The Illuminator
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It
is late fourteenth-century England, a time when a man's life or
a woman's virtue can hang on the whim of a lord, the pleasure of
a bishop. The old feudal order is breaking down, and the early stirrings
of the Reformation are prodding a corrupt Church. The printing press
has yet to be invented. Books, written only in Latin or Norman French,
are rare and costly, painstakingly lettered and illuminated with
exquisite paintings-far beyond the reach of ordinary people.
As
a master illuminator, Finn works not only for the Church but also,
in secret, for the heretical Oxford cleric John Wycliffe. Under
the nose of the powerful Abbot of Broomholm, Finn illuminates pages
for Wycliffe-an English translation of the Bible, meant to bring
the word of God to the masses. And Finn has another secret, one
that will lead both himself and his beloved daughter into ever-increasing
danger.
Lady
Kathryn, the mistress of Blackingham Manor, is a widow who finds
herself caught between the King's taxes and the Church's tithes.
To protect her sons' inheritance, she strikes a bargain with the
abbot-Kathryn will take in the illuminator and his daughter, and
gain the monastery's protection. What begins as a hesitant friendship
between Finn and Lady Kathryn grows into a passionate alliance that
touches off a chain of betrayals, tragedies, and unexpected acts
of heroism.
Richly
detailed and irresistibly compelling, The Illuminator is
a glorious novel of love, art, religion, and treachery at an extraordinary
turning point in history.
"A
wonderful novel--a tumultuous panorama of Wycliffe's and Chaucer's
England, with an absolutely compelling and irresistible heroine.
This is historical fiction in the grand epic manner, beautifully
felt and written." --Max Byrd, author of Shooting the Sun
"In
her elegant novel, The Illuminator, Brenda Rickman Vantrease
breathes light into the dark corners of feudal England, laying bare
the consequences of political and spiritual oppression, and illuminating
the power of both love and the written word to save."--Charmaine
Craig, author of The Good Men: A Novel of Heresy
"A
very absorbing and masterfully-written novel that twines two stories
together--a personal one of life on a manor in 1379 and a political
one about the undercurrents that led, eventually, to the Reformation.
Impressive new talent Brenda Rickman Vantrease has created a cast
of characters that stand out as individuals you want to follow."
--Margaret George, author of The Autobiography of Henry VIII
"Brenda
Rickman Vantrease's The Illuminator is one of the most engaging
books I've had the pleasure to read in many years. Extraordinary
characters of an extraordinary period in history are portrayed with
passion that only an accomplished writer can deliver…. This
is simply a wonderful book."--Terry Kay, author of The Valley
of Light
"A
rich and original debut novel. Brenda Rickman Vantrease writes with
a strong voice, imaginative scope and an audacious reach about complex
characters during a fascinating historical period."--Valerie
Miner, author of The Low Road
"The Illuminator is a novel with something for every
reader. It has young love, older love, political plot and intrigue,
and religious and philosophical conflict presented as grand adventure…..Each
detail is telling, pitch perfect, important. The relationships are
complex, engrossing. Vantrease's feel for time and place is natural.
This book absolutely glows."--Frances Sherwood, author of The
Book of Splendor