shelleyrae's review against another edition
3.0
When Anneke Sheldrake's father is lost at sea she is horrified to learn that she and her younger siblings have been left with nothing. Desperate to keep what remains of her family together, she strikes a bold bargain with her father's employer and, armed with her late mother's family recipes, daringly chooses to go into business as a brewer of ale. Despite being ostracised by most of her family and friends, and repeatedly harassed and intimidated by the local Abbot and his cronies whose monopoly of the ale trade is threatened, Anneke's brew steadily wins favour amongst the community. Just as success seems within her reach, Anneke is targeted in a malicious attack that razes nearly everything she holds dear. Forced to flee for her life, Anneke is nevertheless determined to begin again and finds an unlikely ally in a London brothel owner. With courage and hard work, Anneke, taking the name Anna de Winter, slowly rebuilds her life and business, until the horrors of her past once again threaten to destroy her.
A saga of betrayal, love, tragedy, courage and triumph, The Brewer's Tale is an ambitious historical drama by author, Karen Brooks.
Anneke is strong protagonist, with spirit and convictions uncommon for her time. Despite harrowing personal tragedy she finds the strength to rise above it and carry on, refusing to be cowed by her persecutors. Her courage, loyalty and determination are admirable qualities and ensure the reader is firmly on her side, willing her to triumph.
Anneke's loyal cast including her sweet sister, Betje, the brash Alyson, and the dashing hero, Lord Leander Rainford, are eminently appealing. The villains, including Anneke's spiteful cousin, a raft of spiritually corrupt monks, and her inescapable enemy are infuriating and often terrifying.
Though set in medieval England, the story begins in 'The year of Our Lord 1405 in the sixth year of the reign of Henry IV', I didn't get a true sense of the period. It seemed not that much different from Georgian or Victorian times, though to be fair it mattered little as the details were consistent and the setting well grounded. I was surprised at how interested I was in the history of the brewery industry, and I finally discovered the difference between beer and ale. (I don't drink either so had never thought about it before)
The writing is articulate and the first person perspective works well. The pacing was reasonable but I did feel the story, at well over 500 pages, was too long overall. I was tempted to skim at times, particularly as the plot was, though well thought out, generally predictable, with the second half of the story essentially mirroring the events of the first.
Nevertheless, The Brewer's Tale was a satisfying read and I'd recommend it to readers who enjoy the drama and romance of sweeping historical fiction driven by a strong heroine.
emosheeran's review
4.0
This book had me gripped to my seat up until 50% of the way through. I did not expect going into this what a stressful journey this book would end up being. From 50-70% this book slowed down a fair bit and did lose my interest somewhat. But it picked up the pace afterwards for which I am glad for, as I was really invested in it at the start. I do have to say I am surprised a character acted so naive when it came to another character, when if anything they should’ve been extra paranoid of everyone and everything. That just seemed super out of character to me. Either way, was a stressful but very interesting book. Knowing the author spent a lot of time researching this era and brewing to make this book as accurate as a historical fiction book can be, makes it extra special. Will definitely be checking out more books by this author!
rey_therese07's review against another edition
3.0
3.75 Stars: I've finally decided on my rating for this book. I only finished it in January, but it seems so long ago.
CW: Rape, misogyny, sexual assault, grief and murder
I really loved the main character Anneke Sheldrake. She goes from a respected merchant's daughter to a scandalized brewer with no certain future. I was rooting for her and watching her development and transformation into a powerful woman. I really like this quote from one of Anneke's servants, Saskia, "you're servant, you're not a mother, you're not a wife. You're queen of your own empire." I think it really encapsulates what this book is about, a disgraced girl becoming a powerful woman who can look after herself is in charge of her life. The side characters also had depth and well developed backstories. I loved seeing how loyal and supportive the servants were to Anneke and how mentally strong Betje (Anneke's younger sister) was throughout the novel.
The setting of medieval England was rich, well developed and seems well researched. My main issue was that it was denser than what I'm used to a reading. I found it hard to stay invested in the story at times felt it could've been condensed a little. That said, I still enjoyed it and thought it was worth the read. I still want to read some more of Karen Brooks' books in the future after my reading comprehension improves and I can appreciate them for what they are.
CW: Rape, misogyny, sexual assault, grief and murder
I really loved the main character Anneke Sheldrake. She goes from a respected merchant's daughter to a scandalized brewer with no certain future. I was rooting for her and watching her development and transformation into a powerful woman. I really like this quote from one of Anneke's servants, Saskia, "you're servant, you're not a mother, you're not a wife. You're queen of your own empire." I think it really encapsulates what this book is about, a disgraced girl becoming a powerful woman who can look after herself is in charge of her life. The side characters also had depth and well developed backstories. I loved seeing how loyal and supportive the servants were to Anneke and how mentally strong Betje (Anneke's younger sister) was throughout the novel.
The setting of medieval England was rich, well developed and seems well researched. My main issue was that it was denser than what I'm used to a reading. I found it hard to stay invested in the story at times felt it could've been condensed a little. That said, I still enjoyed it and thought it was worth the read. I still want to read some more of Karen Brooks' books in the future after my reading comprehension improves and I can appreciate them for what they are.
thealienamongus's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Medical content, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent, Incest, and Infidelity
aqsa_ayman's review against another edition
2.0
I love it when the author shares a bit about their inspiration at the end, and for this book it was evident that a lot of time and effort was put into creating an authentic setting with characters, laws and of course, the brewing process of the time. I really liked what the brewing brought to this story, with well thought out and researched descriptions of the process, and the little quirks that made Anneke's brew special, like the pagan corner crones. The author mentions that after all their research, her husband was even inspired to start his own craft brewery!
I've seen this described as a romance primarily, but that doesn't feel accurate. Besides the brewing, there is a lot to do with family heartache, gender divides, business acumen, the loyalty of friends. Romance is one of the main themes too, but unfortunately I didn't feel invested in it at all. There are too many damsel in distress scenes, and the love interest is one of those too perfect, flat personality types. I can quite vividly remember one 15 minute description of him that had me cringing.
There is also a heavy dose of cruelty and betrayal, which was quite hard to get through at times. Anneke was brave and wouldn't back down based on what others expected of her, and she endured through all her hardship. But I really can't stand one sided villains, and that's what I found in a character that took a very surprising turn with hardly any justification. I just could not understand his behaviour based on how he was introduced, and those questions weren't satisfied by the end.
I've seen this described as a romance primarily, but that doesn't feel accurate. Besides the brewing, there is a lot to do with family heartache, gender divides, business acumen, the loyalty of friends. Romance is one of the main themes too, but unfortunately I didn't feel invested in it at all. There are too many damsel in distress scenes, and the love interest is one of those too perfect, flat personality types. I can quite vividly remember one 15 minute description of him that had me cringing.
There is also a heavy dose of cruelty and betrayal, which was quite hard to get through at times. Anneke was brave and wouldn't back down based on what others expected of her, and she endured through all her hardship. But I really can't stand one sided villains, and that's what I found in a character that took a very surprising turn with hardly any justification. I just could not understand his behaviour based on how he was introduced, and those questions weren't satisfied by the end.
carolhoggart's review
3.0
This is a tale of beer and the subjugation of women in 15th-century England.
Anneke Sheldrake is a wealthy merchant’s daughter until her father drowns and it is revealed that he has deprived his children of their inheritance. Desperate to keep her household together, Anneke turns to brewing ale to make ends meet – thus irredeemably lowering her social standing in the eyes of the townfolk and her brother. But social slippage is soon the least of Anneke’s worries for, as a woman with no male protector, she is vulnerable to attack from those threatened by her superlative brewing skills and her beauty. Anneke must battle corrupt officials, evil monks, a lecherous knight, and a vindictive cousin simply to make a living from her craft.
I feel conflicted about this book. On the one hand, I can appreciate its many good points. Brooks brings the craft of the medieval brewer to vivid life. The historical setting feels utterly authentic, and characters display convincing medieval mindsets. Further, the introduction of that notorious figure from medieval literature, the Wife of Bath, adds colour to the second part of the ‘Tale’. Often interpreted as a medieval feminist, this Canterbury Tales character takes Anneke under her capable wing and supports her in her fight for feminine self-determination. Cleverly, Brooks also makes the catalyst of The Wife of Bath’s Tale – rape – central to The Brewer’s Tale.
Unfortunately, however, I did not enjoy this novel. I found Brooks’ at-times tangled syntax and habit of beginning sentences with a participle grating. The bad guys were far too one-dimensionally bad. Finally, almost every possible evil that could befall Anneke came about, to a degree that not only made it hard to read on (if we empathise with a character, we can only deal with so much hopelessness), but also hard to believe.
Anneke Sheldrake is a wealthy merchant’s daughter until her father drowns and it is revealed that he has deprived his children of their inheritance. Desperate to keep her household together, Anneke turns to brewing ale to make ends meet – thus irredeemably lowering her social standing in the eyes of the townfolk and her brother. But social slippage is soon the least of Anneke’s worries for, as a woman with no male protector, she is vulnerable to attack from those threatened by her superlative brewing skills and her beauty. Anneke must battle corrupt officials, evil monks, a lecherous knight, and a vindictive cousin simply to make a living from her craft.
I feel conflicted about this book. On the one hand, I can appreciate its many good points. Brooks brings the craft of the medieval brewer to vivid life. The historical setting feels utterly authentic, and characters display convincing medieval mindsets. Further, the introduction of that notorious figure from medieval literature, the Wife of Bath, adds colour to the second part of the ‘Tale’. Often interpreted as a medieval feminist, this Canterbury Tales character takes Anneke under her capable wing and supports her in her fight for feminine self-determination. Cleverly, Brooks also makes the catalyst of The Wife of Bath’s Tale – rape – central to The Brewer’s Tale.
Unfortunately, however, I did not enjoy this novel. I found Brooks’ at-times tangled syntax and habit of beginning sentences with a participle grating. The bad guys were far too one-dimensionally bad. Finally, almost every possible evil that could befall Anneke came about, to a degree that not only made it hard to read on (if we empathise with a character, we can only deal with so much hopelessness), but also hard to believe.
abookishaffair's review
4.0
In "The Brewer's Tale" we meet a young woman, Anneke, who is suddenly left on her own to take care of herself and her family as her father is lost at sea. It is up she alone to support her family and during the time that she lives in this isn't always easy for a woman to do. She had it she decides that she is going to brew ale, which is not particularly a job that women had during this time. She faces a lot of doubts from a lot of different people but she knows with a little bit of determination, she'll be able to support her family and the way that she needs to. This is a thoroughly engaging historical fiction about a very strong character.
I really enjoyed this book. I always like a character that you can root for and you definitely have one here with Anneke. She is an incredibly strong character and I definitely admired her courage during this book. She had to do a lot of things where the door may not necessarily have been open to her but she's never afraid to bust through. She is definitely someone that you can root from the very first page until the last.
I really like the way that they author was able to pull in a lot of great historical detail. It was really interesting to learn about ale making, which is never something that I really have given much thought to at all. The author presents her details in such a way that it really makes Anneke's world feel very real. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and think that other historical fiction lovers are looking for a strong character will enjoy it as well.
I really enjoyed this book. I always like a character that you can root for and you definitely have one here with Anneke. She is an incredibly strong character and I definitely admired her courage during this book. She had to do a lot of things where the door may not necessarily have been open to her but she's never afraid to bust through. She is definitely someone that you can root from the very first page until the last.
I really like the way that they author was able to pull in a lot of great historical detail. It was really interesting to learn about ale making, which is never something that I really have given much thought to at all. The author presents her details in such a way that it really makes Anneke's world feel very real. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and think that other historical fiction lovers are looking for a strong character will enjoy it as well.
soulhaven's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this.
A dastardly villain (somewhat reminiscent of Captain Black Jack of Outlander fame) who just can't stand the success our MC is managing. He gets rather obsessed about her ability to keep going in the face of adversity.
Anneke is a real "don't give up" kind of heroine, which is a strength I can get behind.
There were a few glitches here and there that just needed a bit more copy-editting. I realise most books do, but I still like to expect more from publishing houses, especially when they, technically, have the budget and team to get it right, versus a solo author-publisher. It wasn't too bad, but it was enough to pull me from the reading now and then.
Romance-wise, I was in support from the start (despite his first words to her), so I call that a win. Half of my compulsion to keep reading was simply the fate of the relationship... Did I say I was a sucker for a touch of romance?
But the romance wasn't all. The tale was very much about Anneke's ability to take care of herself and her family through her talent with brewing, despite others' efforts to thwart her (as is often the case, people may take offense to a successful woman).
I liked it, and would recommend it to anyone who thinks the premise seems interesting.
A dastardly villain (somewhat reminiscent of Captain Black Jack of Outlander fame) who just can't stand the success our MC is managing. He gets rather obsessed about her ability to keep going in the face of adversity.
Anneke is a real "don't give up" kind of heroine, which is a strength I can get behind.
There were a few glitches here and there that just needed a bit more copy-editting. I realise most books do, but I still like to expect more from publishing houses, especially when they, technically, have the budget and team to get it right, versus a solo author-publisher. It wasn't too bad, but it was enough to pull me from the reading now and then.
Romance-wise, I was in support from the start (despite his first words to her), so I call that a win. Half of my compulsion to keep reading was simply the fate of the relationship... Did I say I was a sucker for a touch of romance?
But the romance wasn't all. The tale was very much about Anneke's ability to take care of herself and her family through her talent with brewing, despite others' efforts to thwart her (as is often the case, people may take offense to a successful woman).
I liked it, and would recommend it to anyone who thinks the premise seems interesting.
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