Many thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel and Grau for gifting me this wonderful debut novel by Janet Rich Edwards. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!
In 13th Century Bruges, Aleys is sixteen years old and serious, stubborn, prone to religious visions. She and her only friend, a young scholar, have been learning Latin together in secret—but just as she thinks their connection might become something more, he abandons her for the monastery. When her family falls on hard financial times, her father promises her in marriage to the unctuous head of the weavers’ guild, and in desperation she runs away from home, eventually finding shelter within a community of religious women who do not answer to the church. Among the hardworking and strong-willed Beguines, Aleys glimpses for the first time the joys of a life of song, friendship, and time spent in the markets and along the canals of Bruges. But forces both mystical and political are afoot. Illegal translations of scripture, the women’s independence, and a sudden rash of miracles all draw the attention of an ambitious bishop—and bring Aleys and those around her into ever-increasing danger, a danger that will push Aleys to a new understanding of love and sacrifice.
I just finished this book and while I should probably take some time before reviewing, I also want to get my thoughts down about this amazing debut novel. While it’s easy to judge past behavior based on today’s societal views, this book opens up a look into history where religion rules every part of a person’s day and where women are no more than chattel. As a Catholic, it was fascinating to go back in time – again, not judging as much as learning in the hopes of doing better. If you are interested in how women come together for each other no matter what, this is your book. I’m awed by the research and faith in this book, and I feel so unworthy compared to what those in our past dealt with and gave up. In a society where religion is passe, and only half of Americans even consider themselves religious, to subject yourself to what these people did in our past is almost inconceivable. To think that this was a debut novel is in itself inconceivable. While I can’t imagine the time and research involved in this book, I’m hoping that this author has more stories to tell. Sign me up for whatever she writes.
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