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sallyepp's review against another edition
2.0
Too many historical and ecumenical details! The plot was interesting once it got rolling, but I doubt I’ll read the next one. I ended up skimming about 1/3 of this one.
doriastories's review against another edition
2.0
Murder mysteries are not my favorite genre by any means, but I was curious to read this one, because it is set in medieval Northumbria and concerns the cultural and ethnic divide between Celtic Christians and Roman Catholics at that time, and the eventual historical outcome of those differences.
The writing is good, the setting well drawn, but the preponderance of early Anglo-Saxon names is bewildering and tongue-twisting, making it difficult to keep up with the large and multi-ethnic cast of characters. There are, of course, also Celts of various persuasions—Welsh, Briton and Pictish, thank you very much—and even the odd continental Frank, just in case your mind isn’t sufficiently boggled.
And then there is the book’s content - the plot, and the attitudes which produced it, some medieval and others decidedly twentieth-century. The construction and presentation of this particular crime and its motivation, and its relation to certain of the book’s characters, is steeped in an icky form of gay-panic. It is likely based in the author’s distaste or possible prurient curiosity (or both) regarding gay and non-binary people, and his assumption that his readers will share in his attitudes and thus revel in horrified titillation at the denouement. I suspect that the author banked on his readers not taking account of the existence of queer folk when the killer is revealed; he probably congratulated himself on the shocking surprise lying in wait for his heteronormative readership, ooo la lol. This oh-so dated brand of clever doesn’t play well in 2020.
The author continually finds ways to contrast and juxtapose heterosexual inclinations with homosexual inclinations and modes of expression, always to the detriment of the latter. I found this embedded biased characterization very unpleasant, and it detracted from the book’s better qualities.
The writing is good, the setting well drawn, but the preponderance of early Anglo-Saxon names is bewildering and tongue-twisting, making it difficult to keep up with the large and multi-ethnic cast of characters. There are, of course, also Celts of various persuasions—Welsh, Briton and Pictish, thank you very much—and even the odd continental Frank, just in case your mind isn’t sufficiently boggled.
And then there is the book’s content - the plot, and the attitudes which produced it, some medieval and others decidedly twentieth-century. The construction and presentation of this particular crime and its motivation, and its relation to certain of the book’s characters, is steeped in an icky form of gay-panic. It is likely based in the author’s distaste or possible prurient curiosity (or both) regarding gay and non-binary people, and his assumption that his readers will share in his attitudes and thus revel in horrified titillation at the denouement. I suspect that the author banked on his readers not taking account of the existence of queer folk when the killer is revealed; he probably congratulated himself on the shocking surprise lying in wait for his heteronormative readership, ooo la lol. This oh-so dated brand of clever doesn’t play well in 2020.
The author continually finds ways to contrast and juxtapose heterosexual inclinations with homosexual inclinations and modes of expression, always to the detriment of the latter. I found this embedded biased characterization very unpleasant, and it detracted from the book’s better qualities.
mimima's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoy a good cozy mystery, and found this one to be interesting as it addressed the Council of Whidby, which I've not read a lot about and it captures my interest.
Like others have said, the reveal was pretty obvious throughout, and the characters weren't fabulously well drawn, but I enjoyed the storyline and will look for the next one in this series.
Like others have said, the reveal was pretty obvious throughout, and the characters weren't fabulously well drawn, but I enjoyed the storyline and will look for the next one in this series.
besha's review against another edition
1.0
Any book involving Hilda of Whitby will suffer by comparison to HILD, but I gave this one a fair chance. I stuck it out through “cherubic-like” and “misogynism,” only giving up when I correctly deduced that the solution to the mystery was going to be extremely homophobic.
fleurette's review against another edition
3.0
I haven't read too many historical detective stories, especially those set in such old times. But I must admit that it was a very nice experience.
I admit that I know nearly nothing about this period of British Isles history and the Christian church. Therefore, it is difficult for me to say to what extent the events of the book took place in history and to what extent they correspond to reality. But maybe that's why this story was even more interesting to me. I have some general knowledge about the beginnings of Christianity in Europe and a difference in old rites in comparison to those present. But thanks to this book I learned a lot more.
And here we have a really well told story of the murder of the superior mother. There are many suspects and many wrong clues. And more than enough motives, and each of them casts suspicion on different person. This is definitely a well-written story.
The characters are also interesting. My only complaint regards the amount of characters who are suspicious and have some hidden and wicked intentions. It is a bit unnatural, there are no ordinary simple and nice characters that would naturally balance the potentially evil ones. As for the main characters Fidelma and Eadulf, they are fine. Eadulf's involvement in the investigation could have been a little bigger, though. I was hoping that I could watch him cooperate with Fidelma despite their differences. It was a bit lacking here. In fact, Fidelma could do everything alone if Eadulf was missing from the book.
This is definitely a good story, and I am very happy with the end, although I was not surprised as I suspected this person already for some time. But still, I had a good time. And one day I plan to read other books in this series.
I admit that I know nearly nothing about this period of British Isles history and the Christian church. Therefore, it is difficult for me to say to what extent the events of the book took place in history and to what extent they correspond to reality. But maybe that's why this story was even more interesting to me. I have some general knowledge about the beginnings of Christianity in Europe and a difference in old rites in comparison to those present. But thanks to this book I learned a lot more.
And here we have a really well told story of the murder of the superior mother. There are many suspects and many wrong clues. And more than enough motives, and each of them casts suspicion on different person. This is definitely a well-written story.
The characters are also interesting. My only complaint regards the amount of characters who are suspicious and have some hidden and wicked intentions. It is a bit unnatural, there are no ordinary simple and nice characters that would naturally balance the potentially evil ones. As for the main characters Fidelma and Eadulf, they are fine. Eadulf's involvement in the investigation could have been a little bigger, though. I was hoping that I could watch him cooperate with Fidelma despite their differences. It was a bit lacking here. In fact, Fidelma could do everything alone if Eadulf was missing from the book.
This is definitely a good story, and I am very happy with the end, although I was not surprised as I suspected this person already for some time. But still, I had a good time. And one day I plan to read other books in this series.
natcat's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Solid murder mystery, with a very interesting historical setting! I really enjoyed the portrayal of 7th century Northumbria and the perspectives of characters from different places and different Christian traditions. I will definitely continue this series!
morgandhu's review against another edition
3.0
This week I felt a need for some light but still interesting reading, which brought to my mind a series I’d gotten interested in through reading several short stories, but had not gotten around to reading any of the novels. That series is Peter Tremayne’s Sister Fidelma books, set in the seventh century British Isles (primarily Ireland) and featuring an Irish religieuse and lawyer of noble blood and deep perceptions.
The first novel of the series is set in 664 AD, during the Council of Whitby at the abbey of Streoneshalh, run by Hild (St. Hilda), relative of King Oswy of Northumbria, a powerful woman in her own right. At this time, there was a great deal of antagonism between the Roman and Irish/Ionian churches, which were different in a number of small, and not-so-small ways. The Council of Whitby was convened to present arguments before King Oswy for which church should be given royal sanction in Northumbria. Sister Fidelma is present as an advisor on legal matters to the Irish delegation.
On their way to the abbey, Sister Fidelma’s party encounter a grim sight, the hanged corpse of a fellow brother of an Irish church order, and learn that he was killed because his defense of the Irish church was taken as an insult by the local lord, Wulfric. This violence pales, however, before the crime that Fidelma is called upon to investigate - the murder of Etain, abbess of Kildare, and a major proponent of the Irish church. In order to remove all suggestion of possible investigative bias, due to the politically charged atmosphere surrounding the crime, Fidelma is asked to conduct her investigations jointly with a young Saxon monk of the Roman church, Brother Eadulf.
The book follows the standard format of the mystery/ crime procedural, of course. Fidelma and Eadulf observe the crime scene, arrange for an autopsy, interview witnesses, suspects and other persons of interest, gather clues, develop timetables and theories, and so on. What makes the novel particularly interesting to me is the wealth of research into legal and social conventions, monastic life and the variations of Christian doctrine that Tremayne employs in building the background and atmosphere. Details of clothing and patterns of monastic life, differences between Saxon and Irish law, arguments over the correct way to determine the date of the Paschal feast (which the Saxons call Easter after their goddess Oestre), all these things help to make the characters and situations real and interesting.
Of course, as with all historical fiction, Tremayne has made some creative alterations to the bare accounts of the events of the Synod of Whitby. There are no records of an abbess of Kildare named, but then the early records of Kildare are a little sketchy, and Etain, in the novel, had only been abbess nine months before her death. And since Etain dies before the Synod is opened, there would have ben no record of her presence there if she had existed. The death of Archbishop Deusdedit of Canterbury is another bit of creative supposition. One would have expected Deusdedit to speak at the Synod, but he does not appear in the records. He is known to have died around the time of the Synod, probably of plague. It is within the realm of possibility that he did go to Whitby, but fell ill and died without participating.
I enjoyed the short stories I’d read, and I’ve enjoyed reading this novel. I look forward to the rest of the series.
The first novel of the series is set in 664 AD, during the Council of Whitby at the abbey of Streoneshalh, run by Hild (St. Hilda), relative of King Oswy of Northumbria, a powerful woman in her own right. At this time, there was a great deal of antagonism between the Roman and Irish/Ionian churches, which were different in a number of small, and not-so-small ways. The Council of Whitby was convened to present arguments before King Oswy for which church should be given royal sanction in Northumbria. Sister Fidelma is present as an advisor on legal matters to the Irish delegation.
On their way to the abbey, Sister Fidelma’s party encounter a grim sight, the hanged corpse of a fellow brother of an Irish church order, and learn that he was killed because his defense of the Irish church was taken as an insult by the local lord, Wulfric. This violence pales, however, before the crime that Fidelma is called upon to investigate - the murder of Etain, abbess of Kildare, and a major proponent of the Irish church. In order to remove all suggestion of possible investigative bias, due to the politically charged atmosphere surrounding the crime, Fidelma is asked to conduct her investigations jointly with a young Saxon monk of the Roman church, Brother Eadulf.
The book follows the standard format of the mystery/ crime procedural, of course. Fidelma and Eadulf observe the crime scene, arrange for an autopsy, interview witnesses, suspects and other persons of interest, gather clues, develop timetables and theories, and so on. What makes the novel particularly interesting to me is the wealth of research into legal and social conventions, monastic life and the variations of Christian doctrine that Tremayne employs in building the background and atmosphere. Details of clothing and patterns of monastic life, differences between Saxon and Irish law, arguments over the correct way to determine the date of the Paschal feast (which the Saxons call Easter after their goddess Oestre), all these things help to make the characters and situations real and interesting.
Of course, as with all historical fiction, Tremayne has made some creative alterations to the bare accounts of the events of the Synod of Whitby. There are no records of an abbess of Kildare named, but then the early records of Kildare are a little sketchy, and Etain, in the novel, had only been abbess nine months before her death. And since Etain dies before the Synod is opened, there would have ben no record of her presence there if she had existed. The death of Archbishop Deusdedit of Canterbury is another bit of creative supposition. One would have expected Deusdedit to speak at the Synod, but he does not appear in the records. He is known to have died around the time of the Synod, probably of plague. It is within the realm of possibility that he did go to Whitby, but fell ill and died without participating.
I enjoyed the short stories I’d read, and I’ve enjoyed reading this novel. I look forward to the rest of the series.
elliot_dw's review against another edition
2.0
I can’t quite decide how I feel about this book. I loved the setting, and getting to learn about Celtic Christianity and theological debates of the period. But as other reviewers also said, the first half of the book feels like an info dump about the period, with too many names and places, without enough contextualizing to know which are important.
I liked Sister Fidelma as a character, although I hope she gets more fully fleshed out in future books. The mystery plot was fine - not shocking, but enjoyable enough to watch it unfold. I was unimpressed, though, by the homophobic characterization of one (arguably, two) of the secondary characters.
While I didn’t love this one, I’m willing to give the series another try, in hopes that Tremayne figures out his writing style a bit more.
I liked Sister Fidelma as a character, although I hope she gets more fully fleshed out in future books. The mystery plot was fine - not shocking, but enjoyable enough to watch it unfold. I was unimpressed, though, by the homophobic characterization of one (arguably, two) of the secondary characters.
While I didn’t love this one, I’m willing to give the series another try, in hopes that Tremayne figures out his writing style a bit more.
moncoinlecture's review against another edition
4.0
J'ai beaucoup aimé, surtout pour le contexte historique que j'ai trouvé passionnant. L'intrigue se tient, même si comme de coutume, j'avais tout deviné dès le début!
nachtschreck's review against another edition
4.0
3,5 Sterne.
Ein extrem kurzweiliger historischer Krimi mit einigen Schwachstellen.
Die Heldin des Buchs ist die irische Nonne Schwester Fidelma. Sie ist mehr oder weniger perfekt. Ihr Haar ist rot und schwer zu bändigen, ihre Statur zierlich, ihre Augenfarbe wechselt zwischen blau und grün. Sie sei viel zu hübsch für das Zölibat, meint Äbtissin Abbe, aber das war zur Zeit des Romans ohnehin noch nicht vorgeschrieben. Natürlich ist sie auch hochintelligent, und trotz ihrer Jugend schon eine Art Richterin und berechtigt, auf Augenhöhe mit Königen zu diskutieren. Das passt den primitiven und chauvinistischen Sachsen natürlich gar nicht.
Überhaupt, die Sachsen. Hier mal ein paar Namen: Aldfrith, Alhfrith, Alhflaed, Athelnoth, Athelswith. Zwei davon sind Frauen.
Trotz (oder vielleicht gerade wegen) einer Hauptfigur mit Mary-Sue-Tendenzen und allgemeiner Namensverwirrung fand ich "Nur der Tod bringt Vergebung" sehr unterhaltsam und freue mich schon drauf, den nächsten Band der Reihe zu lesen.
Ein extrem kurzweiliger historischer Krimi mit einigen Schwachstellen.
Die Heldin des Buchs ist die irische Nonne Schwester Fidelma. Sie ist mehr oder weniger perfekt. Ihr Haar ist rot und schwer zu bändigen, ihre Statur zierlich, ihre Augenfarbe wechselt zwischen blau und grün. Sie sei viel zu hübsch für das Zölibat, meint Äbtissin Abbe, aber das war zur Zeit des Romans ohnehin noch nicht vorgeschrieben. Natürlich ist sie auch hochintelligent, und trotz ihrer Jugend schon eine Art Richterin und berechtigt, auf Augenhöhe mit Königen zu diskutieren. Das passt den primitiven und chauvinistischen Sachsen natürlich gar nicht.
Überhaupt, die Sachsen. Hier mal ein paar Namen: Aldfrith, Alhfrith, Alhflaed, Athelnoth, Athelswith. Zwei davon sind Frauen.
Trotz (oder vielleicht gerade wegen) einer Hauptfigur mit Mary-Sue-Tendenzen und allgemeiner Namensverwirrung fand ich "Nur der Tod bringt Vergebung" sehr unterhaltsam und freue mich schon drauf, den nächsten Band der Reihe zu lesen.