Customer Reviews

Graven Images: A Verillan Chronicles Book 2 (Bk. 2)

5 star:		(3)
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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.

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!

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....)