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paperbooklover's review against another edition
4.0
This book has everything I like in a book. It’s fantasy and religious allegory. It dragged on and was almost too descriptive for the first half and then the second half left gaps. Don’t get me wrong. I loved the gaps. She wrote was about to happen and then the next chapter would be how the next character was effected by it.
taetris's review against another edition
4.0
This is a dark, gothic novel set in 1321. It is told from 5 different perspectives; these people all live in or around a small village in Norfolk. The reader gets to watch as their lives intertwine as a battle between a beguinage, a house of woman, the Holy Mother Church and a pagan sect begins.
The writing and dialogue are plain and do a good job of conveying information without drawing attention to themselves. The characters are interesting and distinct. The plot is gripping, the pacing fast, the book is a real page turner.
What knocked a star off for me was the fact that each point of view was told in first person. This made it confusing at times as to who was speaking. Also, it did not add anything to the story.
The writing and dialogue are plain and do a good job of conveying information without drawing attention to themselves. The characters are interesting and distinct. The plot is gripping, the pacing fast, the book is a real page turner.
What knocked a star off for me was the fact that each point of view was told in first person. This made it confusing at times as to who was speaking. Also, it did not add anything to the story.
talvionline's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book, but would have enjoyed it more if it didnt jump around so much. The storyline was good, with it being set in the medieval times and the clash between Paganism and Christianity. The Old Masters themselves when they appeared in the story would keep you right on the edge of your seat, but then the story seemed to fall flat when discussing the villagers in Ulewic. I still enjoyed it, even though it took me a few tries to finish the book. The descriptive passages in the book would pull you in and you would really feel like you were there, but the fact that it jumped around so much was just not for me :(
tamara_joy's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
library_hungry's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a while to get into it, and this is a grim book with very few likable characters. But it's scary and compelling, and I really enjoyed it.
em_beddedinbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Another historical religious mystery which enthralled me from the beginning .
Never had heard about beguines, though I was familiar with nunneries.
This is set in 1321 in a small seaside village in England where mysterious occurrences occur and the village folklore seems to be actually happening .
There is a beguinage with mostly good women , a manor housing cruel lords , the owl masters who try to cause havoc in the village , many deaths and killings happen , and accusations of witchery and heresy gain momentum.
Was an interesting read. Loved it , though it had something lacking which prevented me from giving it 5 stars
Never had heard about beguines, though I was familiar with nunneries.
This is set in 1321 in a small seaside village in England where mysterious occurrences occur and the village folklore seems to be actually happening .
There is a beguinage with mostly good women , a manor housing cruel lords , the owl masters who try to cause havoc in the village , many deaths and killings happen , and accusations of witchery and heresy gain momentum.
Was an interesting read. Loved it , though it had something lacking which prevented me from giving it 5 stars
mslaura's review
4.0
Ratings:
Writing 4
Story line 4
Characters 3
Emotional impact 4
Overall rating: 3.75
Writing 4
Story line 4
Characters 3
Emotional impact 4
Overall rating: 3.75
lushbug's review against another edition
4.0
This story centres around a village in the 14th century. A group of women from Bruges decide to move there and help the locals-they are a little like nuns but take no vows and are free to come and go as they please. it was a very modern notion and one that didn’t take of in England. It tells the fictitious story of how these modern woman and a superstitious village mesh-its not pretty let me tell u!
This is suitably grim and terrifying for a novel set in the dark ages. The whole novel has a feeling of impending doom. Peoples lives were so different back then, the people more savage and much more willing to turn on friends. The village is very superstitious and I feel the author did a real good job of getting into the heads of the characters. Hate it when historical characters are given modern sensibilities!
Very good read-enjoyed it just as much as her previous book ‘ a company of liars’.
This is suitably grim and terrifying for a novel set in the dark ages. The whole novel has a feeling of impending doom. Peoples lives were so different back then, the people more savage and much more willing to turn on friends. The village is very superstitious and I feel the author did a real good job of getting into the heads of the characters. Hate it when historical characters are given modern sensibilities!
Very good read-enjoyed it just as much as her previous book ‘ a company of liars’.