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Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #20
Brother Cadfael's Penance
While Cadfael has bent Abbey rules, he has never broken his monastic vows--until now. Word has come to Shrewsbury of a treacherous act that has left 30 of Maud's knights imprisoned. All have been ransomed except Cadfael's secret son, Olivier. Conceived in Cadfael's soldiering youth and unaware of his father's identity, Olivier will die if he is not freed.
255 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
862 people are currently reading
2506 people want to read
About the author
Ellis Peters
207 books1,146 followersA pseudonym used by Edith Pargeter.
Edith Mary Pargeter, OBE, BEM was a prolific author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translations of Czech classics; she is probably best known for her murder mysteries, both historical and modern. Born in the village of Horsehay (Shropshire, England), she had Welsh ancestry, and many of her short stories and books (both fictional and non-fictional) were set in Wales and its borderlands.
During World War II, she worked in an administrative role in the Women's Royal Naval Service, and received the British Empire Medal - BEM.
Pargeter wrote under a number of pseudonyms; it was under the name Ellis Peters that she wrote the highly popular series of Brother Cadfael medieval mysteries, many of which were made into films for television.
Edith Mary Pargeter, OBE, BEM was a prolific author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translations of Czech classics; she is probably best known for her murder mysteries, both historical and modern. Born in the village of Horsehay (Shropshire, England), she had Welsh ancestry, and many of her short stories and books (both fictional and non-fictional) were set in Wales and its borderlands.
During World War II, she worked in an administrative role in the Women's Royal Naval Service, and received the British Empire Medal - BEM.
Pargeter wrote under a number of pseudonyms; it was under the name Ellis Peters that she wrote the highly popular series of Brother Cadfael medieval mysteries, many of which were made into films for television.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 424 reviews
August 29, 2009
Who would have thought that a mystery book would make me cry? But cry I did. The book was simply a lovely end to a delightful mystery series. Brother Cadfael, the main character and a Benedictine Monk has to make a hard decision when he discovers his son has been captured by an enemy. If he strays too far from the dictates his leader has given, he could be in danger of losing his chosen vocation as a Benedictine monk. He loves his service as a monk, but his call to see after his son is equally powerful and strong. What follows is a fascinating story where we get an in-depth look at the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud, both arrogant as they literally rip the country apart to gain the throne of England. Maud is shown as arrogant, cold and ruthless in her quest for power. Ironically, her followers are not portrayed as ruthless or particularly power-hungry. Ellis Peters implies that Maud has almost hypnotic power over the men who served her. At the heart of story is the complicated story of Philip, son of Robert of Gloucester, Maud's most trusted advisor and half-brother. Philip switches loyalties from Maud to King Stephn in an attempt to sway the balance in Stephen's favor and end the war. Brother Cadfael is finally able to divine the location of his son, Olivier, whose fate is intertwined with that of Philip's. The story was absolutely fascinating. The historical detail was mesmerizing. But above all, for me, the story of father-son relationships, religious obligations, political loyalties, personal ambitions, and the desire to serve moved me. Cadfael's journey is poignant. But please take the time to read the whole series. I think the end is worth waiting for, after reading the previous 19 books. Ellis Peters is such a great writer. And the end of her series was just stunning.
December 5, 2024
“We are born of the fathers we deserve, and they engender the sons they deserve. We are our own penance and theirs.”
Perhaps the best of the Chronicles. An excellent close to the series. Pargeter ties off several threads, but leaves enough dangling to tantalize the reader, even as she probably knew she would not write further. She died the year after this volume was published.
“You do what you must do, and pay for it. So in the end all things are simple.”
Many of the ensemble characters from the entire series are allowed their swan song; and Cadfael, sometime crusader, monastic, healer, and lately-discovered father, makes one last journey of faith. Along the way, he stumbles onto a murder, of course, and scatters the seeds of much good.
“Oliver had been dearly loved. The empress never had.”
Don't read this book unless you have read all the other Cadfael stories you plan to read. For starters, you won't appreciate it, but mostly because events take place here which will spoil the rest of the series.
“And I have needs, oh, God, how dear, and my years are dwindling to a few, and my debt is grown from a hillock to a mountain, and my heart leans to home.”
Cadfael series: excellent historical fiction. Ellis Peters draws the reader into the twelfth century with modern story telling but holds us there with a richness of detail which evokes epic fantasy. Though the foreground of each chronicle is a murder mystery, behind it a nation and a culture are woven in a wondrous tapestry.
Perhaps the best of the Chronicles. An excellent close to the series. Pargeter ties off several threads, but leaves enough dangling to tantalize the reader, even as she probably knew she would not write further. She died the year after this volume was published.
“You do what you must do, and pay for it. So in the end all things are simple.”
Many of the ensemble characters from the entire series are allowed their swan song; and Cadfael, sometime crusader, monastic, healer, and lately-discovered father, makes one last journey of faith. Along the way, he stumbles onto a murder, of course, and scatters the seeds of much good.
“Oliver had been dearly loved. The empress never had.”
Don't read this book unless you have read all the other Cadfael stories you plan to read. For starters, you won't appreciate it, but mostly because events take place here which will spoil the rest of the series.
“And I have needs, oh, God, how dear, and my years are dwindling to a few, and my debt is grown from a hillock to a mountain, and my heart leans to home.”
Cadfael series: excellent historical fiction. Ellis Peters draws the reader into the twelfth century with modern story telling but holds us there with a richness of detail which evokes epic fantasy. Though the foreground of each chronicle is a murder mystery, behind it a nation and a culture are woven in a wondrous tapestry.
January 16, 2013
Excellent, outstanding conclusion to one of my favorite series of all time. The previous book, Holy Thief, is an effective conclusion to Cadfael's story in Shrewsbury. This book is the conclusion of Cadfael's personal story. It's set outside of Shrewsbury as Cadfael travels, without leave or sanction, to find Olivier. Cadfael has often played a bit fast and loose with the rules but he has never broken his vows to the Order. He does so now because he believes that Olivier takes precedence. It's not a decision he makes lightly.
The bulk of the story is given over to Cadfael's search and the historical events at the time, namely the fall of Faringdon Castle, the sudden change in allegiance by Phillip FitzRobert (son of Robert, Earl of Gloucester), and a peace conference between King Stephen and Empress Maud convened by Bishop Roger de Clinton at Coventry. A conference that ultimately solved nothing with regards to the war. The murder mystery is almost an afterthought, but as expected it is tidily solved.
The plot is complex and filled with themes of loyalty and family. A powerful and moving end to a very rewarding series!
The bulk of the story is given over to Cadfael's search and the historical events at the time, namely the fall of Faringdon Castle, the sudden change in allegiance by Phillip FitzRobert (son of Robert, Earl of Gloucester), and a peace conference between King Stephen and Empress Maud convened by Bishop Roger de Clinton at Coventry. A conference that ultimately solved nothing with regards to the war. The murder mystery is almost an afterthought, but as expected it is tidily solved.
The plot is complex and filled with themes of loyalty and family. A powerful and moving end to a very rewarding series!
July 5, 2021
So with some of Ellis Peters’ later Brother Cadfael novels feeling a bit like the author, like Peters was actually rather running out of steam and ideas and presenting plot-lines that I would tend to consider not all that interesting as well as rather strange and artificial from a Mediaeval historical reality point of view (for no indeed, I have not really enjoyed either The Summer of the Danes or The Holy Thief all that much), well, I certainly was approaching Brother Cadfael’s Penance with a massive amount of trepidation when I read it for the first time in 1996. And furthermore, because in Brother Cadfael’s Penance, Ellis Peters shows Brother Cadfael leaving his monastery and going on a long and complicated journey to rescue his imprisoned son Olivier de Bretagne, I guess I was also somewhat worried that the entire presented text could end up too convoluted, too involved and with too many superfluous details for me, with too much of the mystery and insufficient history (and sorry about the rhyming, but no, not truly sorry at all).
But no, I really did not need to have worried! For Ellis Peters’ text in Brother Cadfael’s Penance has in my humble opinion reverted to its former narrative brilliance, presenting a delightful balance, where neither historical reality nor a good and interesting story are ever compromised by Peters, leaving a tale that indeed I can read and do read with equal pleasure over and over again. And yes, I do in Brother Cadfael’s Penance simply adore how Brother Cadfael’s decision to stray from his orders to go and rescue his son is presented by Ellis Peters as a tough and difficult decision but without exaggeration, without contemporary sentimentality, keeping in tune with Mediaeval England, thus making her story, making Cadfael’s lonesome journey to find and liberate Olivier both emotionally and historically realistic and my only complaint in fact being that there are no more Brother Cadfael novels, that since Ellis Peters died in 1995, her 1994 Brother Cadfael’s Penance unfortunately is also the final novel of the series (but I am also really and totally glad that the series was not continued by another author, as there was only one Ellis Peters and I just could not imagine reading about Brother Cadfael in another, in not Ellis Peters’ distinctive and wonderful writing style).
But no, I really did not need to have worried! For Ellis Peters’ text in Brother Cadfael’s Penance has in my humble opinion reverted to its former narrative brilliance, presenting a delightful balance, where neither historical reality nor a good and interesting story are ever compromised by Peters, leaving a tale that indeed I can read and do read with equal pleasure over and over again. And yes, I do in Brother Cadfael’s Penance simply adore how Brother Cadfael’s decision to stray from his orders to go and rescue his son is presented by Ellis Peters as a tough and difficult decision but without exaggeration, without contemporary sentimentality, keeping in tune with Mediaeval England, thus making her story, making Cadfael’s lonesome journey to find and liberate Olivier both emotionally and historically realistic and my only complaint in fact being that there are no more Brother Cadfael novels, that since Ellis Peters died in 1995, her 1994 Brother Cadfael’s Penance unfortunately is also the final novel of the series (but I am also really and totally glad that the series was not continued by another author, as there was only one Ellis Peters and I just could not imagine reading about Brother Cadfael in another, in not Ellis Peters’ distinctive and wonderful writing style).
August 7, 2016
The final volume of the adventures of Brother Cadfael. This novel examines the nature of the relationship between parents and children and the issue of where duty lies if two opposing duties collide and diverge. So, the nature of personal morality lies at the bedrock.
The reason I think these little books are so popular - and are far better than all the imitators since - is that Pargeter unashamedly grapples with morality. I have read several other long series' of Medieval whodunnit type novels and they all pall after a while. The only two writers who come close are Maureen Ash and Candace Robb but neither can hold a candle to Cadfael's ability to hook the reader in. Other factors are the language used, with the lilting Welshness singing through the English, and the general optimism about humanity which pervades all the best writing Pargeter ever did.
I read fast and people ask me if I remember what I have read; the answer, sadly, is 'all too well', necessitating quite long periods between re-reads of favourite novels. So it'll be some years before I get to wallow in the warmth of this series again - but wallow again I will!
The reason I think these little books are so popular - and are far better than all the imitators since - is that Pargeter unashamedly grapples with morality. I have read several other long series' of Medieval whodunnit type novels and they all pall after a while. The only two writers who come close are Maureen Ash and Candace Robb but neither can hold a candle to Cadfael's ability to hook the reader in. Other factors are the language used, with the lilting Welshness singing through the English, and the general optimism about humanity which pervades all the best writing Pargeter ever did.
I read fast and people ask me if I remember what I have read; the answer, sadly, is 'all too well', necessitating quite long periods between re-reads of favourite novels. So it'll be some years before I get to wallow in the warmth of this series again - but wallow again I will!
March 25, 2017
The final novel in the Cadfael series (though not the final story as there are several short stories to come).
Again the Murder mystery is really just a bookend and gets forgotten about for much of the story, but there is good reason for this. The novel ties up the background story of Cadfael and his son, with Brother Cadfael leaving the monastery at Shrewbury, perhaps for good, in order to find his son and rescue him. This was the story I had been waiting for as it is Cadfael's most personal yet, and you get a real feel for the person he was before he entered the Monastery - part of him wishing to wade into battle.
Surrounding this we get what looks to be the set up of some sort of conclusion to the Civil War between Empress Maud and King Stephen, although we never quite get to see if and how things are resolved -for that you will have to turn to Google for the facts.
Overall one of the best Cadfael stories
Again the Murder mystery is really just a bookend and gets forgotten about for much of the story, but there is good reason for this. The novel ties up the background story of Cadfael and his son, with Brother Cadfael leaving the monastery at Shrewbury, perhaps for good, in order to find his son and rescue him. This was the story I had been waiting for as it is Cadfael's most personal yet, and you get a real feel for the person he was before he entered the Monastery - part of him wishing to wade into battle.
Surrounding this we get what looks to be the set up of some sort of conclusion to the Civil War between Empress Maud and King Stephen, although we never quite get to see if and how things are resolved -for that you will have to turn to Google for the facts.
Overall one of the best Cadfael stories
April 2, 2025
The last in the series of 20, all good, most very good, and this comes to a truly satisfying ending. Peters has created a masterpiece in this series--characters are complex and one is eager to see them again after they are introduced; plots (although I read the books practically back-to-back) are not repetitive; the history is accurate and interestingly presented; Brother Cadfael is someone you wish were a personal friend. And religion is presented well, woven into life, with some theologizing handled well and always in the direction of compassion. Highly recommended to mystery lovers--I suggest you read the books in order, as characters and situations return to the series and earlier events are referenced in later books.
December 31, 2017
This is the final book of the series, and it definitely has the feel of finality about it. I don't know if the author planned on its being the last one, but since she died shortly after it was published I guess we'll never know. We are made more aware than usual of Cadfael's advancing age as he leaves the Abbey to search for his son who has been taken hostage. Church leaders have summoned King Stephen and the Empress Maud with their supporters to a summit in an attempt to bring peace to the war-ravaged country resulting from their prolonged civil war. While there, naturally there is a murder, and Cadfael is drawn into the investigation since the accused is well known to him and is also kidnapped by the same noble who holds Cadfael's son hostage. His search keeps him away from his abbey longer than permitted, and he does not know whether he'll be allowed to return. As situations are resolved, there is a feeling of wrapping things up, as if we are saying goodbye to Cadfael. I feel rather sad to come to the end, but at least I can read the series again in a few years!
November 28, 2021
Brother Cadfael... sigh. I might find myself a theist if the religious were actually Cadfael-oid. But alas, this is fiction, with good goodies and bad baddies, vanity and cruelty; yet blessedly, nearly free of the stinky, disgusting details about 12th century real life in England. The only bathing mentioned is the care of bloody wounds, and no one ever seems to consider changing clothes - but these trivialities are of no concern when eternal life is in the balance. As our favorite monk notes:
“If the sin is one which, with all our will to do right, we cannot regret, can it truly be a sin?”
“You do what you must do, and pay for it. So in the end all things are simple.”
“If the sin is one which, with all our will to do right, we cannot regret, can it truly be a sin?”
“You do what you must do, and pay for it. So in the end all things are simple.”
November 14, 2022
The blurb says it better than I can:
For Brother Cadfael, in the autumn of his life, the mild November of our Lord's year of 1145 may bring a bitter--and deadly--harvest. England is torn between supporters of the Empress Maud and those of her cousin Stephen. The civil strife is about to jeopardize not only Cadfael's life, but also his hopes of Heaven.
While Cadfael has bent Abbey rules, he has never broken his monastic vows--until now. Word has come to Shrewsbury of a treacherous act that has left 30 of Maud's knights imprisoned. All have been ransomed except Cadfael's secret son, Olivier. Conceived in Cadfael's soldiering youth and unaware of his father's identity, Olivier will die if he is not freed.
Thus begins a very poignant story that takes love and loyalty as its main themes. The author does a beautiful job of exploring the 'ties that bind' and exposing the damage done when those ties are abused or abandoned. The actual plot of the story is very complex, with lots of twists and turns. Through it all, Cadfael remains true to his quest of finding Olivier, while hoping that God will forgive his disobedience, even if Abbot Radulphus might not. (While I never doubted that all would end well, the author shows us Cadfael's worries all too well.)
This makes a very fitting conclusion to this wonderful series, whether it was planned that way or not. (The author died about a year after it was published.) I love Cadfael; i admire the author's skill in making the medieval world come to life; and I treasure the mental comfort I experience after reading these books. The whole series has a prominent position on my 'keepers' shelf.
For Brother Cadfael, in the autumn of his life, the mild November of our Lord's year of 1145 may bring a bitter--and deadly--harvest. England is torn between supporters of the Empress Maud and those of her cousin Stephen. The civil strife is about to jeopardize not only Cadfael's life, but also his hopes of Heaven.
While Cadfael has bent Abbey rules, he has never broken his monastic vows--until now. Word has come to Shrewsbury of a treacherous act that has left 30 of Maud's knights imprisoned. All have been ransomed except Cadfael's secret son, Olivier. Conceived in Cadfael's soldiering youth and unaware of his father's identity, Olivier will die if he is not freed.
Thus begins a very poignant story that takes love and loyalty as its main themes. The author does a beautiful job of exploring the 'ties that bind' and exposing the damage done when those ties are abused or abandoned. The actual plot of the story is very complex, with lots of twists and turns. Through it all, Cadfael remains true to his quest of finding Olivier, while hoping that God will forgive his disobedience, even if Abbot Radulphus might not. (While I never doubted that all would end well, the author shows us Cadfael's worries all too well.)
This makes a very fitting conclusion to this wonderful series, whether it was planned that way or not. (The author died about a year after it was published.) I love Cadfael; i admire the author's skill in making the medieval world come to life; and I treasure the mental comfort I experience after reading these books. The whole series has a prominent position on my 'keepers' shelf.
Want to read
October 24, 2022***********************
Book Order and Availability:
*A Morbid Taste for Bones (1) 3 stars
*One Corpse Too Many (2) 5 stars
*Monk's Hood (3) 4 stars
*St. Peter's Fair (4) 4 stars
*The Leper of St. Giles (5) 5 stars
*The Virgin in the Ice (6)3 stars
*The Sanctuary Sparrow (7) 4 stars
*The Devil's Novice (8) unavailable
*Dead Man's Ransom (9) 3 stars
*The Pilgrim of Hate (10) 3 stars
*An Excellent Mystery (11) TBR
*The Raven in the Foregate (12) 4 stars
*The Rose Rent (13) TBR
*The Hermit of Eyton Forest (14) TBR
*The Confession of Brother Haluin (15) unavailable
*The Heretic's Apprentice (16) unavailable
*The Potter's Field (17) unavailable
*The Summer of the Danes (18) TBR
*The Holy Thief (19) TBR
*Brother Cadfael's Penance (20) TBR
Book Order and Availability:
*A Morbid Taste for Bones (1) 3 stars
*One Corpse Too Many (2) 5 stars
*Monk's Hood (3) 4 stars
*St. Peter's Fair (4) 4 stars
*The Leper of St. Giles (5) 5 stars
*The Virgin in the Ice (6)3 stars
*The Sanctuary Sparrow (7) 4 stars
*The Devil's Novice (8) unavailable
*Dead Man's Ransom (9) 3 stars
*The Pilgrim of Hate (10) 3 stars
*An Excellent Mystery (11) TBR
*The Raven in the Foregate (12) 4 stars
*The Rose Rent (13) TBR
*The Hermit of Eyton Forest (14) TBR
*The Confession of Brother Haluin (15) unavailable
*The Heretic's Apprentice (16) unavailable
*The Potter's Field (17) unavailable
*The Summer of the Danes (18) TBR
*The Holy Thief (19) TBR
*Brother Cadfael's Penance (20) TBR
November 3, 2022
This is the last book of the Brother Cadfael series. As a lover of series, I've often thought how difficult it must be to end a series. Conan Doyle famously tried to end his Sherlock Holmes collection by killing his hero, but this caused such a ruckus (don't you just love the word "ruckus") among his devoted fans that he was forced to resurrect Holmes from the grave - a convention that has become a trope among writers.
Anyway, I think Ms. Peters/Pargeter ended this series perfectly.
As anyone who has read this series knows, the books are set in the background of the war between King Stephen and Empress Maud in 12th century England, and many of the events in the book are directly connected to the war. That is the case in this final book. Phillip, son of the Earl of Gloucester (Maud's half-brother and strongest supporter), surrenders a castle and everyone in it - individual knights and their private armies included - to Stephen's forces. Those knights who refuse to plead allegiance to Stephen are taken as prisoners and most are sold for ransom. Cadfael gets word his son, Olivier de Bretagne, is among the prisoners but has not been offered for ransom. Fearing for his safety, Cadfael begs permission from Abbot Radulfus to attend a peace conference in Coventry with Hugh. Wisely, Radulfus grants him leave, but sternly warns him that if he continues his private quest after the conference, he will forswear his vows.
The peace conference is stunningly unsuccessful. To the contrary, one of the instigators of the mass surrender is murdered at the conference. Cadfael learns nothing about Olivier except that Phillip is likely the only person who may know Olivier's location. So turning his back on his monastic vows, he travels on alone to the castle where Phillip currently resides while Hugh goes back to Shrewsbury.
The quest and final outcome is so well done. The reader feels Cadfael's deep inner conflict, knowing himself to be faithless and probably outcast yet knowing he must obey his deeper instinct to save his son over his own soul. Being outcast in the medieval era was no light thing. In The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England, Ian Mortimer relates that being an outcast was nearly a death sentence. Cadfael wouldn't be in such dire straits - Hugh and Aline would take him in, or he could return to Wales and build a new life - but it was still not an easy choice.
I really enjoyed this series and I know that in future, I will return to this series and visit all the friends I met here.
Anyway, I think Ms. Peters/Pargeter ended this series perfectly.
As anyone who has read this series knows, the books are set in the background of the war between King Stephen and Empress Maud in 12th century England, and many of the events in the book are directly connected to the war. That is the case in this final book. Phillip, son of the Earl of Gloucester (Maud's half-brother and strongest supporter), surrenders a castle and everyone in it - individual knights and their private armies included - to Stephen's forces. Those knights who refuse to plead allegiance to Stephen are taken as prisoners and most are sold for ransom. Cadfael gets word his son, Olivier de Bretagne, is among the prisoners but has not been offered for ransom. Fearing for his safety, Cadfael begs permission from Abbot Radulfus to attend a peace conference in Coventry with Hugh. Wisely, Radulfus grants him leave, but sternly warns him that if he continues his private quest after the conference, he will forswear his vows.
The peace conference is stunningly unsuccessful. To the contrary, one of the instigators of the mass surrender is murdered at the conference. Cadfael learns nothing about Olivier except that Phillip is likely the only person who may know Olivier's location. So turning his back on his monastic vows, he travels on alone to the castle where Phillip currently resides while Hugh goes back to Shrewsbury.
The quest and final outcome is so well done. The reader feels Cadfael's deep inner conflict, knowing himself to be faithless and probably outcast yet knowing he must obey his deeper instinct to save his son over his own soul. Being outcast in the medieval era was no light thing. In The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England, Ian Mortimer relates that being an outcast was nearly a death sentence. Cadfael wouldn't be in such dire straits - Hugh and Aline would take him in, or he could return to Wales and build a new life - but it was still not an easy choice.
I really enjoyed this series and I know that in future, I will return to this series and visit all the friends I met here.
October 30, 2021
‘Thanks be to God, brother,… there are still, as there always have been and always will be, more good men than evil in this world, and their cause will prevail.’ (Kindle 3435)
Brother Cadfael's Penance is the 20th and last book in Ellis Peters' Cadfael series. I've read at least ten of this series on Kindle, others in paperback and given away. I am reading them out of order, of course. Like her other books, I struggle with the first 20 pages – most of which contextualize the story and describe the current political machinations – but eventually am pulled into the story and its (often) moral quandaries.
Although this series is set in and near a cloistered monastery in the midst of the civil war in 12th century England (set between 1137 and 1145), the series is a pleasingly feminist one, with the women having agency, being neither wholly good or bad, and considering feminist issues of work, family, love, and sexual agency. The men are also three-dimensional, as they rarely seem in mysteries or war era books. Many are honorable, caring, and have long and loving friendships.
I also like their different perspective of justice. Murderers sometimes but do not always get hung or even set before a court of law. Some battles (not the one in this book) have deaths in the single digits. Although the war divided relatives, most notably Empress Maud and King Stephen, the intentional death of blood relatives was taboo and the plot of this book revolves around attempting to stop such a death, one that would have escalated the war.
Murder is murder, as much a curse to the slayer as to the slain, and cannot be a matter of indifference, whoever the dead may be. (Kindle 1117)
More than war, though, this is a book about relationships between parent and child – and their resolutions. Peters explores various types of disruptions and the ongoing and deep bonds between each party, even when deep values have been betrayed. Maybe this is a rosy view of the world, but I like believing that there "more good men than evil in this world" and suspect that if we put aside our biases and looked more objectively, we would find many/most – even those voting differently – would be more good than not.
In our various degrees, we are all sinners. To acknowledge and accept that load is good. Perhaps even to acknowledge and accept it and not entertain either shame or regret may also be required of us. (Kindle 3527)
Brother Cadfael's Penance is the 20th and last book in Ellis Peters' Cadfael series. I've read at least ten of this series on Kindle, others in paperback and given away. I am reading them out of order, of course. Like her other books, I struggle with the first 20 pages – most of which contextualize the story and describe the current political machinations – but eventually am pulled into the story and its (often) moral quandaries.
Although this series is set in and near a cloistered monastery in the midst of the civil war in 12th century England (set between 1137 and 1145), the series is a pleasingly feminist one, with the women having agency, being neither wholly good or bad, and considering feminist issues of work, family, love, and sexual agency. The men are also three-dimensional, as they rarely seem in mysteries or war era books. Many are honorable, caring, and have long and loving friendships.
I also like their different perspective of justice. Murderers sometimes but do not always get hung or even set before a court of law. Some battles (not the one in this book) have deaths in the single digits. Although the war divided relatives, most notably Empress Maud and King Stephen, the intentional death of blood relatives was taboo and the plot of this book revolves around attempting to stop such a death, one that would have escalated the war.
Murder is murder, as much a curse to the slayer as to the slain, and cannot be a matter of indifference, whoever the dead may be. (Kindle 1117)
More than war, though, this is a book about relationships between parent and child – and their resolutions. Peters explores various types of disruptions and the ongoing and deep bonds between each party, even when deep values have been betrayed. Maybe this is a rosy view of the world, but I like believing that there "more good men than evil in this world" and suspect that if we put aside our biases and looked more objectively, we would find many/most – even those voting differently – would be more good than not.
In our various degrees, we are all sinners. To acknowledge and accept that load is good. Perhaps even to acknowledge and accept it and not entertain either shame or regret may also be required of us. (Kindle 3527)
January 2, 2025
"The colours of late autumn are the colours of the sunset: the farewell of the year and the farewell of the day. And of the life of man? Well, if it ends in a flourish of gold, that is no bad ending." 2025 begins with such an end.
Brother Cadfael's Penance is one of the most satisfying conclusions to a series I've ever read. Hard stop. Everything that has been lurking in the background of the 19 prior cases comes to a head here and with a flourish. The series begins with one of Cadfael's favorite twinks (Hugh Baringar, of course) in the camps of King Stephen, laying siege to a castle loyal to Empress Maud; now, the series ends with another of Cadfael's favorite twinks (Yves Hugonin) in the camps of Empress Maud, laying siege to a castle loyal to King Stephen. In the first, there's one too many bodies upon the taking of the castle, in the latter, there's one too few.
Up til this point, Maud had been a background figure — now she emerges into the candlelight eight years into the English Anarchy biting mad. The plot revolves around her nephew's decision to turn cloak and surrender his forces to her rival King Stephen, imprisoning her remaining loyalists, including his close friend — and Brother Cadfael's son — Olivier. What follows is more of an action-adventure, period heist novel rather than cozy murder mystery as Cadfael plots three separate jail breaks.
More than any other preceding novel, this one also deals heavily with themes on the costs of petty war ("There is no salvation in neither Empress nor King") and the nature of "sin," as Cadfael acts without the permission of his Abbott to rescue his illegitimate son. There is a lot of great content here on family. Across the series, we've seen one family tear itself — and the country — apart, betrayal after betrayal, clearly seen here as a father and son war with each other for their respective champions and as Maud threatens to hang her own nephew (JFC Maud). But through Cadfael, we see one family finally come together, as he frees and embraces his son. Doing so, Peters maps onto the war-torn country hope for reconciliation.
Some of the latter entries were a bit of a drag. (Though I'm not sure if this was entirely due to their inherent quality or because I suffered through abridged versions of them. We need to get those last five digitized STAT!). But this final one is a spectacular finale nonetheless. My only slight hangup is that Cadfael gets a moving final scene with Olivier, but no such treatment is reserved for Hugh, who has endlessly provided Cadfael with the good goss for 18 books and named Cadfael GODFATHER to his son. I just needed like one more sentence about Cadfael's thoughts on Hugh's handsome, wiry frame.
I recommend Cadfael to EVERYONE. But if you don't have 21 books in you, here are the essentials if you want the payoff I got from this:
1: A Morbid Taste for Bones (really more of a prologue to the series, you may want to read #2 first, but this one sets up one of the best series-long jokes and introduces Cadfael as a bit of a rogue)
2: One Corpse Too Many (establishes the central story of the English Anarchy and recurring characters Hugh & Aline)
3: Monk's Hood (great plotting, learn more about Cadfael's past promiscuity, BROTHER MARK)
6: The Virgin in the Ice (fun mystery, introduces Olivier and Yves)
10: The Pilgrim of Hate (Hugh and Olivier nearly kiss)
20: Brother Cadfael's Penance (need I say more?)
Three of the strongest entries are all in a row in the middle of the series and are also definitely worth reading:
13: The Rose Rent
14: The Hermit of Eyton Forest
15: The Confessions of Brother Haluin
Skip altogether:
0: A Rare Benedictine (this is Cadfael if he took his responsibilities to the abbey seriously)
7: Sanctuary Sparrow (I honestly don't even remember this one)
18: The Summer of the Danes (truly incomprehensible)
Brother Cadfael's Penance is one of the most satisfying conclusions to a series I've ever read. Hard stop. Everything that has been lurking in the background of the 19 prior cases comes to a head here and with a flourish. The series begins with one of Cadfael's favorite twinks (Hugh Baringar, of course) in the camps of King Stephen, laying siege to a castle loyal to Empress Maud; now, the series ends with another of Cadfael's favorite twinks (Yves Hugonin) in the camps of Empress Maud, laying siege to a castle loyal to King Stephen. In the first, there's one too many bodies upon the taking of the castle, in the latter, there's one too few.
Up til this point, Maud had been a background figure — now she emerges into the candlelight eight years into the English Anarchy biting mad. The plot revolves around her nephew's decision to turn cloak and surrender his forces to her rival King Stephen, imprisoning her remaining loyalists, including his close friend — and Brother Cadfael's son — Olivier. What follows is more of an action-adventure, period heist novel rather than cozy murder mystery as Cadfael plots three separate jail breaks.
More than any other preceding novel, this one also deals heavily with themes on the costs of petty war ("There is no salvation in neither Empress nor King") and the nature of "sin," as Cadfael acts without the permission of his Abbott to rescue his illegitimate son. There is a lot of great content here on family. Across the series, we've seen one family tear itself — and the country — apart, betrayal after betrayal, clearly seen here as a father and son war with each other for their respective champions and as Maud threatens to hang her own nephew (JFC Maud). But through Cadfael, we see one family finally come together, as he frees and embraces his son. Doing so, Peters maps onto the war-torn country hope for reconciliation.
Some of the latter entries were a bit of a drag. (Though I'm not sure if this was entirely due to their inherent quality or because I suffered through abridged versions of them. We need to get those last five digitized STAT!). But this final one is a spectacular finale nonetheless. My only slight hangup is that Cadfael gets a moving final scene with Olivier, but no such treatment is reserved for Hugh, who has endlessly provided Cadfael with the good goss for 18 books and named Cadfael GODFATHER to his son. I just needed like one more sentence about Cadfael's thoughts on Hugh's handsome, wiry frame.
I recommend Cadfael to EVERYONE. But if you don't have 21 books in you, here are the essentials if you want the payoff I got from this:
1: A Morbid Taste for Bones (really more of a prologue to the series, you may want to read #2 first, but this one sets up one of the best series-long jokes and introduces Cadfael as a bit of a rogue)
2: One Corpse Too Many (establishes the central story of the English Anarchy and recurring characters Hugh & Aline)
3: Monk's Hood (great plotting, learn more about Cadfael's past promiscuity, BROTHER MARK)
6: The Virgin in the Ice (fun mystery, introduces Olivier and Yves)
10: The Pilgrim of Hate (Hugh and Olivier nearly kiss)
20: Brother Cadfael's Penance (need I say more?)
Three of the strongest entries are all in a row in the middle of the series and are also definitely worth reading:
13: The Rose Rent
14: The Hermit of Eyton Forest
15: The Confessions of Brother Haluin
Skip altogether:
0: A Rare Benedictine (this is Cadfael if he took his responsibilities to the abbey seriously)
7: Sanctuary Sparrow (I honestly don't even remember this one)
18: The Summer of the Danes (truly incomprehensible)
July 6, 2023
Это идеальная и самая утешительная книжная серия на свете. Финал — <3
December 14, 2019
What a perfect, fitting end to a series that has proven a pleasure and a joy. There were a number of truly excellent books in the series, but the author saved the best for last, and wrote a lovely, moving finale for Cadfael.
I've always enjoyed that Brother Cadfael is a settled adult, comfortable with himself and tolerant of others, but one of the elements that really made this book work was the fact that for once, we get to see him in turmoil, and struggling, and unsure of himself and what the future will hold. His anguish and love and care for Olivier added a certain raw emotion that was rather uncommon for the series, and all the more touching for its rarity.
The whole book was also a very well done reflection of the bonds of love and loyalty, and how they shatter and break, and yet sometimes can still be repaired. So many of the plot threads of the book are woven together with this overarching theme, and they each come out in their own disparate ways.
I loved loved loved the passage where Cadfael is struggling with himself and his actions, and concludes "You do what you must do, and pay for it. So in the end all things are simple." The whole section is lovely, but that conclusion in particular really struck me.
I am sad to be done the series, because it has been such a pleasure through a year of reading it, but a really good ending can be hard to come by, and this book wrapped up the series beautifully.
I've always enjoyed that Brother Cadfael is a settled adult, comfortable with himself and tolerant of others, but one of the elements that really made this book work was the fact that for once, we get to see him in turmoil, and struggling, and unsure of himself and what the future will hold. His anguish and love and care for Olivier added a certain raw emotion that was rather uncommon for the series, and all the more touching for its rarity.
The whole book was also a very well done reflection of the bonds of love and loyalty, and how they shatter and break, and yet sometimes can still be repaired. So many of the plot threads of the book are woven together with this overarching theme, and they each come out in their own disparate ways.
I loved loved loved the passage where Cadfael is struggling with himself and his actions, and concludes "You do what you must do, and pay for it. So in the end all things are simple." The whole section is lovely, but that conclusion in particular really struck me.
I am sad to be done the series, because it has been such a pleasure through a year of reading it, but a really good ending can be hard to come by, and this book wrapped up the series beautifully.
February 12, 2013
Sad to say but this is the final book in the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters. I've enjoyed every single one of them. My worry in this one was whether the series would end with the now-65-year-old Cadfael dying! The plot suggested it could well have been a possibility! Cadfael offers himself as ransom to release his son (whom he had only recent discovered having in his days before the cloister!).
Without giving any more away, this novel is wonderful, a fitting conclusion to a great series.
Without giving any more away, this novel is wonderful, a fitting conclusion to a great series.
January 29, 2025
I enjoyed how the mystery is almost an afterthought next to the politics of the realm, and Cadfael’s own personal worries. And it’s mostly resolved with … well he was a d*** so he deserved it.
March 9, 2025
Sad to reach the end of this lovely series, but what a delightful, satisfying ending - with not just one thrilling, daring rescue, but three - and no one even drew a sword. Brother Cadfael to the rescue, armed only with decency, bravery and faith.
I’ll be honest, I’ve never been able to follow the politics and allegiances of the civil war between Stephen and Maud that have formed the background of this series. The futility, greed and waste have been a constant, and they are on full display here, as the book opens in November 1145.
The two sides are brought together in Coventry to try and negotiate peace, after there’s been yet another switching of sides and a castle surrendered. Cadfael’s son, Olivier Bretagne, is among those taken, but not offered for ransom; Cadfael feels he must go to try and find out the fate of his son, and save him if possible.
Abbott Radulfus gives him leave to accompany Hugh Beringar to Coventry, but makes it clear - any time beyond his granted leave, or beyond Coventry, and Cadfael is on his own.
Here we have old friends and new; Cadfael, as is often the case, uses his healing skills, common sense, and powers of persuasion to bring about the best outcome for all concerned. He can’t force king and empress to make peace, but he is a humbling example of the good even the least among us we can do for those nearest and dearest in our own small way. We should do what we know is right, and be prepared to face the consequences. What an inspiring character the author has created in him!
I am always soothed and gladdened by this series; the wonderful characters, the writing, about both the natural beauty of the English countryside and the continuity and serenity of life and seasons governed by the liturgical calendar, bring me peace. I won’t wait so long for a reread in future!
I’ll be honest, I’ve never been able to follow the politics and allegiances of the civil war between Stephen and Maud that have formed the background of this series. The futility, greed and waste have been a constant, and they are on full display here, as the book opens in November 1145.
The two sides are brought together in Coventry to try and negotiate peace, after there’s been yet another switching of sides and a castle surrendered. Cadfael’s son, Olivier Bretagne, is among those taken, but not offered for ransom; Cadfael feels he must go to try and find out the fate of his son, and save him if possible.
Abbott Radulfus gives him leave to accompany Hugh Beringar to Coventry, but makes it clear - any time beyond his granted leave, or beyond Coventry, and Cadfael is on his own.
Here we have old friends and new; Cadfael, as is often the case, uses his healing skills, common sense, and powers of persuasion to bring about the best outcome for all concerned. He can’t force king and empress to make peace, but he is a humbling example of the good even the least among us we can do for those nearest and dearest in our own small way. We should do what we know is right, and be prepared to face the consequences. What an inspiring character the author has created in him!
I am always soothed and gladdened by this series; the wonderful characters, the writing, about both the natural beauty of the English countryside and the continuity and serenity of life and seasons governed by the liturgical calendar, bring me peace. I won’t wait so long for a reread in future!
January 4, 2021
The last Cadfael chronicle. It is set in wintertime and so it suits my early January mood very well.
Far from Shrewsbury this time, mostly around my beloved Cotswolds, Cadfael is caught up in the conflict between King Stephen and Empress Maud that is tearing England apart. It's not over by the end of the book, but for Cadfael and his loved ones it's a happy ending.
We meet his son again and quite a few real historical figures, like the empress Maud - whom I don't like, however justified her claims to the throne may have been, and I'm quite sure Ellis Peters preferred King Stephen, too.
There is a failed peace conference, a murder, betrayal, changes in loyalties, father-son problems, a siege and a real battle. And afterwards Cadfael returns to where he belongs, to the abbey of St Peter and St Paul in Shrewsbury.
A satisfying conclusion to an outstanding series.
Far from Shrewsbury this time, mostly around my beloved Cotswolds, Cadfael is caught up in the conflict between King Stephen and Empress Maud that is tearing England apart. It's not over by the end of the book, but for Cadfael and his loved ones it's a happy ending.
We meet his son again and quite a few real historical figures, like the empress Maud - whom I don't like, however justified her claims to the throne may have been, and I'm quite sure Ellis Peters preferred King Stephen, too.
There is a failed peace conference, a murder, betrayal, changes in loyalties, father-son problems, a siege and a real battle. And afterwards Cadfael returns to where he belongs, to the abbey of St Peter and St Paul in Shrewsbury.
A satisfying conclusion to an outstanding series.
May 24, 2022
A suitable end to the Brother Cadfael series ably read by Sir Derek Jacobi. Unfortunately, this is just an abridged version
April 22, 2024
Another good Brother Cadfael book. Well worth reading.
February 20, 2015
It is awkward to say that I started with book number 20 in this series...
Having admitted that, it is exceptional! She has a great economy of words and grasp of proper protocol and customs which bring the characters out in full bloom!
And this is the real beauty of this: she is totally unaffected by the modern tendency to pooh-pooh the church when you speak of the Middle Ages. She puts the church in a very winsome perspective. The worldview in these books is one in which I can sink my teeth into like a really well-prepared meal.
I'll be reading more of these in the future!
Battle scenes, hardships, difficult court situations dealing with men and women in power. And genuine humility, humility, humility in the face of it all.
The meek triumph!
Psa 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Psa 37:12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
Psa 37:13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
Having admitted that, it is exceptional! She has a great economy of words and grasp of proper protocol and customs which bring the characters out in full bloom!
And this is the real beauty of this: she is totally unaffected by the modern tendency to pooh-pooh the church when you speak of the Middle Ages. She puts the church in a very winsome perspective. The worldview in these books is one in which I can sink my teeth into like a really well-prepared meal.
I'll be reading more of these in the future!
Battle scenes, hardships, difficult court situations dealing with men and women in power. And genuine humility, humility, humility in the face of it all.
The meek triumph!
Psa 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Psa 37:12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
Psa 37:13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
September 29, 2023
This last book in the series is probably the best, better even than Leper of St. Giles. But they should be read in order. And all of them. Every one is a treat. You need to have read the earlier books to appreciate the poignancy of the later ones. Later books have spoilers for earlier ones. Especially this book.
Inspector Felse books are 3 stars. https://www.goodreads.com/series/41055
Brother Cadfael is 4 stars. https://www.goodreads.com/series/42167
Heaven Tree Trilogy is 5 stars. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Inspector Felse books are 3 stars. https://www.goodreads.com/series/41055
Brother Cadfael is 4 stars. https://www.goodreads.com/series/42167
Heaven Tree Trilogy is 5 stars. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
November 4, 2025
This late entry in the Brother Cadfael series brings a return of two characters from earlier books: Yves Hugonin, first met as a child in The Virgin in the Ice, now a young man in the service of Empress Maude; and his one-time protector, Olivier de Bretagne, a knight also in service to Maude, and now married to Yves' sister Ermina.
News arrives at Shrewsbury that the Bishops are trying once more to bring warring King Stephen and Empress Maude to try to negotiate a peace. That this meeting is called just as Stephen has gained unexpected allies through upturned allegiances does not bode well for any hope for peace, as Maude is obdurate in claiming her right to the throne of her late father, while Stephen has no reason to yield when things seem turning in his favor.
Philip FitzRobert has suddenly handed over two castles to Stephen, in defiance of Philip's father Robert of Gloucester, Maude's most loyal nobleman in Britain. One of those forts was Faringdon, where any of the garrison who refused to support the change of allegiance was made captive. These men are mostly being held for ransom, but one, Olivier de Bretagne, has disappeared altogether. Hugh Beringar and Cadfael travel to the meeting hoping to locate Olivier and sue for his release, Cadfael under strict orders to return at the close of the conference, or risk the loss of his place among the brothers at Shrewsbury Abbey. For Cadfael, that risk is measured against Olivier's life--the knight is Cadfael's son from a long ago relationship in Antioch, before Cadfael came home from the Crusades.
When events at the conference throw Yves into danger, too, Cadfael chooses to pursue a rescue, even if it means, at age 65, finding himself alone and bereft of the Order he has given his heart to.
As always, Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter) writes brilliantly of men and their notions of glory and honor, and of the history of early English Kings and feudal politics. But the love and loyalty at the center of this tale is more personal, and richer, than petty wars and tyrants can ever be.
Here at last Cadfael and his son exchange the confidences that reveal all to Olivier, and result in a surprising twist or two along the way. Wonderful series.
News arrives at Shrewsbury that the Bishops are trying once more to bring warring King Stephen and Empress Maude to try to negotiate a peace. That this meeting is called just as Stephen has gained unexpected allies through upturned allegiances does not bode well for any hope for peace, as Maude is obdurate in claiming her right to the throne of her late father, while Stephen has no reason to yield when things seem turning in his favor.
Philip FitzRobert has suddenly handed over two castles to Stephen, in defiance of Philip's father Robert of Gloucester, Maude's most loyal nobleman in Britain. One of those forts was Faringdon, where any of the garrison who refused to support the change of allegiance was made captive. These men are mostly being held for ransom, but one, Olivier de Bretagne, has disappeared altogether. Hugh Beringar and Cadfael travel to the meeting hoping to locate Olivier and sue for his release, Cadfael under strict orders to return at the close of the conference, or risk the loss of his place among the brothers at Shrewsbury Abbey. For Cadfael, that risk is measured against Olivier's life--the knight is Cadfael's son from a long ago relationship in Antioch, before Cadfael came home from the Crusades.
When events at the conference throw Yves into danger, too, Cadfael chooses to pursue a rescue, even if it means, at age 65, finding himself alone and bereft of the Order he has given his heart to.
As always, Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter) writes brilliantly of men and their notions of glory and honor, and of the history of early English Kings and feudal politics. But the love and loyalty at the center of this tale is more personal, and richer, than petty wars and tyrants can ever be.
Here at last Cadfael and his son exchange the confidences that reveal all to Olivier, and result in a surprising twist or two along the way. Wonderful series.
March 28, 2022
I closed this book with a bittersweet smile. It is always a joy to spend time with Brother Cadfael and his eleventh century world but Brother Cadfael’s Penance marks the close of the series and it is sad to know that I will never again enter Cadfael’s world and tread on new paths, left to retrace the paths I’ve already crossed. Still, it is not quite the end: I have the companion volume, A Rare Benedictine, to read yet.
It may seem a strange word to describe a series that is ostensibly about a monk solving murders but the word that comes to mind when I think about The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael is: gentle. The world of Cadfael’s cloister and Shrewsbury, crafted with Ellis Peters’s exquisite prose, is beautiful, and one may be amazed at the mystery’s twists and turns but be assured that everything will turn out alright. While Peters generally does stick to the same types of characters, they are hard not to like. The religiosity of Cadfael is strong and present but never overpowering. While often historical mysteries, especially those of the cosy crime variety, turn to comedy, as if overburdened with a sense of their own novelty, Peters does not – the characters may be idealised but not caricatures we’re meant to laugh at.
Brother Cadfael’s Penance feels a little more dangerous than the other volumes in the series – Cadfael heads into the thick of a dispute between the Empress Matilda and King Stephen and ends up in a besieged castle. As someone who read the whole series – albeit in over three years – it has a powerful resonance as a closing chapter.
It may seem a strange word to describe a series that is ostensibly about a monk solving murders but the word that comes to mind when I think about The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael is: gentle. The world of Cadfael’s cloister and Shrewsbury, crafted with Ellis Peters’s exquisite prose, is beautiful, and one may be amazed at the mystery’s twists and turns but be assured that everything will turn out alright. While Peters generally does stick to the same types of characters, they are hard not to like. The religiosity of Cadfael is strong and present but never overpowering. While often historical mysteries, especially those of the cosy crime variety, turn to comedy, as if overburdened with a sense of their own novelty, Peters does not – the characters may be idealised but not caricatures we’re meant to laugh at.
Brother Cadfael’s Penance feels a little more dangerous than the other volumes in the series – Cadfael heads into the thick of a dispute between the Empress Matilda and King Stephen and ends up in a besieged castle. As someone who read the whole series – albeit in over three years – it has a powerful resonance as a closing chapter.
April 27, 2023
It’s over… but what a ride through twenty mystery novels—and three short stories! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
In A Morbid Taste for Bones, we first meet Brother Cadfael, seasoned veteran of the Crusades, now turned monk and herbalist and sleuth of the great abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul at Shrewsbury. In Brother Cadfael’s Penance, we see a man in the sunset of years of his life who, after so many faithful years of service to God, decides without second thought, to jeopardize all he holds dear to rescue, if he may, something he holds even dearer, his son Olivier who has been captured by the enemy and left unransomed. In this story, we little of the sleuth or herbalist or monk, other than him struggling with his future as a brother of Shrewsbury. In this last installment, we see Cadfael as the worried father, and man still experienced with the vicissitudes of war. It is ironic that a man who had sought to flee a past mired in warfare for the peace of a house of God, should force himself to contend with a civil war once more face to face in the hopes of delivering his own son from certain death. The last chapter brought a tear to my eye, a rare occurrence whenever I read a book.
It is a bittersweet story, but a fitting ending to a great series that has read more like fictionalized history rather than a mystery set in historical times. I will miss our beloved brother.
In A Morbid Taste for Bones, we first meet Brother Cadfael, seasoned veteran of the Crusades, now turned monk and herbalist and sleuth of the great abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul at Shrewsbury. In Brother Cadfael’s Penance, we see a man in the sunset of years of his life who, after so many faithful years of service to God, decides without second thought, to jeopardize all he holds dear to rescue, if he may, something he holds even dearer, his son Olivier who has been captured by the enemy and left unransomed. In this story, we little of the sleuth or herbalist or monk, other than him struggling with his future as a brother of Shrewsbury. In this last installment, we see Cadfael as the worried father, and man still experienced with the vicissitudes of war. It is ironic that a man who had sought to flee a past mired in warfare for the peace of a house of God, should force himself to contend with a civil war once more face to face in the hopes of delivering his own son from certain death. The last chapter brought a tear to my eye, a rare occurrence whenever I read a book.
It is a bittersweet story, but a fitting ending to a great series that has read more like fictionalized history rather than a mystery set in historical times. I will miss our beloved brother.
January 2, 2023
What an excellent conclusion to this series! I genuinely enjoyed this whole jaunt through the 12th century so much, and I can't imagine a more interesting person to guide me through it than Brother Cadfael. The whole twenty book-long adventure has honestly been just outstanding.
Purely for myself, I'm going to include my Official Ranking of Every Brother Cadfael Book. Nesting it under the spoiler line just so no one has to scroll!
Purely for myself, I'm going to include my Official Ranking of Every Brother Cadfael Book. Nesting it under the spoiler line just so no one has to scroll!
May 23, 2024
A way above average entry in the Cadfael series and a worthy ending to it. It was thick with the turmoil of the civil war both without and within. The usual bits of murder, false accusation, and young romance were present but utterly sidelined by said turmoil and some semi-cinematic, in a good way, scenes of sieging and sneaking. The character of Philip was particularly affecting. This was perhaps the best of the series, but a couple of others were great in their own ways.
“You do what you must do, and pay for it. So in the end all things are simple.”
There is still the prequel novella to read, then I have to adjust to life without Cadfael.
“You do what you must do, and pay for it. So in the end all things are simple.”
There is still the prequel novella to read, then I have to adjust to life without Cadfael.
December 28, 2023
Closing this book was like saying goodbye to the oldest and dearest of friends, and this is one of the hardest goodbyes i’ve ever had to make.
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