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A review by zombeesknees
Absolution by Murder by Peter Tremayne
4.0
I had this recommended to me by a coworker who knew of my love for the Brother Cadfael series; and while I'll continue to hold the Cadfael series in higher regard, this isn't a shabby cousin to that beloved medieval monk detective.
This series follows Sister Fidelma of Kildare, an Irish nun in 664 AD who also happens to have studied law and is the equivalent of a sheriff or judiciary in her society. There's a heavy focus on the religious turmoil between those who follow the Columba traditions of Ireland and the Celtic world versus those who follow the Roman traditions in Northumbria, and quite a bit about the politics surrounding the high king Oswy and his sons, who are low kings serving beneath him.
Fidelma herself is an interesting character, and her situation shines a light on an area of history I had little previous knowledge of. It was enlightening, learning how in ancient Celtic society women could often hold the same titles, jobs, and command the same respect as men. It was also interesting seeing how much the Church has changed over the centuries, from a time when nuns and monks could cohabit in houses of worship -- even have sexual relationships, marry, and raise their children together in their abbeys -- to the more strict and firmly celibate lifestyle of the religious in more recent times.
The mystery itself is entertaining but not incredibly so; the draw here is definitely the historical commentary, research, and atmosphere evoked by Tremayne. I enjoyed it enough to pick up the second book yesterday, and hope that Fidelma and her Saxon cohort Eadulf will only continue to impress me/endear themselves to me further.
This series follows Sister Fidelma of Kildare, an Irish nun in 664 AD who also happens to have studied law and is the equivalent of a sheriff or judiciary in her society. There's a heavy focus on the religious turmoil between those who follow the Columba traditions of Ireland and the Celtic world versus those who follow the Roman traditions in Northumbria, and quite a bit about the politics surrounding the high king Oswy and his sons, who are low kings serving beneath him.
Fidelma herself is an interesting character, and her situation shines a light on an area of history I had little previous knowledge of. It was enlightening, learning how in ancient Celtic society women could often hold the same titles, jobs, and command the same respect as men. It was also interesting seeing how much the Church has changed over the centuries, from a time when nuns and monks could cohabit in houses of worship -- even have sexual relationships, marry, and raise their children together in their abbeys -- to the more strict and firmly celibate lifestyle of the religious in more recent times.
The mystery itself is entertaining but not incredibly so; the draw here is definitely the historical commentary, research, and atmosphere evoked by Tremayne. I enjoyed it enough to pick up the second book yesterday, and hope that Fidelma and her Saxon cohort Eadulf will only continue to impress me/endear themselves to me further.