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Sinful Folk
A terrible loss. A desperate journey.
A mother seeks the truth.
In December of the year 1377, five children were burned to death in a suspicious house fire. A small band of villagers traveled 200 miles across England in midwinter to demand justice for their children’s deaths.
Sinful Folk is the story of this treacherous journey as seen by Mear, a former nun who has lived for a decade disguised as a mute man, raising her son quietly in this isolated village.
For years, she has concealed herself and all her secrets. But in this journey, she will find the strength to claim the promise of her past and find a new future. Mear begins her journey in terror and heartache, and ends in triumph and redemption.
A mother seeks the truth.
In December of the year 1377, five children were burned to death in a suspicious house fire. A small band of villagers traveled 200 miles across England in midwinter to demand justice for their children’s deaths.
Sinful Folk is the story of this treacherous journey as seen by Mear, a former nun who has lived for a decade disguised as a mute man, raising her son quietly in this isolated village.
For years, she has concealed herself and all her secrets. But in this journey, she will find the strength to claim the promise of her past and find a new future. Mear begins her journey in terror and heartache, and ends in triumph and redemption.
398 pages, Paperback
First published November 26, 2013
27 people are currently reading
2358 people want to read
About the author
Ned Hayes
20 books269 followersFollow Ned Hayes:
Ned Hayes is a voracious reader (and writer) from Olympia Washington, who now lives in Portland, Oregon.
My novel THE EAGLE TREE was a national bestseller, and was named by New York Times bestselling author Steve Silberman as one of the top 5 books on the autistic experience.. The book has also been endorsed by Temple Grandin and many others.
I read in many genres. I especially enjoy historical fiction like Philippa Gregory, Anita Diamant and Hilary Mantel, as well as supernatural historical fiction from Susanne Clarke and Tim Powers. But I also love Annie Dillard, Jorge Borges and Michael Chabon.
I also wrote the historical novel SINFUL FOLK, a book set in the 14th century. The cover of SINFUL FOLK a series of lovely internal illustrations were created by the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Nikki McClure. SINFUL FOLK was nominated for the "Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award" and received starred reviews from many publications, including BookList.
You can find the rest of my books at Ned Note.com .
Ned Hayes is a voracious reader (and writer) from Olympia Washington, who now lives in Portland, Oregon.
My novel THE EAGLE TREE was a national bestseller, and was named by New York Times bestselling author Steve Silberman as one of the top 5 books on the autistic experience.. The book has also been endorsed by Temple Grandin and many others.
I read in many genres. I especially enjoy historical fiction like Philippa Gregory, Anita Diamant and Hilary Mantel, as well as supernatural historical fiction from Susanne Clarke and Tim Powers. But I also love Annie Dillard, Jorge Borges and Michael Chabon.
I also wrote the historical novel SINFUL FOLK, a book set in the 14th century. The cover of SINFUL FOLK a series of lovely internal illustrations were created by the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Nikki McClure. SINFUL FOLK was nominated for the "Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award" and received starred reviews from many publications, including BookList.
You can find the rest of my books at Ned Note.com .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
April 2, 2014
First I would like to thank my lucky stars that I am living now and not in the middle ages. What a horribly harsh time that was, a time that is formidably related in this novel. Starvation, oftentimes a matter of fate, capricious weather, death always a minute away. I was totally sucked into the atmosphere of this novel and emotionally involved in the fate of many of these characters, most of all Mear.
The author took a short piece of historical information, noted in the beginning of the novel and than took some strange occurrences which happened upon the death of the Black Prince, and used them to fashion this very fast paced story. Such a dangerous time to be alive. I did find the ending somewhat dramatic but all in all this was a very good and entertain read, full of atmosphere and well rounded characters.
The author took a short piece of historical information, noted in the beginning of the novel and than took some strange occurrences which happened upon the death of the Black Prince, and used them to fashion this very fast paced story. Such a dangerous time to be alive. I did find the ending somewhat dramatic but all in all this was a very good and entertain read, full of atmosphere and well rounded characters.
March 6, 2014
Barely a day passes without Mr. Hayes plugging his book over on Booklikes. Helicopter author!
September 22, 2011
All it took for me to spark my interest, was the historical note in the beginning of the book. It was hard to put this book down; I wanted to uncover the mystery behind these boys dying in a fire and why this women is pretending to be a man, hiding her identity from everyone in this medieval village. The characters in the book set out on a journey to find the truth; the path they take reveals more of the mystery with every page you turn.
It is evident that the author has a tremendous interest and knowledge in medieval history. He paints a vivid picture of this historical period and what it meant for a women to live, fight, and survive.
If you enjoy historical fiction and mysteries like "Pillars of the Earth' or "The Name of the Rose," this is the book for you.
It is evident that the author has a tremendous interest and knowledge in medieval history. He paints a vivid picture of this historical period and what it meant for a women to live, fight, and survive.
If you enjoy historical fiction and mysteries like "Pillars of the Earth' or "The Name of the Rose," this is the book for you.
August 5, 2017
Set in medieval England, Sinful Folk follows Mear, a nun named Miriam disguised as a mute, old man. In Mear’s small village, five boys burned to death in a house fire, including Mear’s son, Christian. The fire was not an accident. The door was roped shut and the murderer has not been discovered. Mear and some village men decide to make the long trek to London to demand justice for their deaths, hauling the boys’ dead bodies in a cart behind them. Mear is going on the journey to discover her son’s killer, whom she believes may be one of her companions.
The historical detail and quality story-telling in this book was a surprise. I would categorize it as a historical thriller, though it’s not a swashbuckling, sword-fighting type of story. Sinful Folk is agonizingly suspenseful. It’s a slow burn, full of unreliable stories and questionable characters. It never lagged, never meandered, and I was riveted.
Along this journey we learn Mear’s backstory, why she is disguised, how she came to have a son, and why she can’t reveal her identity to any of her companions, even though she trusts many them with her life. The lives of these men are harsh. The winter is brutal and meat is scarce. It’s painfully cold and the men are filthy and tortured with agonizing hunger. Every character is selfish, starving, and angry in their grief. The writing was above par, and the pacing was intense. I looked forward to reading this story every time I cracked the spine, and towards the end I eschewed chores, phones, and schedules to get to the end.
I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads because I enjoyed the entire book, not just the ending, or the middle, as is so often the case. I was full of anticipation to read it as it reached its close. The author’s attention to detail only enhanced the mystery of Mear’s story.
Sinful Folk is a hidden gem. I don’t give out 5 stars on Goodreads readily, and this book deserves the praise.
The historical detail and quality story-telling in this book was a surprise. I would categorize it as a historical thriller, though it’s not a swashbuckling, sword-fighting type of story. Sinful Folk is agonizingly suspenseful. It’s a slow burn, full of unreliable stories and questionable characters. It never lagged, never meandered, and I was riveted.
Along this journey we learn Mear’s backstory, why she is disguised, how she came to have a son, and why she can’t reveal her identity to any of her companions, even though she trusts many them with her life. The lives of these men are harsh. The winter is brutal and meat is scarce. It’s painfully cold and the men are filthy and tortured with agonizing hunger. Every character is selfish, starving, and angry in their grief. The writing was above par, and the pacing was intense. I looked forward to reading this story every time I cracked the spine, and towards the end I eschewed chores, phones, and schedules to get to the end.
I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads because I enjoyed the entire book, not just the ending, or the middle, as is so often the case. I was full of anticipation to read it as it reached its close. The author’s attention to detail only enhanced the mystery of Mear’s story.
Sinful Folk is a hidden gem. I don’t give out 5 stars on Goodreads readily, and this book deserves the praise.
November 20, 2014
This is the story of a woman named Miriam, who has been living as a mute man, raising her child in a remote village after fleeing a monastery and a mysterious pursuant. We meet Mear (as she's being called by her fellow villagers) as an awful fire consumes the village weaver's home with five of the village's young boys inside, one of them Mear's own beloved son, Christian. The fire could have been the result of an accident--after all, these things happen. But the village soon discovers that someone had tied the door shut from the outside, and that the death of the next generation of young men was no accident at all. Suspicions and accusations immediately start flying, and many point their fingers toward the few Jews who still live in England, even though none of them live in their village. A handful of men decide they must seek justice, and so they set out with the bodies of their sons on an arduous journey to present their case to the king and demand satisfaction from a faceless villain.
Snuggle up by the fire when you read this book because you're going to get cold just reading about the bleak winter landscape our group has to travel in. What struck me most about this book was the stark depiction of the lives of peasants during this time period and the cruelty that such hard living brought forth in people. Our group not only faces suspicion and abuse from those they meet along the road, but also from within their own ranks as tensions flare amid freezing, starving conditions and the ravages of grief and anger. I enjoyed following Miriam on her journey, which was both physically taxing and emotionally freeing. Her pain at losing Christian, her sole reason for living these past ten years, was a palpable thing, as was her determination to finally seek out his father, and failing that, to carry our her mother's dying request. The mystery of who killed the boys was slowly teased out along with the story of how Miriam became Mear in the first place. The story reached its boiling point when the group finally made it to London, and just when it seemed all was for naught and Miriam was going to spend her final hours in misery and degradation, she managed to find the strength to wage one last fight in an effort to save herself and her fellow travelers and ultimately found the redemption she so desperately needed.
This is a dense read, and by that I mean that it's highly detailed while being very subtle at revealing clues in the mystery, so you have to pay close attention and it takes a little longer to read. This sometimes made me feel like the story was slow-going when really the content was quite action-packed. I'd pretty much figured out who the villain was before the big reveal, but really, no one was without some form of guilt, and that made the story all the more intriguing. I can't say that it's the type of book I'd probably read again--at times it's pretty intense and some parts can be difficult to read. It is unapologetically gritty and harsh, filled with pain and suffering, but Miriam--and the reader--are rewarded in the end. And it is a creative and plausible take on the real-life mystery surrounding the final will and resting place of Edward the Black Prince. Overall, this is a very well-written small press title that is worth a read for anyone who likes English historical fiction, and particularly those who would like to take a break from the nobility and spend some time in the point of view of the serfs and working class.
Snuggle up by the fire when you read this book because you're going to get cold just reading about the bleak winter landscape our group has to travel in. What struck me most about this book was the stark depiction of the lives of peasants during this time period and the cruelty that such hard living brought forth in people. Our group not only faces suspicion and abuse from those they meet along the road, but also from within their own ranks as tensions flare amid freezing, starving conditions and the ravages of grief and anger. I enjoyed following Miriam on her journey, which was both physically taxing and emotionally freeing. Her pain at losing Christian, her sole reason for living these past ten years, was a palpable thing, as was her determination to finally seek out his father, and failing that, to carry our her mother's dying request. The mystery of who killed the boys was slowly teased out along with the story of how Miriam became Mear in the first place. The story reached its boiling point when the group finally made it to London, and just when it seemed all was for naught and Miriam was going to spend her final hours in misery and degradation, she managed to find the strength to wage one last fight in an effort to save herself and her fellow travelers and ultimately found the redemption she so desperately needed.
This is a dense read, and by that I mean that it's highly detailed while being very subtle at revealing clues in the mystery, so you have to pay close attention and it takes a little longer to read. This sometimes made me feel like the story was slow-going when really the content was quite action-packed. I'd pretty much figured out who the villain was before the big reveal, but really, no one was without some form of guilt, and that made the story all the more intriguing. I can't say that it's the type of book I'd probably read again--at times it's pretty intense and some parts can be difficult to read. It is unapologetically gritty and harsh, filled with pain and suffering, but Miriam--and the reader--are rewarded in the end. And it is a creative and plausible take on the real-life mystery surrounding the final will and resting place of Edward the Black Prince. Overall, this is a very well-written small press title that is worth a read for anyone who likes English historical fiction, and particularly those who would like to take a break from the nobility and spend some time in the point of view of the serfs and working class.
August 13, 2016
Rating Clarification: 4.5 Stars
Wow, what a great historical mystery. Hayes really captured the time period, and I liked his twist on the
This book needs more exposure.
Wow, what a great historical mystery. Hayes really captured the time period, and I liked his twist on the
This book needs more exposure.
July 31, 2019
In December 1377 in the isolated village of Duns, five boys are killed in an arson attack. The grieving villagers set out on a perilous journey to bring the bodies to the king in London in search of justice. Mear (or Miriam) insists on travelling with the group for one of the dead boys was her son but no one knows she is a woman as she has been pretending to be a man for the entire time she’s lived in the village in a mystery that is revealed over the course of her journey.
Sinful Folk is based around an intriguing premise, one that calls to mind Karen Maitland’s Company of Liars. A group of people travelling together, all with secrets and marked by trauma and tragedy – even the narrators are not that dissimilar at first glance. I was excited to read it, especially given that one of my favourite historical figures – Edward, the Black Prince – was connected to the story in some way.
And Ned Hayes’s novel is engaging and addictive. I would pick it up and go “just one chapter” and then read half-a-dozen and find it hard to stop. At first glance, Hayes shows great storytelling impulses in weaving his novel around two mysteries that he, at least, wants us to believe really existed. The first is the reference to “Houmout” on the Black Prince’s tomb which Hayes says “may be” Hebrew and interprets as a reference to but a quick Google search tells me is a motto meaning “high spirited” or “high courage”. The second is the tale of the five boys dying in a fire and villagers seeking out the king to demand justice – he quotes the tale from a book by Miria Hallum called The Hollow Womb: Child Loss in the Middle Ages but when I attempted to find the book (because its relevant to my own research), I couldn’t find any evidence it exists. It’s not on GoodReads or WorldCat or Amazon or Abebooks or in the Library of Congress. Google pulls up nothing but references to Sinful Folk and Charles, Count of Valois’s Wikipedia page (and looking at the edits history on that tells me that the book was once said to have authored by “Miria Taobene” (no hits on Google) before it was changed to “Miria Hallum”). Furthermore, I’ve never come across a reference to this event in my research about Richard II, nor has my friend who knows far more about Richard than I do.
And, look, it doesn’t matter on a story-level whether Hayes found the story about the five children killed in a fire in a book or made it up himself. In fact, it’s probably more impressive if he did come up with it on his own because it’s a really intriguing plot. But I am a little frustrated and annoyed that he appears to lie about it being a true historical mystery and invented a book I would have loved to get my hands on to create the illusion that it’s really real. Like, if you want the illusion either find a genuine anecdote to base your story around or pretend you found a brand new contemporary record all on your own!
Anyway, while Sinful Folk was exciting, it wasn’t great. For me, the fact that the travellers were at each other’s throats from the get-go and nearly always fighting and yelling at each other was a negative. There’s no sense that these people know each other well or are friends. They have suspicions and biases and grudges and nothing else. Yes, the trauma of their loss will have led to frayed nerves and fighting but it’s just all fighting all the time and it’s not fun or entertaining or dramatic, it’s irritating.
The timeline is very uncertain and I found myself confused as to what happened and when. I think this book needed a chronology to keep things straight. Hayes’s depiction of medieval England is terribly cliched and grimdark – full of frequent violence and filth. Mear and her fellow travellers are attacked about every hundred metres, every man is a rapist or abuser or just mean, the travellers stumble over a cannibal village, Mear doesn’t wash her hands for two weeks. Fun fact: medieval people were very concerned about being clean.
The choice of protagonist in Mear is intriguing, but also beggars belief. She disguises her sex by binding her breasts, which is logical, and rubbing soot on her face to imitate a beard, which is not. Soot is in no way like hair and her “trick” would be undone by something as simple as being caught out in the rain or working hard enough to sweat (and we’re told she does). And she’s exposed as a woman by another woman going “you men are all dumb, look at her face”. Honestly, it’d make more sense if the villagers were like “well yeah we all knew, we’re not total idiots, we just figured you were in trouble and let it be” instead of getting all suspicious and “OMG you’re a witch!” when it’s revealed.
Plus the truth of her backstory doesn’t make much sense either.
Additionally, it’s hard to like Mear that much. She certainly goes through the wringer and you do feel sorry for her. But when her first impulse in working out who murdered the boys is to blame Geoff because she knows his father sexually abused him and thus, she believes, he has the same predilections and killed the boys out of sexual frustration, I go “YIKES” and start backing rapidly away, thinking she’s a god-awful person. This is compounded by the fact that a relatively harmless and helpful character gets murdered because she – the only one who can understand French – doesn’t translate or answer when they’re questioned by a knight who can only speak and understand French, and then spends the next chapter talking a great deal to the murderer… I understand the motivation behind killing off that character or having her struggle to speak after years of pretending to be mute (though she did talk to her son when they were alone at night), but it’s hard not to feel like she could’ve easily stopped it when all she had to do is say one simple word and she then spends the next chapter, a continuation of that same scene, having a great, long, fluent conversation with the (automatically, instantly forgiven) murderer. Yeah, no. She’s awful.
And in the end, the climax of Mear’s arc is given precedence over the fate of the five boys. She gets the happy ending, given a new title and status, but we find out very little about what happened to her fellow-travellers or if the boys were buried. One of the village women’s fate is uncertain – it’s implied she might also have been murdered, but that’s all we get. Just Mear’s suspicion she might have been murdered.
All in all, this had great promise but turned out to be way too much on the dodgy side of things for me.
Sinful Folk is based around an intriguing premise, one that calls to mind Karen Maitland’s Company of Liars. A group of people travelling together, all with secrets and marked by trauma and tragedy – even the narrators are not that dissimilar at first glance. I was excited to read it, especially given that one of my favourite historical figures – Edward, the Black Prince – was connected to the story in some way.
And Ned Hayes’s novel is engaging and addictive. I would pick it up and go “just one chapter” and then read half-a-dozen and find it hard to stop. At first glance, Hayes shows great storytelling impulses in weaving his novel around two mysteries that he, at least, wants us to believe really existed. The first is the reference to “Houmout” on the Black Prince’s tomb which Hayes says “may be” Hebrew and interprets as a reference to but a quick Google search tells me is a motto meaning “high spirited” or “high courage”. The second is the tale of the five boys dying in a fire and villagers seeking out the king to demand justice – he quotes the tale from a book by Miria Hallum called The Hollow Womb: Child Loss in the Middle Ages but when I attempted to find the book (because its relevant to my own research), I couldn’t find any evidence it exists. It’s not on GoodReads or WorldCat or Amazon or Abebooks or in the Library of Congress. Google pulls up nothing but references to Sinful Folk and Charles, Count of Valois’s Wikipedia page (and looking at the edits history on that tells me that the book was once said to have authored by “Miria Taobene” (no hits on Google) before it was changed to “Miria Hallum”). Furthermore, I’ve never come across a reference to this event in my research about Richard II, nor has my friend who knows far more about Richard than I do.
And, look, it doesn’t matter on a story-level whether Hayes found the story about the five children killed in a fire in a book or made it up himself. In fact, it’s probably more impressive if he did come up with it on his own because it’s a really intriguing plot. But I am a little frustrated and annoyed that he appears to lie about it being a true historical mystery and invented a book I would have loved to get my hands on to create the illusion that it’s really real. Like, if you want the illusion either find a genuine anecdote to base your story around or pretend you found a brand new contemporary record all on your own!
Anyway, while Sinful Folk was exciting, it wasn’t great. For me, the fact that the travellers were at each other’s throats from the get-go and nearly always fighting and yelling at each other was a negative. There’s no sense that these people know each other well or are friends. They have suspicions and biases and grudges and nothing else. Yes, the trauma of their loss will have led to frayed nerves and fighting but it’s just all fighting all the time and it’s not fun or entertaining or dramatic, it’s irritating.
The timeline is very uncertain and I found myself confused as to what happened and when. I think this book needed a chronology to keep things straight. Hayes’s depiction of medieval England is terribly cliched and grimdark – full of frequent violence and filth. Mear and her fellow travellers are attacked about every hundred metres, every man is a rapist or abuser or just mean, the travellers stumble over a cannibal village, Mear doesn’t wash her hands for two weeks. Fun fact: medieval people were very concerned about being clean.
The choice of protagonist in Mear is intriguing, but also beggars belief. She disguises her sex by binding her breasts, which is logical, and rubbing soot on her face to imitate a beard, which is not. Soot is in no way like hair and her “trick” would be undone by something as simple as being caught out in the rain or working hard enough to sweat (and we’re told she does). And she’s exposed as a woman by another woman going “you men are all dumb, look at her face”. Honestly, it’d make more sense if the villagers were like “well yeah we all knew, we’re not total idiots, we just figured you were in trouble and let it be” instead of getting all suspicious and “OMG you’re a witch!” when it’s revealed.
Plus the truth of her backstory doesn’t make much sense either.
Additionally, it’s hard to like Mear that much. She certainly goes through the wringer and you do feel sorry for her. But when her first impulse in working out who murdered the boys is to blame Geoff because she knows his father sexually abused him and thus, she believes, he has the same predilections and killed the boys out of sexual frustration, I go “YIKES” and start backing rapidly away, thinking she’s a god-awful person. This is compounded by the fact that a relatively harmless and helpful character gets murdered because she – the only one who can understand French – doesn’t translate or answer when they’re questioned by a knight who can only speak and understand French, and then spends the next chapter talking a great deal to the murderer… I understand the motivation behind killing off that character or having her struggle to speak after years of pretending to be mute (though she did talk to her son when they were alone at night), but it’s hard not to feel like she could’ve easily stopped it when all she had to do is say one simple word and she then spends the next chapter, a continuation of that same scene, having a great, long, fluent conversation with the (automatically, instantly forgiven) murderer. Yeah, no. She’s awful.
And in the end, the climax of Mear’s arc is given precedence over the fate of the five boys. She gets the happy ending, given a new title and status, but we find out very little about what happened to her fellow-travellers or if the boys were buried. One of the village women’s fate is uncertain – it’s implied she might also have been murdered, but that’s all we get. Just Mear’s suspicion she might have been murdered.
All in all, this had great promise but turned out to be way too much on the dodgy side of things for me.
February 1, 2014
Disclosure: I won a free copy of this book from an author. It was a no-strings attached sort of a thing, and there was no agreement that I would review this book at all as a part of the giveaway. In addition, I was very excited about the release of this book because the author is someone I follow here on Booklikes, so I had read various excerpts from the book before getting my hands on it (digital hands, really) and it looked fantastic.
I was not disappointed.
I'm going to witter on for a bit about myself, to explain what kind of a reader I am. I have read a lot of historical fiction, including the grand dame of English historical fiction, Sharon Kay Penman, and Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall. Both of these writers primarily write in a period that is quite a bit later than the period chosen by Mr. Hayes for his novel, but they - Penman in particular - are well known for the quality of their research and writing.
I am not tremendously knowledgable about the English Middle Ages and am definitely not reading as a scholar. However, I am pretty picky about obvious errors and I am quite picky about good writing, and I love a great story. Ned Hayes is one of those authors who is the total package.
Sinful Folk was, in a word, wonderful.
Most historical fiction focuses on the nobles not the vassals. This makes sense, as it is undoubtedly much easier to research how the royalty and the powerful members of the church and the wealthy lived. The peasantry are usually there, in the book, as an aside. They serve things, they (if they are male) are the cannon fodder for the foolish wars embarked upon by the powerful, or they (if they are female) are a sexual outlet - sometimes consenting, sometimes not so much - for the men of noble blood that they might encounter. Nonetheless, they are mostly interchangeble. Unnamed, unknown, unimportant.
But, of course, in the Middle Ages, as in any other period, those are the people who do most of the living and loving and hating and dying. This book gives them a voice in Mear, or Miriam. And it is a beautiful voice, utterly convincing.
"In the end, I listen to my fear. It keeps me awake, resounding through the frantic beating in my breast. It is there in the dry terror in my throat, in the pricking of the rats' nervous feet in the darkness.
Christian has not come home all the night long."
The book begins with the death of Mear's son, Christian. He is burned to death in a terrible fire, along with four other boys. The men of the village, including Miriam, because she is living as a man, and a mute one, at that, take a pilgrimage in the dead of winter, seeking justice for their boys. The story is the story of their journey, and the life story of Miriam, who has secrets that are slowly revealed as the journey unfolds, picking up other travellers as they go. It is incredibly dangerous for peasants to be abroad on the road in winter, especially as they travel without the permission of their Lord. This is no light-hearted picaresque tale about villagers on a pleasure trip - the characters face real dangers, real hardship, and experience real terrors and injuries. It is winter, in the midst of a famine, and the world is a harsh and unforgiving place.
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.
(Poem by Christina Rosetti)
I don't want to spoil the story, so I will stop here. Ned Hayes has a story-teller's sense of timing and mystery, and a poet's grasp of language. He could have been a bard in another time.
"Rooks have clustered on either side of the long road. It is as if they line a grand parade route for our passage. Their black feathers are stark as soon against the White Road and the snow. They stab at the ground with their strange bare bills and unfeathered faces."
Cross-posted on wordpress and Booklikes
I was not disappointed.
I'm going to witter on for a bit about myself, to explain what kind of a reader I am. I have read a lot of historical fiction, including the grand dame of English historical fiction, Sharon Kay Penman, and Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall. Both of these writers primarily write in a period that is quite a bit later than the period chosen by Mr. Hayes for his novel, but they - Penman in particular - are well known for the quality of their research and writing.
I am not tremendously knowledgable about the English Middle Ages and am definitely not reading as a scholar. However, I am pretty picky about obvious errors and I am quite picky about good writing, and I love a great story. Ned Hayes is one of those authors who is the total package.
Sinful Folk was, in a word, wonderful.
Most historical fiction focuses on the nobles not the vassals. This makes sense, as it is undoubtedly much easier to research how the royalty and the powerful members of the church and the wealthy lived. The peasantry are usually there, in the book, as an aside. They serve things, they (if they are male) are the cannon fodder for the foolish wars embarked upon by the powerful, or they (if they are female) are a sexual outlet - sometimes consenting, sometimes not so much - for the men of noble blood that they might encounter. Nonetheless, they are mostly interchangeble. Unnamed, unknown, unimportant.
But, of course, in the Middle Ages, as in any other period, those are the people who do most of the living and loving and hating and dying. This book gives them a voice in Mear, or Miriam. And it is a beautiful voice, utterly convincing.
"In the end, I listen to my fear. It keeps me awake, resounding through the frantic beating in my breast. It is there in the dry terror in my throat, in the pricking of the rats' nervous feet in the darkness.
Christian has not come home all the night long."
The book begins with the death of Mear's son, Christian. He is burned to death in a terrible fire, along with four other boys. The men of the village, including Miriam, because she is living as a man, and a mute one, at that, take a pilgrimage in the dead of winter, seeking justice for their boys. The story is the story of their journey, and the life story of Miriam, who has secrets that are slowly revealed as the journey unfolds, picking up other travellers as they go. It is incredibly dangerous for peasants to be abroad on the road in winter, especially as they travel without the permission of their Lord. This is no light-hearted picaresque tale about villagers on a pleasure trip - the characters face real dangers, real hardship, and experience real terrors and injuries. It is winter, in the midst of a famine, and the world is a harsh and unforgiving place.
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.
(Poem by Christina Rosetti)
I don't want to spoil the story, so I will stop here. Ned Hayes has a story-teller's sense of timing and mystery, and a poet's grasp of language. He could have been a bard in another time.
"Rooks have clustered on either side of the long road. It is as if they line a grand parade route for our passage. Their black feathers are stark as soon against the White Road and the snow. They stab at the ground with their strange bare bills and unfeathered faces."
Cross-posted on wordpress and Booklikes
July 7, 2015
I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting when I started reading Sinful Folk, but I don't think this was it. This novel is unique in many ways, and each character has deeply hidden secrets that only slowly and partially are revealed.
The author has based this story on two seemingly insignificant tidbits of historical fact.
1) In 1377, in the village of Duns, 5 boys were burned to death in a house fire. The parents decided to travel to London in order to present the boys bodies to the king and demand justice.
2) The tomb of Edward the Black Prince reads, at his request, "Ich dien Houmout." I serve is clear enough, but Houmout remains a mystery.
In this dark Canterbury Tales style novel, Hayes creates his version of the 5 boys who were killed and their parents. The historical record does not reveal if the original party reached London or if they ever discovered what had happened to the boys. A series of discoveries are made in this novelized version that will cause you to think over and over again that you know the truth, only to be proved wrong by new evidence.
The story is told from the point of view of Mear, the mother of one of the boys - except that everyone in the village believes that she is his father. We are given little detail on how this former nun managed to convince an entire village that she was a man, besides the fact that she also claimed to be mute, and therefore had no need to disguise her voice.
She is understandably obsessed with learning the truth about her son. As we learn more about Mear's past, her son's importance is even greater than anyone knows. Connections between characters are expertly created, though Mear always stays at least somewhat to herself. She trusts no one, believing that the killer is one of the men she travels with.
My main issue with this book was not understanding why some of the events would take place, beginning with why parents would load up their children's dead bodies and cart them away to London, rather than pursuing the case without this gory evidence. Other events that I will not give away also left me thinking, "but why?" Setting those feelings aside, the storytelling was expertly done and I was kept wondering until the end what the outcome would be.
Many obstacles keep the travelers from reaching their goal, but many surprising truths are eventually revealed. All on the path are sinful folk, with secrets they are hiding and lies they are telling. Even Mear herself.
The author has based this story on two seemingly insignificant tidbits of historical fact.
1) In 1377, in the village of Duns, 5 boys were burned to death in a house fire. The parents decided to travel to London in order to present the boys bodies to the king and demand justice.
2) The tomb of Edward the Black Prince reads, at his request, "Ich dien Houmout." I serve is clear enough, but Houmout remains a mystery.
In this dark Canterbury Tales style novel, Hayes creates his version of the 5 boys who were killed and their parents. The historical record does not reveal if the original party reached London or if they ever discovered what had happened to the boys. A series of discoveries are made in this novelized version that will cause you to think over and over again that you know the truth, only to be proved wrong by new evidence.
The story is told from the point of view of Mear, the mother of one of the boys - except that everyone in the village believes that she is his father. We are given little detail on how this former nun managed to convince an entire village that she was a man, besides the fact that she also claimed to be mute, and therefore had no need to disguise her voice.
She is understandably obsessed with learning the truth about her son. As we learn more about Mear's past, her son's importance is even greater than anyone knows. Connections between characters are expertly created, though Mear always stays at least somewhat to herself. She trusts no one, believing that the killer is one of the men she travels with.
My main issue with this book was not understanding why some of the events would take place, beginning with why parents would load up their children's dead bodies and cart them away to London, rather than pursuing the case without this gory evidence. Other events that I will not give away also left me thinking, "but why?" Setting those feelings aside, the storytelling was expertly done and I was kept wondering until the end what the outcome would be.
Many obstacles keep the travelers from reaching their goal, but many surprising truths are eventually revealed. All on the path are sinful folk, with secrets they are hiding and lies they are telling. Even Mear herself.
October 25, 2012
**Disclaimer: The author provided a free ARC of this book for review purposes.
While I expected “Sinful Folk” a story steeped in history and detailed description, to be a slow read, it sucked me in from the first page and held me until the very end. This story takes you way back to the middle ages, and the author shows enviable writing skill in keeping the pace fast-moving and engaging. The protagonist, Mear, is fascinating and Hayes skillfully plots a suspenseful and mesmerizing tale full of rich and vital characters. The mystery is laid out immediately; why did these boys die in the fire and who caused it and why is this woman pretending to be a man? Instead of solving the mystery in a linear way, Hayes takes the reader on a journey that reveals more questions with every page.
I’m impressed that he was able to believably convey what it meant for a woman to live, love, and survive during this time. Hayes successfully conveys the danger and uncertainty and burns those emotions into the reader’s heart. I definitely recommend “Sinful Folk.”
Full review to come at www.onfictionwriting.com
While I expected “Sinful Folk” a story steeped in history and detailed description, to be a slow read, it sucked me in from the first page and held me until the very end. This story takes you way back to the middle ages, and the author shows enviable writing skill in keeping the pace fast-moving and engaging. The protagonist, Mear, is fascinating and Hayes skillfully plots a suspenseful and mesmerizing tale full of rich and vital characters. The mystery is laid out immediately; why did these boys die in the fire and who caused it and why is this woman pretending to be a man? Instead of solving the mystery in a linear way, Hayes takes the reader on a journey that reveals more questions with every page.
I’m impressed that he was able to believably convey what it meant for a woman to live, love, and survive during this time. Hayes successfully conveys the danger and uncertainty and burns those emotions into the reader’s heart. I definitely recommend “Sinful Folk.”
Full review to come at www.onfictionwriting.com
November 23, 2013
I love it when fiction and non-fiction come together.
I was asked to read an ARC copy of this novel and review it, which I was happy to do. This isn't your ordinary Medieval novel... SINFUL FOLK is one of the most original novels I have ever read. The storyline was unlike anything I'd ever seen before and to find out it was based on real events was truly amazing. The novel is about children dying in a mysterious fire back in the Middle Ages and how the villagers seek justice for the crime. The main protagonist, Mear, is such a heart breaking and heart wrenching character. She's so relatable, seeking justice for her child and closure for the death. Her path is certainly not an easy one.
Like Ken Follett or Bernard Cornwell, author Ned Hayes takes you into the Middle Ages so vividly that it's difficult to put the story down. The novel is truly a work of artistic literature and one I highly recommend. 5 out of 5 stars.
I was asked to read an ARC copy of this novel and review it, which I was happy to do. This isn't your ordinary Medieval novel... SINFUL FOLK is one of the most original novels I have ever read. The storyline was unlike anything I'd ever seen before and to find out it was based on real events was truly amazing. The novel is about children dying in a mysterious fire back in the Middle Ages and how the villagers seek justice for the crime. The main protagonist, Mear, is such a heart breaking and heart wrenching character. She's so relatable, seeking justice for her child and closure for the death. Her path is certainly not an easy one.
Like Ken Follett or Bernard Cornwell, author Ned Hayes takes you into the Middle Ages so vividly that it's difficult to put the story down. The novel is truly a work of artistic literature and one I highly recommend. 5 out of 5 stars.
August 21, 2014
3 1/2 stars
The historical facts that surrounds the brutal burning of five boys during the middle ages is as shrouded in as much mystery as this story that is weaved around it. The known facts are stated right at the beginning of the book, which sets the scene and distinguish fact from fiction.
I am not really a huge fan of murder mysteries but I do love historic fiction.
The story is richly atmospheric, if quite dark, and it transported me right into this era where life is short and brutal and surrounded by superstition and death.
The majority of villagers suffer from mob mentality. Grasping at any obscure explanation of things they don’t understand – normally resulting in burning some poor sod on the stakes.
Mead, our protagonist, was a strong and complex character, and I really enjoyed hearing the story through her eyes, all the while trying to un-puzzle the mystery.
A worthwhile read!
The historical facts that surrounds the brutal burning of five boys during the middle ages is as shrouded in as much mystery as this story that is weaved around it. The known facts are stated right at the beginning of the book, which sets the scene and distinguish fact from fiction.
I am not really a huge fan of murder mysteries but I do love historic fiction.
The story is richly atmospheric, if quite dark, and it transported me right into this era where life is short and brutal and surrounded by superstition and death.
The majority of villagers suffer from mob mentality. Grasping at any obscure explanation of things they don’t understand – normally resulting in burning some poor sod on the stakes.
Mead, our protagonist, was a strong and complex character, and I really enjoyed hearing the story through her eyes, all the while trying to un-puzzle the mystery.
A worthwhile read!
May 7, 2012
Sinful Folk takes place in the fourteenth century. It is well researched and full of suspense.
Why were five boys coming together late at night and why were they trapped in a fiery tomb
and who trapped them? Their loved ones, including the intriquing character of Mear, a woman disquised as
a male, demand answers and justice. So they impart on a perilous winter journey to take the burned bodies
of the five boys to the king in London where truths will be revealed and justice served.
Ned Hayes is an excellent storyteller. People who like to read Sharan Newman, S.J. Parris and the Brother
Cadfael series by Ellis Peters may find a new author to add to their list. I loved both the physical and
spiritual journeys of Mear. I found the historical note on Edward The Black Prince and the Liturgy of the hours
extreemly helpfl
Well done. I look forward to Hayes next book.
Why were five boys coming together late at night and why were they trapped in a fiery tomb
and who trapped them? Their loved ones, including the intriquing character of Mear, a woman disquised as
a male, demand answers and justice. So they impart on a perilous winter journey to take the burned bodies
of the five boys to the king in London where truths will be revealed and justice served.
Ned Hayes is an excellent storyteller. People who like to read Sharan Newman, S.J. Parris and the Brother
Cadfael series by Ellis Peters may find a new author to add to their list. I loved both the physical and
spiritual journeys of Mear. I found the historical note on Edward The Black Prince and the Liturgy of the hours
extreemly helpfl
Well done. I look forward to Hayes next book.
July 25, 2015
Thanks to Compaline Press and Net Gallery for the advanced e-copy of this title.
This title is very reminiscent of Company Of Liars, which takes place only 30 years prior to Sinful Folk. Heck, even the titles are similar. In both books a motley group is on a journey during the famine and plagues of the Middle Ages. Both books are compared by reviewers as reinterpretations/reimagnings of Chaucer. In both books each member of the company has secrets and sins that slowly come to light. In both books, there is one person in a very deep disguise.
WARNING GIVING SPOILER FOR "COMPANY OF LIARS", PREPARE YOURSELF IF YOU HAVE NOT YET READ THE BOOK.
Mear's gender is revealed to us in the first few pages. Camelot is unmasked at the very end. And while I can believe that a young woman could easily impersonate a beardless teen boy during this time period (see Scarlet) , I am less sure in both cases that a middle aged woman could impersonate an old man. And that’s what really stuck in my craw during this whole story. The beards. Or lack thereof. I honestly don’t remember how it was explained that Camelot was beardless (it’s been awhile since I finished Company of Liars and so many other books have been between these two), but there was no explanation how Mear managed to stay hidden as a man for 10 years without any facial hair (the wrinkles were mentioned a few times, but that’s it). I’m no medieval scholar, but I’m pretty sure that peasants rarely took the time or even had the tools to shave daily. Sure that strange Mear person didn't talk, but he didn't grow whiskers either? WITCHCRAFT!
There were several story ARCs that I could see coming a mile away. Firstly: Miriam. With a name like Miriam, of COURSE she was Jewish. I couldn't figure out what her mum wanted from her, but I knew her secret way before the end. Plus she was raised in a convent, and spoke often about Jesus, so I’m guessing she converted. Or half converted. Or whatever.
I am getting rather bored with “the butler did it”. When it’s always the least likely person who has committed the crime, then they become the first person you suspect, even when the story is trying to force you to consider other people. It would actually be refreshing to read a story where the most likely person actually IS the person who committed the crime. At this point, I wouldn't have seen that coming.
All in all, I rolled through this title in less than 2 days. It was gripping and emotional and a great story (despite the lack of beards). The writing was very well done, and I can see this as a book I would gladly reread, just to put myself back in the hard, cold, bleak, plague-filled, violence-infested middle ages that I love to read about so much. Either right before or right after I read Company Of Liars again.
This title is very reminiscent of Company Of Liars, which takes place only 30 years prior to Sinful Folk. Heck, even the titles are similar. In both books a motley group is on a journey during the famine and plagues of the Middle Ages. Both books are compared by reviewers as reinterpretations/reimagnings of Chaucer. In both books each member of the company has secrets and sins that slowly come to light. In both books, there is one person in a very deep disguise.
WARNING GIVING SPOILER FOR "COMPANY OF LIARS", PREPARE YOURSELF IF YOU HAVE NOT YET READ THE BOOK.
Mear's gender is revealed to us in the first few pages. Camelot is unmasked at the very end. And while I can believe that a young woman could easily impersonate a beardless teen boy during this time period (see Scarlet) , I am less sure in both cases that a middle aged woman could impersonate an old man. And that’s what really stuck in my craw during this whole story. The beards. Or lack thereof. I honestly don’t remember how it was explained that Camelot was beardless (it’s been awhile since I finished Company of Liars and so many other books have been between these two), but there was no explanation how Mear managed to stay hidden as a man for 10 years without any facial hair (the wrinkles were mentioned a few times, but that’s it). I’m no medieval scholar, but I’m pretty sure that peasants rarely took the time or even had the tools to shave daily. Sure that strange Mear person didn't talk, but he didn't grow whiskers either? WITCHCRAFT!
There were several story ARCs that I could see coming a mile away. Firstly: Miriam. With a name like Miriam, of COURSE she was Jewish. I couldn't figure out what her mum wanted from her, but I knew her secret way before the end. Plus she was raised in a convent, and spoke often about Jesus, so I’m guessing she converted. Or half converted. Or whatever.
I am getting rather bored with “the butler did it”. When it’s always the least likely person who has committed the crime, then they become the first person you suspect, even when the story is trying to force you to consider other people. It would actually be refreshing to read a story where the most likely person actually IS the person who committed the crime. At this point, I wouldn't have seen that coming.
All in all, I rolled through this title in less than 2 days. It was gripping and emotional and a great story (despite the lack of beards). The writing was very well done, and I can see this as a book I would gladly reread, just to put myself back in the hard, cold, bleak, plague-filled, violence-infested middle ages that I love to read about so much. Either right before or right after I read Company Of Liars again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2014
I will come right out and say this is not a genre or type of book I usually go for because it's just to much to think about for me and I generally avoid it. But as of late, I had a reader suggest I step outside of my box and I saw this and I thought, "yes- this is a perfect chance to jump out of my young adult/romance/new adult/paranormal box like a big girl!". And now, I kind of like my box because I didn't totally love it. It was kind of odd for me.
The worst part is I am obviously a terrible judge of this book because everyone else I know who has read it, or reviews I have read are just in love with this book. And I can see why, it's a really compelling story. We have Mear, who pretends to be a mute man in a strange little village but really she's a former nun who got pregnant and had a son. So she left there and stumbles on this village by accident and decided that the best way to survive is to play the mute man card. Which, all is well and good for about ten years until her son is killed along with four other boys when this building in the village burns down. It's very tragic and horrifying really, so the townsfolk whose children died set out on this really ill fated and bizarre mission to haul the dead bodies of the boys to somehow avenge their death and prove that clearly, the Jews did it, despite having no evidence of that.
A friend said this book reminded her of Chaucer, and though I admittedly have only read a small amount of Chaucer, I would agree. The writer has a real talent where you read this and you can almost imagine the setting, you can hear the voices of the townsfolk. You can feel this building sense of doom throughout the book while simultaneously learning about Mear and why not only being pregnant was scandalous but also learning who her son's father is and it's just... if you think back to what it would have been like in 1377 for a person like her, you totally understand why she did what she did. And, for me, it made the death of her song that much more tragic for her. Because not only does she lose her son, she's lost her identity, and now it's not like she just go back to being a nun.
It's a hefty book and I'll be honest, this took me a few weeks to get through because I struggle with old versions of English language, so at times I got bored and had to give up for the night because it wasn't an easy, light read. The material is kind of heavy, but the descriptions really are great. I can't say that enough. I mean, Ned Hayes really went for it when writing this book and that is absolutely amazing. But if you are a fan of Middle Age books, you are going to love this. You will, and I'll admit- I'm the oddball who isn't totally loving this book. (Don't throw tomatoes, save them for your salads.)
The worst part is I am obviously a terrible judge of this book because everyone else I know who has read it, or reviews I have read are just in love with this book. And I can see why, it's a really compelling story. We have Mear, who pretends to be a mute man in a strange little village but really she's a former nun who got pregnant and had a son. So she left there and stumbles on this village by accident and decided that the best way to survive is to play the mute man card. Which, all is well and good for about ten years until her son is killed along with four other boys when this building in the village burns down. It's very tragic and horrifying really, so the townsfolk whose children died set out on this really ill fated and bizarre mission to haul the dead bodies of the boys to somehow avenge their death and prove that clearly, the Jews did it, despite having no evidence of that.
A friend said this book reminded her of Chaucer, and though I admittedly have only read a small amount of Chaucer, I would agree. The writer has a real talent where you read this and you can almost imagine the setting, you can hear the voices of the townsfolk. You can feel this building sense of doom throughout the book while simultaneously learning about Mear and why not only being pregnant was scandalous but also learning who her son's father is and it's just... if you think back to what it would have been like in 1377 for a person like her, you totally understand why she did what she did. And, for me, it made the death of her song that much more tragic for her. Because not only does she lose her son, she's lost her identity, and now it's not like she just go back to being a nun.
It's a hefty book and I'll be honest, this took me a few weeks to get through because I struggle with old versions of English language, so at times I got bored and had to give up for the night because it wasn't an easy, light read. The material is kind of heavy, but the descriptions really are great. I can't say that enough. I mean, Ned Hayes really went for it when writing this book and that is absolutely amazing. But if you are a fan of Middle Age books, you are going to love this. You will, and I'll admit- I'm the oddball who isn't totally loving this book. (Don't throw tomatoes, save them for your salads.)
January 18, 2016
It is the winter of 1377 and five boys have died in a tragic fire. The village of Duns fears this was no accident and vows they will have justice for their loss. The bodies are packed into a cart and a handful of local men set off on a journey that will be both long and dangerous.
Miriam has been living in Duns with her son, Christian, for the past decade. When she arrived, she was being hunted - to be caught would mean certain death for both of them. And so, when the villagers who discovered her assumed she was a man, she embraced the deception. For ten years the people of Duns have seen her only as Mear, a mute man and father. Christian was among those lost in the fire and Mear will stop at nothing to discover the truth about his death. As Mear, she travels the King's Road alongside the other fathers, listening and learning their secrets. But Mear has secrets of her own - secrets well beyond the truth about her own sex.
Ned Hayes's latest is superb, guys! I mean really superb! There are so many things I want to note but I'm trying very hard to restrain myself because I think I'd prefer to leave some of the surprises for other potential readers to discover on their own. So here goes!
It's historical fiction set in 1377 with a truly fabulous narrator. Mear/Miriam has very good reason to hide her identity, not least of which is the fact that we soon discover the villagers' fear of single women living amongst them. As their travels progress Mear becomes even more afraid of the possible discovery of her identity in spite of the fact that she oftentimes is the one who saves many of them from grave peril.
And it's Mear's secrets that really make this a stand out - what she's running from and why she's kept her identity secret for so long. Hayes intertwines Miriam's tale around Mear's journey, revealing pieces of her past through her own memories while also giving clues through other characters along the way.
Hayes's tale is wrapped around a true historic event - apparently medieval records do note the deaths of a handful of village children in a fire in 1377 and the villagers' journey to seek justice from the king. But the twist is even more clever - there's a second historical note that has inspired this tale and that's what I don't want to give away. I will say this, considering some of my recent reading this was a timely one for my TBR.
SINFUL FOLK has elements of mystery and suspense and an obvious careful attention to historical accuracy. Hayes sets the tone nicely and Mear does all the rest! Historical fiction fans take note, this is definitely one not to miss!
Miriam has been living in Duns with her son, Christian, for the past decade. When she arrived, she was being hunted - to be caught would mean certain death for both of them. And so, when the villagers who discovered her assumed she was a man, she embraced the deception. For ten years the people of Duns have seen her only as Mear, a mute man and father. Christian was among those lost in the fire and Mear will stop at nothing to discover the truth about his death. As Mear, she travels the King's Road alongside the other fathers, listening and learning their secrets. But Mear has secrets of her own - secrets well beyond the truth about her own sex.
Ned Hayes's latest is superb, guys! I mean really superb! There are so many things I want to note but I'm trying very hard to restrain myself because I think I'd prefer to leave some of the surprises for other potential readers to discover on their own. So here goes!
It's historical fiction set in 1377 with a truly fabulous narrator. Mear/Miriam has very good reason to hide her identity, not least of which is the fact that we soon discover the villagers' fear of single women living amongst them. As their travels progress Mear becomes even more afraid of the possible discovery of her identity in spite of the fact that she oftentimes is the one who saves many of them from grave peril.
And it's Mear's secrets that really make this a stand out - what she's running from and why she's kept her identity secret for so long. Hayes intertwines Miriam's tale around Mear's journey, revealing pieces of her past through her own memories while also giving clues through other characters along the way.
Hayes's tale is wrapped around a true historic event - apparently medieval records do note the deaths of a handful of village children in a fire in 1377 and the villagers' journey to seek justice from the king. But the twist is even more clever - there's a second historical note that has inspired this tale and that's what I don't want to give away. I will say this, considering some of my recent reading this was a timely one for my TBR.
SINFUL FOLK has elements of mystery and suspense and an obvious careful attention to historical accuracy. Hayes sets the tone nicely and Mear does all the rest! Historical fiction fans take note, this is definitely one not to miss!
November 18, 2014
Sinful Folk is one of those novels that you are not too sure of at the beginning but once you hit that 100 page mark, you are hooked. This story takes place in the 14th century and is about a woman, Mear ( Miriam Houmont) who lives as a man for over 10 years in a small village in England, raising her illegitimate son Christian. There is a fire where five boys are trapped in and die and Mear fears for her son. The door to the house is tied with rope to prevent the boys from being able to escape. What Mear fears the most has happened, her son is one of the dead boys. The father's of the boys are beside themselves and are determined to find out who the killer is, so they decide to take a journey to England and take their boys to the King to get justice.
The trip to London is fraught with danger from outside elements and also from the small group, because someone in the group is the murderer. The story that is told as the group does not know a killer is in their midst, is that the Jews did it even though at this time all the Jews were killed, forced to convert or driven out of England by the Crown's orders. Mear is able to keep her true identity a secret until to she needs to tell her story to save her life and those of the group as she is arrested for the murders. She is forced to 'come out' if you will, to tell her tale of the love that she had for Edward the Black Prince, brother to Richard II and tell the birthright of her son.
This story is a suspenseful medieval tale of a mother's love and her quest to find the truth not only in her personal life but the reason why the boys, including her son, were murdered in such a cruel manner. Superstitions abound as they tended to do in these early times, of witches and spells and anything the low born peasants are wont to believe. The reader who loves historical fiction will find this passionate novel, based on a true story, definitely worth a read. I highly recommend it.
The trip to London is fraught with danger from outside elements and also from the small group, because someone in the group is the murderer. The story that is told as the group does not know a killer is in their midst, is that the Jews did it even though at this time all the Jews were killed, forced to convert or driven out of England by the Crown's orders. Mear is able to keep her true identity a secret until to she needs to tell her story to save her life and those of the group as she is arrested for the murders. She is forced to 'come out' if you will, to tell her tale of the love that she had for Edward the Black Prince, brother to Richard II and tell the birthright of her son.
This story is a suspenseful medieval tale of a mother's love and her quest to find the truth not only in her personal life but the reason why the boys, including her son, were murdered in such a cruel manner. Superstitions abound as they tended to do in these early times, of witches and spells and anything the low born peasants are wont to believe. The reader who loves historical fiction will find this passionate novel, based on a true story, definitely worth a read. I highly recommend it.
March 3, 2014
In a small village in the north of England in the year of our lord 1377 we find a disaster is taking place. Five young boys from the village are killed in a house fire. One of the parents, Mear as they are known in the village, is apparently mute and male as far as the village is concerned. In practice she is female and hasn't spoken to anyone other than her son and one other villager since she arrived at there 10 years earlier. The tale of Mear or Myriam as she was known as before her arrival, the death of her child and the quest of Mear and the villagers for justice takes us through an England that feels dark and unsafe at times.
Based on a true story in the sense of the fire in the village, the writing style really worked well for me. There is a great level of description with left me with a clear impression of the countryside and a sense of time and place. However there is also a good pace and I found the book hard to put down. The evocative power of the writing creates the feeling of that mid winter darkness but also, in Miriam's memories the light and warmth of happier days. As the book progresses we gradually uncover more and more of the stories of the villagers and Mear in particular.
I really enjoyed this and found it a really engrossing read - certainly for any lovers of historical fiction. While I've given it four stars it is one of those books that deserves more than that and is certainly a 9 out of 10 for me. I'll look forward to the author's next book with interest, I'll definitely aim to read it.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.
Based on a true story in the sense of the fire in the village, the writing style really worked well for me. There is a great level of description with left me with a clear impression of the countryside and a sense of time and place. However there is also a good pace and I found the book hard to put down. The evocative power of the writing creates the feeling of that mid winter darkness but also, in Miriam's memories the light and warmth of happier days. As the book progresses we gradually uncover more and more of the stories of the villagers and Mear in particular.
I really enjoyed this and found it a really engrossing read - certainly for any lovers of historical fiction. While I've given it four stars it is one of those books that deserves more than that and is certainly a 9 out of 10 for me. I'll look forward to the author's next book with interest, I'll definitely aim to read it.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.
April 11, 2014
We starve. First is a ripping agony of hunger in our gut, a faintness and a shadow in the eyes. Then there is emptiness entire. Now our bellies seem to float away, flat and empty as a bag. A weariness is on me, one I cannot shake. I go to sleep weary and wake up weary. Rest does not bring me strength.
We are saved. We will not starve this day.
I vow to never complain about my first-world problems again...at least not until I forget about this book and before I start my next medieval book. The protagonist was an old woman in her late 20s. I guess you'd want to be close to death (considered old) younger if you had to live that brutally hard life. Every winter they'd freeze and starve. They were free game to be attacked if on the roads. A woman could be burned as a witch at any time with very little besides an ignorant person proclaiming them to be so. Terrifying that superstition and ignorance ruled the day and not fact and intelligent discourse. Well, I should temper that...I'm sure there were people who had common sense, but it seems hysteria overruled much of the time. And that is nearly impossible to counteract.
I was mesmerized by this story. Can't wait to read Ned Hayes next book. Beautifully written.
We are saved. We will not starve this day.
I vow to never complain about my first-world problems again...at least not until I forget about this book and before I start my next medieval book. The protagonist was an old woman in her late 20s. I guess you'd want to be close to death (considered old) younger if you had to live that brutally hard life. Every winter they'd freeze and starve. They were free game to be attacked if on the roads. A woman could be burned as a witch at any time with very little besides an ignorant person proclaiming them to be so. Terrifying that superstition and ignorance ruled the day and not fact and intelligent discourse. Well, I should temper that...I'm sure there were people who had common sense, but it seems hysteria overruled much of the time. And that is nearly impossible to counteract.
I was mesmerized by this story. Can't wait to read Ned Hayes next book. Beautifully written.
May 17, 2014
This book is amazing. The first thing to strike the reader is the sheer physical harshness under which these people lived--the cold, the deprivation & hunger, the poverty. Then comes the complete lack of any sort of "legal" rights for anyone not tied to a lord. This is followed by the power of the nobility and the Church. Marx told us long ago about the feudal system, the advanced brought by the bourgeois revolutions (and, of course, that capitalism had seen it's day and had to go--right on all counts), so we have intellectual understandings of how things worked. But in the hands of an artist, and Hayes is an artist, it all comes to life. In this sense, although this book is fiction, it puts me in mind of Aslan's "Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth," which made the brutality of those times very real.
o a
Wrapped into all of this are the unbelievable (to this reader) hatred of Jews, the complete lack of any kind of rights for women and children, etc.
There is also a good mystery here, and some worthy digging, as we wander a monastery and wander a bit of London of the 1300's, though to me that was secondary to the context. I can't speak to the ending without introducing a spoiler, so I won't. Mear's final situation smacks a bit of a different genre, of which I am not terribly fond, but the final pages bring things full circle, albeit in a heartbreaking, distressing sort of way.
All in all, this was a most satisfying read on multiple levels. It sure opens a window into a painful past, while showing the humanity of those who lived it. I will have to read more Hayes.
o a
Wrapped into all of this are the unbelievable (to this reader) hatred of Jews, the complete lack of any kind of rights for women and children, etc.
There is also a good mystery here, and some worthy digging, as we wander a monastery and wander a bit of London of the 1300's, though to me that was secondary to the context. I can't speak to the ending without introducing a spoiler, so I won't. Mear's final situation smacks a bit of a different genre, of which I am not terribly fond, but the final pages bring things full circle, albeit in a heartbreaking, distressing sort of way.
All in all, this was a most satisfying read on multiple levels. It sure opens a window into a painful past, while showing the humanity of those who lived it. I will have to read more Hayes.
February 9, 2014
When I first saw this book, the medieval aspect caught my attention right away. Still, I figured that for a book of this time period, I expected a lot of boring miles of description and historical references. I was wrong. This book was anything but boring.
The main point of the story was revealed right away, allowing the characters to have a justified reason for their actions and their desperation to solve the crime before them. I greatly enjoyed the way Ned Hayes described the world of these people and how he chose to tell the story from a single perspective. That must have been a difficult decision for the author when there were so many important characters that were vital to the story.
One thing that caught my attention about this story was the way the main character dealt with her grief. In too many books we see either strict vengeance or grief and sorrow, but rarely do we see laughter, mirth and the variety of other emotions this author used to display her feelings.
I was fascinated by the journey and the revelations of those who travelled together in search of justice and wisdom. I realised when I was half way through this book that it was taking me virtually no time to read it. The sign of a good, interesting story.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the historical period. Great read.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher and provided through Netgalley.
The main point of the story was revealed right away, allowing the characters to have a justified reason for their actions and their desperation to solve the crime before them. I greatly enjoyed the way Ned Hayes described the world of these people and how he chose to tell the story from a single perspective. That must have been a difficult decision for the author when there were so many important characters that were vital to the story.
One thing that caught my attention about this story was the way the main character dealt with her grief. In too many books we see either strict vengeance or grief and sorrow, but rarely do we see laughter, mirth and the variety of other emotions this author used to display her feelings.
I was fascinated by the journey and the revelations of those who travelled together in search of justice and wisdom. I realised when I was half way through this book that it was taking me virtually no time to read it. The sign of a good, interesting story.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the historical period. Great read.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher and provided through Netgalley.
November 22, 2014
I’ve read medieval mysteries characterized as medieval noir, but Sinful Folk by Ned Hayes is as noir as it gets. The medieval villagers we meet in this novel have dark secrets, and a number of them have either committed terrible deeds, or stood by without protest while they were perpetrated. Many of the nobility who think of themselves as superior are no better. Characters who have principles are seen as simple and childlike. Christianity is not the faith of a loving God, but one that justifies acts of cruelty and intolerance. Welcome to a 14th century England where chivalry is very nearly dead, and hearts that are pure are likely to be pureed.
The mystery of the five dead youths of this village who were burned alive is at the center of the narrative. Surprising developments arise during the process of discovering the truth about this awful crime. The truth about various characters changes over the course of the novel as their secrets are uncovered. I thought that the protagonist had layers of complexity while still being sympathetic. I wanted her to triumph against all the obstacles in her path, and I liked the bittersweet ending.
For the blog version of my review see http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2014/...
The mystery of the five dead youths of this village who were burned alive is at the center of the narrative. Surprising developments arise during the process of discovering the truth about this awful crime. The truth about various characters changes over the course of the novel as their secrets are uncovered. I thought that the protagonist had layers of complexity while still being sympathetic. I wanted her to triumph against all the obstacles in her path, and I liked the bittersweet ending.
For the blog version of my review see http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2014/...
November 26, 2015
Sinful Folk, a novel of the middle ages, drew my eye in a bookstore. Wonderful front cover. The novel is based on a true incident: "a curious incident is brought to our attention from the year 1377. In December of that coldest year in the medieval records, the village of Duns in the northeast of England suffered a great tragedy. Five of its young boys were burned to death in a house fire near the center of the village. . . . five men from the village of Duns loaded the charred bodies of their children on a farm cart and journeyed over two hundred miles to London. . . .the villagers went to present the bodies to the King, and to demand justice."
From these few facts, Hayes presents a historical fiction/mystery, full of their struggles with snow and bandits and suspicions of each other. I had a hard time putting it down.
From these few facts, Hayes presents a historical fiction/mystery, full of their struggles with snow and bandits and suspicions of each other. I had a hard time putting it down.
December 31, 2014
Ned Hayes' novel is right up there as one of the best novels I've read in 2014. The medieval setting in the 14th century frames a remarkable story, with numerous characters, about love, friendship, false friendship, greed, lust, betrayal, and commitment to truth & to one's duties & promises. It involves royalty & commoners, & an honest commentary on the society of that time. There are exquisite unexpected twists & turns throughout the book which goad the reader on to the next chapter. Hayes' writing is relaxed and well-paced & he presents, for me at least, an extraordinarily seamless tale. I heartily recommend it!
August 10, 2016
This was the best book I've read in some time. The ebook I purchased only loaded a sample and I am so glad I kept on the seller to give me the entire book. I'm not a history buff but this book really whetted my appetite to read more about the middle ages. In high school we memorized part of the Prologue to Canterbury Tales (in old English) so the connection piqued my interest but this book was much easier to get through than that was! Ned Hayes spun a moving tale weaving together fact and fiction that made it very hard to put down. I definitely will be reading more of his work!
June 23, 2014
What really sabotaged my attempts to invest in this book was its fundamental confusion over what to be. The story of a journey, a medieval detective novel, a tragic romance, a spy novel? I never figured it out, and that made it hard to care about any of the characters or their questions (especially the identity of the killer, a reveal that was visible from space, the omission of which made Miriam's clever observations and petty suspicions all the more ridiculous).
February 20, 2024
A peasant woman from the Middle Ages travels the King's road in the middle of winter seeking justice for her murdered son. Based on a true story and is so well researched. Fascinating and a real page turner.
November 7, 2015
Gotta love those dark, tremulous Middle Ages.. A very unique story perfectly fitted into a nonfiction mystery. I will definitely add Hayes' other works onto my want-to-read list.
February 13, 2017
Fascinating characters and an evocative story of 14th-century English villagers and politics that felt utterly real to me. Absorbing and heartbreaking and perilous.
January 17, 2014
About one chapter into **Sinful Folk** by *Ned Hayes* I came to the conclusion that it's a darn good thing I wasn't born and reared in 1377. I'm pretty sure that before someone could say, "Where's the marshmallows?" I would have been burned at the stake as a witch. That seemed to be the fate of many during that time period. Never mind guilt nor innocence. That had nothing whatsoever to do with it. And if they couldn't get you for being a witch, they'd settle for labeling you a Jew which ranked somewhere lower than mere peasants and higher than absolutely nothing. It was a scary time in which only the strong and clever survived, and that is what made this book so good. I know very little about medieval times, and what I do know comes mainly from novels I've read where it's usually some king or other fighting people who have usually betrayed him or his family in some way. **Sinful Folk** has a few of the nobility variety around, but the main thrust of this story revolves around the peasant people who get very little if any justice, and they often get killed just because no one is there to stop anyone with a match to strike or a sword to thrust.
When the story begins, a mother is waiting for her young son to come home for the day. While she's waiting, she hears commotion and noise outside enough to alert her that something is very wrong. Because she's fearful for her son since he still has not returned home, eventually she goes outside with most of the rest of the village to see what is causing so much upheaval. That's when she sees that a house is burning, and no amount of work from the neighbors is having any effect toward getting the fire under control. She hopes her son, Christian, is helping to put out the fire. Before she left her home, she smeared soot over her face to disguise herself. At home she is a mother to Christian; to the rest of the village outside her own 4 walls, she is Mear, a mute old man. She has done this to protect herself and her son from those in her past who wish her harm. For 10 years her secret has been kept. She does odd jobs around the village and is ignored most of the time by the other villagers. But on this night, she is not thinking of her own protection. She just wants to find Christian and be sure he is safe.
The house that burned belonged to Benedict, the town's weaver. Christian was working as his apprentice. He along with 4 other boys all burned to death in the fire. Benedict was not at home when the fire started, and he is devastated to discover that one of his sons was also a victim. Upon inspection of the door to the house, Mear discovers that the door was tied shut with rope, and this rope was tied with an unusual knot unknown to everyone else in the village. Mear has seen the knot used one other time when a friend of hers was murdered with a rope tied in exactly the same knot as the one on Benedict's door. Unfortunately she does not know who tied the knot. What she does know, though, is that someone from the village is responsible for the deaths of these boys. It was no accident that they all burned to death, unable to get out of the house because of the rope holding them hostage inside the house.
All of the families of the victims are grief-stricken when they discover one of their family members was burned alive in Benedict's house. They all are of one mind in wanting justice for those who were killed. Some immediately subscribe to the idea that it must have been Jews who did this horrible act that killed their sons. Even though the Jewish population has been practically wiped out in this area, there are still those who superstitiously cling to the idea that Jews are evil and will harm anyone who gets in their way. They steadfastly cling to this notion even though no facts bear out their assumptions. Ned Hayes has done an excellent job of bringing the reader into this atmosphere of anger and heartbreak. The townspeople about whom he writes have so little in earthly possessions. All they really have is their families, and they cannot bear to lose one member without wanting someone to blame and give them retribution for their loss. Mear is especially devastated because Christian, the son born to her when she was consort to a man she believed loved both her and his son, is everything to her. Without him she sees no life for herself at all. She believed when Christian became 10 years old, his father would acknowledge him, and he would live a much better life than he ever could have had with her alone. Now all of that is gone, and Mear has no idea how she will manage to keep on living when she has ceased to have a purpose. During this time period a mute old man could not expect to have much of a life on his own; as a woman she saw no chances for herself at all.
So when the group comes up with a plan to load their burned family members on a cart and transport them roughly 200 miles to ask the King for justice for their losses, Mear decides to go with them. She has nothing else to live for, although this expedition will test everyone's endurance and strength far more than they know. There are no paved roads, so this band of stragglers will have to move their cart over stones and mud and terrain that was not made for easy travel. Since they do not have the papers necessary to prove they have the King's permission to be on this pathway, they will be wide open to thieves and bandits every step of the way with no one to protect them. In spite of these drawbacks, they all decide to make the trip anyway because they each feel they deserve to air their grievances to the King and be acknowledged for their losses.
From there the story goes on to reveal what surprises this small band of parents must go through on their journey. The hardships seem insurmountable, but they do not give up no matter how difficult their mission becomes. I thought it had about reached its lowest point when they got to the pot of rat soup. I was wrong. There are worse things than rodentia cuisine in medieval times. Much, much worse. Which is another reason why this book has so much authenticity about the time in which it was written. Ned Hayes tells it like it was, which kept me engaged in this book and the character of Mear the whole way through.
Not only would I recommend this book to readers who enjoy good mysteries, even though it seemed obvious to me early on who was responsible for the deaths of the boys, I would also recommend it for the historical view it gives the time it took place. It almost seems a miracle that anyone survived such grim, treacherous times, yet civilization did continue no matter what people had to overcome to produce another generation. That says something about the will of the human spirit, which, after all, is what **Sinful Folk** is all about. I look forward to reading more of Ned Hayes in the future. He has a distinct gift for storytelling.
When the story begins, a mother is waiting for her young son to come home for the day. While she's waiting, she hears commotion and noise outside enough to alert her that something is very wrong. Because she's fearful for her son since he still has not returned home, eventually she goes outside with most of the rest of the village to see what is causing so much upheaval. That's when she sees that a house is burning, and no amount of work from the neighbors is having any effect toward getting the fire under control. She hopes her son, Christian, is helping to put out the fire. Before she left her home, she smeared soot over her face to disguise herself. At home she is a mother to Christian; to the rest of the village outside her own 4 walls, she is Mear, a mute old man. She has done this to protect herself and her son from those in her past who wish her harm. For 10 years her secret has been kept. She does odd jobs around the village and is ignored most of the time by the other villagers. But on this night, she is not thinking of her own protection. She just wants to find Christian and be sure he is safe.
The house that burned belonged to Benedict, the town's weaver. Christian was working as his apprentice. He along with 4 other boys all burned to death in the fire. Benedict was not at home when the fire started, and he is devastated to discover that one of his sons was also a victim. Upon inspection of the door to the house, Mear discovers that the door was tied shut with rope, and this rope was tied with an unusual knot unknown to everyone else in the village. Mear has seen the knot used one other time when a friend of hers was murdered with a rope tied in exactly the same knot as the one on Benedict's door. Unfortunately she does not know who tied the knot. What she does know, though, is that someone from the village is responsible for the deaths of these boys. It was no accident that they all burned to death, unable to get out of the house because of the rope holding them hostage inside the house.
All of the families of the victims are grief-stricken when they discover one of their family members was burned alive in Benedict's house. They all are of one mind in wanting justice for those who were killed. Some immediately subscribe to the idea that it must have been Jews who did this horrible act that killed their sons. Even though the Jewish population has been practically wiped out in this area, there are still those who superstitiously cling to the idea that Jews are evil and will harm anyone who gets in their way. They steadfastly cling to this notion even though no facts bear out their assumptions. Ned Hayes has done an excellent job of bringing the reader into this atmosphere of anger and heartbreak. The townspeople about whom he writes have so little in earthly possessions. All they really have is their families, and they cannot bear to lose one member without wanting someone to blame and give them retribution for their loss. Mear is especially devastated because Christian, the son born to her when she was consort to a man she believed loved both her and his son, is everything to her. Without him she sees no life for herself at all. She believed when Christian became 10 years old, his father would acknowledge him, and he would live a much better life than he ever could have had with her alone. Now all of that is gone, and Mear has no idea how she will manage to keep on living when she has ceased to have a purpose. During this time period a mute old man could not expect to have much of a life on his own; as a woman she saw no chances for herself at all.
So when the group comes up with a plan to load their burned family members on a cart and transport them roughly 200 miles to ask the King for justice for their losses, Mear decides to go with them. She has nothing else to live for, although this expedition will test everyone's endurance and strength far more than they know. There are no paved roads, so this band of stragglers will have to move their cart over stones and mud and terrain that was not made for easy travel. Since they do not have the papers necessary to prove they have the King's permission to be on this pathway, they will be wide open to thieves and bandits every step of the way with no one to protect them. In spite of these drawbacks, they all decide to make the trip anyway because they each feel they deserve to air their grievances to the King and be acknowledged for their losses.
From there the story goes on to reveal what surprises this small band of parents must go through on their journey. The hardships seem insurmountable, but they do not give up no matter how difficult their mission becomes. I thought it had about reached its lowest point when they got to the pot of rat soup. I was wrong. There are worse things than rodentia cuisine in medieval times. Much, much worse. Which is another reason why this book has so much authenticity about the time in which it was written. Ned Hayes tells it like it was, which kept me engaged in this book and the character of Mear the whole way through.
Not only would I recommend this book to readers who enjoy good mysteries, even though it seemed obvious to me early on who was responsible for the deaths of the boys, I would also recommend it for the historical view it gives the time it took place. It almost seems a miracle that anyone survived such grim, treacherous times, yet civilization did continue no matter what people had to overcome to produce another generation. That says something about the will of the human spirit, which, after all, is what **Sinful Folk** is all about. I look forward to reading more of Ned Hayes in the future. He has a distinct gift for storytelling.
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