"The Illuminator" by Brenda Rickman Vantrease is, I gather, a first novel - which surprises me. The plotting is so perfect with rarely a wasted scene that one would suspect it to be the work of a seasoned author. Many figures of late 14th century England are either participants or in the shadows. John of Gaunt's palace sacked, Boy King Richard meeting with the rebels - these events are background colors in this intricate painting of a book that has at its core a painted altarpiece done by an artist in captivity.
The anchoress Julian of Norwich is a prominent person, with her vision of the Mother Love of Christ shining through the events of the story. This permeation makes me want to explore the stories of female mystics of the time. And Wycliffe's influence is shot through the text both in the efforts at the translation of the Bible into English and a result of mob rule without respect for the established Church. It is altogether a rippling time of convulsive change, a fine era to explore by reading an architecturally fine novel.
2 comments:
I read this book a few years ago. I do think Brenda Rickman Vantrease is a good writer. Her characters are well-done but the ending to this book really bothered me. There wasn't much in the way of redeeming value. It was kind of depressing.
I think there's a sequel of sorts to this novel isn't there? I can't remember the title of the second book. Do you know anything about that one?
I agree with you, Steven, that the ending is depressing - but I saw a convulsive battle between good and evil which nearly destroyed the world involved, but in the survival of some saw hope for the next generation. Still, it was a difficult conclusion, you are right.
The "sequel" is called "The Mercy Sellers" - I have it but haven't read it yet - seems to take place in Eastern Europe with some of the same characters as "The Illuminator"
Post a Comment