A review by jmatkinson1
The Butcher's Daughter by Victoria Glendinning
5.0
Agnes Peppin is the daughter of a West Country butcher, her mother is related to a noble family. When Agnes becomes pregnant she gives birth and then, to reduce the embarrassment, she is placed in the Abbey of Shaftesbury to become a nun. Whilst Agnes adjusted to life in the cloister the outside world is changing and King Henry is ensuring that there are fewer monastic dwellings. Thrust into the world Agnes and her fellow sisters have to adapt to survive.
This is a very slow novel that builds gradually. The characters are beautifully drawn and Agnes herself is complex with surprise motivations at times. This is a completely different perspective on the time when Henry VIII made himself head of the Church and what became known as the Dissolution took place. Here the impact on both the people in the religious houses and also the communities around are explored. It is a really wonderful book that deserves to be savoured.
This is a very slow novel that builds gradually. The characters are beautifully drawn and Agnes herself is complex with surprise motivations at times. This is a completely different perspective on the time when Henry VIII made himself head of the Church and what became known as the Dissolution took place. Here the impact on both the people in the religious houses and also the communities around are explored. It is a really wonderful book that deserves to be savoured.