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A review by stefhyena
The Devil's Novice by Ellis Peters
3.0
This reds easily and kept me turning pages wanting to know what happens next, for all that it centres only male character and has some internalised misogyny in (for example) the way Roswitha is portrayed and the way Isouda is compared and contrasted with her (I believed the only other named female character was the bland Aline, who in most of the books does nothing except give birth and seerve her menfolk).
So the gender stuff irritated me and I also find Peters' overly romantic sociology of the family a bit difficult to stomach (but I like it better in 12th century Shrewsbury than in any century I have lived in).
Nevertheless for all that (as usual) I am talking about the flaws, I enjoyed this as a relaxing read with twists that while not too surprising were satisfactory. There's always a romance at the centre of every plot with Peters but this one did not irritate me more than average. Cadfael and Hugh are (probably anachronistically) fair-minded and idealistic and while I don;t completely believe in it I enjoy how refreshing that is, as well as reading a book set in such a gory, violent time that manages to be honorable and chivalrous and not gory (which would be more authentic but less pleasant to read).
I found the portrayal of everyday life in a Monastery pretty likeable too and in many ways believable. All in all it was enjoyable (barring the misogyny)
So the gender stuff irritated me and I also find Peters' overly romantic sociology of the family a bit difficult to stomach (but I like it better in 12th century Shrewsbury than in any century I have lived in).
Nevertheless for all that (as usual) I am talking about the flaws, I enjoyed this as a relaxing read with twists that while not too surprising were satisfactory. There's always a romance at the centre of every plot with Peters but this one did not irritate me more than average. Cadfael and Hugh are (probably anachronistically) fair-minded and idealistic and while I don;t completely believe in it I enjoy how refreshing that is, as well as reading a book set in such a gory, violent time that manages to be honorable and chivalrous and not gory (which would be more authentic but less pleasant to read).
I found the portrayal of everyday life in a Monastery pretty likeable too and in many ways believable. All in all it was enjoyable (barring the misogyny)