A Vision of Light (Margaret of Ashbury, #1) in The Complete Idiots Guide to the Ultimate Reading List

Mar 11, 2011 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it really liked it

Shelves: novels, fiction, fantasy, ultimate-reading-list, romance, historical-fiction

This novel was a pleasure to read. Not that I can't find fault. Margaret of Ashbury, the wife of a rich merchant, hires a clerk to dictate her memoirs in the year 1355. The narrative switches between the present day and her experiences with her amanuensis, Brother Gregory in third person, and her own story told by her first person. Whenever we hear her own story in her own voice, I found the story absolutely engrossing. I was less taken at first with the third person parts, more than anything be This novel was a pleasure to read. Not that I can't find fault. Margaret of Ashbury, the wife of a rich merchant, hires a clerk to dictate her memoirs in the year 1355. The narrative switches between the present day and her experiences with her amanuensis, Brother Gregory in third person, and her own story told by her first person. Whenever we hear her own story in her own voice, I found the story absolutely engrossing. I was less taken at first with the third person parts, more than anything because within it, without the restraint of first person, Riley can't hold point of view, sometimes hopping heads within a paragraph.

Yet I forgive what I often find a deal breaker, because the story of Brother Gregory and his interaction with the unorthodox Margaret is so compelling in its own right and compliments the story she's telling; it illuminates the misogyny of the day, especially among the religious, who don't see women as capable of reason or whose only possible virtue is obedience.

The story is told with wonderful period detail bringing 14th Century England--the period of the Black Plague and its aftermath to life--lives high and low, from the nobility of the castle to rich merchants, clergy, even robber bands and traveling minstrels. And there's a winning humor lacing the entire tale throughout.

There's also a thread of the fantastical that tempts me to tag this as fantasy--as Margaret has a "vision of light" and afterwards develops powers of healing. But then that could be seen as not out of place in a century that produced such mystics as Birgitta of Sweden, Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, and particularly Margery Kempe. Kempe dictated to scribes what is considered the first autobiography in the English language and her life has several points in common with the story of Margaret of Ashbury.

I feel mixed about the ending. Part of me wishes it has ended when Margaret put a "finis" on her memoirs--though it does end on a good note for further books in the series--I saw two more on the bookstore shelf. After this first book, I'll certainly be picking more up someday. And that very last line is perfect. ...more

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