The Leper of Saint Giles by Ellis Peters (Cadfael Chronicles Book 5)

 

Publication Date: 

January 1, 1996

Length:

217 pages

Summary:

Brother Cadfael, resident herbalist of Shrewsbury Abbey is helping to prepare for an upcoming wedding to be held there. Nobleman Baron Huon de Domville and Lady Iveta de Massard are hardly a young couple in love though. The groom is many decades older and is unattractive and harsh. The bride, innocent and used for an advantageous match between families, is desperate and dreading her future life. In love with another, Joscelin Lucy, a squire of Domville's, she hopes something will save her from her fate. 

As the time draws near, it seems her wish is granted when Domville is found strangled in the woods, apparently headed to an unknown destination, suspiciously alone and not in the company of any of his servants. Lucy, who was previously accused of theft by his employer when Domville suspected a romantic entanglement with Iveta, is accused of murdering Domville to save himself and goes on the run to avoid the gallows. 

Aided by his friends Simon and Guy, he is able to remain free for a time and is taken in by the Saint Giles leper colony, disguised in a location that no one, not even the Sheriff's men want to go. Biding his time while trying to figure out what to do, Lucy becomes attached to a mysterious leper and a young boy, Bran, who give him hope and compassion. 

Meanwhile, Brother Cadfael is on the case and investigating the mysterious death of Domville, not  willing to believe Lucy is guilty. His sleuthing leads him to mysterious plants, a previously unknown hunting lodge, and another woman in the mix. He has precious little time to figure out how these things all tie together if he is to save Lucy. 

My Thoughts: 

The story was well written as always in Peters's eloquent style, with lots of description and at least a few vocabulary words I had to look up. That makes her stories top notch as cozy mysteries go and Cadfael is always entertaining. There wasn't a whole lot of twists and turns until the last two chapters but they more than made up for the slower pace. Iveta's evil Aunt and Uncle are convincing villains, using her for their gain and Domville is given a back story that I didn't see coming. 

I had wanted to read this particular Cadfael mystery for awhile simply because the title intrigued me. I am reading the stories in order but really wanted to get to this one. While I enjoyed the mystery and ending a lot, I was a bit disappointed that Peters didn't include a little more history and insight into the actual disease of leprosy and the colony in the story. I realize the focus is on the crime and solving it but I thought she could have included more about the time and treatment of the disease then. 

I will continue with these mysteries as they are set in a time period I love, The Anarchy between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda. Shrewsbury is a great setting for the story and Cadfael is a solid character, always getting his man (or woman) in the end.

The King's Jewel by Elizabeth Chadwick

 

Publication Date:  April 18, 2023

Length: 512 pages

This is the first Chadwick novel I've read and reviewed. I have skimmed the beginning of a couple of her William Marshal books but never got around to reading them. I know they are very popular and come highly recommended by my fellow blogger friends. Nesta of Wales is definitely what I'd call an obscure topic so I wanted to try this book. Also, it is Chadwick's latest so I knew it would be one others might not have gotten around to reading yet. 

The story begins in Wales in the year 1093. Young Nesta, a Princess of the territory of Deheubarth, daughter of King Rhys ap Tewdwr, is in the stables seeing to the new colt recently birthed. Her father is off on a mission to see the hated Normans, encroaching into Welsh territory and expected home any day now. When he arrives, carried on his horse, killed in battle, Nesta's world changes forever. She and her mother, along with her brother, who is now the four year old heir to the kingdom are forced to run for the coast and only her brother Gruffyed makes it to a waiting ship to be taken off to safety in Ireland. Nesta and her mother are kidnapped by the Norman warriors, separated, and taken into the custody of foreign strangers in a foreign land, their world turned upside down. 

When Nesta begins her captivity she is treated well by the ladies of the house who encourage her to accept her fate and to try to learn the language and culture of her surroundings. Eventually, she catches the eye of Henry, brother to the King, who takes her as his latest conquest. Although he is not abusive, he is harsh and demanding and Nesta grows to hate him as she realizes she is a pawn in the game of the powerful. When William Rufus dies and Henry becomes King, her world improves when she gives birth to his illegitimate son and Henry at least provides for them in a decent manner. Throughout the years of uncertainty and separation from her family, Nesta learns to rely on herself and the circle of women she is forced to live with, also concubines of Henry who bear him many children. 

Just when she is ready to give up on another life, Nesta receives news that she is to be married off to a man who will care for her and her child and hopefully take her back to Wales, where she will be among her people. 

Alongside Nesta's story is Gerald's. He is a Norman, fighting with Henry and his men but with an affinity for the Welsh people, as he has been installed there as Castellan of Pembroke Castle, in Deheubarth. He is both loyal to his King while also feeling tied to the land he is overseeing. As he ponders his future, Gerald finds a way to have all he wishes for when he makes a bold move to approach King Henry and ask him to fulfill his wish for a family and security. 

The subject matter in this book was fascinating and I found myself researching the back stories of the main characters. Although Chadwick clearly did a lot of research for this one, she admits some of the story had to be filled in with fiction because there is just not enough on Nesta and Gerald in the record to know everything. I thought she did a great job of sticking to the facts while adding her own personal touches. I learned a lot about the time period and Wales too which I really enjoyed.

The downside of the book for me was that it started to feel more like a romance novel about halfway through. I also started to grow tired of Nesta and her complaining, even after she is given a new start. To be clear, she is traumatized and assaulted by Henry at a very young age and no doubt this influences her dark outlook on things, but some of the choices she makes are hard to reconcile with the life she is presented with. I preferred the history and adventure at the beginning and wish Chadwick had stuck to more of that than letting the story devolve into too much emotion and drama between the main characters. It just became tedious after awhile. 

I still enjoyed the book and recommend it but it didn't have the feel of a Penman or Weir historical novel. I guess I need to try one of her Marshal books as I hear such great things about them.

Monk's Hood (Cadfael Chronicles Book 3) by Ellis Peters

Publication Date:  January 1, 1996

Length: 287 pages

This is my third book to read in the Cadfael Chronicles. I remember coming across these books many times and not being very interested in trying them. I'm not sure exactly why except that I thought the time period was too unfamiliar to me then. After getting to know the 1100's a little better through other sources I am now hooked on her series! It's a little like reading Victorian Anne Perry novels but set in the middle ages: a great mystery, with a compelling main character, history, and wonderfully clever dialogue. What's not to love about that? Also, the font on the cover of the books is so beautiful. That is a really lame reason but if I'm being honest, it's a great visual draw to her books. 

The story begins in 1138 during the period in England known as The Anarchy. King Stephen and Empress Matilda are at war with each other although at this time Shrewsbury is fairly quiet. Cadfael is a middle aged monk who lives out his days in Shrewsbury Abbey. He is the herbalist and loves being in his greenhouse tending to his plants and helping the members of the Abbey when they are unwell and needing his medicinal help. In his former days he was a sailor, soldier, and Crusader who has seen much of the world, but has settled down to a quieter religious life. 

When the Bonel family moves into a house owned by the Abbey, Brother Cadfael is called to tend to Gervase Bonel who has taken ill. He tries to no avail to relieve his symptoms with a mixture containing the plant Monk's Hood, a deadly combination if not treated with proper care. While there, Cadfael recognizes his long ago love, Richildis, Bonel's wife. She has a son, Edwin, who hates his stepfather. When Bonel mysteriously dies, Edwin is accused and becomes a fugitive. Cadfael is determined to find out the truth owing to his unwavering pursuit of justice and his remembered love for Richildis. His quest takes him through many twists and turns including a trip into Wales, his homeland. With his usual wit and insight into human nature, Cadfael unravels the truth and is able to find justice. 

I've read some reviews of these books previously that say you don't have to read them in order. And while technically that is true I would consider doing so. There are recurring characters with distinct personalities that I would not appreciate as much if I just picked up a random volume. I think I'd still be very confused. There is a subtle humor in the way Peters writes and you see previous events build on one another in the way the characters interact. Brother Jerome, Prior Robert and Brother Mark are frequently included throughout the stories and serve to add humor and levity. Cadfael easily sees through the pious Jerome and has affection for his apprentice Mark. Without their original backstories from the first books I wouldn't really pay much attention to them. 

These books are pretty short and can be read quickly. However, I have found you really have to pay attention. There is a lot going on behind the words, meaning if my mind wanders I get lost quickly. The mystery part is not usually super involved but her style of writing is a bit like an old fashioned classic book I think. It is not as straightforward as more modern books and I like that because I find it expands my vocabulary and thinking skills. It is fun to try to unravel some of the sarcasm and deeper meanings as we are taken inside Cadfael's thoughts. And she is great at weaving history throughout the story. 

I'd like to finish them all eventually and will review more as I work my way through them. 

 

 

Uneasy Lies the Crown: A Novel of Owain Glyndwr by N. Gemini Sasson

Publication Date: November 1, 2012

Length: 434 pages

This book appealed to me because it concerns an area I know almost nothing about: Wales. And I certainly had no working knowledge of Medieval Wales. Studying Owain Glyndwr is probably standard history coursework if you are an English or Welsh child but I doubt here in America the average person could even find Wales on a map. So this book really intrigued me. Sasson has written several books on more obscure figures (Robert the Bruce, Queen Isabella) and I admire that willingness to take on lesser known subjects. This story also coincides with a time period in England that I find intriguing....the rise of Henry Bolingbroke and the involvement of the Percy family, specifically Henry Hotspur, the English knight. 

The story begins in the late 1300's with the birth and childhood of Owain Glyndwr, a Welsh son of a nobleman who traces his lineage to the great princes of Wales. Owain is happy and thriving with his family and expects to live out his days inheriting the land he lives on from his father although he realizes his father is beholden to the English King Edward III and wishes he did not have to leave them so often to fight in English wars. When his father dies of the flux while away fighting with the king's son, Edward the Black Prince, Owain is sent to live as a ward of the Earl of Arundel.  He eventually ends up in London where he studies law and becomes an apprentice of one of the justices there. He marries and has a family and is content to live out his days happily with them on his own land back in Wales. A dispute with a neighboring English marcher Lord sets off a chain of events that thrusts Owain into a leadership role he never intended on.

When Henry of Bolingbroke usurps the throne of his cousin Richard II, Owain is determined to fight for Wales and its independence. He is successful in battle enough that he eventually enters into an agreement with Henry Percy (Henry Hotspur) which comes with a heavy price. He finds himself unable to retreat from his warrior status and is drawn deeper and deeper into his role as an almost mythical savior of the Welsh people. We see his subsequent stubbornness and bravery as he tries to hang onto any small shred of land and castles against enormous odds.

A unique aspect to this book is how Sasson weaves back and forth from her story of Owain to the writings of the Welsh poet Iola Goch. After certain chapters she gives primary source excerpts from the poet's book in which he writes of the exploits of Glyndwr. It is always an added bonus for me to have the thoughts of actual living people from the day in an historical fiction novel. Goch clearly presents Glyndwr as a mythical King Arthur of sorts and so it isn’t exactly an unbiased account. Still, it is a nice touch to the story. 

I enjoyed this book simply because it was new material for me. I hadn't ever found another book on the subject in historical fiction and so I knew I was bound to learn a lot. Sasson is a good writer and has done remarkable research. I appreciated the way she consistently gave the year at the beginning of each chapter as it kept me focused and able to more easily follow the timeline of events. Her willingness to show the human side of her main character was nice as he is not presented as all saint or sinner. He has affairs and fathers children out of wedlock and is torn between his wife and lover. He is shown as loyal to friends and fellow countrymen while also being willing to come to terms with the English if necessary. In the end, she conveys the frustrations and conflict within him as he tries to decide what to do when surrender seems to be the only way out. She also does a good job of immersing one in the harsh weather and terrain of Wales. Fighting through a Welsh winter was not for the faint of heart. I was chilled to the bone just reading certain parts!

I think there could have been a bit more in depth description of some of the battles. The story often got confusing for me since I do not have a working background knowledge of Welsh history. I found myself having to look up certain parts of the story to better understand what was going on. Sometimes I felt the author took for granted that readers would know more than is realistic given that this subject, time, and place are pretty obscure for the average person. Overall though I thought she did a nice job of telling the main story of his life and evoking a sense of atmosphere and history. There were parts of the book that had me sad and depressed for Owain and his men. When things become dire for them and they still soldier on it is hard not to be awed by their courage and conviction.

I look forward to reading her books about Robert the Bruce and Isabella. Having researched much of the material from the Glyndwr novel she has earned my trust that her historical research is solid and accurate. You will learn so much from this book about a forgotten warrior and his cause. I find myself much more sympathetic to the Welsh and want to read more about their long struggles for independence.