Watermark

Aug 21, 2012 Madame X rated it 2 of 5 stars

The novel, set in the 13th century, starts as the protagonist’s mother goes into labor. It’s a difficult birth, and ultimately Auda has to be cut from the womb. The midwife discovers that Auda was born albino – surely a sign that she is the devil’s spawn. While the mother dies on barn floor, the midwife runs to the river to kill the cursed child – but the midwife can’t bring herself to drown the baby, so she cuts out its tongue instead. At that point, Auda’s father Martin arrives on the scene an...more The novel, set in the 13th century, starts as the protagonist’s mother goes into labor. It’s a difficult birth, and ultimately Auda has to be cut from the womb. The midwife discovers that Auda was born albino – surely a sign that she is the devil’s spawn. While the mother dies on barn floor, the midwife runs to the river to kill the cursed child – but the midwife can’t bring herself to drown the baby, so she cuts out its tongue instead. At that point, Auda’s father Martin arrives on the scene and takes charge before more harm can come to his child.

After the scene of Auda’s birth, we skip forward in time and meet her again as a young woman. She’s deeply invested in her father’s paper-making business, although paper is slow to catch on. Most of the population is illiterate, and the nobles and churchmen who do read and write can afford higher-quality parchment made from animal skins. Furthermore, there’s a stigma attached to paper because it has spread to Western Europe via Moorish Spain. These setbacks don’t deter Martin and Auda – they believe paper will pave the way to a more literate populace and are unusually forward-thinking people devoted to the common good.

Meanwhile, the Inquisition has kicked into high gear. The book is centered in Narbonne, near Carcassonne, where the Inquisitors violently suppressed the Cathar heresy. Auda in particular is in grave danger; as an albino, many superstitious locals already believe she is a witch. But that’s not the only unusual thing about Auda. She’s also literate – her father taught her to read and write so she could communicate without her tongue – and engaged in writing a book of herbal remedies. Later, she finds employment at the palace as a scribe where she gets into the habit of composing risqué poems for the amusement of the Vicomtesse and her friends – including a feisty feminist ballad in which a young maiden repels the advances of a lusty priest. In short, Auda is busily painting a gigantic bull’s eye onto her forehead.

Auda’s sister Poncia is worried that Auda is in danger, so she tries to arrange a marriage between Auda and a wealthy miller. Poncia thinks that if Auda can lead a normal life, she will be less suspicious; she also worries about Auda’s welfare upon their father Martin’s death. Auda agrees to meet the miller, but he’s fat, old, and worst of all – illiterate. She immediately turns down his suit, justifying her decision with rhetorical questions like “Why did everyone assume a woman had to marry and keep house?” or explaining, “To create a thing of beauty – was that not what everyone wanted? Poncia with hopes for a child, Martin with his paper. And Auda? All she had ever wanted was to find her voice.” Somehow Auda was programmed with a 21st century feminist sensibility, despite the fact that she was born in the 13th century.

Then Jaime appears on the scene. He’s young and handsome, unlike the dreaded miller, and he’s an artist. Jaime is a poor painter who makes religious portraits to order for noble patrons, but he also pursues a private passion for simple sketches of daily life. This is yet another anachronism in a book that bursts at the seams with historical inaccuracies – Jaime’s passion for sketches of ugly fishwives and other commoners is several centuries ahead of his time. Auda and Jaime go on dates, and at one point Auda actually visits him in the room he’s renting at a local brothel.

The Inquisition does eventually catch up to Auda and Martin, and it’s Poncia who points the finger. Martin is killed, but Jaime manages to bust Auda out of the city jail before her execution. The two flee Norbonne together and start a new life.

There’s not much to recommend THE WATERMARK. The writing is dull, and behind the eccentricity of a tongueless albino protagonist, the plotline is pure cliché: Auda is a proto-feminist who rejects the traditional role of women in favor of passion for her work and lover. Sankaran put some effort into research, but none of her characters act like they belong in the thirteenth century and at key points in the story, even the historical wallpaper peels away. Definitely a pass.(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Lucy rated it 3 of 5 stars

What could life possibly be like for a young girl in the 1300’s born albino, and mute because she was butchered at birth? Watermark begins with this atrociously brutal episode and pulls you into the incredible world of Auda.
Auda lived in Narbonne with her sister and father-tragically, her mother died giving birth to her. Her father, Martin, was a papermaker during a time of controversy where heretics were burned at the stake for writing and spreading falsities about religion and the Faith. The I...more What could life possibly be like for a young girl in the 1300’s born albino, and mute because she was butchered at birth? Watermark begins with this atrociously brutal episode and pulls you into the incredible world of Auda.
Auda lived in Narbonne with her sister and father-tragically, her mother died giving birth to her. Her father, Martin, was a papermaker during a time of controversy where heretics were burned at the stake for writing and spreading falsities about religion and the Faith. The Inquisitor hunted down all those in any way related to the spreading of heresy...particularly through writings. Since the writing had to be done on some sort of paper or parchment, someone had to be providing this medium for the words and messages to be read...hence; a very troublesome time for Martin and his family.
Auda astutely communicated through sign language and writing. Eschewing an arranged marriage by her sister, Auda gets recognition to work as a scribe for the Vicomtesse- but there is danger lurking everywhere; particularly where the Vicomte is concerned...
As well, Auda needed to be covered at all times, not only because of her poor vision, but especially because of her looks- lest she would scare the ignorant, who passed her for a witch. Llife was incredibly difficult without her being able to communicate or show herself...How could she even contemplate love? And yet...
Watermark takes a hard look at the reality of a woman born under incredible circumstances. The 1300’s was no place of mercy;but rather one of fear, treachery and religious turmoil- nothing pretty about this place and time, especially if you were different in any way.
Still, Auda captured my heart with her brightness in all senses. Vanitha Sankaran is an excellent author. Her gentle description of Auda as splendidly magical helped to bring the character closer and more endearing. I was also fascinated by the whole papermaking process described perfectly. I had no idea of the depth of its importance and how crucial a ‘watermark’ could be.
I would describe this book as splendid in its harsh reality- and utterly tender in its portrayal of beauty running deeper than its surface.(less)

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Jul 08, 2011 Margaret rated it 3 of 5 stars

Interesting novel that takes place in the early 1300's in the Carcasonne (southwest) region of France during a turbulent religious period and the growing power of the Inquisition. The main character is a woman albino, whose pale skin is thought by others to mean that she is a witch. Her father is a paper maker and she is trained in that craft plus can read and write, all unusual for women and commoners at that time, and so making her a doubly suspicious person in the community. The best parts of...more

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Feb 01, 2011 Tiffany rated it 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely love strong women characters! This book was about a girl who, for a reason I won't reveal, was taught to read by her father who was a papermaker. She was born in the middle ages when women and commoners were not taught to read and when papermaking hadn't found it's foothold in Europe yet. It was a time when parchment was still being used by the Church and the nobles and when people were being tortured and killed because of heresy accusations.

The girl, Auda, who was different from b...more

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Nov 17, 2010 Leah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-writers

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ever since I was about 11 years old and picked up "Catherine, Called Birdy", I've had a taste for novels dealing with the medieval era. My dear beloved has a degree in Medieval history as well, so I picked this up with the hope it would be something he and I could share together. I am not at all disappointed, and intend to give it to him for our anniversary.
Though I was I was reading, it was not so much Birdy I was reminded of, but rather, a character from a much more modern-set novel: The Pois...more Ever since I was about 11 years old and picked up "Catherine, Called Birdy", I've had a taste for novels dealing with the medieval era. My dear beloved has a degree in Medieval history as well, so I picked this up with the hope it would be something he and I could share together. I am not at all disappointed, and intend to give it to him for our anniversary.
Though I was I was reading, it was not so much Birdy I was reminded of, but rather, a character from a much more modern-set novel: The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver. Auda, being mute, intelligent, and resourceful, was highly reminiscent, right down to the name, of the character of Ada. This was actually a very pleasant surprise, as Auda was different enough for it to not feel like plagiarism, but I'm inevitably drawn to characters like them and their struggles, as someone who often tried to find my voice, though not due to muteness.
Auda's relationships with other people, particularly that between herself and her dead mother, were intriguing and well-executed. The most intriguing one between two living characters was between Auda and her sister, strained by their world views, which grew more and more apart as the novel progressed and her sister retreated deeper into her faith in institutions such as Church and Marriage, while Auda spread her literary and social wings and began to fly away from these institutions and their cumbersome conformity.
The only genuine complaint that I have towards the otherwise delightful book is that the ending, a happy life with her beloved in a quiet village where the church was good and Auda was not stigmatized for her looks or her trade, seemed tacked on and forced. Auda certainly had earned a happy ending at this point, but it seemed to hastily pasted together to give forth that richly deserved fairy tale ending, and all too happy of coincidences. It could have been fleshed out more to lead to the circumstances ending at this place in life for Auda and Jaime, though that could be me trifling over wanting to read more and more of Auda and Jaime's life together, perhaps setting off on a journey together, as romantic and unreal as that sounds?
Whatever the case, it comes highly recommended, particularly for those with a geeky side who grew up wanting to be Birdy as much as I did. (less)

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Jul 04, 2010 Lynne rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a first novel by a new author of promise. She has written a superb, historically accurate and tantalizing novel of the Middle Ages. It takes place in France in the medieval town of Narbonne. It is also the time period when the Inquisition was being enacted instilling fear in all the land. Auda is born an albino and must hide her features from the public view as Inquisitors are frequently about looking for witches. Those who see her are afraid of her appearance and with the superstition o...more This is a first novel by a new author of promise. She has written a superb, historically accurate and tantalizing novel of the Middle Ages. It takes place in France in the medieval town of Narbonne. It is also the time period when the Inquisition was being enacted instilling fear in all the land. Auda is born an albino and must hide her features from the public view as Inquisitors are frequently about looking for witches. Those who see her are afraid of her appearance and with the superstition of the times call her the “white witch”. An interesting twist to making this story unique is that Auda is unable to speak, as the assistant to the midwife upon seeing her strange appearance at birth, snatched her away and cut off her tongue believing she would speak of the devil. Her mother having died in childbirth, Auda is brought up by an older sister and her father who is a scribe. Her sister has married well and feels a responsibility to provide for Auda’s future. She and her father both try to find a way for Auda to live as normal a life as possible but be safely away from those who would turn her in to the Inquisitors.  Auda has learned to read and write from her father and has become an excellent scribe through his tutelage. This puts her in a unique position in the community as women are not educated at this time.
Auda is quickly revealed to be more confident and resourceful than she would at first appear to an outsider. She knows she has skills and talents in papermaking and scribing and wants to spend her life working with her father. She lacks confidence in behaving as a normal young woman when it comes to romantic involvement. However, she finds herself attracted to an artist and soon becomes involved with him without fear. She has definite ideas as to what she wants and though her sister and father feel they should be responsible for her safety it begins to appear that Auda can take care of herself. She is intelligent and emboldened if somewhat naive because she has been kept out of society for so many years. She becomes angry when her family tries to control her life. She feels that she can wish for a normal life in spite of the dangers of being captured by the Inquistors. She exhibits bravery in the face of these dangers and is willing to take risks to further her life and the success of her father’s papermaking business. She is devoted to her father and the recognition of his talents. Not only do we learn a great deal about the culture of the times but we also get a good understanding of the history and importance of papermaking through this story. I definitely look forward to the next novel by Sankaran which is to take place in Renaissance Venice.(less)

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Jun 15, 2010 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-age, family-relationships, fiction, historical-fiction, history, library-books, library-books-i-wish-i-owned, read-in-2010, reading-challenges, remarkable-reads, sisters, women, young-women

Vanitha Sankaran's Watermark is a beautifully written piece of historical fiction that will completely immerse you in the story within the first few pages. Auda is a unique and interesting character and it is impossible not to be immediately drawn into her life. Her struggles are the same struggles universal to women of the time period, but are amplified by her physical and educational differences. Auda and the other characters in Watermark are realistic and well-written, and come to vivid life...more

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May 18, 2010 Stephanie D. rated it 4 of 5 stars

In Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran, Auda has the misfortune to be born an albino. Ruled by superstition and religious fanaticism, the midwife's helper decides to cut out Auda's tongue so that she won't spread any of the devil's lies. With this dramatic opening, Sankaran plunges us into the Dark Ages, a time in which being physically and intellectually different are considered dangerous.

As she grows up, Auda is sheltered by her father and sister, who fear that someday the villagers will blame their...more In Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran, Auda has the misfortune to be born an albino. Ruled by superstition and religious fanaticism, the midwife's helper decides to cut out Auda's tongue so that she won't spread any of the devil's lies. With this dramatic opening, Sankaran plunges us into the Dark Ages, a time in which being physically and intellectually different are considered dangerous.

As she grows up, Auda is sheltered by her father and sister, who fear that someday the villagers will blame their misfortunes on Auda because of her condition. Rather than accept her fate, which is to seek safety in a loveless marriage, Auda instead forges her own destiny by becoming a scribe at the Vicomte's palace. Here, she finds her own voice by penning daring poetry. She captures the attention of a handsome artist and eventually of the Inquisition.

Sankaran does a marvelous job of creating the world of small French village in the Dark Ages - exactly the kind of historical fiction I love to read. Here, papermaking is celebrated as a fascinating art and novelty, as well as for its physical qualities: its texture and possibilities. Paper is ubiquitous now, right? In fact we, as a society, are trying to conserve natural resources and are turning to other forms of media, such as e-books. Paper was to the Dark Ages as e-books are to us now: a new invention with a potential for equality.

Because paper was cheaper, easier and faster to make than parchment, written ideas could be disseminated to more people than ever before through bound paper books. Can you imagine how remarkable an idea that was back then when parchment books were only owned by the very rich? Paper not only represented a radical idea, but the medium through which radical ideas could be widely conveyed - making it a dangerous tool.

As I reflect more on Watermark, I have to draw a parallel between a blank piece of paper, whose value is made up of its materials and increases when something is written on its surface, and Auda, who is paper personified. As an albino, she physically resembles a blank piece of paper, even more so because she's seen so little of the world, having been protected from it. Once she strikes out on her own, her experiences, whether it be of independence, of love, or pain and suffering, leave a rich and indelible imprint on her.

One dynamic that didn't work for me was the love story of Auda and Jaime, which seemed to happen too fast. I think Sankaran could have lavished more buildup on it, as much as she did on the papermaking scenes, to have made it more believable.

However, the fine writing in Watermark has managed to whet my interest for Sankaran's next book, which is purportedly about another invention that changed the world: printmaking.(less)

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Apr 29, 2010 Anita rated it 5 of 5 stars

Vanitha Sankaran's debut novel is the story of a papermaker's daughter in 1300's Narbonne, France. Heretic fever is at its height, with the church inspectors ready to question and torture those suspected of undermining the church and its teachings. Neighbouring Carcassonne is suffering the heretic fires, and many in Narbonne fear the inevitable arrival of the inquisitors.

Anyone who looks different is in danger of accusations of being a disciple of the devil or a witch, so Auda, the twenty-year-o...more Vanitha Sankaran's debut novel is the story of a papermaker's daughter in 1300's Narbonne, France. Heretic fever is at its height, with the church inspectors ready to question and torture those suspected of undermining the church and its teachings. Neighbouring Carcassonne is suffering the heretic fires, and many in Narbonne fear the inevitable arrival of the inquisitors.

Anyone who looks different is in danger of accusations of being a disciple of the devil or a witch, so Auda, the twenty-year-old heroine is under threat, for she is certainly different.

Born an albino, Auda cannot speak with her own voice, but uses a primitive form of signing to communicate with her father, Martin and her sister, Poncia the only ones who love Auda enough to try and protect her from the prejudices of both friends and strangers.

Without speech, Auda is a compelling heroine and shows the reader the world through her eyes and thoughts. Her feelings about her mother, who died giving birth to her, her understanding of what normal life as a wife and mother would be like. Love, marriage and a family are not what Auda sees for herself, but her yearning for another pathway where she can express herself proves her downfall.

Taken in as a scribe to the Vicomtesse, Auda is the focus of attention when her poetic soul finds an outlet in the written word about the quality of love. But her verses are subject to misinterpretation by others as well as the church. Even a gift Auda has made for her father becomes a weapon that is ultimately used against her.

There is one man who sees Auda's inner self. Jaime, an artist, is prepared to take a risk to be with her.

Ms Sankaran has painted a colourful picture of a Fourteenth Century French town with all its seething and primitive life, together with an inherent terror of the church’s powers. Her research is exemplary and includes some fascinating details of the papermakers' art.

Auda is an unusual heroine, but one who will stay with you long after the final, savage chapters of her remarkable story.

(less)

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Apr 27, 2010 Gaby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, literary-fiction, coming-of-age

Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages opens with the event of Auda's birth, her welcome to the world, and a glimpse of the superstition that she faces throughout her life. By the time Auda is grown, she has learned her father's craft and has learned to express herself clearly in her writing. Few of the people around her are literate, but Auda has fashioned a life for herself.

Between assisting in the papermaking, serving as a scribe, and hiding her albino features, Auda has learned to move around...more

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Apr 07, 2010 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

When my friends publish, I get so gleeful. Perhaps there’s some selfishness in that glee - If they can do it, I can do it, too - but mostly, I’m just really happy for them. I love people succeeding at what they love, and my friend Vanitha has done just that with her first book Watermark, released by HarperCollins this month. The book is thoughtful, interesting, and well-written. Brava, my friend.

The novel tells the story of Auda, an albino mute, living in medieval France during the Inquisition....more When my friends publish, I get so gleeful. Perhaps there’s some selfishness in that glee - If they can do it, I can do it, too - but mostly, I’m just really happy for them. I love people succeeding at what they love, and my friend Vanitha has done just that with her first book Watermark, released by HarperCollins this month. The book is thoughtful, interesting, and well-written. Brava, my friend.

The novel tells the story of Auda, an albino mute, living in medieval France during the Inquisition. She is the daughter of a papermaker who is helping to facilitate the switch from parchment to paper. Auda, unlike most women, has learned to read and to write, and in some ways the book is her story of her coming into her voice, ironically without having a vocal one.

The book twines together historical fact and literary fiction to create a well-paced, nuanced story about the questions we must all answer to live into our true selves - what are we willing to risk? Who must we protect? How must we speak?

While not typically a fan of historical fiction, I found myself very invested in Auda, partially because she is a female artist, partially because she struggles with questions of faith and questions of family loyal, and partially because she’s just interesting - a well-written character.

I also loved the sections on papermaking and illumination (Auda meets a young artist who specializes in illumination) because I find the history of writing and text to be engrossing. How did we survive as a species for so long when so few of us could communicate through the written word? I know only a writer/reader would ask this question, but still it fascinates me.

If you like a good story that keeps you invested without resorting to big-action gimmicks and if you appreciate history, particularly religious and writing history, this book is a great choice for you. But really it’s a good read, and I’m not just saying that because Vanitha is my friend. It really is quite good. Yeah, my friends have done it again. I’m so proud. (less)

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Jun 01, 2010 Lydia Presley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, fiction, france, historic-fiction

There were things I loved and things I didn't love about this book. I thought that Vanitha Sankaran did a wonderful job of setting up the story - the birth of Auda and death of her mother, Elena was heartbreaking and an eye-opening (if a bit predictable) method to open the story.

I loved the educational aspect of making paper and the way the story revolved around the tracts labeled as "heresy" and the connection that papermakers risked. I actually thought the historical aspect of this novel was t...more

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Apr 13, 2010 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

From my blog...

Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran is a beautifully scripted tale of a woman, born an albino, trying to get by in the Middle Ages during the time of the Inquisitions. The story begins in 1300 Narbonne, France with Elena struggling with a difficult birth and anxiously awaiting her husband Martin and their young daughter Poncia's return with a midwife, however it is a healer he returns with. Biatris sends her assistant to gather herbs while she assesses the situation, concluding she must...more From my blog...

Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran is a beautifully scripted tale of a woman, born an albino, trying to get by in the Middle Ages during the time of the Inquisitions. The story begins in 1300 Narbonne, France with Elena struggling with a difficult birth and anxiously awaiting her husband Martin and their young daughter Poncia's return with a midwife, however it is a healer he returns with. Biatris sends her assistant to gather herbs while she assesses the situation, concluding she must cut the baby from the womb, saving one life, but ending another. When Biatris' assistant sees the baby, born without pigmentation, she takes the baby to the river to drown, but instead chooses to cut the baby's tongue out to prevent her from speaking the Devil's word. The story then jumps to 1320, Auda is happily living with her father and her sister Poncia has settled down into married life with Jehan. Poncia wants to find someone willing to marry her sister, since more and more Inquisitors are arriving daily. One Inquisitor writes about finding the "white witch", alluding to Auda, yet she feels relatively secure even with herself while at home with her loving, artistic father. Auda would rather be happy than safe, staying unmarried and making paper with her father. She is educated, when most women are not and Auda enjoys her freedom and shares the same dream as her father, to one day make paper, reading, and writing common amongst all people; lofty goals for her poor father, even loftier for one who is being sought after. Martin has been commissioned by the Vicomtess and she has agreed to hire Auda as her scribe, but at what cost? The Watermark is an exceptionally well-written novel that easily captivates the reader and commands the reader's attention until the very end. Sankaran chose an intriguing historical setting for her novel and it is evident through her writing that she has extensively researched this time period. It is with vivid detail the reader is transported back to the Middle Ages, to the sites, the sounds, and people of the time, from the Inquisitions, the heretics and daily accusations to love, ambitions, and awaking artistic movements. Auda not only is a strong charater, she is also an easy-to-like character who despite all adversity is true to herself, her dreams, goals, and ambitions. Watermark is a brilliantly crafted narrative that I would highly recommend to all readers.(less)

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Apr 03, 2010 Serena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Some of us are born with an inclination to create beauty and live it no matter what the cost, while others are born to follow the traditional and keep their heads low. Vanitha Sankaran's Watermark weaves an intricate tale in the shadow of dark forces that once held sway over the Church and through which a young woman blossoms and carves her path in the world out of love and sacrifice.

"'For crimes of heresy and thoughts against our Church,' he began, 'the condemned who have repented are forthwith...more

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Jan 23, 2011 Christen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, medieval, 2011, reviewed

I really enjoy medieval historical fiction, but this book was a big disappointment to me. First, for the positive: I enjoyed the setting and time period details. The author obviously did her research. As most medieval books seem to be placed in England, I enjoyed the French setting. I think the idea behind the story was a great one and who knew that the story behind paper was so interesting?

Now for the negatives. First, I found the story to be just plain dull. It took me a week to read which is...more

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Jun 24, 2010 Staci rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Staci by: Author

Shelves: 2010-reads

My Thoughts: I found this book to be absorbing and amazingly imaginative. The Middle Ages come to life with the street fairs, the smells of the unwashed bodies, and the sights of the monks, self-flagellating priests, beggars, and the ones who don't want to be noticed. Aude had two strikes against her from birth: being mute (by force) and also having albino traits. Being her during this time would have been unnerving to say the least. She spends much of her life just trying to blend in and to not...more

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May 22, 2010 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

This is obviously a first novel, with a very straightforward story devoid of sidelines or surprises. Auda is the daughter of a papermaker in the south of France in 1320. She is albino and mute, independent and observant; she and her father get dangerously mixed up with the Cathars and, inevitably, the Inquisition.

The milieu of this book--the world of middling tradesman in southern France during the Avignon papacy--is the best part. Even in this author's inexperienced hands, the outlines of the t...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Angie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 26, 2010 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: tour-review-book

An engrossing, insightful and delightfully addicting novel of life during the 1300's. Watermark is the story of a young girl whose mother died giving birth to her. If that isn't difficult enough, she is born albino, thought to be an evil child of the devil, and has her tongue cut from her mouth shortly after birth, by a midwife's apprentice.

Growing up in the security of her older sister and loving father, Auda soon grows into a world that endangers her life, simply because she is different. The...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Crystal rated it 2 of 5 stars

I felt this book had real potential in the beginning, but the author lacked the necessary skill to successfully weave the story and lead its characters to a satisfying conclusion. One of its most detrimental flaws was the lack of clear conflict, which was messy and muddled. The author also overlooked the opportunity to explore the relationship between Auda and Jaime, which felt pasted together for plot convenience. Ultimately, the bizarre motivation for the main character, Auda, throwing herself...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Nancy added it

Hmmmm.... going to go with 3 stars on this one. Not bad, not wonderful. Not the kind of book I usually read, so that may be skewing my viewpoint. Set in the early 1300s amidst church reform and heresy trials. This went a lot more into the persecution of the heretics than I thought. "Love thy neighbor" unless they're different than you, of course. A little slow to start, it didn't really pick up til the last third or so. I thought the characters could have used a bit more development, some of the...more

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May 02, 2011 Laurel rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book has an amazing first half. I loved it. In chapter one I found myself aching to nurture and protect a newborn who had had her tongue cut out for being albino- a "devil child". You'll care for Auda from the start. Then the writing fell apart and I lost interest. The poor editing is is laughable, the hyper-focus on paper making is boring, the descriptive adultry scene is superfluous, as always. Lastly, Auda, spared from death and expected to do great things, doesn't do much beyond survivi...more

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Apr 19, 2010 Tara Chevrestt rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Jenny, Misfit

Shelves: historical-fiction, france, 2010-release

I guess I'm the first person not to be jumping up and down with joy after reading this novel, a story about a mute abino girl who is the daughter of papermaker in the middle ages, but here goes..

First, what I didn't like: Poncia, Auda's sister. If that woman wasn't already getting slapped around, I would have jumped in there and slapped her around myself. Her and her self rightousness had me cringeing throughout the reading of this. Also, despite fascinating facts regarding early papermaking (l...more I guess I'm the first person not to be jumping up and down with joy after reading this novel, a story about a mute abino girl who is the daughter of papermaker in the middle ages, but here goes..

First, what I didn't like: Poncia, Auda's sister. If that woman wasn't already getting slapped around, I would have jumped in there and slapped her around myself. Her and her self rightousness had me cringeing throughout the reading of this. Also, despite fascinating facts regarding early papermaking (love the recipes in the back of the book by the way!) I found the book dull at times as nothing much seems to be going on. The Inquistion has come and everyone is wondering who is a heretic and Auda is falling for a painter and writing or reading verses of love everyday. That sums up the middle. Finally, the moment of betrayal in the end: I seen it coming and thought Auda dumb for not seeing it herself.

End of complaints. Here is what I liked: Auda's writing. Upon finding numerous written verses about or by women, Auda realizes that in them, women have no choice and she pens her own verses, giving women a choice in the story. "The old verses never let women decide, choose what to want. They are always victims of a man's choice. I wrote something different. I wrote these tales. To spread the word. She chooses, not the men." Obviously, Auda is a woman ahead of her time.
I also liked that last quarter except for its predictablity. I liked how Auda stuck to her guns. I also thought that despite its dullness at moments, the novel was very educational about the Inquistion in France and the effects it had on the people, priests and peasants and noblemen alike.

Not a bad book, but I wasn't enthralled and I didn't find myself thinking of it long after setting it down, nor was I on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.

I wish to part with a final quote that appeared often throughout the reading of this that I liked: "Women are no lesser than men, men no lesser than women."(less)

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Oct 14, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

I now know that Ken Follett has spoiled me. Ever since reading Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, and Fall of Giants, I've expected my historical fiction to be intricately plotted, filled with rich and interesting characters, and overflowing with period detail and nuance. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Watermark may have been up to my standards in my pre-Follett reading days, but unfortunately it's just not up to snuff compared to the all-the-world's-a-stage storytelling I love so much....more I now know that Ken Follett has spoiled me. Ever since reading Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, and Fall of Giants, I've expected my historical fiction to be intricately plotted, filled with rich and interesting characters, and overflowing with period detail and nuance. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Watermark may have been up to my standards in my pre-Follett reading days, but unfortunately it's just not up to snuff compared to the all-the-world's-a-stage storytelling I love so much. This book, which takes place in the 1300s, describes the life of a mute albino girl named Auda who helps her father make paper, the latest technological breakthrough in the arts, and still a very much distrusted material.

It's also that dark time in European history when the Catholic church got a little power-mad and started the Inquisition to root out "heretics." At the time, you were considered a heretic simply for believing that men and women were equal in the eyes of God. Throughout the first 75% of the book, the author dangled the potential danger of the Inquisition over our heads as though she were saying, "Bet you sure would like to read about Auda getting in trouble with the Inquisitors, wouldn't you? Bet you'd like the story to get really dark and action-packed."

That first 75% is filled with a lot of conversations about the Inquisition, discussions of how paper is made, confusing arguments with Auda's sister, Auda's crush on a local artist, and overly lengthy discussions about troubadours and the chivalric tradition that read like something out of a textbook. Only in that final 25% do we get anything even approaching action, and it falls a bit flat, with the story ending a bit too neatly.

Watermark is the author's first novel, so I'm willing to cut her some slack and read her next novel to see if she's gotten any better. If she concentrates on showing rather than telling us what's happening and reins in her over-researched discussions of issues that don't directly relate to the story, I think she could write some really awesome historical fiction.(less)

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Nov 30, 2010 Ali rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, historical-fiction

I really need to stop reading books about the middle ages, because I latch onto the parts that aren't historically accurate and they ruin an entire book for me. With "Watermark," I couldn't get past the fact that the main character was 20 years old and her relatives kept saying that she was just getting to the age where she should be married. Huh??

Even though all of the details about paper making may have been well-researched (it's not something I know a ton about), couldn't Sankaran have done...more

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May 31, 2010 Jenny Q rated it 4 of 5 stars

Rating: 4.5 Stars out of 5

From the Back Cover:

The daughter of a papermaker in a small French village in the year 1320 - mute from birth and forced to shun normal society - young Auda finds solace and escape in the wonder of the written word. Believed to be cursed by those who embrace ignorance and superstition, Auda's very survival is a testament to the strength of her spirit. But this is an age of Inquisition and intolerance, when difference and defiance are punishable "sins" and new ideas are...more Rating: 4.5 Stars out of 5

From the Back Cover:

The daughter of a papermaker in a small French village in the year 1320 - mute from birth and forced to shun normal society - young Auda finds solace and escape in the wonder of the written word. Believed to be cursed by those who embrace ignorance and superstition, Auda's very survival is a testament to the strength of her spirit. But this is an age of Inquisition and intolerance, when difference and defiance are punishable "sins" and new ideas are considered damnable heresy. When darkness descends upon her world, Auda - newly grown to womanhood - is forced to flee, setting off on a remarkable quest to discover love and a new sense of self...and to reclaim her heritage and the small glory of her father's art.

My Review:

In this impressive debut novel, Vanitha Sankaran crafts a very original tale centered around a very different kind of heroine. Auda is born an albino and the story opens with the gruesome circumstances of her birth, where a decision made by a superstitious midwife's apprentice renders her mute for life.

Fast forward twenty years to Auda as a woman grown. Auda lives and works with her father, a papermaker. Her father and sister have done a good job of protecting Auda from the outside world, but her sister has recently married and moved out of her father's home, and things are changing in Auda's world. Auda can't speak, but she can read and write, and in addition to copying texts for her father, she writes stories of her own and dreams of sharing them with the world. But her sister has other plans for her, to see her married and to remain safely hidden away.

"What form of story do you like best?"

This is what Auda writes on a little slip of paper, the first question she wants to ask of the man her sister has arranged for her to marry, and it was the moment I lost my heart to her. It's also the moment I realized I was in trouble, because people like Auda living in times like those didn't have happily ever afters. I had to tell myself not to get attached to her and her hopes for a full and happy life.

And oh, how Auda yearns to live a full and happy life. She's intelligent and inquisitive, and has reached the point in her life where she's ready to stretch her wings. But Auda's kind heart combined with her sheltered existance keep her from fearing the cruelty of others, and thus she goes along a little naively, unaware that seemingly innocent actions can draw unwanted attention. Which is unfortunate, for the town of Narbonne is on edge. An endless season of rain has ruined crops. Fear of heresy is sweeping through the country and priests are flocking to Narbonne to root out the cause of the evil weather. As heretic pamphlets begin surfacing more frequently in the town, the Inquisition turns its eyes to those who write, and to those who make the paper for them to write upon.

"If a man hears an evil idea, unless his mind is bent toward evil, he will not dwell on it, will forget it before long. But if that same idea is written, he will be drawn back to it, again and again. Evil has a temptation and man is bent toward it."

Auda's father comes under heavy suspicion and that means trouble for Auda. The story is compelling and well-paced, leading up to some pretty intense climactic scenes that keep the reader hooked right up to the sweet and satisfying conclusion. There were a couple of scenes that seemed to have been written specifically to draw attention to little nuggets of research the author found interesting (as explained in the author's note), but for me they came off as awkward rather than enlightening, since they didn't really have anything to do with the story. Minor quibbles, though. I thought this was a refreshingly original novel, fast-paced and very enjoyable with touches of poetry and story-telling. I loved the setting of this book, in the little seaside town of Narbonne rather than in a big cosmopolitan city like Paris and I enjoyed reading a story about someone who lives in the shadow of the lord of the land, rather than reading another story from the point of view of the nobility. Highly recommended for anyone looking for something different in historical fiction and interested in getting a glimpse of facets of medieval life not often explored.(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Set in 14th century Narbonne, France, "Watermark" is the story of Auda, a young woman who is born an albino and left mute after a healer's apprentice cuts out her tongue. Unfortunately, Auda lives during a time in which the Inquisition is in full swing and people with physical deformities are viewed as heretics. When the Inquisition comes to Narbonne, Auda is caught up in it, endangering her family and friends.

While I enjoyed this novel, the fact that this is Sankaran's first novel is obvious. A...more Set in 14th century Narbonne, France, "Watermark" is the story of Auda, a young woman who is born an albino and left mute after a healer's apprentice cuts out her tongue. Unfortunately, Auda lives during a time in which the Inquisition is in full swing and people with physical deformities are viewed as heretics. When the Inquisition comes to Narbonne, Auda is caught up in it, endangering her family and friends.

While I enjoyed this novel, the fact that this is Sankaran's first novel is obvious. Almost all of the characters, save for Auda, are underdeveloped, and the plot is incredibly predictable. There's one moment a little over halfway through where Auda stays with a group of Cathars (the primary heretics in this novel) and realizes that their philosophies are almost identical to her beliefs, even though she is Catholic. Ultimately, this realization doesn't really go anywhere in terms of advancing the plot, but a nice twist would have been for Auda to embrace Catharism. Instead, we get typical torture scenes followed by a dramatic rescue and a happy ending. I felt like I was reading the novelization of a Disney film (there's even a mob scene straight out of Beauty and the Beast).

Another point that bothered me was the frequent mention of Auda's mother, who dies giving birth to her. Auda's sister and father speak little of her, so Auda grows up knowing very little about her except that she was wonderful, kind, beautiful, etc. But throughout the novel hints are dropped about her mother that indicated to me that something surprising was going to be revealed; as it turns out, the "surprise" is when Auda finds out that her mother basically sacrificed herself to give birth to her daughter (which readers already know, because it's the first scene). It reminded me of Harry Potter, and how he keeps hearing about how wonderful and flawless his father is, only to discover that James was a bully at school. But in "Watermark," there's no realization like that. Sankaran could have done a lot with the deceased mother figure, but instead we just keep hearing over and over about how perfect and amazing she was. Sure, Auda feels a little guilty when she discovers that she essentially killed her mother, but it's not played up as much as it could have been.

While this is not a bad novel, it's not one that I would recommend, simply because there's better historical fiction out there. Luckily, "Watermark" is a fairly light read and goes by quickly, so I don't feel as though this was time wasted.(less)

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Aug 11, 2010 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Historical fiction seems focused on many cliched points in history, so many that I often feel I am reading the same story over and over. I am beginning to get a bit bored with the Tudors, Henry and all his wifes.

So I was pleased with this novel, set in medieval Norbonne, France. We get to meet Auda, who was born Albino and as a newborn was made mute. Growing up with just her father and sister, she begins to help her father in his paper making business. This change from parchment to paper, causes...more

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May 21, 2010 Bobby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

A riveting tale, set in southern France in the 1300s, about a mute, albino girl (Auda) who is fascinated with the newly introduced "cloth parchment," aka paper. On the one hand, paper can give her the voice she never had, and allow her to explore her creativity and feminist ideas that are just starting to formulate inside her. On the other hand, the Church is suspicious of this newfangled invention, and this being the time of the Inquisition, Auda has to tread very carefully...Fans of historical...more

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Oct 07, 2010 Alice rated it 4 of 5 stars

Historical fiction about love, life, and the intolerance of the middle ages. Set in the 1300's when the Church started a movement of fear: the inquisition. Watermark questions authority through the eyes of a mute albino girl named Auda. Not only does Auda's outer appearance makes her different, she can read and write during a time when not many people could. She's modern in a sense that she can think for herself and writers freely of her feelings and ideas. It's this free-thinking that gets Auda...more

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Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages

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