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liinukka's review against another edition
3.0
From my review on ampersand.
I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting. I noticed when I was marking this as 'read' that I'd tagged this book as fantasy for some reason. Well, it's not. There's some elements of the supernatural as perceived by the characters, but that's probably pretty standard stuff for medieval times.
And actually, that's probably the most frustrating part about this novel: the staggering ignorance of the villagers. They're fearful of everything, and without modern intelligence and rational thinking, things quickly dissolve into a hysteria. They'll do anything, including because they're so desperate. The landscape of this crappy village is so desolate, grim, and joyless, you wonder how they survive at all. They're shafted by everyone: the landlord, the church, the "owl masters." Everyone wants a pound of flesh from them but they get NOTHING in return. What a bunch of frauds!
It's just annoying to read about this much misery and helpless people being bullied by a bunch of entitled man-children. The church makes me wonder how in the world they've managed to survive to this day, because they're like a cult. Pay your tithes or go to hell. The Owl Masters are a laughable crew of frat boys gone amok, terrorists in cosplay who wanna feel godly and important. The landlord's family consists of horrible bastards, one of whom you find out. I'm pretty sure every man in this book is a lecherous coward, rapist, murderer, or all of the above. What a terrible time to live in.
The women are definitely the most interesting part of the story. Progressive thinkers and very sympathetic, for the most part. I enjoyed reading about the beguine system and how they interacted with the church establishment and the pagans.
What I really wish was for the men to be equally interesting, instead of being these infuriating bullies and psychopaths. I also wish that the pagans were described with more detail and in three dimensions. As it stands, I found them to be pathetic boys running around in masks terrorizing innocent folks. I'm pretty sure that's not how the native religions of the time were like.
But in all, it was a quick read, and I did enjoy some parts of it.
I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting. I noticed when I was marking this as 'read' that I'd tagged this book as fantasy for some reason. Well, it's not. There's some elements of the supernatural as perceived by the characters, but that's probably pretty standard stuff for medieval times.
And actually, that's probably the most frustrating part about this novel: the staggering ignorance of the villagers. They're fearful of everything, and without modern intelligence and rational thinking, things quickly dissolve into a hysteria. They'll do anything, including
Spoiler
torturing and murdering a little girlIt's just annoying to read about this much misery and helpless people being bullied by a bunch of entitled man-children. The church makes me wonder how in the world they've managed to survive to this day, because they're like a cult. Pay your tithes or go to hell. The Owl Masters are a laughable crew of frat boys gone amok, terrorists in cosplay who wanna feel godly and important. The landlord's family consists of horrible bastards, one of whom you find out
Spoiler
raped his own daughterThe women are definitely the most interesting part of the story. Progressive thinkers and very sympathetic, for the most part. I enjoyed reading about the beguine system and how they interacted with the church establishment and the pagans.
What I really wish was for the men to be equally interesting, instead of being these infuriating bullies and psychopaths. I also wish that the pagans were described with more detail and in three dimensions. As it stands, I found them to be pathetic boys running around in masks terrorizing innocent folks. I'm pretty sure that's not how the native religions of the time were like.
But in all, it was a quick read, and I did enjoy some parts of it.
kinosthesia's review against another edition
5.0
Having read 'A Company of Liars' I was keen to read this and see if Karen Maitland maintained the tension and plot she showed so well before. I was NOT disappointed. Well written, thoughtful and well thought out, the concept of outsiders, superstition and religion is one that still applies to modern times and it was easy to recognise how we as a society still follow some of the same ways as we always did. It also shows up a fascinating aspect of the Beguines which I had not heard of before despite how big their movement was during the 14th Century.
kduhy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A tale full of menace and foreboding set in a very well created 14th century Village in England.
A tug of war between religion and superstition Where a group of owl killers make life difficult for all but especially a group of women.
A tug of war between religion and superstition Where a group of owl killers make life difficult for all but especially a group of women.
essiewakeman's review against another edition
5.0
Another book about people trying to survive the plague in the middle-ages. Good stuff, I like reading about this period.
drjoannehill's review against another edition
5.0
An intriguing look at an aspect of British (and women's) history that I knew nothing about previously - I appreciate this. Maitland's books are thrillers, bordering on supernatural whodunnit with a build up of suspense as you try to figure out what is going on and whether there are scientific explanations for what is happening, or something really spooky! An excellent story and wonderful insight into medaeval history
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
3.0
The year is 1321. In the isolated village of Ulewic, the people are ruled by the Owl Masters and the church. When a group of women set up a beguinage on the edge of the village, they are viewed with suspicion but tolerated for their charity. As crops struggle in bad weather and disease strikes livestock and the villagers, they begin to doubt the purpose of the outlander women. Have they been cursed?
The Owl Killers, at the very least, will make you feel grateful for living in the 21st century. Not only was daily life a struggle to survive, but they lived under the oppression of the Catholic church who took their money and dictated what they must believe in or risk punishment. The church is shown as corrupt and hypocritical although the priest, at times, seems like he wants to show compassion but is constrained by those above him. Ulewic has the added tyranny of the Owl Masters, a pagan group of men who rule with fear and enact their own brand of justice. To receive a dead owl on your doorstep is a death sentence.
For the time, beguines were impressive women. They wished to be neither wives nor nuns and set up what we might think of as communes today. Whilst a fictional account, some of the actions of the women are based on historical records, such as giving mass after being excommunicated by the church. They believed in God as that was tantamount to the law but they didn't believe that faith was something that an entity could control.
The novel is narrated in first person by five different characters which makes it difficult to get into the story at first. However this does give differing viewpoints and shows that both religions had good and bad sides. The cunning woman, often thought as of a witch, did her best to aide the women of the village yet the Owl Masters used superstitions to maintain power. Greed was at the centre of the church's concerns yet the beguines helped tend to the sick and feed the poor. However even within the beguines there is prejudice and judgement.
The text is also historically interesting, from how everyday people lived their lives to the superstitions that shaped their lives. Things such as a small cut could mean death in those times, with no real medicines or understanding of sickness. It is sad to think that those with leprosy are still shunned in some countries to this day, even though it is easily treated with modern antibiotics. As it is set before the Gregorian calendar was in use, the passing of time is told with the relevant saint's day or festival and includes some fascinating tidbits.
A slow start, but persevere and it picks up. I enjoyed it more for the history than for the plot or charactisation though and, as is often the case with books over 500 pages, felt it could have been pruned a little. I do understand why setting the scene took so long due to the different narrators.
The Owl Killers, at the very least, will make you feel grateful for living in the 21st century. Not only was daily life a struggle to survive, but they lived under the oppression of the Catholic church who took their money and dictated what they must believe in or risk punishment. The church is shown as corrupt and hypocritical although the priest, at times, seems like he wants to show compassion but is constrained by those above him. Ulewic has the added tyranny of the Owl Masters, a pagan group of men who rule with fear and enact their own brand of justice. To receive a dead owl on your doorstep is a death sentence.
For the time, beguines were impressive women. They wished to be neither wives nor nuns and set up what we might think of as communes today. Whilst a fictional account, some of the actions of the women are based on historical records, such as giving mass after being excommunicated by the church. They believed in God as that was tantamount to the law but they didn't believe that faith was something that an entity could control.
The novel is narrated in first person by five different characters which makes it difficult to get into the story at first. However this does give differing viewpoints and shows that both religions had good and bad sides. The cunning woman, often thought as of a witch, did her best to aide the women of the village yet the Owl Masters used superstitions to maintain power. Greed was at the centre of the church's concerns yet the beguines helped tend to the sick and feed the poor. However even within the beguines there is prejudice and judgement.
The text is also historically interesting, from how everyday people lived their lives to the superstitions that shaped their lives. Things such as a small cut could mean death in those times, with no real medicines or understanding of sickness. It is sad to think that those with leprosy are still shunned in some countries to this day, even though it is easily treated with modern antibiotics. As it is set before the Gregorian calendar was in use, the passing of time is told with the relevant saint's day or festival and includes some fascinating tidbits.
A slow start, but persevere and it picks up. I enjoyed it more for the history than for the plot or charactisation though and, as is often the case with books over 500 pages, felt it could have been pruned a little. I do understand why setting the scene took so long due to the different narrators.
yasminfoster's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
krobart's review against another edition
3.0
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2017/03/27/day-1056-the-owl-killers/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2017/03/27/day-1056-the-owl-killers/
tessisreading2's review against another edition
3.0
The constant perspective flips were very difficult in the beginning - it took a while to figure out who all these people were in relation to one another. The narrative voices did sound pretty similar, and the constant jumping around made it difficult to get particularly attached to any one of them. I'm guessing the goal was to make sure that there were very few one-dimensional villains, but it didn't really work. There were several one-dimensional villains (not viewpoint characters) and it became clear over the course of the book which viewpoint characters were "good" and which were "bad" (or crazy, or desperate, or just corruptible). The conclusion of the book didn't really do much for me. It felt rushed and confused/confusing.
Anyway, I know it was the middle ages and it was a particularly awful period of the middle ages, but this book was just intensely depressing. Everyone was mean and miserable and cruel to one another. There was no one I was really rooting for, frankly.
Anyway, I know it was the middle ages and it was a particularly awful period of the middle ages, but this book was just intensely depressing. Everyone was mean and miserable and cruel to one another. There was no one I was really rooting for, frankly.
nikita_barsukov's review against another edition
4.0
Maitland is my personal discovery. This is her second book that I listened to, as engaging, atmospheric, detailed and different as the first one. Partly whodunnit, partly supernatural (also explained by bias / halucinations), all in a well-researched medieval setting that feels authentic and immersive.