TBR Challenge: Mistress of the Art of Death

[jmc_bks]

This month’s TBR Challenge book is Ariana Franklin’s Mistress of the Art of Death.

Why this book? Avid Reader reviewed it when it was first released, and it sounded interesting. [I’ve been intrigued by the Plantagenets since first reading Jean Plaidy’s historical novels, grabbing them from my mother’s stack of library books. Henry II in particular, in part because of his queen, but also because of his legal reforms.] Sadly, when I borrowed this book from the library, I wasn’t in a mood for historical, so I returned it (late) unread. But I ended up buying a copy, because I knew I’d get around to it sooner or later.

Cover art? Beautiful, if a little macabre, given the way the woman is leaning on the skull. But it matches the content, since Adelia is the twelfth century equivalent of a forensic pathologist. She’s not quite comfortable with the dead, pretending they are pigs in her mentor’s body farm, but neither is she uncomfortable.

The blurb: In Cambridge, four children have been murdered. Wrongly accused of the crimes, a small community of Jews threatened by Catholic mobs is given sanctuary by Henry II. To assist in proving their innocence, he summons an expert in the science of deduction and the art of death. She is Adelia, a prodigy from the Medical School of Salerno, and an anomaly in a medieval world, who is forced to conceal her identity and her purpose from England’s grave superstitions and condemnation. One man willing to work with her is Sir Rowley Picot. His personal stake in the investigation makes him an invaluable ally – and in Adelia’s eyes, a suspect as well. From navigating Cambridge’s perilous river paths to penetrating the dark shadows of the Church, Adelia’s investigation will not only reveal the secrets of the dead, but in time, the far more dangerous ones buried by the living

What did I think of the book? Loved it. In fact, after reading it, I bought a hard copy of the second book of the series, The Serpent’s Tale, and then downloaded a copy of the third, Grave Goods, since I couldn’t find a hard copy at either of the local bookstores.

What did I like about the book? Well, everything. That’s not helpful, though, is it?

I suppose what I enjoyed most was the voice of Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar. She is alien to England, a scientist through and through, and her observations of the people and customs of her surroundings are fascinating. More than that, I appreciate how she recognizes her awkward position in English and Norman society, but still manages to maneuver and do the job she’s been sent to do.

It seems clear that Franklin did a monumental amount of historical research based on the descriptions and settings, but none of it is shared via infodumpery; the details seem to appear magically as appropriate.

The secondary characters are as wonderful as Adelia is herself: Mansur, her Moorish companion and guard; Simon the Fixer, who is the “real investigator” while Adelia is merely the examiner of the dead; Gyltha and Ulf, Cambridgeshire natives who are assigned to her as guards of a sort; and Abbot Geoffrey, a father-like figure whom I hope to see again in future books.

Without spoiling anything, I think the personal decision made by Adelia at the end of the book is right for her at that moment. But I’m sure that it is going to cause her no end of heartache in the future.

 Keep or pass on? Well, I loved the book, but planned on passing it on to someone else who’d mentioned interest in the book.   But there was an unfortunate accident involving an unfastened thermos and the book, so that won’t be happening. Just as well. I’ll pass on a new copy and keep the waterstained copy for myself. On to the second book now.

Anything else worth mentioning? Ariana Franklin has also been published under the name Diana Norman.  I read a book under that name,  A Catch of Consequence, but it didn’t grab my attention the way this one did, despite having a smart, strong protagonist. Also, I found the dialect used in ACC to be distracting to the point of irritation, which was not the case here. Some speech patterns were changed from what I would consider standard, but not enough to be bothersome.

The book's webpage is here, including excerpt.

Comments

Wahoo!

[(Anonymous)]

So glad you enjoyed Ariana Franklin's book. You are in for a treat with the rest of the books. I love her voice and style of writing. One of the best writers around.

Keishon

Re: Wahoo!

[jmc-bks.livejournal.com]

Loved it! Thank you for pointing it out -- I'm not sure if I would have picked it up on its own, based on the cover art.

[meljeanbrook.livejournal.com]

I loved this one, too. I haven't picked up the sequels yet (I think they are something that I'll read when I'm in a slump) but I absolutely loved the heroine, the setting, and the progression of the romance subplot.

[jmc-bks.livejournal.com]

The second book is pretty good so far. The only slight difference is the lack of Rowley's POV, which I kind of liked in the first book.

[rosario001.livejournal.com]

*Shuffling this one to the top of the TBR pile*

Hope you enjoy it!

[jmc-bks.livejournal.com]

My post wasn't all that coherent or specific, I know, but this was a fabulous book. I'm about half way through the second book and have enjoyed it just as much.

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

If that's me you were talking about passing the book on to (I can't remember), really, you don't have to! Now that I know it's good, I trust you, I'll get my own copy! *g*

[jmc-bks.livejournal.com]

You and my sister :)

Are you sure? Because it's only out in hardback and trade right now.

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

Only if you already did it! ;-) Otherwise, I can always use my weekend blink-and-you-miss-it coupons from Borders -- I always save those to buy trades and upwards on the price scale.