Written by: Zoe Oldenbourg
Submitted By: Clay Chesney
Zoe Oldenbourg has written a number of books on the middle ages, set mostly in France, and which, in the words of one reviewer, capture "the strength and brutality, squalor and beauty, faith and ignorance, pageantry and agony of Europe's Middle Ages". The title book shown here follows the lives of several fictional members of a lesser noble family and builds a vivid picture of the nature of life. and attitudes during that time in France. Oldenbourg's characters are well drawn and compelling, even though we see them from a distance, and we learn their world through their expression of it. The story follows the Baron, his wife and family and their passions over the greater part of a lifetime.
I read this book many years ago but it has made a lasting impression, and looking at a few pages of the text on Amazon it began to capture me again. If you take a look you should be able to tell if the story will hold your attention. It is nearly 600 pages long. Oldenbourg continued the tale in a second book, "The Cornerstone", which I actually liked better, and can stand by itself. Her books on the persecution of the Cathars are also well worth reading, as is her non-fiction book titled "The Crusades".
