Praised by Ursula K. Le Guin as a "disturbing and beautiful novel of ideas," Knowledge Of Angels is an absorbing read that explores timeless...
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Aug 27, 2009
Kat
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Aug 31, 2010
Jennifer
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Poetically beautiful, as far as historical fiction goes this is one of my favorites. I know that some attributes are not historically accurate (hence the fiction) but the authors ideals about the inquisition are tangible. Talk about putting one's convictions to the test (or should I say "to The Question"). This book asks the questions: How much can one person take before he/she brakes? Walsh makes you feel the Church’s desperation to purify the human race at any cost (one belief, one
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Aug 21, 2009
Marvin
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This is a stimulating, troubling book--one of my all-time favorites. It's set a thousand years ago on an island in the Mediterranean that is ruled by a man who is a also a cardinal in the church. The plot centers around the coincidental discovery of a child who had been raised by wolves and an urbane atheist who is stranded on the island. Officials try to convert him so they don't have to execute him. It is a nifty way to learn the classical proofs for the existence of God as well as their refut
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Apr 04, 2011
Jennifer
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This is a fable, unelaborately told and recounted with a truth and simplicity which makes it resonate and seem timeless. The author plays entertainingly, in the prologue, with post-modernist ideas of the way that novels capture time, and the characters are eternally in their own present, poised to undertake their tasks preordained by their author, at the will of the reader - the internal time of the book being somewhere in the 15th century, but the awareness of author and reader are firmly 21s
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Aug 17, 2008
Lisa
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An interesting exploration of the shades of faith and unfaith, their intersections and collisions. Of course, I related to the character representing the Enlightenment, up to one passage that just surprised the heck outta me. I don't believe the enlightenment included THAT as a matter of routine. Probably somebody in the Enlightenment advocated such things. Primacy of individualism and all that. The other atheist (wolf girl) also exhibits a deliberately shocking behavior at the same point in the
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Mar 18, 2009
Kristi
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A novel of ideas - debates between an agnostic and some dedicated christians - a philospher following Aquinas, and the devil incarnate in an inquisitor. And the feral child - who hadn't known god - and the reluctant nun. And some free love, and the utopian country of the agnostic, where engineers and artists are princes, and everyone believes as they wish...
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Mar 18, 2011
Anne
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This is a fable, set in a mythical island in the 1490's. It is a very theological island ruled by a gentle philosopher/king/cardinal. The discovery of a feral child raised by a wolf in the mountains and an atheist castaway (a prince, as well as an architect!) sets in motion a novel of ideas.
Jun 10, 2009
Lianne
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Wasn't too sure about this book at first, but there is a real twist in the tale after the first couple of pages which intrigued me to carry on. As long as you don't get caught up in the philosophical conversations which play a small part in this story, you will really enjoy the story.
Jun 30, 2010
Stefaan
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A very original and themetically interesting book, that contains mature descriptive writing and very intimately described settings, it is, however, detached in its style and characterisation to an extent that the power of the book is rather diluted.
Jan 26, 2010
Dhartridge
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Engrossing tale in the style of a fable that deals with the question of God's existence. Philosophical discussions and an exciting story involving a child who was raised by wolves set on an imaginary Mediteranean island in pre-Reformation times.
Jul 30, 2009
Vida
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3 1/2 stars really. Read this for Philosophy class. Later asked Ging to get me a copy when she went to HK. Pretty good book with several interesting discussions on faith. This is definitely on my re-read list.
Jan 08, 2011
Nina
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A very different book set in the middle ages. I could not put it down,
A child brought up by wolves and an atheist castaway are both
challenged by the Church and State during the inquisition!
A child brought up by wolves and an atheist castaway are both
challenged by the Church and State during the inquisition!
Jun 26, 2011
Margery
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Historical fiction (Mediterranean island before the Reformation) that raises theological questions "do we know God innately?" for example. The action is not bogged down by these however.
Jan 17, 2008
R. Z.
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I couldn't put this down. Here is an isolated island of mixed folks probably in the fifteenth century, predominently Christian who rule with a iron hand. Drop in a stranger from the sea who is an atheist and a young girl who has been raised from birth by wolves, and the challenges to the prevailing theologial thinking becomes profound. The stranger and the wolf-girl never meet, but the thoughtful and caring ecclesiasts who deal with them are shaken to the core especially when the Inquisition
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Jul 14, 2008
Ayla
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Glorious tale of mediaeval life on an island not quite like Mallorca - 2 kind of separate stories that come together in the end rather tragically: Amara the wolf-child fostered by nuns who have been sworn not to mention God to her as part of an experiment to see if the awareness of God is innate; and Palinor a mysterious stranger washed up as a castaway and picked up by fisherman. He's from the seemingly very enlightened country of Aclar where all are free to worship or not worship as they choos
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Jun 26, 2011
Murray
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One of my all time great reads. Completely engrossing. The sort of book you can easily recommend to a friend. So I recommend it to all who get to read this.
Jul 02, 2010
Ashley
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This is a beautifully written book on fundamental human themes. I was not able to glean the author's view on religion or atheism, but the ending was a dark and very clear condemnation of the abuse of power. I was bummed about the ending. I like the light.
Jul 18, 2011
Ange
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Interesting book on the God debate, with the new phophet/messiah being an atheist. Shows the importance of tollerance.
Jun 06, 2009
Rodney
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Excellent!!! A book that will make you think!!!! Should be taught in Philosophy 101!!
May 29, 2011
Stella Used Books
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An excellent book about faith and reason, and what it means to be human. Imaginative, yet philosophically and theologically tight.
Sep 19, 2011
Bettie
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Dec 16, 2009
Rob
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I won this, along with the rest of the 1995 Booker Prize nominees, in a competition, so had no idea what to expect.
It looked worthy, but instead I was treated to a beautifully-written, clever, thoughtful, witty novel. It's a book that makes you think and gets your cogs whirring, in a good way. One to recommend!
It looked worthy, but instead I was treated to a beautifully-written, clever, thoughtful, witty novel. It's a book that makes you think and gets your cogs whirring, in a good way. One to recommend!
Oct 01, 2009
Victoria
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A better read than it starts out. The philosophical discussions (particularly on the part of Beneditx) are a bit of a drag, but the education of the wolf-child and the ultimate resolution of the Palinor storyline make it all worth it, showing both the beautiful and the horrific aspects of human nature.
