FICTION
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HISTORICAL FICTION
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Pope Saint Simplicius was pope from 468 to March 10,
483.
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Arius (AD 250 or 256 – 336)
His teachings about the nature of the Godhead, now referred to as
Arianism, provoked great controversy within the fourth-century Church
through their assertion that the Son of God, incarnate as Jesus Christ, was not consubstantial or coeternal with the Father.
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Pelagius (ca. AD 354 – ca. AD 420/440) was an
ascetic who denied the doctrine of original sin as developed by
Augustine of Hippo, and was declared a heretic by the Council of
Carthage. His interpretation of a doctrine of free will became known as
Pelagianism.
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Brigid of Kildare
by Heather Terrell
Giraldus Cambrensis, a
12th century writer, describes a beautiful
manuscript long assumed to be the Book of Kells. What if rather
than
the Book of Kells, he discovered a second book lost to history?
Would this book tell a different story of women than the story of the
official one sanctioned Roman Christian Church?
Alexandra Patterson journeys to Kildare, Ireland in order to appraise
items from the Church of Saint Brigid. While examining a
reliquary box, Alex discovers a leather-bound manuscript. As Alex
tries to authenticate the date of the Book of Kildare, a book that
might predate the Book of Kells, the story of Brigid's life unfolds in
a separate parallel narrative through a saint's life and the letters of
Decius, a monk sent by Pope Simplicius, bishop of Rome, to spy on the
Abbey of Kildare. The pope commissions Decius to spy on this
abbey run by a woman to document the heresies practiced that threaten
the Roman Christian Church. As Ireland becomes a pawn in the
maneuverings of the Church, Brigid seeks to protect her country.
Baptized by Patrick himself, Brigid becomes a force for Ireland's
conversion to Christianity yet the relationship between Ireland and the
Roman Church is precarious at best, particularly in an age when the
Church's survival seems tied to the success of the Roman state
itself. The letters of Decius reveal a man drawn to Brigid and
her faith. Will he conspire against her or with her? Will
Brigid of Kildare be able to save the image of the woman from erasure?
Through alternating narratives, present and past, Heather Terrell's
BRIGID OF KILDARE presents a portrait of Brigid of Kildare as a bold,
unconventional leader who challenges the patriarchy of the Roman
Church. She questions a god who disregards the
intelligence and strength
of women. Although forbidden as unorthodox centuries earlier by
Iranaeus, The Gospel of Mary the Mother provides
Brigid with an alternative understanding of Christianity, a
Christianity where women are not merely passive vessels or simply
absent in the life of Jesus. As a hybrid genre,
BRIGID OF KILDARE will appeal most to those readers who prefer
fictional imagination over a more purist view of historical fiction.
If you are looking for an imitation of THE DA VINCI CODE or
other thrillers of this ilk, BRIGID OF KILDARE
is quite different in texture. While it lacks suspense and the
mad race to the finish of those thrillers, this reader relishes the
differences, particularly the author's use of medieval literary forms
such as the narrative of saint's life that added a historical texture
beyond historical facts and descriptions. While some modern day
readers may find these forms more dry than modern fiction conventions,
the historical narratives added a sense of mystery and authentic feel
for this medieval literature fan while also inspiring the "what if"
alternative feminist history thrill.
Perhaps this novel would have benefited from more character development
or more historical detail, but as it is, this medieval literature
enthusiast found BRIGID OF KILDARE a fun, light
read with just enough historical detail to inspire the imagination but
not so much to include it in a list of more substantial, more erudite
medieval historical novels. The present narrative interests the
least although it provides a framework for the juxtaposition of the
other two narratives. The mystery is not that mysterious, at
least not in terms of traditional mysteries, the romance not fully
developed, the subversion of the Roman Church's view on women not that
subversive (at least from today's perspective), and yet, I hate to
admit it, after reading countless medieval saints' lives in my past
reading history, this reader rather enjoys all those aspects other
readers might label dry. For this reader, the restraint and
medieval literary forms employed by the author make this novel do more
than less.
Publisher:
Ballantine Books (February 9, 2010)
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Medieval Book Reviews
Review Courtesy of Amazon Vine
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