-york-by-alison-weir/ /2014/elizabeth-of-york-by-alison-weir/#comments Tue, 14 Jan 2014 02:35:30 +0000 /?p=24023 Book Quote:

“Elizabeth of York’s role in history was crucial, although in a less chauvinistic age it would, by right, have been more so. In the wake of legislation to give women the same rights in the order of succession as male heirs, it is interesting to reflect that England’s Elizabeth I would not have been the celebrated Virgin Queen but Elizabeth of York. But in the fifteenth century it would have been unthinkable for a woman to succeed to the throne. Elizabeth lived in a world in which females were regarded as inferior to men physically, intellectually, and morally. It was seen as against the laws of God and Nature for a woman to wield dominion over men: it was an affront to the perceived order of the world. Even so, Elizabeth of York was important.”

Book Review:

Review by Jana L. Perskie (JAN 13, 2014)

Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World is not historical fiction, rather a work of history researched and well written by Alison Weir. Here she documents the life of an English Queen Elizabeth – not as well known as Elizabeth I, “The Fairy Queen,” nor Elizabeth II, England’s modern day monarch. Our protagonist is Elizabeth of York, whose obscurity belies the high profile of her connections.

I have read almost all of Ms. Weir’s works, including The Six Wives of Henry VIII, The Princes in the Tower, Mary, Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley, Mary Boleyn: The Mistress of Kings. She has twelve histories to her credit, and four novels, all related to the medieval monarchs and the Tudor royal families. One thing which all the author’s books have in common is that they are very readable – so much so that many of her books seem almost like historical fiction – rather than the historical non-fiction that they are. So, don’t be put off if you are a lover of the York and Tudor periods in history but are wary of tackling a history book. This is not a difficult book to read. I found myself quickly absorbed.

In English history, the War of the Roses was a series of dynastic civil wars over the right to occupy the English throne. The two families with rival claims to the throne, were the Yorks and the Lancasters. This feud brought on a series of cruel civil wars in England in the years 1455 to 1485. The emblem of the Yorkists was a white rose and that of the Lancastrians a red rose. Hence, the “Wars of the Roses.”  Elizabeth was very much a “White Rose of the family York.”  Ultimately, the entire Plantagenet line, which had ruled England for over 300 years, was brought to an end. In terms of convoluted plot twists, reversals, treachery, shifting alliances, military setbacks, and “surprise” endings, it has few parallels in history.

These thirty years of warfare were even more destructive than the Hundred Years War had been in the previous century. Much of the fighting in the Hundred Years war took place in France, which meant the military damage effected the French peasantry rather than the English. In the War of the Roses, most of the fighting occurred in England. and thus loss of life and property was far greater for English citizens. The last Angevin ruler, King Richard II died without an heir. He had been overthrown and murdered by Henry IV, Henry Bolingbroke, the first Lancastrian king through his father John of Gaunt. Henry’s descendants and their supporters were the “Lancastrian faction.” The other branch, descended from Edward IV, were associated with families in the North of England, particularly the House of York and Richard, Duke of York. They are called the “Yorkist faction.”

After a huge Yorkist victory at the Battle of Towton in March 1461, Edward IV proclaimed himself king. King Henry VI, his queen and their son fled to Scotland for nine years. When they returned trouble followed…but that is another story. On June 28, 1461, Edward was formally crowned king at Westminster. He ruled England until his death in 1483. This is a very brief synopsis of the war, one of the more fascinating periods in English history.

Elizabeth’s father, King Edward IV, married for love, not political alliance, which was something of scandal and caused endless problems during his reign. Elizabeth’s mother, the former Elizabeth Wydville, (also spelled Woodville), was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Edward IV from 1464 until his death in 1483. Her marriage to Edward was her second. She had previously married Sir John Grey of Groby, a Lancastrian, who was killed at the Second Battle of St Albans, leaving Elizabeth a vulnerable widowed mother of two sons. Her second marriage, to Edward IV, was a cause célèbre of the day, thanks to Elizabeth’s great beauty…she certainly lacked great estates as a war widow of the opposing faction. Edward was only the second King of England since the Norman Conquest to have married one of his subjects, and Elizabeth was the first such consort to be crowned Queen – to the dismay of Edward’s family, and supporters, although the English people celebrated that the new Queen was “one of them.” Elizabeth and her Woodville family’s advancement was the cause of much strife in the country and resulted in at least three attempts to take the crown from Edward. The Wydville family’s great influence, while Edward lived, including care of the future king, Edward’s son, Prince Edward V, and also lead to the familys’ ignominious downfall after his death.

Elizabeth of York was born at the Palace of Westminster, February 11, 1466, the eldest child of King Edward IV and his Queen. As the infant Elizabeth had no brothers or sisters, she had a strong claim to the throne in her own right – and, even though a woman, she may have been the rightful heir to the throne after the death of her uncle Richard III – but she did not rule as queen regnant, (such a convention would not truly come to England for another sixty-seven years with the ascension of her granddaughter, Mary I). However, she was certainly party to several kingly conspiracies and mysteries in her lifetime.

She ultimately had eight living siblings, five sisters – princesses all, and two brothers, both princes – one brother, Edward, was to become King Edward V, and the 2nd male child, Richard of York, was named after Edward IV’s father, Richard, the “Grand Old Duke of York.”

On Edward’s death in 1483, the crown passed to his twelve year-old son Edward.  Richard III, Duke of Gloucester, Edward IV’s younger brother, was appointed Protector, and escorted the young king, and his brother Richard, to the Tower of London where they were settled in the royal apartments…at least for a time. The famous “Princes in the Tower” were never seen again. However it is unknown whether they were killed or who killed them if it happened. On Richard III’s orders, (betrayal), Parliament declared, in the document “Titulus Regius,” that the two boys were illegitimate, on the grounds that Edward IV’s marriage was invalid, and as such Richard was heir to the throne. He was crowned Richard III in July 1483.

Henry Tudor, leader of the red rose Lancastrian faction, seized the throne in 1485 after Richard was killed in the Battle of Battle of Boswell Field. Henry grudgingly agreed to marry the Yorkist’s white rose, Elizabeth. Weir puts down his deliberate delay to marry Elizabeth to her extremely hypothetical affection for Richard III, but she provides plenty of evidence that Henry’s was a carefully political move. He hated the House of York, and was insistent that he rule in his own right rather than Elizabeth’s. He postponed their marriage until after his own coronation and did not allow hers until she had given birth to a Tudor heir. He had the “Titulus Regius” repealed, thereby legitimizing the children of Edward IV and acknowledged Edward V as his predecessor, since he did not want the legitimacy of his future wife or her claim as heiress of Edward IV called into question. After a papal dispensation was procured, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York married on 18 January 1486. Their first son, Arthur, was born on 20 September 1486. Elizabeth of York was crowned queen on 25 November 1487. Following her coronation she gave birth to five other children, but only three survived infancy – Margaret, Henry and Mary…

As queen, Elizabeth of York did not exercise much political influence, due to her strong-minded mother-in-law Lady Margaret Beaufort, but she was reported to be gentle and kind. Weir’s Elizabeth was generous to her family, benefactors and random supplicants. She was well-read, pious and enjoyed music, dancing, as well as dicing. She came of age during the War of the Roses. As the daughter of a Yorkist king, Edward IV, and the wife of the first Tudor, (Lancastrian) king, Henry VII, she united these warring houses. For this alone, she deserves a prominent place in English history. Throughout her lifetime, she was daughter, sister, niece and wife of English monarchs – Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III, and Henry VII, respectively. She was also the mother of Henry VIII, as well as grandmother to his children Mary I, Elizabeth I and Edward VI. She is the most recent common ancestor of all English and Scottish monarchs, which reigned after James I and VI. “Elizabeth was also a renowned beauty, inheriting her parents’ fair hair and complexion; all other reigning Tudor monarchs inherited her red gold hair and the trait became synonymous with the dynasty.”

I am an English history junkie, especially interested in the period in which Elizabeth lived – medieval and Tudor. So, Weir’s documentation of the feasts and pageants that mark coronations, births, marriages and deaths with good, juicy and documented details fascinates me. While thoroughly scholarly, with pages of annotations at the end, and much time spent in the text on detailed, substantiated arguments and counter arguments of historical contention, Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World, still manages to be irresistible as gossip. It’s full of vivid descriptions of the personalities, the ceremonies, the clothes, the residences, the beliefs, and the viewpoints that made up royal life, and to some extent common life, during the time of Elizabeth of York.

Some may not like this abundance of detail, but it is almost like reading a People Magazine “literary” article of the Queen, her children, husband, and the times they lived in. My likening this history to People Magazine is not a slur on the book, but rather a way of emphasizing, once more, what an easy and interesting read this is. It is clear that Weir truly admires her subject, and does honor to an almost forgotten queen. Elizabeth, she argues, “is often unfairly overshadowed by her successors, the wives of Henry VIII, but she was more successful as queen than any of them. For this, and for her integrity . . . and her many kindnesses, her memory deserves to be celebrated.”

As with all biographies, there are times when Ms. Weir must draw conclusions as to Elizabeth’s thoughts, her knowledge of certain situations, and even her actions. Rather than drawing on popular opinion, Ms. Weir presents her conclusions methodically and carefully, documenting what other historians have said and the reasons why she may or may not agree with them. I was constantly entertained by the authors writing and method of telling this story. The author subtitles her biography “A Tudor Queen and Her World,” for a good reason. Elizabeth was extremely influenced by the tumultuous times she lived in…therefore the background history.

If you want to take a wondrous trip though 15th and 16th century England, this is the book for you.

AMAZON READER RATING: from 89 readers
PUBLISHER: Ballantine Books (December 3, 2013)
REVIEWER: Jana L. Perskie
AVAILABLE AS A KINDLE BOOK? YES! Start Reading Now!
AUTHOR WEBSITE: Alison Weir
EXTRAS: Excerpt
MORE ON MOSTLYFICTION: Continuing the history, read our review of:

Bibliography:

Fiction:

Nonfiction:

]]> /2014/elizabeth-of-york-by-alison-weir/feed/ 0 HEARTSTONE by C.J. Sansom /2011/heartstone-by-c-j-sansom/ /2011/heartstone-by-c-j-sansom/#comments Sun, 27 Feb 2011 14:15:36 +0000 /?p=16403 Book Quote:

“‘We could have you dead in a minute,’ the voice continued. ‘Remember that and listen hard. You drop this case, you forget about it. There’s people who don’t want this matter taken further. Now tell me you understand.’ The pressure at my neck eased, though other hands still gripped my arms hard.
I coughed, managed to gasp a yes.
The hands released me, and I dropped to the muddy ground in a heap….”

Book Review:

Review by Eleanor Bukowsky  (FEB 26, 2011)

In his latest Tudor mystery, Heartstone, C. J. Sansom embroils his hero, lawyer and do-gooder Matthew Shardlake, in several intrigues that take him away from London for a large part of the novel. It is 1545, and the profligate King Henry VIII is squeezing his subjects dry in order to wage an expensive military campaign against France. The king has ordered English currency devalued, levied heavy taxes, conscripted every able-bodied Englishman, and even hired foreign mercenaries to wage war against the enemy.

Matthew, who is forty-three and hunchbacked, has never married but is a respected member of Lincoln’s Inn, in the Court of Requests. However, he frequently puts aside his professional interests to get personally involved in other people’s business. For instance, he visits Ellen Fettiplace, a woman who has been in Bedlam for nineteen years and has grown attached to Shardlake. Although he has no romantic feelings for Ellen, he is determined to find out who placed her in the institution and why. In another matter, Queen Catherine Parr asks Matthew to look into the case of Hugh Curtey, a ward of Sir Nicholas Hobbey. There is some suspicion that Hugh has been wronged and Catherine wants Matthew to investigate the allegation.

Along with his intrepid assistant, Jack Barak, Matthew takes to the road, and a long road it is. Not only will he end up in Portsmouth, where Henry’s huge militia is preparing to defend the English coast from invasion, but he will also tangle with ruthless and greedy men who are willing to kill in order to keep their secrets hidden. Barak would rather stay in London with his pregnant wife, Tamasin; however, in order to avoid military service, he accompanies Shardlake. Matthew is highly intelligent, compassionate, prone to melancholy, stubborn, and a bit obsessive. Even when threatened with bodily harm, he refuses to abandon his inquiries.

Heartstone is fluid, informative, entertaining, and a marvel of research. The author’s period detail and descriptive writing are impressive. He provides maps and background information that add realism to this complex tale. We inhabit sixteenth century England and experience what life was like for royalty, gentlemen, farmers, merchants, and soldiers (they sometimes ate rotten food, lived in flea-infested quarters, and took orders from arrogant and abusive commanders). Their reward? To get “ripped apart and slaughtered in battle.” We get glimpses of the powerful weaponry on a gigantic warship. In addition, the author points out the widespread corruption and favoritism at every level of government, and how bitter the enmity was between the affluent and those who lived from hand to mouth.

Each character is scrupulously depicted. Ellen at times appears to be mad, but she has moments of great calm and lucidity. What terrible memories have left her terrified of leaving the institution? Nicholas Hobbey and his wife, Abigail, are obviously keeping something from Matthew, but can he learn what it is in time to help Hugh? Among the villains is a familiar face, Sir Richard Rich, who is back to give Matthew even more grief. Some may balk at the story’s length (over six hundred pages), but those who enjoy high-quality British historical fiction will continue to welcome each new installment in this splendid series.

AMAZON READER RATING: stars-4-5from 24 readers
PUBLISHER: Viking Adult (January 20, 2011)
REVIEWER: Eleanor Bukowsky
AVAILABLE AS A KINDLE BOOK? YES! Start Reading Now!
AUTHOR WEBSITE: Wikipedia page on C.J. Sansom
EXTRAS: Reading Guide and Excerpt – none available
MORE ON MOSTLYFICTION: Read our review of:

Revelation

Dark Fire

Bibliography:

Mathew Shardlake, hunchback lawyer, 16th Century:

Standalone:

]]> /2011/heartstone-by-c-j-sansom/feed/ 0 WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel /2009/wolf-hall-by-hilary-mantel/ /2009/wolf-hall-by-hilary-mantel/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:21:11 +0000 /?p=6453 Book Quote:

“The fate of peoples is made like this, two men in small rooms. Forget the coronations, the conclaves of cardinals, the pomp and processions. This is how the world changes: a counter pushed across a table, a pen stroke that alters the force of a phrase, a woman’s sigh as she passes and leaves on the air a trail of orange flower or rose water; her hand pulling close the bed curtain, the discreet sigh of flesh against flesh. The king – lord of generalities – must learn now to labor over detail, led on by intelligent greed. As his prudent father’s son, he knows the families of England and what they have. He has registered their holdings in his head, down to the last watercourse and copse. Now the church’s assets are to come under his control, he needs to know their worth. The law of who owns what – the law generally – has accreted a parasitic complexity: it is like a barnacled hull, a roof slimy with moss. But there are lawyers enough, and how much ability does it require, to scrape away as you are directed. Englishmen may be superstitious, they may be afraid of the future, they may not know what England is; but the skills of adding and subtraction are not scarce. Westminster has a thousand scratching pens, but Henry will need, he thinks, new men, new structure, new thinking. Meanwhile, he, Cromwell, puts his commissioners on the road. ‘Valor ecclesiasticus.’ I will do it in six months, he says. Such an exercise has never been attempted before, it is true, but he has already done much that that no one else ever dreamed of.”

Book Review:

Review by Jana L. Perskie (NOV 23, 2009)

Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by English history, especially the period from the Wars of Roses to the English Reformation. Even the best of Hollywood cannot top this era for action, adventure, romance, intrigue and violence.

Please forgive the brief history lesson which follows, but Wolf Hall assumes a deep knowledge of English history that most people – except for those well schooled in English history – lack. I hope to be helpful in summarizing the background of this exceptional work of historical fiction.

The Wars of the Roses, were a series of dynastic civil wars between the rival houses of Lancaster, (the Tudors), and York, (the Plantagenets), for the throne of England. The Lancastrian symbol was the red rose – the Plantagenet’s, the white. The war ended with the victory of the Lancastrian Henry Tudor, King Henry VII, who founded the House of Tudor. His marriage to Elizabeth Plantagenet, (the white rose), and the eldest daughter of King Edward IV, penultimate king of the house of York, cemented the joining of the two houses. The third child of their political union was called Henry, who was to become King Henry VIII. That’s the background information for the setting of Hilary Mantel’s Man Booker Prize winning novel, Wolf Hall.

The time is 16th century Tudor England, (1527 to 1535), under the reign of King Henry VIII, at the beginning of the English Reformation. The Reformation was brought about by a series of events initiated when the Church of England first broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. These events were, in part, associated with the wider process of the European Protestant Reformation, a religious and political movement which affected the practice of Christianity across most of Europe. Many factors contributed to the process: primarily the invention of Johann Gutenberg’s printing press – a device which would change the world.

The demand for books became huge as Europe began to come out of the medieval era into the Renaissance. This hunger for knowledge increased dramatically once the Printing Press was invented – knowledge and ideas that were not easily obtainable before, suddenly became accessible. As people became more prosperous and literate, those who could read Latin were able to read the Bible, and they began to rethink their faith in the Catholic Church. The Printing Press meant that people, like Martin Luther, could spread their word quickly and easily, resulting in the Reformation and other changes. By the year 1480 its impact was immediate among the literate classes. However, once the Bible was translated into English, it enabled printed materials to spread rapidly – people could no longer be kept in ignorance and darkness.

Before The Reformation only the clergy could own and interpret the Bible. It was illegal for laypeople to possess the Holy Book in many countries, including England. it was still forbidden to read a Bible if you weren’t a priest. The Church outlawed the printing of the Bible and certainly the sale of the Bible.

The Lollardy Movement in England began to grow. Lollardy was the political and religious movement of the Lollards from the mid-14th century to the English Reformation. The term Lollards refers to the followers of John Wycliffe, a prominent theologian who was dismissed from University of Oxford in 1381 for criticism of the traditional church, especially his doctrine on the Eucharist. Its demands were primarily for reform of Western Christianity. Lollards were persecuted in England as were the Jews and “false” converts in Spain during the Inquisition.

The above subjects are the heart of Wolf Hall‘s narrative.

I think the novel, including warts and flaws, is certainly worthy of the Booker Prize, although I have not read the short list. You might be disappointed if you are expecting the book to resemble the works of Philippa Gregory or Jean Plaidy, (and I am a huge fan of both writers), or to echo the themes of films like “Anne of a Thousand Days,” “A Man for All Seasons,” or the HBO Tudor mini series, (all terrific films). Wolf Hall is definitely NOT “historical fiction lite!”  From seemingly timeworn material, a fresh and finely wrought work has been written. It portrays an extraordinary portrait of a society in the throes of change, with Henry VIII at its helm and Thomas Cromwell as first mate….or perhaps, visa versa!! But make no mistake, this is not a novel of romance, nor obvious drama with great tension which builds toward an exciting climax.

Our protagonist is Thomas Cromwell, a man from extremely humble beginnings. The son of an abusive Putney blacksmith, Cromwell rises through life to become the chief minister of King Henry VIII. Intelligent and shrewd to begin with, he learned his street smarts after he ran away from home in his early adolescence, and survived by his wits alone. He spent years as a mercenary in France. Then he worked with bankers in Florence. He plied a trade for a time as a clothier, and then as a lawyer. Cromwell’s introduction to the life of the rich and powerful elite begins with his relationship with Cardinal Wolsey. Wolsey is a compelling and commanding figure – an English statesman and Cardinal of the Catholic Church. His eventual fall from such heady heights is due to his inability to provide Henry VIII with a Church-sanctioned divorce from Catherine of Aragon. Ironically, Wolsey’s fall from grace causes Cromwells fortune to rise.

The novel is told entirely from Cromwell’s point of view. Nothing important occurs unless he is either a witness or otherwise made aware of the circumstances.

In the 1520s England is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by another civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his twenty year marriage to Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. Cromwell realizes that Henry, would remain Catholic if the Pope would just give him what he wants, a dispensation to marry Anne. But the Pope and most of Europe oppose him. Cromwell knows that the King can only be led to the Reformation through his desire for Anne Boleyn.

In many Tudor history accounts, Cromwell is disparaged, but here the author gives him a human face. He is constantly busy arranging all things to please “His Majesty,” even willing to give his life to win the king’s favor. Frequently, however, he labors to suit himself and his own desire for reform. He is a family man, yes – but he is also secretive, a bully and a charmer, both idealist and opportunistic, tireless, astute in reading people, and a consummate ambitious politician. He is a reformer but not a zealot. Cromwell helps Henry VIII with “The King’s Great Matter” – to break the opposition and, ultimately, make Henry the head of the Church of England and husband of Anne Boleyn. It is through Cromwell’s eyes that the reader watches the Tudor world unfold.

Wolf Hall is a most complex, deftly written, original novel – but it is long – over 500 pages – and it is certainly not a fast read. This is a book, both vivid and real, which should be read slowly and savored. It doesn’t deal with Henry’s romantic inclinations and indulgences, glamorous fetes and progresses, etc. It doesn’t even touch on Anne Boleyn’s beheading. The main theme here is how to obtain power and wield it. There is little heroism or idealism here.

“Listening to a disgruntled earl pontificate about ‘ancient rights,’ Cromwell wonders how he can explain real life to this clueless nobleman. ‘The world is not run from where he thinks. Not from his border fortresses, not even from Whitehall. The world is run from Antwerp, from Florence, from places he has never imagined . . . not from castle walls, but from countinghouses, not by the call of a bugle but by the click of the abacus.'”

Most surprising is Hilary Mantel’s revisionary take on such figures as Thomas Moore, usually viewed as a great scholar, Renaissance humanist, a violent opponent of the Reformation of Martin Luther, and a government official. For three years, toward the end of his life, he was Lord Chancellor. According to most accounts, Moore was a kind and sympathetic man, faithful to his family, his king and the Church. The author’s version of Moore, who was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886, and canonized on May 19, 1935, by Pope Pius XI, is one of a man obsessed with his religion, who wears hair shirts, flagellates himself, makes fun of his wife, has a nasty temperament, and delights in torturing anyone suspected of Lollardy. Those imprisoned in London’s tower fear his competence with the use of the rack and other such devices. And he delights in seeing “heretics” burn at the stake.

Other characters brought to life on the pages, include: Henry VIII and Thomas Cranmer.  Thomas Cranmer is a leader of the English Reformation who helps build a favorable case for Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon, which results in the separation of the English Church from a union with the Holy See. Along with Thomas Cromwell, Cranmer supports the principle of Royal Supremacy, in which the king is considered sovereign over the Church within his realm. Those in secondary roles include Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk and Anne Boleyn’s uncle; Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk and husband to King Henry’s sister Mary; Anne Boleyn, (who is not a prominent figure here – she is just a prop in a much larger story); Mary Boleyn, (“The Other Boleyn Girl”), the French ambassador, and many more people, famous or otherwise.

What really bothers me about the narrative is that the author uses the pronoun “he” much too frequently but fails to mention the subject first. Therefore I found myself reading a page or two before discovering who “he” is. This is really disconcerting and takes away from the smooth flow of the prose and storyline. Otherwise, the writing, in the present tense, is excellent and often witty.

Honestly, I have no idea why the title is Wolf Hall, which is the seat of the Seymore clan. The name only appears once or twice in the book and is never visited. Jane Seymour, daughter of “Wolf Hall,” was Henry VIII’s 3rd wife who finally bore the man a legitimate son. I could postulate on the symbolism of the title…but in the end, I just advise English history lovers – all historical fiction fans – to grab a copy of Wolf Hall. It is well worth the time it takes to read it.

AMAZON READER RATING: stars-3-5from 1,362 readers
PUBLISHER: Henry Holt and Co. (October 13, 2009)
REVIEWER: Jana L. Perskie
AVAILABLE AS A KINDLE BOOK? YES! Start Reading Now!
AUTHOR WEBSITE: Wikipedia page on  Hilary Mantel
EXTRAS: Excerpt
MORE ON MOSTLYFICTION: More historical fiction:

Bibliography:

John Macrae books:

Nonfiction:

]]> /2009/wolf-hall-by-hilary-mantel/feed/ 0 REVELATION by C. J. Sansom /2009/revelation-by-c-j-sansom/ /2009/revelation-by-c-j-sansom/#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2009 02:57:46 +0000 /?p=269 Book Quote:

“We are in a mad and furious world, Matthew. Mundus furiosis  Each side railing against the other, preaching full of rage and hatred.  The radicals foretelling the end of the world.  To the conversion of some and the confusion of many.”

Book Review:

Reviewed by Eleanor Bukowsky (APR 16, 2009)

C. J. Sansom’s Revelation takes place in 1543, a tumultuous year in English history. Religious fanaticism is on the rise among Protestants and Catholics alike; Henry VIII, who is ailing, has been urging Lady Catherine Parr to become his sixth wife, but she is reluctant to accept his proposal; the chasm between rich and poor is huge, with filthy, starving, and often mentally ill beggars crowding the thoroughfares. The homeless are everywhere, and “most people simply looked away, made the sufferers invisible.” The sick often die in the streets, since there is no hospital care for the destitute.

In this, the fourth installment in Sansom’s splendid series, the narrator, forty-year old lawyer Matthew Shardlake, seems to have finally found peace of mind. Although he has a humpback that still attracts stares and the occasional taunt, Matthew has secured a good position as one of two barristers appointed to plead before the Court of Requests. He enjoys his work and makes enough money to pay a housekeeper, eat well, and dress in fine robes. Although he has no wife, he does have many loyal friends whom he values. Unfortunately, trouble is brewing, and Matthew’s equanimity is about to be shattered.

One of Shardlake’s closest friends is found brutally slaughtered in a public place. Since the victim had no enemies, the killing appears to be a random act of violence. Soon, however, the authorities discover that there have been other similar crimes. Matthew joins forces with Archbishop Cranmer and his inner circle to identify and apprehend a serial killer who uses the book of Revelation as a blueprint for torturing and murdering his victims. Adding to Matthew’s worries, he has a new and troubling client, Adam Kite, a seventeen-year-old who prays obsessively, rails loudly “with strange moans and shrieks” in public, and has been placed in Bedlam, the infamous asylum, on the Privy Council’s orders. Shardlake is also concerned about his loyal assistant, Jack Barak. Jack married the lovely Tamasin and all seemed well until they lost their baby at birth. Since then, the couple has been quarreling incessantly, and Barak spends more time at the pubs than he does with his lonely and depressed wife.

Sansom has immersed himself in the geography, sociology, culture, politics, and theology of London in the sixteenth century and his writing is the richer for it. Revelation is more than five hundred pages long, and the story unfolds gradually; but the patient reader will be compensated for his perseverance. Matthew Shardlake is a marvelous and original creation. Although he is not handsome or physically powerful, he has keen intelligence, insight, compassion, loyalty, and great inner strength. He repeatedly puts himself at risk to track a madman who is as clever as he is sadistic. Another appealing character is Matthew’s close friend, Dr. Guy Malton, an excellent physician who uses his knowledge of medicines, herbs, and human anatomy to alleviate his patients’ suffering. Matthew would be lost without Guy’s able assistance. The secondary characters are, as usual, beautifully portrayed, including Ellen, an agoraphobic who, while confined to Bedlam, takes care of her fellow inmates; Dorothy Elliard, a sweet-natured and attractive woman whom Matthew has loved for years; Archbishop Cranmer, a commanding figure who must weigh his actions carefully, lest he find himself incurring the King’s displeasure; and Piers, Guy’s apprentice and protégé, a bright and calculating boy whom Matthew distrusts.

Revelation is a well-researched and complex novel that brings an unsettled era in London to brilliant life; it is a suspenseful and exciting murder mystery with an explosive ending; and it is an unflinching look at the evils of racial, religious, and class prejudice. The plot may be too busy for those who like their books lean, but the author balances his many subplots and large cast with Dickensian flair. With its lively dialogue, evocative setting, detailed descriptive passages, and engrossing themes,Revelation is a rich and rewarding work of historical fiction that shows why C. J. Sansom has garnered such a devoted following.

AMAZON READER RATING: stars-4-5from 49  reviewers
PUBLISHER: Viking Adult (February 2009)
REVIEWER: Eleanor Bukowsky
AVAILABLE AS A KINDLE BOOK? YES! Start Reading Now!
AUTHOR WEBSITE: Wkipedia page on C.J. Sansom
EXTRAS: none
MORE ON MOSTLYFICTION: Read our review of:

Dark Winter

Bibliography:

Mathew Shardlake, hunchback lawyer, 16th Century:

Standalone:

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