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The Illuminator #2
The Mercy Seller
In the fifteenth century, with religious intolerance spreading like wildfire across Europe, English-born Anna Bookman and her grandfather, Finn, earn a living in Prague by illuminating precious books, including forbidden translations of the Bible. Finn subscribes to the heresy that people ought to be able to read the Word of God for themselves, without having to pay a priest for the privilege, but holding that belief is becoming more and more hazardous. When the authorities start burning books and slaughtering heretics---including the man Anna was to marry---Finn urges her to seek sanctuary in England, but her passage abroad will be anything but easy.
In London, Friar Gabriel dutifully obeys church doctrine by granting pardons . . . for a small fee. But then he is sent undercover on a spying mission to France, where Anna has set up a temporary stall as a bookseller. Anna has no way of knowing that the wealthy young merchant frequenting her stall is actually a priest---just as Gabriel does not know he has met the woman who will cause him to doubt his vows.
As Anna continues her journey to England, where the movement to stamp out heresy is growing ever fiercer, Brenda Rickman Vantrease brings us a richly imagined and immensely rewarding novel of love, faith, and dangerous secrets.
In London, Friar Gabriel dutifully obeys church doctrine by granting pardons . . . for a small fee. But then he is sent undercover on a spying mission to France, where Anna has set up a temporary stall as a bookseller. Anna has no way of knowing that the wealthy young merchant frequenting her stall is actually a priest---just as Gabriel does not know he has met the woman who will cause him to doubt his vows.
As Anna continues her journey to England, where the movement to stamp out heresy is growing ever fiercer, Brenda Rickman Vantrease brings us a richly imagined and immensely rewarding novel of love, faith, and dangerous secrets.
419 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2007
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1178 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Rickman Vantrease
7 books105 followersBrenda Rickman Vantrease (born in 1945) is a former librarian and English teacher from Nashville, Tennessee. She grew up and was educated in the Middle Tennessee area where she graduated with a B.A. in English from Belmont University in 1967. During the twenty-five years she served as an educator in Nashville, she earned a masters degree and a doctorate from Middle Tennessee State University. Brenda still resides in Nashville with her husband of 31 years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
November 20, 2017
Set in the 15th century. This book follows the story of Anna and her grandfather, Finn, from book I, The Illuminator. Finn flees England with baby Anna due to prosecutions against the Lollards – followers of John Wycliffe, who turned against the Church because of its abuses.
Finn settles in Prague, where he “starts Prague’s secret enterprise to disseminate the banned translations.” When Prague becomes a dangerous place for Lollards, Finn asks Anna to go back to England to seek protection under Lord Cobham.
Anna on her way to England, while stopping in France, sets a temporary stall where she sells Pilgrim’s Guide, which she copies at night to make money for her trip.
Across the channel in England, Friar Gabriel is asked to spy on the nobility, who has become a Lollard, namely Lord Cobham. He further is sent to France to investigate the source of forbidden Bible spread by Lollards. In Rheims, his eye catches a red hair young lady, who sells books at a stall.
As Anna later finds out England is even more dangerous for Lollards than Prague. “His Excellency says they’ll probably have to build a tower at Lambeth to house all the Lollards he’s planning to catch in his net.”
As book I, the pages of book II are filled with deep thoughts and rich historical details making this book very engaging and a fascinating read.
@Facebook: Best Historical Fiction
Finn settles in Prague, where he “starts Prague’s secret enterprise to disseminate the banned translations.” When Prague becomes a dangerous place for Lollards, Finn asks Anna to go back to England to seek protection under Lord Cobham.
Anna on her way to England, while stopping in France, sets a temporary stall where she sells Pilgrim’s Guide, which she copies at night to make money for her trip.
Across the channel in England, Friar Gabriel is asked to spy on the nobility, who has become a Lollard, namely Lord Cobham. He further is sent to France to investigate the source of forbidden Bible spread by Lollards. In Rheims, his eye catches a red hair young lady, who sells books at a stall.
As Anna later finds out England is even more dangerous for Lollards than Prague. “His Excellency says they’ll probably have to build a tower at Lambeth to house all the Lollards he’s planning to catch in his net.”
As book I, the pages of book II are filled with deep thoughts and rich historical details making this book very engaging and a fascinating read.
@Facebook: Best Historical Fiction
June 15, 2015
Have you ever read a book and, when finished, you wanted to talk to SOMEONE about that book? Here is such a book. The story of Anna and Gabriel and the 1300's Catholic church's struggles with "heretics" is an amazing read. I recommend it for book clubs; we had a marvelous discussion that ranged across a huge expanse of history, religion, psychology and how these events are continuing to play out in our world today. We agreed that we would have like to know more about Gabriel's thought process, we wanted to know more about the history of that time period --- and we will probably put Vantrease's first book, The Illuminator, on our list for next year (not a common occurrence for our group).
October 9, 2020
Es la segunda y última entrega del "Maestro iluminador". En ella nos narrará la vida de Finn y su nieta tras escapar de las garras de la inquisición inglesa a la región de Bohemia, donde también se estaba implantando el "uso" de traducir las sagradas escrituras al lenguaje del pueblo.
El hilo gira entorno a Anna, la nieta de Finn, Gabriel, un fraile dominico encargado de perseguir la causa lolarda, Harry que subiría al trono de Inglaterra como Enrique V, una familia de nobles que auspician la causa lolarda, el obispo Arundel y la madre superiora de una abadía que a su vez colabora con la traducción de los libros religiosos del latín al inglés.
Esta segunda parte a mi gusto en un principio sin dejar de ser interesante continua pecando de lentitud en el desarrollo como lo hacía la primera entrega, pero con el encuentro de la joven pareja toma otro cariz y dinamismo que lo hace un libro muy interesante.
La verdad que impresiona ver lo que en principios del siglo XV se perseguía como herejía, que no era más que algo completamente inocente y de justicia, como que cada persona, independientemente de su condición social pudiera autoaplicarse los preceptos de la biblia (al estar solo en latín casi nadie podía tener acceso a ella); cosa que chocaba frontalmente con los intereses de la iglesia y de Papa, ya que la gente descubriría que no había que pagar por casi todo lo que la iglesia te ofrecía como perdón. Vamos, que iba totalmente en contra del monopolio y negocio del binomio pecado-perdón.
El hilo gira entorno a Anna, la nieta de Finn, Gabriel, un fraile dominico encargado de perseguir la causa lolarda, Harry que subiría al trono de Inglaterra como Enrique V, una familia de nobles que auspician la causa lolarda, el obispo Arundel y la madre superiora de una abadía que a su vez colabora con la traducción de los libros religiosos del latín al inglés.
Esta segunda parte a mi gusto en un principio sin dejar de ser interesante continua pecando de lentitud en el desarrollo como lo hacía la primera entrega, pero con el encuentro de la joven pareja toma otro cariz y dinamismo que lo hace un libro muy interesante.
La verdad que impresiona ver lo que en principios del siglo XV se perseguía como herejía, que no era más que algo completamente inocente y de justicia, como que cada persona, independientemente de su condición social pudiera autoaplicarse los preceptos de la biblia (al estar solo en latín casi nadie podía tener acceso a ella); cosa que chocaba frontalmente con los intereses de la iglesia y de Papa, ya que la gente descubriría que no había que pagar por casi todo lo que la iglesia te ofrecía como perdón. Vamos, que iba totalmente en contra del monopolio y negocio del binomio pecado-perdón.
February 23, 2020
Excellent sequel to THE ILLUMINATOR! The reviews provided by CW, Linda & Annette say it better than I can.
If you have not read both books, I encourage you to do so... great HF!!
If you have not read both books, I encourage you to do so... great HF!!
March 2, 2012
Unfortunately, far into this novel I realized it was a sequel to a book I'd been eyeing for a while, The Illuminator. I still enjoyed this book without having any idea of its prequel's plot It stand well on its own.
This story focuses on the red haired Anna, (the next gen from the 1st book) a Lollard trying to make her way to England, seeking refuge from religious prosecution. We get an omnipresent view of other characters, but I was relieved that the strong willed and intelligent heroine didn't take everything over. While I like such a heroine, I've read 3 books in a row now with the same archetype; a change is nice. Gabriel, who is the subject of the witty title, I enjoyed more. His outdated thinking (for modern / intelligent readers) reflects his time, and his struggle to reconcile the good of his heart with the unease he has with his actions is very gratifying. Caught between loyalties, rights & wrongs, is hard for anybody, but so much more in those days when everything was so extreme. Vantrease certainly makes the in between points of history entertaining. The story focuses on the brave who fight for what they believe is a change for the better and the strong who wish to keep the status quo, then the people in the middle, like Gabriel, who struggle to find a place to fit in once the line of right and wrong are torn down and are up for reinterpretation. Then we have Henry V, who I was really sorry wasn't more apart of the story. His coping with the change of their time was interesting since he had so much less choice than all the others, despite all that he is a king. Last was Sir John, who was more showcased than analyzed as the others were. He was so distinct and constant that the whole book might have been a "glory hallelujah" to his Martyrdom. He felt the most real as a character but the least real as a flawed HUMAN; He is a hero from a fairytale, a shining ideal that you'll rarely, if ever, find in real life. The plot is not straight forward, there are conflicts everywhere and there's no real 'Main' conflict to resolve. It might have been Anna & Gabriel's relationship, there so many open threads as though the story could go on forever, but if the point was to elucidate the chaos and unsettlement of the time then Vantreage did so. For me, this is a story about where to find "mercy" and "grace" in your own personal revolution, when your world is falling apart and you have to not only survive the change but come out of it better in mind, body, and spirit.
This story focuses on the red haired Anna, (the next gen from the 1st book) a Lollard trying to make her way to England, seeking refuge from religious prosecution. We get an omnipresent view of other characters, but I was relieved that the strong willed and intelligent heroine didn't take everything over. While I like such a heroine, I've read 3 books in a row now with the same archetype; a change is nice. Gabriel, who is the subject of the witty title, I enjoyed more. His outdated thinking (for modern / intelligent readers) reflects his time, and his struggle to reconcile the good of his heart with the unease he has with his actions is very gratifying. Caught between loyalties, rights & wrongs, is hard for anybody, but so much more in those days when everything was so extreme. Vantrease certainly makes the in between points of history entertaining. The story focuses on the brave who fight for what they believe is a change for the better and the strong who wish to keep the status quo, then the people in the middle, like Gabriel, who struggle to find a place to fit in once the line of right and wrong are torn down and are up for reinterpretation. Then we have Henry V, who I was really sorry wasn't more apart of the story. His coping with the change of their time was interesting since he had so much less choice than all the others, despite all that he is a king. Last was Sir John, who was more showcased than analyzed as the others were. He was so distinct and constant that the whole book might have been a "glory hallelujah" to his Martyrdom. He felt the most real as a character but the least real as a flawed HUMAN; He is a hero from a fairytale, a shining ideal that you'll rarely, if ever, find in real life. The plot is not straight forward, there are conflicts everywhere and there's no real 'Main' conflict to resolve. It might have been Anna & Gabriel's relationship, there so many open threads as though the story could go on forever, but if the point was to elucidate the chaos and unsettlement of the time then Vantreage did so. For me, this is a story about where to find "mercy" and "grace" in your own personal revolution, when your world is falling apart and you have to not only survive the change but come out of it better in mind, body, and spirit.
December 8, 2008
As it turns out, this book is actually a sequel to The Illuminator. So if you liked The Illuminator, you'll probably enjoy this book at least as much if not more.
The book itself was probably not something I would have picked up on my own -- my mom was redistributing books read by herself and her sisters at Thanksgiving -- but it was interesting and entertaining enough to keep me hooked until the end. I was expecting it to be a thinly veiled "historical" romance, but it went beyond that. The romance itself was honestly not as fully fleshed out as I would have liked (and no, I don't mean there wasn't enough explicit sex!). By the end, it felt like a bit of an afterthought -- not forced, just not as well-executed as it could have been. The historical, religious/state conflict between the Lollards, the Catholic church, and the English monarch was much more central to the story, and it was clear whose side the author was on from the beginning.
Overall, it was a decent read, but probably not one I'll come back to.
The book itself was probably not something I would have picked up on my own -- my mom was redistributing books read by herself and her sisters at Thanksgiving -- but it was interesting and entertaining enough to keep me hooked until the end. I was expecting it to be a thinly veiled "historical" romance, but it went beyond that. The romance itself was honestly not as fully fleshed out as I would have liked (and no, I don't mean there wasn't enough explicit sex!). By the end, it felt like a bit of an afterthought -- not forced, just not as well-executed as it could have been. The historical, religious/state conflict between the Lollards, the Catholic church, and the English monarch was much more central to the story, and it was clear whose side the author was on from the beginning.
Overall, it was a decent read, but probably not one I'll come back to.
September 16, 2009
While I thought the historical detail in this book was very thorough and interesting, the book overall didn't speak to me. The love story, which was the reason I picked this book up in the first place, was very placid, trite, unimaginative, and unengaging. The main plot was the illegal copying of certain texts, which might have been more interesting in a different format, but here it overshadowed the main characters. The secondary characters also overshadowed the main ones, being better developed and easier to relate to. I thought this book was very dry overall.
November 2, 2018
This is a well-defined, vivid book that brings the Middle Ages to life. The characters have depth and color. The ending was a downer, nevertheless enjoyable because it reflects real life, especially in the time period in which the author takes us.
February 29, 2012
“Jan Hus chose an open window in the left tower of Tyn Church from which to watch the burning. This church gave him courage. It was a Hussite church, a Czech church, not built with Roman funds but built by and for the people of Bohemia. Yet even here in this sacred place, he could not stop the grinding in his gut was he watched the scene unfold below. This burning in the town square was Archbishop’s Zynbek’s declaration of war.”
The Mercy Seller is Brenda Rickman Vantrease’s sequel to her excellent first novel, The Illuminator. Set in Prague and England during the fifteenth century, we follow the story of a young girl who was raised by her grandfather Finn, the illuminator from the previous book. Finn and his group of friends are sympathetic to the Lollard cause, an anti-catholic collection of persons who yearn for religious freedom. As the story opens, Anna’s boyfriend is executed for heresy. The aged Finn dies soon thereafter and the authorities are clamping down on persons who own and distribute bibles translated from the Latin text. Anna must flee.
Anna’s journey takes her to France, where she falls in love with a man who seduces her and leaves her pregnant. It turns out that man is a priest, ordered by his church to seek out heresy.
Vantrease writes an exciting novel, but I had several problems with it. Being a Catholic who has studied much about the theology behind my faith, I found the character of Father Gabriel to be lacking. If he was so learned, how come he could not counter Anna’s arguments against his Church. Certainly, many were grounded. But corruption within the Catholic Church did not automatically nullify the theological principles of the faith itself. The author tried to portray Father Gabriel as a good guy, but he obviously wasn’t very faithfilled. From first seeking to to relieve his sexual desires, to easily leaving his Church later – it all seemed unrealistic and neatly wrapped up.
I also did not like the character of Anna. At first she seemed to act her age and was less outspoken. Later on, however, she becomes a reckless, outspoken fool. I am amazed that she and Gabriel could speak to each other at all, much less agree to marry.
While Vantrease uses some real history and characters in the book, I questioned some of the Lollard beliefs in the book. I’m no expert on Lollard history, but it seems a bit out there. I’ll have to do some fact checking to see if the author did indeed do her homework.
The Mercy Seller is Brenda Rickman Vantrease’s sequel to her excellent first novel, The Illuminator. Set in Prague and England during the fifteenth century, we follow the story of a young girl who was raised by her grandfather Finn, the illuminator from the previous book. Finn and his group of friends are sympathetic to the Lollard cause, an anti-catholic collection of persons who yearn for religious freedom. As the story opens, Anna’s boyfriend is executed for heresy. The aged Finn dies soon thereafter and the authorities are clamping down on persons who own and distribute bibles translated from the Latin text. Anna must flee.
Anna’s journey takes her to France, where she falls in love with a man who seduces her and leaves her pregnant. It turns out that man is a priest, ordered by his church to seek out heresy.
Vantrease writes an exciting novel, but I had several problems with it. Being a Catholic who has studied much about the theology behind my faith, I found the character of Father Gabriel to be lacking. If he was so learned, how come he could not counter Anna’s arguments against his Church. Certainly, many were grounded. But corruption within the Catholic Church did not automatically nullify the theological principles of the faith itself. The author tried to portray Father Gabriel as a good guy, but he obviously wasn’t very faithfilled. From first seeking to to relieve his sexual desires, to easily leaving his Church later – it all seemed unrealistic and neatly wrapped up.
I also did not like the character of Anna. At first she seemed to act her age and was less outspoken. Later on, however, she becomes a reckless, outspoken fool. I am amazed that she and Gabriel could speak to each other at all, much less agree to marry.
While Vantrease uses some real history and characters in the book, I questioned some of the Lollard beliefs in the book. I’m no expert on Lollard history, but it seems a bit out there. I’ll have to do some fact checking to see if the author did indeed do her homework.
August 1, 2011
Set several years after the heartbreaking end of THE ILLUMINATOR, Brenda Rickman Vantrease's THE MERCY SELLER continues the tale of Anna, grand-daughter of Finn and Kathryn, and of a new character, Brother Gabriel, a conflicted Dominican who sells indulgences but is secretly at odds with his own faith and the mysteries of his past. Hand-chosen by virulent Bishop Arundel to investigate the importation of Lollard heresies by a respected nobleman, whom the aged Arundel is determined to destroy, Gabriel finds himself assuming a new persona and traveling to the Continent, where a chance encounter with a beautiful bookseller alters his fate forever.
Few writers working today have Ms Vantrease's sensitive ability to penetrate the spiritual differences that plagued medieval Europe and gave rise to the Reformation, while remaining true to the emotional plight of her characters. While Anna and Gabriel's religious differences - and the tumult that ensues between them - are at the forefront of this elegant, jewel-like novel, this is also the tale of man's ceaseless quest for meaning in an often senseless world. Though not as ambitious in execution as its predecessor, THE MERCY SELLER remains a gorgeously wrought evocation of an era on the cusp of change, and a love story of two disparate people struggling to reconcile the passions of their hearts that you will remember long after you finish the last page.
Few writers working today have Ms Vantrease's sensitive ability to penetrate the spiritual differences that plagued medieval Europe and gave rise to the Reformation, while remaining true to the emotional plight of her characters. While Anna and Gabriel's religious differences - and the tumult that ensues between them - are at the forefront of this elegant, jewel-like novel, this is also the tale of man's ceaseless quest for meaning in an often senseless world. Though not as ambitious in execution as its predecessor, THE MERCY SELLER remains a gorgeously wrought evocation of an era on the cusp of change, and a love story of two disparate people struggling to reconcile the passions of their hearts that you will remember long after you finish the last page.
January 20, 2014
In the fifteenth century Europe, freedoms were not as liberal as in many countries today. Heresy was high on England’s King’s list to be done away with.
Do not believe what the King considers wrong, do not write the Bible in any language other than Latin, and do not counter the word of the Church.
Anna Bookman writes in multiple languages and can’t ignore what the English translation of the Bible tells her. Her manuscripts will hang her if found out. She lives in Prague with her grandfather until he dies, and then she is directed to find help in England.
At the same time, a priest, Brother Gabriel, encounters her under a tip of heresy. He disguises his identity and against church rules, has incredibly lustful feelings for the maiden.
Both hidden behind false agendas, their paths take many wrong turns. Danger and enemies multiply for each until they are forced together and their true works and goals revealed.
The historical detail of the fifteenth century and the range of characters give a heart-pounding and fearsome reality to the challenges Anna and Gabriel must overcome in order to be true to themselves.
November 8, 2016
It was fun to walk the streets of Prague in 1410 which Vantrease brought to life. I enjoyed reading about Jan Hus who was alive a century before Martin Luther, but not as famous for some reason. There was just enough (but not too much) religious history, where for example, I learned that Hus preached in the newly built Bethlehem Chapel in Czech (not Latin) and that he was influenced by the writings of the Englishman John Wycliffe. I was introduced to another definition of the word: indulgence. I was totally engrossed in the lives of the fictional characters and fascinated in the skillful way Vantrease intertwined them.
October 8, 2013
Puedes leer la reseña completa en "Entre Algunas Palabras": http://bit.ly/1bW9zp3
Traiciones, amor, misterio, intrigas, persecuciones y…libros, muchos libros. A lo largo de la historia de la humanidad, el poder de la palabra ha llegado a límites insospechados. Tan amada como odiada. Este libro trata, sin duda, sobre como la literatura y su sabiduría han conseguido hacer temblar los cimientos del dominio de los hombres.
Buenos personajes, una historia que atrapa y una gran labor de documentación. La Comerciante de libros es una novela 100% recomendada.
Traiciones, amor, misterio, intrigas, persecuciones y…libros, muchos libros. A lo largo de la historia de la humanidad, el poder de la palabra ha llegado a límites insospechados. Tan amada como odiada. Este libro trata, sin duda, sobre como la literatura y su sabiduría han conseguido hacer temblar los cimientos del dominio de los hombres.
Buenos personajes, una historia que atrapa y una gran labor de documentación. La Comerciante de libros es una novela 100% recomendada.
July 3, 2012
Not as good as "The Illuminator"; slower-moving and even more contrived and tidied up than the first book. Nevertheless, still an enjoyable read.
November 19, 2018
This enjoyable historical novel is set in the early 15th century and concerns Anna, the grand-daughter of a talented scribe and illuminator, who is also a skilled scribe and book-maker. She and her grandfather are also English Lollards living in Prague. When crackdowns on heretics endanger Anna, she makes her way back to England via Reims. In France, while supporting herself as a scribe and bookseller, she meets Gabriel, a pardoner disguised as a merchant in order to spy out the sources of heretical texts. Their emerging relationship causes Gabriel to question his beliefs and Church authority. Anna soon makes her way to England, where both she and Gabriel are caught up in Archbishop Arundel's campaign to stamp out heresy.
The thing I most enjoyed about The Mercy Seller/i> was its examination of Lollard beliefs and activities and its treatment of the relationship between religious and secular power. It's clear that Vantrease is firmly on the Lollards' side and is very much not a fan of the medieval Catholic Church. However, her handling of Gabriel's inner conflicts and increasingly divided loyalties is sensitive and sympathetic.
The thing I most enjoyed about The Mercy Seller/i> was its examination of Lollard beliefs and activities and its treatment of the relationship between religious and secular power. It's clear that Vantrease is firmly on the Lollards' side and is very much not a fan of the medieval Catholic Church. However, her handling of Gabriel's inner conflicts and increasingly divided loyalties is sensitive and sympathetic.
April 25, 2019
I love English history and this book didn't disappoint. It revolves around the alleged heresy of Wycliffe and the Lollard texts which described papal corruption, the translation of the bible in to English to allow the "common man" to read and understand the divine teachings of the Catholic church in 15th century England. This is the historical backdrop.
A young woman and her grandfather act as scribes to do the translation and provide the books to those who secretly and dangerously want to read them. The characters of the officials of the official church, the man known as Gabriel, a convent of nuns, and a little handicapped boy among others are rich and well developed. The story line is exciting and interesting.
The only criticism I would make is that the intersection of the primary characters is a little too pat and predictable. For those who like everything to come together neatly and happily, I guess this would be a plus. In any event, I enjoyed the story which was rich in detail and development of the jplot.
A young woman and her grandfather act as scribes to do the translation and provide the books to those who secretly and dangerously want to read them. The characters of the officials of the official church, the man known as Gabriel, a convent of nuns, and a little handicapped boy among others are rich and well developed. The story line is exciting and interesting.
The only criticism I would make is that the intersection of the primary characters is a little too pat and predictable. For those who like everything to come together neatly and happily, I guess this would be a plus. In any event, I enjoyed the story which was rich in detail and development of the jplot.
January 26, 2024
Bajo el paraguas del movimiento lolardo, precursor de la Reforma protestante, la autora nos narra la historia de Anna, nieta del maestro iluminador Finn. Ambos viven en Praga, donde colaboran con el movimiento husita. Tras el recrudecimiento de la persecución contra los reformistas, Anna se dirige a Inglaterra donde piensa que podrá estar a salvo. Pero en el camino conoce a un hombre que desempeñará un papel muy importante en su vida...
Aunque es continuación de "El maestro iluminador", esta obra se puede leer de forma independiente ya que en la trama se van insertando y explicando referencias al pasado de Finn.
La lectura es amena y el contexto histórico está bien desarrollado, sin grandes explicaciones pesadas, pero sin caer en algo meramente anecdótico. Quizás la autora podría haber dado más importancia a algunos de los personajes secundarios, pero, en general, es una obra que hace pasar un buen rato y, por tanto, recomendable.
Aunque es continuación de "El maestro iluminador", esta obra se puede leer de forma independiente ya que en la trama se van insertando y explicando referencias al pasado de Finn.
La lectura es amena y el contexto histórico está bien desarrollado, sin grandes explicaciones pesadas, pero sin caer en algo meramente anecdótico. Quizás la autora podría haber dado más importancia a algunos de los personajes secundarios, pero, en general, es una obra que hace pasar un buen rato y, por tanto, recomendable.
August 2, 2019
I would have given this book a higher score because overall, it’s a good story, but there are a number of historical inaccuracies that I cannot believe the editor and proof readers didn’t catch. I’m not talking about typos or syntax errors, I’m talking about modern vernacular anachronisms such as “I wouldn’t give a dime ...”. Even if the author is writing conversations in modern English and not in Middle English or French, or for that matter, Czech, there is no excuse for this. It stands out like a mountain on the page, and for myself, it really affected my pleasure. Nonetheless, it was a good story, well written (modernisms aside) and interesting. I’m not sure I’ll bother with others by her though.
April 26, 2022
An interesting look at life under religious and church rule in the 1500s (1410) when the battle for people to read and translate the Wycliffe Bible in English themselves was raging. Interesting characters and lessons on what happens when intolerance and leaders in one belief system try to control everything and persecute others for supposed "heresy." We've seen this happen over and over in history, with parallels to today's events. I don't think I read the first book so will have to look for that one.
May 19, 2025
15th century intrigue about a young transcriber / book seller and disgruntled Priest. Religious intolerance is rampant in Europe/England as an Illuminators daughter escapes Prague & heads for England. Enter a Roman Priest assigned to rout out those translating the Holy Bible into English. Only Latin is allowed which most can not read. Congregants can purchase dispensation for sins from priests. Proceeds are split between Church & state. Heretics are burned.
The tale stands alone well enough. Now I must read the first 'Illuminator' because I enjoyed this one so much. A solid 4 stars.
The tale stands alone well enough. Now I must read the first 'Illuminator' because I enjoyed this one so much. A solid 4 stars.
January 17, 2022
It has been a long time since I read the first book. I have to admit that I had forgotten a lot of it. You did not need to read that book to appreciate it but this book was definitely not as engaging as the first one. I liked the character Anna and the message from the overall book. I always appreciate the historical note and the fact that this is based on real events. The story was ok but I felt like it definitely dragged in parts.
January 17, 2023
Some parts were better than others. I do get tired of this type of book in which all Protestants (or proto-Protestants) are smart and good and do everything right with a modern outlook, and all Catholics are evil and/or stupid. Catholics in power did plenty of awful things, yes, but it subtracts from the argument to make it this black and white.
March 18, 2018
A sequel of equal beauty
I love these people—Kathryn and Finn and Anna and Gabriel and Mistress Clare and Sir John. Brought alive through beautiful writing and a superb blending of fiction and history.
I love these people—Kathryn and Finn and Anna and Gabriel and Mistress Clare and Sir John. Brought alive through beautiful writing and a superb blending of fiction and history.
February 23, 2019
This was a fanscinating historical read. It fulfilled the unsatisfied hopes for book two, and introduced new characters to play out their story across 15th Century Europe and the beginnings of what would become the Reformation. It includes scribes, manuscripts, and booksellers. What's not to love?
May 5, 2021
4.5 Stars. I loved these richly developed characters and the page-turning story of pre-Reformation Europe/England. I read The Illuminator more than five years ago, and while I barely recall details of that story, I do remember enjoying that book very much. Highly recommend this read.
August 26, 2022
Este libro me ha enganchado de principio a fin. Tiene un elemento religioso muy importante y puede que no a todo el mundo le guste, pero personalmente la temática histórica de este libro me ha parecido muy interesante.
October 15, 2024
Interesting content, following Lollard movement, Wycliffe writings in England and Prague during the reign of Henry V. My Kindle book was rife with typos and mistakes. In the last part of the book, there were several good endings and I wish the author had chosen an earlier one.
August 11, 2018
Not as good as the Illuminator
June 21, 2019
Quick read. Great incite into the times of the story. Better than the first book in the series.
June 1, 2020
The story is intriguing, but the development of the characters and some parts of the story was not good. The main characters lacks of depth, and some others inconsistencies.
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