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The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search |
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a healthy church...transformingLIFE |
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Book review
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This is an historical mystery-thriller based on the happenings in London at the end of the 14th century. Its location is Clerkenwell and the links with Chaucer's Canterbury Tales are more in the format and the borrowing of the names of certain characters, than in the detail. Constitutionally, Richard II was about to be replaced by Henry Bolingbroke who was to become Henry IV. In the world of religion the Roman Catholic Church was headed by two rival Popes. The Lollards (the followers of Wycliffe) were being persecuted and various secret religious sects were active! These included a gnostic group known as the Predestined Ones who claimed that they were chosen by God for eternal life and therefore could serve God or Satan to achieve their ends. Then there was the group called Dominus which was determined to rid the nation of Richard and place Henry on the throne. Although not officially linked they often had similar aims. There was also Sister Clarice the nun, who kept claiming to have visions and was prophesying about the doom to come. There is much to learnPeter Ackroyd manages to make all his characters come to life and faithfully portrays the atmosphere and language of the time. This means that occasionally the bawdy side of life which Chaucer reveals is included. As the tales unravel, the ingredients of the plots take shape. New characters reveal a myriad of possibilities and plot is supplanted by counter-plot. It is not until the final chapter that the parts begin to take definite form and the heroes and anti-heroes who have vied for position reach their proper order and conclusion. To reveal more would be to spoil the mystery. Suffice to say that things are not always what they appear to be! This is a book carefully and historically crafted. For some of the characters the end is nigh. For others the immediate situation is all important. There is much to learn about Chaucer's London and about the social and religious history of the period. However, essentially it is story of strange happenings and a brilliant Who done it? It is reasonably priced and good value for money. |
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