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The Cloister and the Hearth

A Tale of the Middle Ages

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The Cloister and the Hearth

By: Charles Reade
Narrated by: Antony Ferguson
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About this listen

Written in 1861 but taking place in the fifteenth century, this picturesque historical novel by Charles Reade follows the story of a young scribe and illuminator named Gerard Eliason.

In order to escape persecution, Gerard sets out on a journey from Holland to Rome, leaving behind the woman he loves, Margaret. Along the road Gerard meets a colorful cast of characters—including various historical figures—and explores the conflict between a person’s obligation to family versus the church.

Considered a literary classic, Reade’s novel has been hailed as one of the best historical novels of the English language.

Public Domain (P)2022 Blackstone Publishing Christian Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Medieval World Literature Middle Ages
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Enjoyable but overlong in my opinion. I liked the characterisation (I especially loved Denys the Burgundian) I enjoyed the depictions of the countries Gerard passed through, in fact I sometimes thought the action scenes detracted from the 'travelogue.' I thought some of the author's scholarship might be a bit dated - eg the idea that someone armed with an English war-bow might take a potshot at a pigeon in the hope of finding enough left to make a meal seemed a little far-fetched now that we know they had a draw weight in excess of 120lb. However his description of the siege was very convincing. I think that Reade's protestantism (to have been a fellow at Oxford from 1835 he must have been a Protestant) causes him to chafe a little when writing about Roman Catholic doctrine.

In short I'm glad I listened to it, it was entertaining but I did find it a little tedious in places.

Enjoyable but a little overlong

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A well-written, entertaining, long-lasting immersive experience. Althought it was written in the 19th Century, it's very understandable and contemporary reading. An excellent entertainment masterpiece.

magnificent!

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