pacardullo's review against another edition
5.0
Historical fiction is not usually in my wheelhouse - even if it is historical horror/dark fantasy, such as this. That said, this book grabbed me. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Fantastic stuff. Great characters. Fascinating read. This is one of those books where I was almost sad that I had finished it.
caitsidhe's review
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kblincoln's review against another edition
4.0
Sometimes reading multiple books at the same time burns you out, sometimes there are serendipitous overlaps between themes. I have come to accept that much of any review is solidly based in the reading environment in which I have encountered that book.
I am encountering Armed in Her Fashion in the context of some feminist theory books and podcasts. And so the collection of women who form the main ensemble of this cast appealed to me as embodying many of the issues I was hearing about in the other books.
We have Margriet, who is a dying widow just trying to get back what is legally hers under Flemish law, her daughter Beatrix who truly loved her husband but is devastated by the practical reality of being without him, Jacquemine who must protect her children while still offering help to her sisterhood of refugees, and Claude, who is a man in a woman's body offered the potential to change his form physically.
And, of course, the Chatelaine, who has risen out of the ground in the very mouth of a Hellbeast and who takes men & women and forges them into chimerae to fight her battles. There is much unplumbed backstory in her character-- she lets on that she as locked her husband (commander of the hellbeast) away in an oubliette and intimates he is much worse than she!
Heartfield brings a medieval Bruges to life, complete with crazy medieval theories about religion and grotesque consequences (such as Bruges' soldiers being made into revenants by the Chatelaine and sent back to Bruges at nightfall calling the names of their loved ones...who if they accept the revanants into their houses, fall dead to a plague.)
It was viscerally brought home to me the limited resources and recourses women of that time had to make their way if they were unattached to a man. Even the powerful Chatelaine must make nice with Kings in order to have enough power to attack Bruges.
The book definitely has a somewhat dry and historical tone throughout. There is a lot of planning and going over plans that sometimes slowed the pace of the book at points, but I definitely think its an interesting mix of history, the fantastic, and looking at how women must sometimes resort to incredible lengths to make their way in a chaotic world.
I am encountering Armed in Her Fashion in the context of some feminist theory books and podcasts. And so the collection of women who form the main ensemble of this cast appealed to me as embodying many of the issues I was hearing about in the other books.
We have Margriet, who is a dying widow just trying to get back what is legally hers under Flemish law, her daughter Beatrix who truly loved her husband but is devastated by the practical reality of being without him, Jacquemine who must protect her children while still offering help to her sisterhood of refugees, and Claude, who is a man in a woman's body offered the potential to change his form physically.
And, of course, the Chatelaine, who has risen out of the ground in the very mouth of a Hellbeast and who takes men & women and forges them into chimerae to fight her battles. There is much unplumbed backstory in her character-- she lets on that she as locked her husband (commander of the hellbeast) away in an oubliette and intimates he is much worse than she!
Heartfield brings a medieval Bruges to life, complete with crazy medieval theories about religion and grotesque consequences (such as Bruges' soldiers being made into revenants by the Chatelaine and sent back to Bruges at nightfall calling the names of their loved ones...who if they accept the revanants into their houses, fall dead to a plague.)
It was viscerally brought home to me the limited resources and recourses women of that time had to make their way if they were unattached to a man. Even the powerful Chatelaine must make nice with Kings in order to have enough power to attack Bruges.
The book definitely has a somewhat dry and historical tone throughout. There is a lot of planning and going over plans that sometimes slowed the pace of the book at points, but I definitely think its an interesting mix of history, the fantastic, and looking at how women must sometimes resort to incredible lengths to make their way in a chaotic world.
senqin's review against another edition
5.0
When the Devil puts up walls, men smash them, and if they cannot smash them, they despair, or they walk away. But women must trickle through the cracks, they find a way through because they have no choice, because they have nowhere to go, and nothing to smash with.
★★★★½
Armed In Her Fashion was such a fun and creative read with a lot more heart than what I was initially expecting. Margriet de Vos is an amazing main character, a sassy middle aged woman who's just trying to do right by her only surviving child. There's a lot that can be said about this book underneath the surface plot of a group of widows + a trans mercenary raiding Hell to recover what is rightfully theirs in 14th century Bruges. It's also a story about the depths of a mother's love, and the parts of the book that really focused on Margriet's oftentimes turbulent relationship with her daughter Beatrix were the ones that really left the biggest impression on me. I was also particularly impressed by how some of the various issues were tackled in a way that felt appropriate to the historical context rather than having modern sensibilities be imposed onto the characters.
Apparently, Armed In Her Fashion was partly inspired by the figure of Dulle Griet/Mad Meg which makes a lot of sense because this painting just about perfectly sums up the vibes of this book.
emosheeran's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
3.75
This is one of the most random stories I have ever read, but I’m glad I did! An interesting premise to do with Hell on earth, and a relatively diverse group of characters. Fair warning the trans character does get misgendered here and there.
I thought going into it that it would be more horrorish, but it truly isn’t in any way. I wish the story was more intense, it definitely had room to be more lively.
I thought going into it that it would be more horrorish, but it truly isn’t in any way. I wish the story was more intense, it definitely had room to be more lively.
lamusadelils's review against another edition
4.0
Es hermoso.
Me recordó, de manera extrana, a Hell is the Absence of God. Por supuesto, en este caso se trata de una historia medieval donde el infierno existe y las ocurrencias sobrenaturales no son tan indiferentes.
Pero hay una atmósfera similar a la gente presenciando eventos infernales en la vida cotidiana y actuando acorde, experimentando aún así los dramas normales de sus vidas.
Puntos extra por tantos personajes femeninos, tan variados y complejos. También hay un personaje trans y se aprecia mucho que se muestre lo que pudo ser, lo que seguramente fue en muchos casos, antes de tener el nombre que tiene ahora.
Aunque el infierno por supuesto tiene sus horrores, este libros es como una brisa de aire fresco en un mar de horror que más o menos se mueve de maneras similares. No que todos los libros que he leído en este Barrifest sean iguales, al contrario, pero esto se sale aún más de lo normal de la burbuja que normalmente elijo para este mes y considero que la decisión de incluirlo fue un éxito.
Me recordó, de manera extrana, a Hell is the Absence of God. Por supuesto, en este caso se trata de una historia medieval donde el infierno existe y las ocurrencias sobrenaturales no son tan indiferentes.
Pero hay una atmósfera similar a la gente presenciando eventos infernales en la vida cotidiana y actuando acorde, experimentando aún así los dramas normales de sus vidas.
Puntos extra por tantos personajes femeninos, tan variados y complejos. También hay un personaje trans y se aprecia mucho que se muestre lo que pudo ser, lo que seguramente fue en muchos casos, antes de tener el nombre que tiene ahora.
Aunque el infierno por supuesto tiene sus horrores, este libros es como una brisa de aire fresco en un mar de horror que más o menos se mueve de maneras similares. No que todos los libros que he leído en este Barrifest sean iguales, al contrario, pero esto se sale aún más de lo normal de la burbuja que normalmente elijo para este mes y considero que la decisión de incluirlo fue un éxito.
robotwitch's review against another edition
4.0
There were a lot of things that could have let this book down. The density of the specialised language - i.e. all the different items of clothing, weapons and armour which made me stop each time to look them up - the occasional latin, the characters not always being likeable, the story meandering in the middle, the late climax. But, miraculously, none of it did - this book was, instead, fantastic.
One thing that kept striking me as I read, was the fact that Heartfield managed to have such consistent, complex and different characters. It was easy to tell who was doing what without needing their names, because they all had such distinct personalities and perspectives. Maigret was my favourite, with her pigheadedness, but also her bravery. It's rare to see older women main characters, especially ones as unlikeable as Maigret, but her strength was what kept the characters and plot together. Her refusal to let go of what she wanted kept it moving forward, and I was rooting for her always.
The nice thing about this book is that all of the characters had their moments, all of the characters grew and had enough weakness that you couldn't help but like them. I was surprised by how much I sympathised with the Chatelaine, even.
I talk character rather than plot because this is a hugely character-driven plot. It felt realistic that the book consists of a lot of walking and resting and trading -- and yet somehow it remains so engaging. But as for the plot? It was interesting and took unexpected turns at just the right moments. It had just the right amount of characters and differing motivations to keep things tense and conflicted. I also knew nothing of 14th Century, particularly European, history, and it still managed to be accessible.
This is a great and ambitious debut novel, and I'm going to keep an eye out for whatever Heartfield writes next.
One thing that kept striking me as I read, was the fact that Heartfield managed to have such consistent, complex and different characters. It was easy to tell who was doing what without needing their names, because they all had such distinct personalities and perspectives. Maigret was my favourite, with her pigheadedness, but also her bravery. It's rare to see older women main characters, especially ones as unlikeable as Maigret, but her strength was what kept the characters and plot together. Her refusal to let go of what she wanted kept it moving forward, and I was rooting for her always.
The nice thing about this book is that all of the characters had their moments, all of the characters grew and had enough weakness that you couldn't help but like them. I was surprised by how much I sympathised with the Chatelaine, even.
I talk character rather than plot because this is a hugely character-driven plot. It felt realistic that the book consists of a lot of walking and resting and trading -- and yet somehow it remains so engaging. But as for the plot? It was interesting and took unexpected turns at just the right moments. It had just the right amount of characters and differing motivations to keep things tense and conflicted. I also knew nothing of 14th Century, particularly European, history, and it still managed to be accessible.
This is a great and ambitious debut novel, and I'm going to keep an eye out for whatever Heartfield writes next.
tikimoof's review against another edition
4.0
What a weird book.
A trans man-at-arms, a shrewish old wet nurse, and a spinster with a magic distaff march on the gates of Hell to reclaim a stolen inheritance. Also features a debate on whether zombies are legally dead.
It could be fantasy, it could be alternate history, it could be philosophy. It was definitely strongly feminist, in a somewhat similar way to Women Talking, where the worth of women is always defined in relation to the men.
But it did discuss that women are expected to give and give and give, and it is a blemish on their womanly character if they ever want to take. Margriet, Beatrix, and the Chatelaine all experience this in some form. Also, how a man and a woman can hear the same conversation and make radically different conclusions.
And there are so many allegories for Hell. In the afterword, the author says the book was based on Dull Gret by Pieter Brueghel- I thought it useful for envisioning some of the crazier scenes (but again, all of this book was batshit).
There are more discussions of Hell, about how horrible and inescapable marriage can be, how the injustices a man can bring on his wife are the worst thing in the world (The beast was Hell because it was home to her husband, the antagonist laments at some point). Other good phrases: It is right that a wife should die, when her husband has no further need of her (if indeed he ever had need of her, even if he never provided for her while he was alive). If Judas and Caesar cannot be found in Hell, is it really Hell? It brings suffering and monstrosities, but it doesn’t match a Christian definition.
There were some Book of the New Sun-type asides that seemed to make reference to how horrible the modern world would be to a thirteenth century peasant. I thought those were pretty funny. They discuss how glasses and prosthetics are kind of chimera-ish, if you think about it.
Margriet was an interesting protagonist. She wasn’t very sympathetic or relateable, but her strong sense of justice was pretty indisputable by modern standards. She wasn’t a very loving mother to her adult daughter, but you could see how she knew better than to share her bitterness with children (unlike certain characters in An Unkindness of Ghosts, cough cough). There was love in her, but certainly not for any man.
The setting in general was really excellently researched. It was incredibly and specifically tied to its setting. I had to look up a lot of terms (especially clothing and different types of nunneries), but it was a good thing. It tied me more closely to Bruges in 1328.
I didn't really love this book, but I thought it was interesting.
A trans man-at-arms, a shrewish old wet nurse, and a spinster with a magic distaff march on the gates of Hell to reclaim a stolen inheritance. Also features a debate on whether zombies are legally dead.
It could be fantasy, it could be alternate history, it could be philosophy. It was definitely strongly feminist, in a somewhat similar way to Women Talking, where the worth of women is always defined in relation to the men.
But it did discuss that women are expected to give and give and give, and it is a blemish on their womanly character if they ever want to take. Margriet, Beatrix, and the Chatelaine all experience this in some form. Also, how a man and a woman can hear the same conversation and make radically different conclusions.
Spoiler
I couldn’t help thinking of Margriet’s accidental invitation to her husband was very like those vampiric legends, but also a case of willful misinterpretation.And there are so many allegories for Hell. In the afterword, the author says the book was based on Dull Gret by Pieter Brueghel- I thought it useful for envisioning some of the crazier scenes (but again, all of this book was batshit).
There are more discussions of Hell, about how horrible and inescapable marriage can be, how the injustices a man can bring on his wife are the worst thing in the world (The beast was Hell because it was home to her husband, the antagonist laments at some point). Other good phrases: It is right that a wife should die, when her husband has no further need of her (if indeed he ever had need of her, even if he never provided for her while he was alive). If Judas and Caesar cannot be found in Hell, is it really Hell? It brings suffering and monstrosities, but it doesn’t match a Christian definition.
There were some Book of the New Sun-type asides that seemed to make reference to how horrible the modern world would be to a thirteenth century peasant. I thought those were pretty funny. They discuss how glasses and prosthetics are kind of chimera-ish, if you think about it.
Margriet was an interesting protagonist. She wasn’t very sympathetic or relateable, but her strong sense of justice was pretty indisputable by modern standards. She wasn’t a very loving mother to her adult daughter, but you could see how she knew better than to share her bitterness with children (unlike certain characters in An Unkindness of Ghosts, cough cough). There was love in her, but certainly not for any man.
The setting in general was really excellently researched. It was incredibly and specifically tied to its setting. I had to look up a lot of terms (especially clothing and different types of nunneries), but it was a good thing. It tied me more closely to Bruges in 1328.
I didn't really love this book, but I thought it was interesting.
jennybeastie's review against another edition
5.0
Surreal fantasy, set in Bruges under siege in the Middle Ages, set in a Bruegel painting, where all the grotesques are characters, and the regular folks are just trying to survive.
Both bizarre and utterly compelling, with strong, stubborn female characters, an interesting depiction of politics at the time, and a trans soldier who keeps getting misgendered. Fascinating. I’m not sure exactly who to recommend this to, but I’ll start with my Middle Ages loving friends, who can appreciate the rich setting as much as the adventure.
Advanced readers copy provided by edelweiss.
Both bizarre and utterly compelling, with strong, stubborn female characters, an interesting depiction of politics at the time, and a trans soldier who keeps getting misgendered. Fascinating. I’m not sure exactly who to recommend this to, but I’ll start with my Middle Ages loving friends, who can appreciate the rich setting as much as the adventure.
Advanced readers copy provided by edelweiss.