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readlovegrow's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
1208-1250 AD
England, Jerusalem, Cairo, France, Varad (Hungary), Ragusa (Sicily)
The story starts out with 8 year old Stephen of Dunwich being forced to leave his hometown after his home is wiped out by a storm. His (fisherman) father is presumably killed during the storm and his desperate mother takes him to a monastery to live. However, Stephen doesn't want to be a monk and around the age of 14, begins to plan his escape.
Things I enjoyed about the novel:
-- The level of detail and research that must have gone into it. Not just about medieval architecture, but the way the guilds worked, how the monastery functioned, what travel was like, what foreign countries were like, how the patronage system worked, the machinations of the Mongol army, and more.
-- How the "bigger picture" of what was going on at the time was woven into the story. Whether it was monks talking about Pope Innocent's interdict on England and King John's excommunication, or the author taking a side step to talk about what the Mongols were up to and how the Western world was confused by them.
-- That Stephen had one love and (even though I thought they'd never make it together at first) he consistently persisted in his love for her. I like that she was his "constant" and no matter how badly things went, his life was "never empty as long as he had her in it." But he was never weird about it. It never seemed over-the-top, just right and comfortable.
-- The irony of themes like the "immortality" of stone and running away from your problems only to end up right where you started. I really like how everything was tied up in the end. I don't care if it's not realistic, I like all my loose ends cared for.
-- I like that everyone had issues. Stephen was a workaholic and allowed his hubris to take over, even his closest friends caused him grief at different points in his life(J-caught sneaking out, G-gave up his title and funding, M-had designs on his wife) but they worked around it/through it.
There wasn't much that I didn't like about this novel. I'm really glad I read it. There's over 500 pages, it takes place in six different countries, in five decades of a man's life... There's a LOT that happens. 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Edit: The only thing I don't like is the cover. Who are these people suppose to be? Stephen is suppose to be blond, fair, and broad-shouldered. Aude is suppose to be a small peasant woman with dark skin and black hair
Also, I found this article about Dunwich (which apparently really did fall into the sea): https://stephenliddell.co.uk/2016/02/29/the-drowned-village-of-dunwich/
Edit 2: I like that the author has degrees in mathematics and linguistics. That's unique.
England, Jerusalem, Cairo, France, Varad (Hungary), Ragusa (Sicily)
The story starts out with 8 year old Stephen of Dunwich being forced to leave his hometown after his home is wiped out by a storm. His (fisherman) father is presumably killed during the storm and his desperate mother takes him to a monastery to live. However, Stephen doesn't want to be a monk and around the age of 14, begins to plan his escape.
Things I enjoyed about the novel:
-- The level of detail and research that must have gone into it. Not just about medieval architecture, but the way the guilds worked, how the monastery functioned, what travel was like, what foreign countries were like, how the patronage system worked, the machinations of the Mongol army, and more.
-- How the "bigger picture" of what was going on at the time was woven into the story. Whether it was monks talking about Pope Innocent's interdict on England and King John's excommunication, or the author taking a side step to talk about what the Mongols were up to and how the Western world was confused by them.
-- That Stephen had one love and (even though I thought they'd never make it together at first) he consistently persisted in his love for her. I like that she was his "constant" and no matter how badly things went, his life was "never empty as long as he had her in it." But he was never weird about it. It never seemed over-the-top, just right and comfortable.
-- The irony of themes like the "immortality" of stone and running away from your problems only to end up right where you started. I really like how everything was tied up in the end. I don't care if it's not realistic, I like all my loose ends cared for.
-- I like that everyone had issues. Stephen was a workaholic and allowed his hubris to take over, even his closest friends caused him grief at different points in his life
There wasn't much that I didn't like about this novel. I'm really glad I read it. There's over 500 pages, it takes place in six different countries, in five decades of a man's life... There's a LOT that happens. 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Edit: The only thing I don't like is the cover. Who are these people suppose to be? Stephen is suppose to be blond, fair, and broad-shouldered. Aude is suppose to be a small peasant woman with dark skin and black hair
Also, I found this article about Dunwich (which apparently really did fall into the sea): https://stephenliddell.co.uk/2016/02/29/the-drowned-village-of-dunwich/
Edit 2: I like that the author has degrees in mathematics and linguistics. That's unique.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and War
Minor: Sexual assault and Rape
margaretpinard's review
3.0
An interesting story starting in Dunwich, then Ely, then getting kind of long-winded and taking in the known world: Italy, Cairo, France, Hungary, etc. I don't usually read fiction set in medieval times, but this one was less trope-y and I liked the connection Stephen had with stones and that supernatural aspect. His lady love Aude I liked too, even though she occasionally did silly 'womanish' things for the plot to continue grinding along. A long story, it could've been shorter. Good read.
darlenemarshall's review
4.0
This is the kind of involved historical with a great deal of research and detail that satisfies my inner reader. Unfortunately, in some ways the depth of character for the protagonists seemed sacrificed for the joy of sharing the intricacies of architecture in the age of great medieval cathedrals.
In addition there were abrupt point of view shifts in some scenes which I find off-putting, but YMMV. Overall it was a fascinating look into an age of faith and wonder, and would be enjoyed by readers who like stories about extraordinary people in the Middle Ages who weren't powerful knights and nobles, yet left an enduring legacy.
In addition there were abrupt point of view shifts in some scenes which I find off-putting, but YMMV. Overall it was a fascinating look into an age of faith and wonder, and would be enjoyed by readers who like stories about extraordinary people in the Middle Ages who weren't powerful knights and nobles, yet left an enduring legacy.
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