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Cuthbert of Farne: A novel of Northumbria's warrior saint
What made a young Anglo-Saxon warrior lay down his sword and enter a monastery? Why would he turn his back on wealth and position - and women? Seventh-century England is a time of war and religious divisions that threaten to split the Church. As a reconciler and peace-maker he is much loved by those around him, and his antagonist, the powerful Bishop Wilfrid, respects him. When Cuthbert's vocation takes him to the windswept solitude of Inner Farne, his long-foretold destiny lies in wait for him. He is summoned back to become the most powerful churchman in the land. This gripping historical novel takes us to the heart of Cuthbert's world and sheds new light on the life and times of the North's favourite saint.
299 pages, Paperback
Published March 20, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 12, 2019
Cuthbert of Farne is a novel based on the life of Cuthbert, the seventh-century saint, covering the key events of his life – his decision to take orders, his progression in the church, the political and religious conflicts of the time, and his decision to live as a hermit on the remote island of Inner Farne. It is a kind of companion volume to The Song of Hild and has a similarly branded cover – although it is written by a different author and has quite a different approach to the story.
The strength of Cuthbert of Farne is in evoking the period and the setting. I’m not a historian so I can’t say if it’s accurate, but as a general reader it feels vivid and real.
The author has made some compromises to help readers, such as changing the names of some secondary characters, which might bother purists but was a boon to me. (There’s also a helpful list of characters at the front of the book.) Cuthbert was a contemporary of Hild and some of the main real-life characters from The Song of Hild, including Hild herself, also appear in Cuthbert of Farne.
The book does feel more like a lightly fictionalised history (it made me think of the dramatic reconstructions you get on BBC4 documentaries) than a novel. Perhaps the difficulty is in being too faithful to what is known of Cuthbert. As historian Tony Morris argues in his BBC podcast on Cuthbert, the most interesting events in his story take place after his death. The mythology around his well-travelled remains and their veneration as relics gives an interesting insight into the Anglo-Saxon church and wider society, which is not reflected here.
There are points in Cuthbert’s life which I felt could have been more strongly dramatised, from his conversion to his friendship with Aelfled, the novice who went on to be Abbess of Whitby, who regards him almost as a father. The prologue brings Cuthbert and Wilfrid together in a chance encounter as babies which suggests the author wanted to highlight their story as the central conflict.
Wilfrid, later Bishop of York, was an educated, worldly and ambitious advocate of the Roman church, Cuthbert an ascetic monk in the Celtic tradition who only reluctantly gave up his life as a hermit to become Bishop of Lindisfarne. However, there is little interaction or drama between them in the book. After the Synod of Whitby, where the Roman church emerged as the victor, Cuthbert seems to calmly accept the decisions made and move on.
Why is Cuthbert so committed to his faith? How does he reconcile the conflicting beliefs which he encounters? After reading this book, I feel like I know what he does, but not what he feels.
I received a copy of Cuthbert of Farne from Sacristy Press
The strength of Cuthbert of Farne is in evoking the period and the setting. I’m not a historian so I can’t say if it’s accurate, but as a general reader it feels vivid and real.
The author has made some compromises to help readers, such as changing the names of some secondary characters, which might bother purists but was a boon to me. (There’s also a helpful list of characters at the front of the book.) Cuthbert was a contemporary of Hild and some of the main real-life characters from The Song of Hild, including Hild herself, also appear in Cuthbert of Farne.
The book does feel more like a lightly fictionalised history (it made me think of the dramatic reconstructions you get on BBC4 documentaries) than a novel. Perhaps the difficulty is in being too faithful to what is known of Cuthbert. As historian Tony Morris argues in his BBC podcast on Cuthbert, the most interesting events in his story take place after his death. The mythology around his well-travelled remains and their veneration as relics gives an interesting insight into the Anglo-Saxon church and wider society, which is not reflected here.
There are points in Cuthbert’s life which I felt could have been more strongly dramatised, from his conversion to his friendship with Aelfled, the novice who went on to be Abbess of Whitby, who regards him almost as a father. The prologue brings Cuthbert and Wilfrid together in a chance encounter as babies which suggests the author wanted to highlight their story as the central conflict.
Wilfrid, later Bishop of York, was an educated, worldly and ambitious advocate of the Roman church, Cuthbert an ascetic monk in the Celtic tradition who only reluctantly gave up his life as a hermit to become Bishop of Lindisfarne. However, there is little interaction or drama between them in the book. After the Synod of Whitby, where the Roman church emerged as the victor, Cuthbert seems to calmly accept the decisions made and move on.
Why is Cuthbert so committed to his faith? How does he reconcile the conflicting beliefs which he encounters? After reading this book, I feel like I know what he does, but not what he feels.
I received a copy of Cuthbert of Farne from Sacristy Press
June 2, 2019
Tiernan's novel follows the story of Cuthbert fairly closely and is interspersed with stories of the Northumbrian royal family as well as Cuthbert's rival, Wilfred, and of the holy abbess and royal virgin Elfleda, the daughter of Oswiu of Northumbria, who succeeded St Hilda as abbess of Whitby (680). For those readers unfamiliar with Anglo-Saxon history, this may be a challenge - it was a period of intense political and religious turmoil. I myself found it a bit confusing as the author decided to change the names of the main historical characters, which I personally felt was unnecessary.
Overall, this is still a good introductory novel for those with a fledgling interest in Anglo-Saxon religion and politics, as well as one on one of the most important religious figure of northern England, whose life spanned the transitional period from paganism to Christianity and whose cult is still active today. For as Bede himself says: "but even when the servant of Christ was dead and buried, the miracles which he worked whilst alive did not cease."
see full review here @ Melisende's Library
Overall, this is still a good introductory novel for those with a fledgling interest in Anglo-Saxon religion and politics, as well as one on one of the most important religious figure of northern England, whose life spanned the transitional period from paganism to Christianity and whose cult is still active today. For as Bede himself says: "but even when the servant of Christ was dead and buried, the miracles which he worked whilst alive did not cease."
see full review here @ Melisende's Library
November 28, 2022
This was a gift from my husband when we visited Cuthbert’s grave in Durham. It was a lovely short read and a great introduction into some of the drama of the co text in which Cuthbert lived and work. I especially appreciated the elaboration of the conflict over the Celtic and a Roman rites and the ways the various Germanic kingdoms interacted with the religious leaders and choices.
November 5, 2020
I think I can be quite confident in saying that this is my favourite book that I have read so far. Having grown up in Durham from a young teenager, visiting Lindisfarne, hearing the name of Cuthbert being spoken so many times and then later going on to become a practising Catholic during university, I was immediately drawn to this book when I set my eyes upon it in the Ampleforth Abbey bookshop at the beginning of this year during a monastic retreat. I wanted to know more about this enigmatic man who has been a big part of my life in so many ways. And this book certainly did not disappoint. An extremely well-researched literary interpretation of the inherited medieval accounts which invites you to really get to know each and every one of the characters on a deep emotional level and brings them to life in a way that I thought was not possible.
The only slight issue I had with it was perhaps the portrayal of Saint Wilfrid as a villain figure along with the fact that his side was equated with 'Catholicism' as if the Irish tradition that Cuthbert came from wasn't at all Catholic. Perhaps 'Roman rite' would be better to describe the division of traditions which stemmed particularly from the dating of Easter since there exists rites and traditions in the Catholic Church which aren't just Roman and this perhaps would avoid confusion for non-Catholic/non-Christian or non-historian readers. Apart from that, this was a phenomenal read and I hope to read more by this author in the future. It's a shame more people haven't read this book. I'll make sure to spread the word about it to Catholic and medieval historian friends so that they get to know the extraordinary life of this man and the heartwarming relationships he had with people that loved him dearly.
Saint Cuthbert and Saint Aefled, pray for us, especially in this time of pestilence. Amen.
The only slight issue I had with it was perhaps the portrayal of Saint Wilfrid as a villain figure along with the fact that his side was equated with 'Catholicism' as if the Irish tradition that Cuthbert came from wasn't at all Catholic. Perhaps 'Roman rite' would be better to describe the division of traditions which stemmed particularly from the dating of Easter since there exists rites and traditions in the Catholic Church which aren't just Roman and this perhaps would avoid confusion for non-Catholic/non-Christian or non-historian readers. Apart from that, this was a phenomenal read and I hope to read more by this author in the future. It's a shame more people haven't read this book. I'll make sure to spread the word about it to Catholic and medieval historian friends so that they get to know the extraordinary life of this man and the heartwarming relationships he had with people that loved him dearly.
Saint Cuthbert and Saint Aefled, pray for us, especially in this time of pestilence. Amen.
August 6, 2019
Picking this up I knew nothing about Cuthbert beyond the name, and knew only a little about the period.
The novel opens with Cuthbert as a youth, preparing for and going to his first battle. He is disgusted by the beheading of the opposing king and leaves the campaign. That is the end of the “warrior” part of the subtitle. He becomes a monk and then almost disappears for a major part of the novel.
The narrative focuses very much on the female characters - the queen, her daughters, and daughter-in-law, Abbess Hild and others. Male characters are only shown as they impact on the lives of the women, and have little depth.
At this point I thought about giving up on the book. I didn’t feel invested in any of the characters and found it almost impossible to keep track of so many individuals with similar names, to the extent that I had to rely on context to remind me which were male and which female. The name problem is not the fault of the author as these were historical individuals, but perhaps more time bringing them to life would have helped.
I did continue reading, and I am glad I did. When Cuthbert came fully back to the narrative he also came fully to life, and I found the last quarter or so of the novel very moving. Partly because of the awful impact of Bishop Wilfred in his determination to destroy the Celtic church, but mostly because of the character of Cuthbert and how his quiet devotion to God influenced others. ( 3.5 stars )
The novel opens with Cuthbert as a youth, preparing for and going to his first battle. He is disgusted by the beheading of the opposing king and leaves the campaign. That is the end of the “warrior” part of the subtitle. He becomes a monk and then almost disappears for a major part of the novel.
The narrative focuses very much on the female characters - the queen, her daughters, and daughter-in-law, Abbess Hild and others. Male characters are only shown as they impact on the lives of the women, and have little depth.
At this point I thought about giving up on the book. I didn’t feel invested in any of the characters and found it almost impossible to keep track of so many individuals with similar names, to the extent that I had to rely on context to remind me which were male and which female. The name problem is not the fault of the author as these were historical individuals, but perhaps more time bringing them to life would have helped.
I did continue reading, and I am glad I did. When Cuthbert came fully back to the narrative he also came fully to life, and I found the last quarter or so of the novel very moving. Partly because of the awful impact of Bishop Wilfred in his determination to destroy the Celtic church, but mostly because of the character of Cuthbert and how his quiet devotion to God influenced others. ( 3.5 stars )
July 25, 2019
I was absolutely absorbed by this book and I loved it! I knew nothing about St. Cuthbert but I now want to have his babies!
Seriously, I think Katharine Tiernan is an excellent historical storyteller, successfully weaving together fact and compelling narrative, with some beautiful descriptive passages, and I really believed in and cared about her principal characters. As one of Alan Bennett's characters says "Books are not about passing the time. They are about other lives, other worlds." This book ticked those boxes for me.
Seriously, I think Katharine Tiernan is an excellent historical storyteller, successfully weaving together fact and compelling narrative, with some beautiful descriptive passages, and I really believed in and cared about her principal characters. As one of Alan Bennett's characters says "Books are not about passing the time. They are about other lives, other worlds." This book ticked those boxes for me.
September 7, 2023
A beautiful and loving tale of St. Cuthbert
I appreciated that the author didn’t try to add romance to the relationships between male and female, except as appropriate. I find too often in stories of saints, modern writers add romantic love to a platonic love, as though it is too impossible to believe. I feel better for having read the book. I can’t often say that. It was very entertaining and often had a hard time putting it down.
I appreciated that the author didn’t try to add romance to the relationships between male and female, except as appropriate. I find too often in stories of saints, modern writers add romantic love to a platonic love, as though it is too impossible to believe. I feel better for having read the book. I can’t often say that. It was very entertaining and often had a hard time putting it down.
March 13, 2025
I adored this. Such a simple, clear, but beautifully written story of a decent holy man who lived through extraordinary times. A joy to read.
I also LOVED how Wilfred was portrayed as an out and out dickhead. There's a lot of skirting in histories about him being a "difficult" or "divisive" figure, it's refreshing to have this book just be clear that Wilfred was a dick.
I also LOVED how Wilfred was portrayed as an out and out dickhead. There's a lot of skirting in histories about him being a "difficult" or "divisive" figure, it's refreshing to have this book just be clear that Wilfred was a dick.
August 9, 2025
The first in a promising fictionalisation trilogy of an important figure inAnglo Saxon Christianity. Alongside the theological drama of the synod of Whitby is the conflicts and mergers of the Saxon kingdoms to form a nation . Like all good historical epics this is balanced with acute character writing .
November 22, 2019
An excellent historical novel based on Bede’s life of St Cuthbert and other documents about the times. The novel form enables the author to use her imagination to get inside the fairly scanty known facts.
October 27, 2022
Pretty solid book that through no fault of its own, I just wasn’t very interested in. Decent enough read to push through though, the characters are all somewhat compelling and the historical setting is interesting enough
April 9, 2023
The life and times of Cuthbert in seventh century Northumbria, with a cast of characters including Wilfrid, Hild, and Aelfled, taking us to Whitby, Bamburgh, Lindisfarne and Cuthbert’s sanctuary on Inner Farne.
July 2, 2024
Slow to start with. Not sure the very early chapters were necessary. The book improved the further into it you got. The facts are there (and accurate) with imagination filling in some gaps to paint a fuller picture.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews