Customer Reviews

In the Shadow of Lions (Chronicles of the Scribe, Book 1)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ginger Garrett's "In the Shadow of Lions" tells the story of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation in 16th century England. She tells her tale through two main characters. The first, Rose, a fictional creation, is a despairing young woman ready to give up on life. The second is Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry the Eighth. Their stories are dictated by a supernatural being called the Scribe to a dying woman in the present day.

I found this book to be a frustrating, unfulfilling read. A major flaw in the novel is the portrayal of Anne Boleyn. I've read many, many books about Anne over the years, both fiction and non-fiction. Anne Boleyn was a woman who not only fascinated a king, but has also fascinated historians and readers in the centuries since her death. In Garrett's portrayal, she's a rather flat and uninteresting character. I never got a sense of why Henry became so obsessed with her or how she was able to keep his devotion for so long. There was nothing to explain her allure. Henry himself never emerges as a very well defined character.

"In the Shadow of Lions" also contains the most negative portrayal of Sir Thomas More I have ever read. There's no doubt More could be virulently anti-Protestant, but this book takes his actions to the extreme. His daughter, Margaret, is an extremely inconsistent character, one moment treating Rose as an ally and at others treating her more as an enemy. I felt very removed from this book; it was hard to truly feel involved with the story or the characters.

There were many other things about this book that bugged me, but I'll just mention one more. Anne and Henry's daughter, Elizabeth, was born on September 7, 1533. In this book, Anne is two months pregnant shortly before Christmas. There's no way the timeline would work out for a September birth. Garrett never gives a date for Elizabeth's birth, but she does say she's born in winter. A woman can't be over two months pregnant in late December and give birth in a winter month unless the baby is extremely premature, which was not the case, or the baby is in the womb for over a year. I kept thinking I was missing something but I've read it over twice. It just absolutely makes no sense.

I suppose this book might be more appealing to a reader of Christian fiction than to a reader of historical fiction. The historical oddities, at any rate, might be less off-putting.
I really wanted to like "In the Shadow of Lions." I was looking forward to reading about Anne Boleyn from a different viewpoint, one that explored her role in the Protestant Reformation. Unfortunately, the poorly developed, inconsistent, and often unlikeable characters made this more of an exercise in frustration. One of the first things I noticed about this book was the beautiful cover. It's too bad the contents inside didn't live up to it.

In the Shadow of Lions is a story as dictated by a guardian angel to a present day woman who needs to hear it.

Two women without freedom face a reign, battles for power, threats of death and superstition. Beliefs collide to bring an alternative and gripping tale of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Historical fans and those who devour great storytelling should find much to like. If martyrdom and torture themes bother you, look before you leap. I found the novel to be a little challenging as I tried to piece together who was who and how they all intersected. But once I got it, the story rocked and rolled.

A bitter and prideful woman is facing imminent death when she is visited by the Scribe and is plunged into the turbulent and violent world of Henry VIII, his court, his advisors and his women.

Anne Boleyn is determined not to meet the fate of her sister by becoming King Henry's mistress, despite his persistent attempts to woo her. Remaining pure and faithful to God's call on her life she is strengthened by what she reads in the very first English translation of the Bible.

A woman of the night, Rose hopes for transformation of her heart, soul and mind when she is taken in by the devout Thomas More, a man searching for redemption in unimaginable ways, yet showing her a compassion she has never known.

As these two women try to find their way in a cruel and unforgiving world, the men in their lives wield power and influence without restraint.

Ginger Garrett's expertise in recreating the stories of women who changed the world is on full show in this epic tale of love, faith, fear and persecution. With impeccable research, Ginger provides an alternative view of Anne Boleyn as a woman keeping her promise to God in refusing Henry's advances as he sought desperately to father a son. In The Shadow of Lions reveals the terrible lengths many church leaders went to in order to prevent the Bible from being accessible to the people and is a heart rending and often difficult story to read. While not overly graphic, the violence meted out to those who opposed the dominance of the organised church, is a tragic reminder of the sacrifice others made so we can enjoy the privilege of owning a Bible. The numerous transitions between scenes of the Scribe, Anne and Rose requires that your mind be fully engaged in this complex story but the reward to staying focused is great. Immerse yourself in the beginnings of the Reformation and see God's hand at work in history.

This is another first for me. I have read a lot of fiction but never Historical fiction. It isn't that the genre wasn't entertaining, it was just a genre I never looked to for reading enjoyment. Ginger Garrett's Shadow of Lions definitely made me rethink picking up historical fiction.

The book is a tapestry of four stories making one whole. We are lead through very visual language through the rise of Anne Boleyn from Queen Catherine's lady in waiting to King Henry the VIII's strong desire. The story gives us another side to Anne as a devout Christian seeking the Lord's will, and her life being used to be part of a spark that leads to change in the very way people relate to God. This was at first hard for me to swallow, because I, like so many others, have only related to Anne Boleyn as a seductress and manipulator. What a refreshing change!

We also follow Rose on her journey as a fallen woman who has experienced the full force of God's redemptive grace. Watching her life change and grow is touching.

Ginger Garrett has written a magnificent piece. The characters are clearly drawn and become very real to the reader. I loved the way she made the world come alive with descriptive language that was full and rich with even the scents of the city, people, and gardens clearly described. Shadow of Lions is a book that I will definitely want to keep in my library.

Ginger Garrett's "In the Shadow of Lions" grabbed my attention with the first sentence! This incredibly creative delivery of historical fiction tells the tragic story of Anne Boleyn in a way that it has never been told before. Ginger Garrett writes in such a thoughtful and thought-provoking way. She does justice to the historical account while bringing an emotional level to the story that draws the reader to invest herself fully in the tale.

I can't wait to read the next "Chronicles of the Scribe" story by this wonderful author. In the meantime, I may have to check out her novel, "Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther". The "after words" pages are an informative and enjoyable added bonus to this book.

In the Shadow of Lions by Ginger Garrett is a remarkably original take on a well-known story. The story of Anne Boleyn and her marriage to Henry VIII has been written and played out on the screen hundreds of times, and usually, Anne is portrayed as a conniving, manipulative witch. Garrett turns history on its head by giving Anne heart and faith. Anne's story, along with another woman named Rose, is a story within the story of Bridget, a woman suffering from terminal cancer who has been ordered by a Scribe to write down their story. This Scribe, who appears to be some sort of angel, allows Bridget to observe history as it happens, and as she writes it down, she discovers some truths about her own life. It's a fascinating premise, and Garrett handles it extremely well. Anne is portrayed as a woman of faith who is torn by her desire for Henry and her desire to remain chaste to be faithful to God. She's not a manipulator, but manipulated herself, caught in a web of intrigue beyond her creation or knowledge. Part of what makes the story shine is Garrett's deft writing. Crickets sang the same note, over and over, like a needle and thread bobbing in and out of the dark blanket of the night sky. Garrett recreates history in a way that makes it vital. Henry VIII is burning men and women at the stake who dare to read William Hutchins' book, the New Testament, which has been translated for the first time into English so everyone can read it. What those martyrs suffered for their faith, makes me very grateful for the ability to read my Bible every night and to worship in the way I please. This appears to be the first in a series; I hope the next one comes out soon!

What an amazing story! I hated for it to end. The only thing I didn't care for was the current "scribe" scenes. I totally loved the scenes from the past and Anne Boleyn's story. It amazes me when I think about how incredibly fickle people were in those days, and how ignorant. For Henry to kill or cast off each wife that wouldn't bear him a son, oy! How sad! I felt sorry for the women because it wasn't their fault. What difficult times they lived in. I found the accounts of the persecution fascinating and also hard to stomach because the story was so well-written I felt like I was there. To think that reading the Bible was enough to get you brutally totured to the point of death... I shudder when I ponder it too long. So if you love fiction that transports you back in time with realism and cultural flair, you will want to read In the Shadow of Lions. Awesome and compelling storytelling.

Every once in a while I read a novel that is not only well-written and entertaining, but also challenges and grows my faith. In the Shadow of Lions is such a novel, and the story has stayed with me long after I finished the book. Ginger Garrett (author of the novels Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther 480-465 BC and Dark Hour (Serpent Moon Trilogy)) excels at bringing history to life, and with her latest offering she turns her attention to the well-known Anne Boleyn and turns everything I thought I knew about the woman on its head. Garrett dares to challenge the view that Anne was a scheming, manipulative seductress, and asks the reader to consider another alternative. What if Anne was a committed Christian, caught in a vortex of danger and intrigue that swept her into events beyond her control? What if Anne's deeply held beliefs threatened the religious establishment of the day and earned her the enmity of powerful people, determined to sully her reputation for centuries to come?

In the Shadow of Lions is the story of two vastly different women - Anne, the noblewoman, and Rose, the peasant - both fighting against the restraints placed on them by a powerful patriarchal society. Anne, a devout Christian, wants to restore her family's good name in court, but more than that she refuses to dishonor God by becoming Henry's mistress. Rose, victimized by power-hungry clergymen who espouse virtue and then live in vice, longs for hope and redemption. Both women earn the enmity of powerful Church leaders who fear the "corrupting" influence of the Hutchins book (Hutchins was a pseudonym used by William Tyndale) - an English translation of the Bible taking Europe by storm. As people discover the scriptures for themselves, they learn that many of the established Church's teachings and requirements have little or no basis in biblical fact. The Hutchins book brings people face-to-face with God and His grace, without the Church as an intermediary. Anne's support of the Hutchins book is central to her tumultuous rise and fall from power in Henry's court.

The first entry in the Chronicles of the Scribe series is a fast-paced, completely engrossing read. The juxtaposition of Anne's and Rose's experiences are further contrasted with present-day scenes, where the Scribe angel dictates their stories to a dying editor, an unknowing heiress to the women's legacy of faith. Garrett lifts the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds and powerfully reminds readers that there is so much more to life than what can be seen with earthly eyes. Anne and Rose's story of faith and sacrifice is a heart-wrenching reminder that the right to read the Bible was a right paid for in blood. If the true version of Anne is even halfway between the commonly known history and story presented here, history has done her a grave disservice. Both as a woman and as a Christian, I found myself chastened by the reminder of how many freedoms I take for granted that were bought through the faith and sacrifices of women before me. As Garrett states in the epilogue, average Americans own multiple copies of the Bible and read none of them. Unless people know and cling to the truth found within those pages, unless we remember the sacrifices that bought the right the read the scriptures in the vernacular, the victories of the past will be lost, and the battle must be fought again. Kudos to Garrett for delivering a story brimming with life-changing truths, and giving Anne Boleyn new life as an achingly real, relatable - warts and all - child of God.

As someone who has had a lifelong interest in Anne Boleyn, I enjoyed this refreshing view of her story. There were a few historical errors about the setting and titles, but other than that, it was an enjoyable read.

Excellent....Had no idea how it would end or who the story focused on and when I reached the last few pages, I was thrilled. Ginger Garrett did a great job with keeping my interest and then to find out whose story I had the privilege of reading about...I did not want it to end. With just getting started reading Christian Historical Fiction...I love this kind-of surprise. Thank you.