The Illuminator by Brenda Rickman Vantrease

This is a story of two main fictional characters, Finn and Lady Kathryn, woven with four historical figures: John Wycliffe, Sister Julian of Norwich, John Ball, and Bishop Henry Despenser. “Henry Despenser is best remembered as the ‘warring bishop’ for the bloody and violent manner in which he put down the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. (…) He is also remembered for having made a gift of a five-paneled altarpiece, known as the Despenser retable, or Despenser reredos…” Which in the story are made by the master illuminator (fictional aspect). 

In the late 14th century, the abuse of clergy sets Oxford cleric John Wycliffe to turn against the Church. His followers are called Lollards, spreading across England.

Finn is a master illuminator who works not only for the Church, but also, in secret, for the heretical Wycliffe translating Bible into English in order to be understood by masses. While he works for the powerful Abbot of Broomholm, the lodgings for him and his daughter are arranged at Lady Kathryn’s Blackingham Manor.

Lady Kathryn is a widow who is caught between the King’s taxes and Church’s tithes. Her deteriorating situation forces her to agree to the arrangement. A relationship develops between her and Finn, which takes unexpected turns.

Anchoress, Sister Julian, is introduced to pamphlets written by Wycliffe and encouraged by Finn to put her Revelations on paper and write them in English, not Latin, in order to be understood by masses.

The pages are filled with deep thoughts of those characters and with rich historical details making this book a very engaging and fascinating read. The period of Church’s power and its abuse, with peasants’ revolt building up by oppression are well-presented.

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