Scan barcode
readingwithcats's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Confinement
applegnreads's review against another edition
4.0
A bit twistier than normal with more mature characters (mostly).
sandin954's review against another edition
3.0
Cadfael must sort through a thorny mystery involving a young widow and the house she rents to the monks for the yearly price of a single rose. Listened to the audio version read by the always professional Nadia May.
rebeccabadger's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
ridesthesun's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
eososray's review against another edition
4.0
I love this entire series but there are a few who have a common complaint from me, too much melodrama. This one falls into those few.
It's a very dramatic story that includes death (of course), kidnapping, fire, jealousy and love.
It's a very dramatic story that includes death (of course), kidnapping, fire, jealousy and love.
laurasullivan's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
judyward's review against another edition
3.0
The 13th book in the Brother Cadfael series. In 1142, spring is very late in arriving and there is concern in the town of Shrewsbury for the crops. There is also concern that the late spring will prevent the white rose bush in the garden of the house that Niall, the bronzesmith, rents from blooming by the feast day of St. Winifred Judith Perle, a widow whose husband and unborn child died within 20 days of each other, leases the house to the Abbey and asks only a single white rose each year as rent. If the bush fails to product a bloom by St. Winifred's feast day, the contract is broken. Brother Elurie, who had delivered the rose for the past three years to Judith, is found murdered at the base of the rose bush and the bush itself is heavily damaged in an apparent attempt to destroy it. Brother Cadfael joins the Sheriff in investigating this crime and those that come after it in an effort to protect Judith and uphold the contract. The strength of this series is not only the plot--although in this book, I guessed the outcome fairly early--but in the impressive historical research that was obviously conducted by the author. I think that it's time to revisit this series and get to know Brother Cadfael, the other brothers in the Abbey, and the residents of Shrewsbury better.