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The Hawk and the Dove #1-3
The Hawk and the Dove Trilogy
In honor of nearly twenty years in print, and in the midst of three new volumes in the series, Crossway is rereleasing this classic trilogy, redesigning the cover and retypesetting the interior. Set in a medieval monastery and following the lives of the brothers of St. Alcuin, this three-in-one package consists of books 1 - 3: The Hawk and the Dove, The Wounds of God, and The Long Fall.
While the characters belong to another century, their struggles are our own--finding one's place, coping with failure, living with impossible people, and changing when we realize that we are the impossible ones. Rich with imagery and emotion, their tales depict love in action and love given in the most trying of circumstances.
Penelope Wilcock takes a course that far too many Christian fiction writers never dare to take--writing a love story about God and man, and love between brothers in Christ rather than the typical romance between man and woman. A true ministry to the lonely of heart, Wilcock's captivating tales of monastic life reflects the timeless human struggle of people learning to love God and to receive his grace.
While the characters belong to another century, their struggles are our own--finding one's place, coping with failure, living with impossible people, and changing when we realize that we are the impossible ones. Rich with imagery and emotion, their tales depict love in action and love given in the most trying of circumstances.
Penelope Wilcock takes a course that far too many Christian fiction writers never dare to take--writing a love story about God and man, and love between brothers in Christ rather than the typical romance between man and woman. A true ministry to the lonely of heart, Wilcock's captivating tales of monastic life reflects the timeless human struggle of people learning to love God and to receive his grace.
560 pages, Paperback
First published January 21, 2000
41 people are currently reading
589 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Wilcock
27 books135 followersPenelope (Pen) Wilcock is the author of over twenty books, including The Hawk & the Dove Series 1 (9 volumes), and The Hawk & the Dove Series 2.
Having got back the publishing rights to her books, she and her husband Tony Collins have now republished them under their own imprint Humilis Hastings on the Amazon publishing platform. Pen Wilcock shares the profits from all her Humilis Hastings sales with a community of Carthusian monks in Sussex where she lives.
She has been a Methodist minister and has worked as a hospice and school chaplain.
Having got back the publishing rights to her books, she and her husband Tony Collins have now republished them under their own imprint Humilis Hastings on the Amazon publishing platform. Pen Wilcock shares the profits from all her Humilis Hastings sales with a community of Carthusian monks in Sussex where she lives.
She has been a Methodist minister and has worked as a hospice and school chaplain.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
December 30, 2020
Some of the most beautiful books I have ever read. The author's books have had a profound affect upon me. One of the rare authors whose writings have brought me to tears. They are about the understanding of the strength and frailties of the human heart. The author gets right down deep into the souls of her main characters. I read Penelope's books years ago and am loving them all over again. I like the format too with two settings that intertwine. There is a background of a simple tale of an ordinary loving family; where a wise and lovely Mother relates stories to her daughter. The author has created truly in depth characters. The monks are no different to any man or woman underneath their calling. Like the daughter Melissa, I too looked forward to the stories of Peregrine and his monks. You do not have to be a Christian to appreciate these unforgettable books. They are all about the human heart, rather than a belief in God, though of course God is portrayed as real and wonderful in many ways. They are not easy books to write a review about for me as feelings go deep about their effect on my own heart or soul. I love them and they will stay on my bookshelf forever. I am now beginning to collect all the other books in the series as well.
February 3, 2020
This trilogy is not something I would have normally been drawn to, but I am glad that I read it as it was very moving. The first two sections were organized by a familial link between a monastery in the Medieval period and a modern day family. The Abbot, Father Peregrine was a relative of the mother in the modern day family. She liked to tell the stories of those bygone days to her teenage daughter, as a way of teaching her child about how kindness, humility, and forgiveness are the basis of a good life.
In the third part, the author discards the framing device and the modern day family disappears. This was okay with me for the last section is the strongest in the trilogy. Of the modern day family, I was impressed by the wonderful mother character who puts so much thought into the loving care of her five daughters. The youngest, Cecily, is a 2 year old despot, causing havoc everywhere and was so true to life I had to think she may have been the author's own child.
The final section deals with the trials of old age and sickness and how the monks in the infirmary are so patient and loving and take the sting out of the humiliations of the end of life. Many times I was brought to tears. The author also speaks to the importance of friendship when we are degraded and ill. This sounds depressing, but it somehow wasn't. I am a cynic, but I hope that there are people like this who work with the sick and dying.
In the third part, the author discards the framing device and the modern day family disappears. This was okay with me for the last section is the strongest in the trilogy. Of the modern day family, I was impressed by the wonderful mother character who puts so much thought into the loving care of her five daughters. The youngest, Cecily, is a 2 year old despot, causing havoc everywhere and was so true to life I had to think she may have been the author's own child.
The final section deals with the trials of old age and sickness and how the monks in the infirmary are so patient and loving and take the sting out of the humiliations of the end of life. Many times I was brought to tears. The author also speaks to the importance of friendship when we are degraded and ill. This sounds depressing, but it somehow wasn't. I am a cynic, but I hope that there are people like this who work with the sick and dying.
March 23, 2016
Wow. Honestly, if you read only one of the books on my Goodreads, make it this one. I enjoy classics, and this work belongs in that category. It is one of the most beautiful works of literature I've ever experienced. Let me see if I can explain why.
This book is accessible. I loved that the author keeps it real. The characters are very human, the settings not overly idyllic, and each little vignette wraps up in a perfect, yet believably redemptive way. Reading it is like curling up with a slice of bread and a bowl of hot soup on a rainy day. While overtly religious, the book is written in a way irreligious people can appreciate, and in a way that religious people can learn from.
It gets five stars from me, only because there is no option for 6.
This book is accessible. I loved that the author keeps it real. The characters are very human, the settings not overly idyllic, and each little vignette wraps up in a perfect, yet believably redemptive way. Reading it is like curling up with a slice of bread and a bowl of hot soup on a rainy day. While overtly religious, the book is written in a way irreligious people can appreciate, and in a way that religious people can learn from.
It gets five stars from me, only because there is no option for 6.
September 24, 2009
This is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful books I have ever read. I think it is the first to have made me cry out loud while reading to myself. Prepare to feel compassion for painfully human characters: Wilcock paints a startlingly real picture of the people in this book. We clearly see their virtues, but their vices are made just as plain. Prepare to be convicted by these stories. I read myself into many of them... the characters' struggles are definitely not limited to the book. They are universal.
In short, this book is real, it is gripping, and you need to read it!
In short, this book is real, it is gripping, and you need to read it!
February 24, 2025
When I started this book I did not know what to expect. And I did not expect that by the time I finished reading this, it would have become the best fiction book I have read so far. The best in my estimation anyway.
It is technically three books. The Hawk and the Dove, The Wounds of God, and The Long Fall.
The first two books are told in a similar way to the In Grandma’s Attic series, with a mother telling her daughter stories of monks living together in a monastery. What I appreciate about these stories is that they capture the experience of living life with others, learning to bear one another’s burdens, to forgive and to ask forgiveness. To learn humility and the beauty of weakness.
I would not have characterized myself as a crier, but this book moved me to tears again and again. To see the beauty of individuals learning the love of Christ through the love of each other.
The third book different, it is one continuous narrative, and it delves into the themes of the deep joy and deep pain of loving someone. It was a small adjustment to get used to, because there was no quick resolution as there had been in the previous books, but still a deeply beautiful and moving story.
It is a historical setting, so the theology of the monks were not always completely sound, but I appreciated the historical accuracy.
The only minor critiques I would have is that there were a number of grammatical errors, things such as missing quotation marks or, once or twice, a missing word, that make the sentence somewhat confusing, but nonetheless I would highly recommend this book.
My rating: 5.5 stars, a masterpiece
It is technically three books. The Hawk and the Dove, The Wounds of God, and The Long Fall.
The first two books are told in a similar way to the In Grandma’s Attic series, with a mother telling her daughter stories of monks living together in a monastery. What I appreciate about these stories is that they capture the experience of living life with others, learning to bear one another’s burdens, to forgive and to ask forgiveness. To learn humility and the beauty of weakness.
I would not have characterized myself as a crier, but this book moved me to tears again and again. To see the beauty of individuals learning the love of Christ through the love of each other.
The third book different, it is one continuous narrative, and it delves into the themes of the deep joy and deep pain of loving someone. It was a small adjustment to get used to, because there was no quick resolution as there had been in the previous books, but still a deeply beautiful and moving story.
It is a historical setting, so the theology of the monks were not always completely sound, but I appreciated the historical accuracy.
The only minor critiques I would have is that there were a number of grammatical errors, things such as missing quotation marks or, once or twice, a missing word, that make the sentence somewhat confusing, but nonetheless I would highly recommend this book.
My rating: 5.5 stars, a masterpiece
July 21, 2017
The stories told of life in a monastery in the Middle Ages were interesting most of the time, but the narrative device of the stories being passed on by descendants of the abbot was distracting and not very helpful. It might make the first two books in the trilogy appeal more to the young, however. There were helpful moral lessons throughout, especially in the handling of Brother Francis. But it seemed to border on taking modern counselling methods and putting them in the minds and practices of those in the Middle Ages.
The third story of the trilogy dragged on quite a bit, in my opinion. The middle book seemed to be the best of the three.
Perhaps this is geared toward a younger audience, so it didn't appeal to me as much as I had hoped. It also seemed to have scrubbed clean much of the Catholicism of the monastery so that Protestant audiences would not be offended.
There was strong incarnational theology throughout, giving back a bit of the Catholic flavor to the stories. Though I liked it for an easy-reading change of pace, I would not seek out the other books in this series.
The third story of the trilogy dragged on quite a bit, in my opinion. The middle book seemed to be the best of the three.
Perhaps this is geared toward a younger audience, so it didn't appeal to me as much as I had hoped. It also seemed to have scrubbed clean much of the Catholicism of the monastery so that Protestant audiences would not be offended.
There was strong incarnational theology throughout, giving back a bit of the Catholic flavor to the stories. Though I liked it for an easy-reading change of pace, I would not seek out the other books in this series.
May 12, 2022
Between 4 and 5 stars, but I'll round it up to 5 because of how deeply some of the stories (particularly book 3, The Long Fall) affected me. Although the stories of the monks at St. Alcuin in the first two books of this trilogy were very good--engaging, emotional, and thought-provoking--I got impatient with the format. A mid-twentieth-century mother telling her daughter these stories passed down through their family seemed unrealistic to me, and the two narratives didn't blend well or parallel each other the way I like dual-timeline novels to do. In my opinion, it would have been better to take out the more modern story line altogether and just had a collection of short stories about the monks without interruption. However, the third book was different, and therefore the best: a short uninterrupted novel that delved into the very difficult subject of illness, loss, and grief and where God is in all of it.
The ending of the third book was not quite satisfying, but then I found out there are more books in the series, so now I know why. :) I'll definitely be exploring more.
The characters Father Peregrine, Brother Tom, Brother Theo, and Brother Francis were my favorites. I loved how Father Peregrine sought God and gave such wise advice because of his hard-won humility and love for the brethren. Brother Tom was often a mess, but his loyalty and humanity endeared him to me. Brother Theo tried so hard and finally discovered a wonderful talent. Brother Francis's story in the second book of the trilogy moved me strongly because I could identify with his feelings, and I almost felt that Father Peregrine was speaking to me as he helped Brother Francis.
I also really enjoyed the deep theological musings and insights on God's love and giving ourselves entirely to Him.
The ending of the third book was not quite satisfying, but then I found out there are more books in the series, so now I know why. :) I'll definitely be exploring more.
The characters Father Peregrine, Brother Tom, Brother Theo, and Brother Francis were my favorites. I loved how Father Peregrine sought God and gave such wise advice because of his hard-won humility and love for the brethren. Brother Tom was often a mess, but his loyalty and humanity endeared him to me. Brother Theo tried so hard and finally discovered a wonderful talent. Brother Francis's story in the second book of the trilogy moved me strongly because I could identify with his feelings, and I almost felt that Father Peregrine was speaking to me as he helped Brother Francis.
I also really enjoyed the deep theological musings and insights on God's love and giving ourselves entirely to Him.
July 28, 2020
The Hawk and the Dove Trilogy was an interesting read for me, because I'm not Catholic, but the stories touched me because they are really intense, full of laughter and tears. It's a worthwhile read that will bring you closer to Jesus no matter your denomination.
I enjoyed reading a chapter or two of this before bed at night. It provided the perfect transition between the activities of the day and sleep. Packed with humor and sadness, this book alternately made me laugh, and then cry. I'm sure my family thought I was crazy because tears would stream down my face as I read some of the saddest parts - basically anything involving Father Peregrine in the third book made me sob! I was left a little unhappy with Brother Tom and Father Chad at the end, I felt like Father Peregrine shouldn't have died! There are more books in this series but I'm not that interested in Prior William - the joy of this book for me was Father Peregrine.
I really loved reading this. Sometimes it felt like I was Melissa, soaking in the tales of these monks' joys and sorrows. I was a little surprised when the third part suddenly wasn't a collection of stories Melissa's mother told her, but a seamless narration. Oh well, it just made for a lot more late night cliffhangers!
Four out of five stars for a great book! If you are curious about monasteries and what monks did all day, you should read this book.
I enjoyed reading a chapter or two of this before bed at night. It provided the perfect transition between the activities of the day and sleep. Packed with humor and sadness, this book alternately made me laugh, and then cry. I'm sure my family thought I was crazy because tears would stream down my face as I read some of the saddest parts - basically anything involving Father Peregrine in the third book made me sob! I was left a little unhappy with Brother Tom and Father Chad at the end, I felt like Father Peregrine shouldn't have died! There are more books in this series but I'm not that interested in Prior William - the joy of this book for me was Father Peregrine.
I really loved reading this. Sometimes it felt like I was Melissa, soaking in the tales of these monks' joys and sorrows. I was a little surprised when the third part suddenly wasn't a collection of stories Melissa's mother told her, but a seamless narration. Oh well, it just made for a lot more late night cliffhangers!
Four out of five stars for a great book! If you are curious about monasteries and what monks did all day, you should read this book.
March 6, 2025
I finished. Book 3 came to its senses and ditched the frame story and had one coherent plot! Even with the same setting and characters it was super different vibes and focus from the previous two. But I still liked it. Shed some tears at the end actually. Didn’t really give the themes enough time to sink in so I don’t have much in-depth reflection.
November 6, 2025
You know that feeling when you found the right book for the right time and you wait all day just to come home from work and read and you're so sad when it ends because it was really a tiny part of your life for a few days?
Basically I'm in mourning right now. The Hawk and the The Dove is written so beautifully and the characters felt like real people. The right book for the right time.
Basically I'm in mourning right now. The Hawk and the The Dove is written so beautifully and the characters felt like real people. The right book for the right time.
May 30, 2015
Reviewed at The Power of Words: http://bit.ly/1GKKY7W
Poignant...timeless...inspiring...entertaining...reflective...unexpected...emotional...a literary gem...insightful... The Hawk and the Dove Trilogy is all that and more. We are reminded that human nature has always been the same and I often had the feeling that I was looking at myself through the mirror of these stories. It troubles me that there's no way my words can adequately convey the beauty of these books and why readers should be moved to open their pages.
The setting of this trilogy is a 14th century Benedictine monastery - and the first two volumes, The Hawk and the Dove and The Wounds of God, contain vignettes passed down through the centuries by Father Edward's family and told to the present day Melissa by her mother. The imagery of St. Alcuin's on the edge of the Yorkshire moors and the monastic life couldn't be more vivid, and the deceptively simple lyrical prose reveals a wealth of insight.
The trilogy revolves around the beloved Father Peregrine, who is appointed Abbot of St. Alcuin's in the early chapters. But he wasn't always beloved, for "there was precious little compassion or gentleness about him" in the beginning, and it took a horrific personal tragedy to gradually reveal a Christlike spirit that touched all who were around him, and will touch every reader in the same way.
Book 3, The Long Fall, uses the novel format to tell a darker story that focuses on Father Peregrine and Brother Tom, and it's this story that I found most profound and almost haunting. Penelope's hospice experience has served her well in writing of Brother Tom's distancing himself from Peregrine after his stroke, learning to see the person instead of the illness, and not allowing the indignity of illness to erase the dignity of the human spirit. Penelope shared in an interview:
"In The Long Fall, I wanted to give a voice to those hidden lives. In many novels and dramas, it is the doctors and nurses who are the stars, the people they care for having merely supporting roles. I wanted to give back centre stage to people who had been pushed by illness to the margins of their own lives."
Fellow blogger Faith Farrell has a gift with words and I appreciate receiving her permission to share a few of her thoughts on this series . . .
Oh, there's so many reasons to read these books.
Read them for the fine writing that turns these little tales into magic doors that transport you to another world.
Read them for the way they'll absorb you utterly, and the way you'll crave the next chapter, and the way they'll feed your heart.
Read them for their deceptive simplicity, because while they're stories of particular people and place- the brothers of St. Alcuin's- they're somehow about you and I too.
Read them for Brothers Tom and Cormac and Francis and Theodore. Enjoy the delightful camaraderie of young men all trying to understand their vocations and conform their lives to the pattern of simple service. There are antics and escapades and growth in goodness aplenty among these novices!
Read them for Brothers Andrew and Matthew and Edward, older men who took their vows long ago and still find themselves learning God's ways.
Read them for Father Peregrine, the abbot who leads them all, with justice and distance at first, and eventually with a true shepherd's merciful hand.
These men may belong to the 1300s, but the human heart still breaks and mends in the same old ways.
These stories are timeless, relevant, and will speak to everyone. Highly recommended.
Thank you to Kregel/Lion Hudson for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Poignant...timeless...inspiring...entertaining...reflective...unexpected...emotional...a literary gem...insightful... The Hawk and the Dove Trilogy is all that and more. We are reminded that human nature has always been the same and I often had the feeling that I was looking at myself through the mirror of these stories. It troubles me that there's no way my words can adequately convey the beauty of these books and why readers should be moved to open their pages.
The setting of this trilogy is a 14th century Benedictine monastery - and the first two volumes, The Hawk and the Dove and The Wounds of God, contain vignettes passed down through the centuries by Father Edward's family and told to the present day Melissa by her mother. The imagery of St. Alcuin's on the edge of the Yorkshire moors and the monastic life couldn't be more vivid, and the deceptively simple lyrical prose reveals a wealth of insight.
The trilogy revolves around the beloved Father Peregrine, who is appointed Abbot of St. Alcuin's in the early chapters. But he wasn't always beloved, for "there was precious little compassion or gentleness about him" in the beginning, and it took a horrific personal tragedy to gradually reveal a Christlike spirit that touched all who were around him, and will touch every reader in the same way.
Book 3, The Long Fall, uses the novel format to tell a darker story that focuses on Father Peregrine and Brother Tom, and it's this story that I found most profound and almost haunting. Penelope's hospice experience has served her well in writing of Brother Tom's distancing himself from Peregrine after his stroke, learning to see the person instead of the illness, and not allowing the indignity of illness to erase the dignity of the human spirit. Penelope shared in an interview:
"In The Long Fall, I wanted to give a voice to those hidden lives. In many novels and dramas, it is the doctors and nurses who are the stars, the people they care for having merely supporting roles. I wanted to give back centre stage to people who had been pushed by illness to the margins of their own lives."
Fellow blogger Faith Farrell has a gift with words and I appreciate receiving her permission to share a few of her thoughts on this series . . .
Oh, there's so many reasons to read these books.
Read them for the fine writing that turns these little tales into magic doors that transport you to another world.
Read them for the way they'll absorb you utterly, and the way you'll crave the next chapter, and the way they'll feed your heart.
Read them for their deceptive simplicity, because while they're stories of particular people and place- the brothers of St. Alcuin's- they're somehow about you and I too.
Read them for Brothers Tom and Cormac and Francis and Theodore. Enjoy the delightful camaraderie of young men all trying to understand their vocations and conform their lives to the pattern of simple service. There are antics and escapades and growth in goodness aplenty among these novices!
Read them for Brothers Andrew and Matthew and Edward, older men who took their vows long ago and still find themselves learning God's ways.
Read them for Father Peregrine, the abbot who leads them all, with justice and distance at first, and eventually with a true shepherd's merciful hand.
These men may belong to the 1300s, but the human heart still breaks and mends in the same old ways.
These stories are timeless, relevant, and will speak to everyone. Highly recommended.
Thank you to Kregel/Lion Hudson for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 20, 2012
Overall, a very enjoyable book. Of course, I found myself disagreeing with the author's theology at times, but it was so refreshing to read a book by an orthodox Christian- and one who knows how to write!
I felt like the masculinity of the monks suffered a bit; they didn't seem to interact in quite the way that I suspect men actually do. Since I have no way to actually *know* that, I asked my husband- and he agreed. He hasn't read enough to give a complete and final answer, but he at least confirmed my suspicions- something is a little off. I have a feeling that this is common among female authors.
Still- a good read!
I felt like the masculinity of the monks suffered a bit; they didn't seem to interact in quite the way that I suspect men actually do. Since I have no way to actually *know* that, I asked my husband- and he agreed. He hasn't read enough to give a complete and final answer, but he at least confirmed my suspicions- something is a little off. I have a feeling that this is common among female authors.
Still- a good read!
August 8, 2012
I am divided in my mind about this book. It’s a trilogy bound in one volume, dealing with the stories of 14th century Benedictine monks. While I felt that the first two books were poorly written and childish and didn’t enjoy them at all, the third book, The Long Fall, was an entirely different matter. Dealing with the friendship between Brother Thomas and the enigmatic and proud Father Peregrine, suddenly incapacitated by illness, this book leaves no holds barred and is altogether heartbreaking. I don’t know when any book has made me cry so much. So, while I can’t recommend the first two books, I can urge you to read The Long Fall and ponder the love of Christ until it remakes you.
January 2, 2025
I love this book so much it hurts me
Read
December 4, 2020I felt like my seventeen-year-old self crying over Christian fiction and I loved every minute. ;)
February 8, 2023
I didn't think a book about monks would be this interesting. 😂 It can be a little hard to read because of everything the main character goes through, but I think it's worth it.
January 25, 2011
This is really three books bundled as one. Set in a 1303 medieval monastry in North Yorkshire, the first two books consist of self-contained stories about one monk or another in the abbey. The "moral" of the story comes through strong, almost like the medieval morality plays. But that doesn't minimize the importance of the teaching. I saw confession and forgiveness vividly played out among the brothers. Some of the theological discussions are also well worth the price of the book.
Part three leaves the short story format and is an extended narrative of the Abbot's stroke. We see the impact on the various brothers. Some are uncomfortable by his speech and incontinence. Others nurse him tenderly. For me, it illustrated Paul's desire in Philippians 3: "That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings." What does it mean to enter into the "fellowship of his sufferings"? Part three will stick in my mind as the best image of that concept.
Part three leaves the short story format and is an extended narrative of the Abbot's stroke. We see the impact on the various brothers. Some are uncomfortable by his speech and incontinence. Others nurse him tenderly. For me, it illustrated Paul's desire in Philippians 3: "That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings." What does it mean to enter into the "fellowship of his sufferings"? Part three will stick in my mind as the best image of that concept.
May 15, 2012
This book was a surprise, for sure. I read it on the recommendation of a sweet friend, but I don't read fiction very often. However, this is the type of fiction that I love--profound and interesting. I spent many nights with tears streaming down my face as God used the examples of Father Peregrine and the other monks to speak into my life. No doubt some of the reason this book spoke so clearly to me was due to life circumstances, though I think it will speak volumes to anyone. (In fact, I want my 13-year old daughter to read it next.)
Father Peregrine is a poignant Christ figure, particularly in his humanity. The third book is especially painful to read, but there are some profound truths and insights into the very essence of our existences (and our deaths).
Father Peregrine is a poignant Christ figure, particularly in his humanity. The third book is especially painful to read, but there are some profound truths and insights into the very essence of our existences (and our deaths).
April 3, 2013
A mother tells her daughter stories from the lives of monks in the middle ages that teach life lessons. I really liked the first book. It was upbeat, all the stories ended on a positive note. It was a sweet little book. The second book felt a little darker, the stories weren't quite so happy, things didn't end quite so sweetly. But I cut it some slack, because the second book of a trilogy is often that way. And then the third book was completely different. Not a collection of stories told by a mother, but one story, told as a narrative. It was still enjoyable, but I didn't like it as much. So book 3 would get 3 stars from me.
May 4, 2010
An absolute favorite, a tale I read to myself nearly every year. Father Peregrine has become one of my dearest friends, and each time I journey back in time with his own decendents I am elated, and dismayed, overjoyed, or heartbroken.. This book is simply a classic. I can not give it any higher regard, for in my mind, it has nearly the highest... It is for me a challenge to my walk with Christ, a centering of my own faith, a reminder of all that is true in regards to GRACE. Excellent read, and fantastic read aloud!
August 20, 2012
This is really a 4+ for me...the first two books of the trilogy are told as stories to a 15 year-old girl by her mother...great opportunities for a little self-reflection. The third is a continuation, centered around two of the monks in the earlier stories. What a great revelation of love and suffering and self-sacrifice and self-indulgence/pity.
Great read for those of us who pity ourselves with our "first world" problems.
Great read for those of us who pity ourselves with our "first world" problems.
October 11, 2012
My husband heard a review on this trilogy and bought it as a gift for me. I knew nothing about it and started reading it completely unaware. Well, what a beautiful book it turned out to be. I usually read a book quickly, but this had so many gems that I savored it over time. I have already loaned it to a friend and recommend it highly. It was wonderful to have the trilogy all in one book so I didn't have to wait for each one separately.
January 25, 2023
I'm usually (i.e. never) a fan of Christian fiction, but this was so unlike other Christian fiction I've read and so much better. The majority of the stories take place in a fourteenth-century monastery in the UK. The wisdom, faith and even weakness of the brothers made for profound, deeply moving stories with a little humor here and there to round it out. Truly a great book; I will be rereading it in the future.
August 24, 2014
Loved an awful lot about these books. Truths flowed without being heavy-handed and much of it was written beautifully. My only complaint, and it's very minor, is that I didn't love the format of the first two books, the story-within-the story thing. I found the quality of writing a bit choppy, the framework for the stories being almost child-like, while the stories themselves were meaty and beautiful. The third book broke with the format and I think was the better for it.
February 14, 2014
I have loved this book for a long time. the writing isn't perfect, especially if you consider it one book instead of three books. The first two books are short stories and the framing for the stories is a little weak. The third book is one longer story and a very deeply moving story. All three parts are worth reading and prayerfully engaging the truths and challenges Wilcock explores.
March 25, 2014
This is one book that I hated to end. Amazingly well written, you felt like you were right there in the room, the author really captured the emotions and described them with such authenticity. Regardless of the time period very real emotions about life, death, sickness, and why bad things happen to good people. Can't wait to read more of her books.
February 16, 2016
The trilogy is pretty well-written although there are historical inaccuracies. I could have done without the frame of the mother telling stories in the first two volumes, but the monastic stories work very well. I very much enjoyed the third volume about the affects of stroke on the victim and loved ones.
December 30, 2008
Best book ever. This books is absolutly, without a doubt the best book I have ever read. It leaves you considering everything you thought you knew. You are a changed person after you read it.
LOVED IT, and will read it over and over again.
LOVED IT, and will read it over and over again.
June 3, 2014
Read these a long time ago...unlikely read, but I recall LOVING them. Need to re-read!
July 16, 2014
Highly recommended!
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