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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
Wonderful characters, clever little story, delicious little book
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A king dies after naming his daughter heir. A usurper cousin seizes the crown while the presumptive queen is across the sea. A kingdom is at war with itself as the aristocracy's allegiances are set. And later a trial by combat! At the center of it all — a dagger. Alas, there are no dragons, only the monks of Shrewsbury Abbey. This is not House of the Dragon, but the great English Anarchy.
While the first in the series was a comparatively humble village affair, here Brother Cadfael gets to flex his deductive skills. King Stephen employs him to prepare the bodies of 94 Shrewsbury men hanged for their loyalties to Empress Maud. One problem — Cadfael finds amongst the dead, not 94, but 95 bodies. Indeed, one corpse too many. What follows is equal parts mystery and heist. As Cadfael sleuths the circumstances of the auxiliary corpse, he is also moving in secret a treasury and lady into Wales (both of which are intended for Empress Maud). What a trip! How Brother Cadfael has time to do this and also attend 5 masses a day is beyond me. Once again Ellis Peter's physical descriptions of men from Brother Cadfael's perspectives delight: "He draped his torn and stained cotte round his shoulders, but for the rest was naked under his blanket, and the bared chest and narrow flanks were elegantly formed." Steamy!
While the first in the series was a comparatively humble village affair, here Brother Cadfael gets to flex his deductive skills. King Stephen employs him to prepare the bodies of 94 Shrewsbury men hanged for their loyalties to Empress Maud. One problem — Cadfael finds amongst the dead, not 94, but 95 bodies. Indeed, one corpse too many. What follows is equal parts mystery and heist. As Cadfael sleuths the circumstances of the auxiliary corpse, he is also moving in secret a treasury and lady into Wales (both of which are intended for Empress Maud). What a trip! How Brother Cadfael has time to do this and also attend 5 masses a day is beyond me. Once again Ellis Peter's physical descriptions of men from Brother Cadfael's perspectives delight: "He draped his torn and stained cotte round his shoulders, but for the rest was naked under his blanket, and the bared chest and narrow flanks were elegantly formed." Steamy!
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5 stars. I really enjoyed Peters's writing in this one, but couldn't overlook the many coincidences that led to the solving of the mystery. That said, I loved meeting .
Spoiler
Hugh Beringar, and wish I'd read this before I read [b:The Sanctuary Sparrow|5972|The Sanctuary Sparrow (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #7)|Ellis Peters|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334529633s/5972.jpg|2572362] (since I recognised his name from the latter, I knew he couldn't be the bad guy in this one)
I like Brother Cadfael and the period the books are set in, but this one didn't have much of a mystery to it. I felt like one plot thread was dropped and then forgotten.
I'll still read more in the series.
I'll still read more in the series.
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, Classism
Minor: Racism
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
It has probably been more than 25 years since I read the first Brother Cadfael book, and I am glad that I ventured back into the series. This book was a pleasant melding of mystery and history, with the very lovable Cadfael at the center.