Bettie's Books

bookshelves: autumn-2014, gutenberg-project, e-book, ipad, published-1861, tbr-busting-2014, victorian, historical-fiction, medieval5c-16c, roman-catholic, revenge, religion, public-domain, protestant, politics, plague-disease, philosophy, ouch, nutty-nuut, newtome-author, look-behind-you, lifestyles-deathstyles, games-people-play, families, eye-scorcher, epic-proportions, disfigurement, christian, chase-me-chase-me, character-growth, casual-violence, betrayal, dutch, tragedy

Link: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1366

Group read: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/1...

Oct 12 Chapters 1 - 17

Opening Chapter 1: Not a day passes over the earth, but men and women of no note do great deeds, speak great words, and suffer noble sorrows. Of these obscure heroes, philosophers, and martyrs, the greater part will never be known till that hour, when many that are great shall be small, and the small great; but of others the world's knowledge may be said to sleep: their lives and characters lie hidden from nations in the annals that record them. The general reader cannot feel them, they are presented so curtly and coldly: they are not like breathing stories appealing to his heart, but little historic hail-stones striking him but to glance off his bosom: nor can he understand them; for epitomes are not narratives, as skeletons are not human figures.



Just couldn't help myself, sorry ladies! Gave up taking notes and read all the way through to the end reveal and it works mighty fine given the amount we just don't know about the backgrounds of so many famous people of long ago.

After finishing I went looking through reviews and descriptions and the predominant phrase is anti-catholic, yet in reality it isn't. I wasn't left feeling uncomfortable at all, in fact, I didn't really get any experience other than this was the set in Luther's time. History unfolding is all.

So that is the setting for the bigger picture, the up close and personal details of this story are made of tragedy and you'll be left booing and hissing at many a personality in this very fine Victorian era written, mediaeval historical fiction.

"Even Christians loved one another
at first starting"

I couldn't stop! Sorry ladies but I just got swept along. I will be looking in on the boards though to see how you are all liking it. That you WILL like it a lot I have no doubts over at all.  The language used and the detailed descriptions shows absolute attention to the subject. Yep - worthy of a four star but it was the end reveal, which I had half-guessed at, that made it a 5*.