Customer Reviews

Scholarium

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Set in Cologne, Germany, in the year 1413, this multi-layered book reveals the scholastic life of medieval Europe, as well as the role of women at that time. The book opens with the discovery of a body that proves to be that of one of the Masters of the Seven Liberal Arts. Clothes and belongings strewn about the scene, as well as a riddle contained in a book, suggest that the killer is issuing a challenge to identify him.

Scholarship in that time involved much philosophical debate among several different factions: the followers of Thomas Aquinas versus those who favor some newer ways of viewing life. Master Steiner is given the task of solving the riddle, and he enlists the help of his students.

Many characters are given distinct personalities and motivations. We meet Laurien, a young and poor student, full of innocence and the belief in truth; Lombardi is a young Master with a secret in his past and a passion for women and new ways of thinking. The widow of the murdered Master, Sophie Casall, hungrily devoured her husband's books and wants to find a way to continue learning, although women were discouraged from this highly impractical pursuit.

There are many twists and turns that make this book fairly complex. Latin phrases are sprinkled into the text, and their meanings are fairly evident even without translation. A second murder happens, and other mysterious events interweave, but everything comes together eventually.

Claudia Gross is a German woman who studied medieval philosophy, so I can only assume that she got all that right. This book was published several years ago in Germany, and has just been translated into English by Helen Atkins. Although I'm not a big fan of historical mysteries, this one had me turning pages as fast as I could.

Writing a historical mystery seems a daunting, almost impossible task. Creating a believable atmosphere, but not overwhelmed with details, respecting the archaic language, but keeping it fresh and alive, are some of the hurdles.
Claudia Gross, a scholar of medevil history manages to bring the 1413 Cologne back to our life. Her novel is a blend of fiction and mystery. There are murders, and there is the scholarium of philosophy. Ms. Gross introduces us to different schools of thought and theological prospectives. This is an original and thoughtful book that both educated and entertained us. Not an easy task.