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Abbess Emma, troubled by knowledge of the abbey steward's financial perfidy and wondering how she will pay for the new altar decoration, welcomes famous carver Hugo to Shaftesbury Abbey. It is 1140, a desolate time fraught with lawlessness, prejudice, and danger, so when a Young townswoman is found murdered blame falls on the only Jew around, the only Jew around, the same who lent money to the abbey. Hugo, Emma and sacrist Dame Averilla, however, defend the Jew, hoping to find the real killer before anarchy prevails. This followup to Other Gods (a Ben Franklin Award finalist) brings the Middle Ages to life with authentic, nitty-gritty detailing, picturesque surroundings and realistic characters. Geisler former head librarian for the SF Performing Arts Library and Museum, lives in Northern California. -- Library Journal, March 1, 2005
Graven Images is a superbly written historical novel/mystery on par with The Year of Wonder. The author has been a head librarian at the San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum, and her superior knowledge shows in the quality of her writing. Her story is about a Benedictine Abby in England of 1141 and the nuns and their supporting, surrounding community. A young woman of the village is found dead under suspicious circumstances. A Jewish goldsmith/money lender becomes the prime suspect. He also is the holder of a significant number of expensive loan notes to the Abby. An itinerant sculpture of Church art shelters the Jew until he can determine the true culprit. The title is apropos to the subject's Church art; however, it is also to the author's ability to craft visual descriptions of this medieval community. She paint's such realism and understanding on the canvas of her book pages with words that clearly describe what it was like to live in these times and conditions. The book is filled with characters who must rise above and beyond their routine to deal with the conflicts of life, politics, and Church hierarchy, which the author so craftily weaves into a tapestry of the story. We are shown the world views of a myriad of people-some uplifting and some superstitious and hateful. In all, this makes for a fascinating read. We scored it a high five hearts. -- Heartland Reviews, December,2004
This second book in the Averillan Chronicles series is set in 12'h century Shaftesbury, at the Benedictine Abbey of nuns. A young woman is murdered, and the people of the town decide that Master Levitas, the Jewish moneylender and goldsmith, is responsible. While this plot provides the backbone of the novel, it is an extraordinarily rich book with multiple storylines. The language and descriptions give a strong sense of the period, and the characters are fascinating. The abbess. Emma, is slowly growing into her position of authority and attempting to cope with the abbey's severe Financial problems. Several of the nuns are adjusting to changes in their responsibilities, and some English residents of Shaftesbury are still grappling with the loss of lands and wealth under the Normans. (While this book can be read independently, t highly recommend reading Other Cods first. which takes place one year earlier and provides full introductions to many of the characters ) The precarious position of Jews in medieval England is vividly portrayed. A fascinating subplot involves Master Hugo, a renowned artist who has come to the Abbey to undertake a commission, the young boy who travels with him, and Hugo's relationship with Levitas. Geisler provides very useful supplementary material: maps of the town and abbey; the seven offices of psalms, with their times; a cast of characters; a glossary; and u section explaining key elements of the story, arid where her fiction meets facts. The power this book held over me was such that I got up :n the middle of the night to finish it--I could not Fall asleep without finding out how things were resolved. I recommend it highly. -- Historical Novels Review, Issue 33, August 2005
Graven Images is a superbly written historical novel/mystery on par with The Year of Wonder. The author has been a head librarian at the San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum, and her superior knowledge shows in the quality of her writing. Her story is about a Benedictine Abby in England of 1141 and the nuns and their supporting, surrounding community. A young woman of the village is found dead under suspicious circumstances. A Jewish goldsmith/money lender becomes the prime suspect. He also is the holder of a significant number of expensive loan notes to the Abby. An itinerant sculpture of Church art shelters the Jew until he can determine the true culprit. The title is apropos to the subject's Church art; however, it is also to the author's ability to craft visual descriptions of this medieval community. She paint's such realism and understanding on the canvas of her book pages with words that clearly describe what it was like to live in these times and conditions. The book is filled with characters who must rise above and beyond their routine to deal with the conflicts of life, politics, and Church hierarchy, which the author so craftily weaves into a tapestry of the story. We are shown the world views of a myriad of people-some uplifting and some superstitious and hateful. In all, this makes for a fascinating read. We scored it a high five hearts. -- Heartland Reviews, December,2004
This second book in the Averillan Chronicles series is set in 12'h century Shaftesbury, at the Benedictine Abbey of nuns. A young woman is murdered, and the people of the town decide that Master Levitas, the Jewish moneylender and goldsmith, is responsible. While this plot provides the backbone of the novel, it is an extraordinarily rich book with multiple storylines. The language and descriptions give a strong sense of the period, and the characters are fascinating. The abbess. Emma, is slowly growing into her position of authority and attempting to cope with the abbey's severe Financial problems. Several of the nuns are adjusting to changes in their responsibilities, and some English residents of Shaftesbury are still grappling with the loss of lands and wealth under the Normans. (While this book can be read independently, t highly recommend reading Other Cods first. which takes place one year earlier and provides full introductions to many of the characters ) The precarious position of Jews in medieval England is vividly portrayed. A fascinating subplot involves Master Hugo, a renowned artist who has come to the Abbey to undertake a commission, the young boy who travels with him, and Hugo's relationship with Levitas. Geisler provides very useful supplementary material: maps of the town and abbey; the seven offices of psalms, with their times; a cast of characters; a glossary; and u section explaining key elements of the story, arid where her fiction meets facts. The power this book held over me was such that I got up :n the middle of the night to finish it--I could not Fall asleep without finding out how things were resolved. I recommend it highly. -- Historical Novels Review, Issue 33, August 2005
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Medieval Fiction in Rare Form,
This review is from: Graven Images: A Verillan Chronicles Book 2 (Bk. 2) (Paperback)
Geisler gives us a fascinating fictional tour through 12th century Shaftesbury Abbey. The story is reverent of its focus, and readers are likely to sense the author's deep appreciation for her subject. It never devolves into genre or religious tract. With this much religious matter, both Christian and Jewish, I expected to be preached to at least a bit, and I kind of held my breath waiting for it to happen, but my fear was unwarranted.
Ostensibly a murder mystery, the crime serves primarily as a great excuse for us to look in on the lives of the religious in 1141 England and the forces influencing them. The characters are well developed, with individual voices and motivations. The text is well written with great attention to quality story telling and no perceivable axe to grind. Being personally familiar with western monastic tradition, I found her details ring true and the settings spring to life in 3D. I highly suggest this to all fiction readers. You do not have to have a penchant for historical or religious fiction to enjoy Graven Images. But don't expect a fluffy murder mystery that just happens to be in a monastery. This story has substance, including an important peek under the cloak of historical oversimplification. I've already passed my copy on. I'm sure you will do the same.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent story,
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This review is from: Graven Images: A Verillan Chronicles Book 2 (Bk. 2) (Paperback)
This is a fast moving story with issues that remain timely. The characters are intersting and the images are powerful. I couldn't put it down!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lightning Does, Indeed, Strike Twice,
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This review is from: Graven Images: A Verillan Chronicles Book 2 (Bk. 2) (Paperback)
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book of this series (The Averillan Chronicles) -- it was a delicious mixture of history, mystery, anthropology, and superb writing. Ms. Geisler has really done it again with her newest offering. Dare I say that I found it even more entertaining than the first? Okay, I will dare. This (like the first installment) is one of those books that you buy extra copies of as "lenders" because you are afraid of your personal one leaving the house without an armed guard. I look forward to the next installment in this series (please say that there will be one....)
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