The Fourteenth of October

by Bryher

A novel about 11th-century England. The hero is Wulf, a Saxon boy who is sold to the Normans.

Genres: Historical Fiction

221 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Bryher was the pen name of the novelist, poet, memoirist, and magazine editor Annie Winifred Ellerman.

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't quite what I thought it would be: Battle of Hastings from a Saxon viewpoint, but I enjoyed it for what it was: Saxon POV before the Conquest and after that time. A Saxon boy, Wulf, is captured by Danes, bought by Normans and taken to Normandy. Three years later, he and a half-Saxon man-at-arms, Rafe, escape their cruel Norman master and end up in Cornwall. They and a Cornishman, Leofric, among others, flock to Harald's banner when they know there will be war with Normandy. The journey to Hastings is exciting, especially crossing marshes and almost losing one of their number. While still en route, they get the news Harald has been defeated and killed. They return to Cornwall. The rest of the story deals with how people react to the Conquest. Rafe and the woman he marries are accepting of it, but his wanderlust and Harald's defeat drive the unhappy Wulf to take ship with a ship owner/merchant, Latif, for Byzantium, where Wulf hopes to find a place among the Varangians. Wulf wants to leave England; he's even yet loyal to the Godwins and he's seen and felt the cruelty of the Normans first-hand.

The story may have been weak, but Bryher turns her hand to beautiful, poetic writing and descriptions. They are her strength. I could see the Cornish landscape and the sea before me and was lost in her descriptions. I liked Wulf's extensive interior thoughts.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book. I will probably read it again later and maybe I will get more out of it. It was hard for me to follow because I am not that familiar with European history.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was slow going. It moves across several periods in time and across several geographic regions. There are quite a few characters, some of whom are only short term. While there are bits of it that address interesting aspects of life in England before, during, and after the Norman Conquest, it also gets very philosophical, likely beyond the comprehension of young readers. Probably best for a more sensitive teen (of a scholarly bent).

The jacket says the book will "reward readers of any age" but a good deal of the book involves historical things that are not explained and aren't necessarily commonplace for young readers. For example, the Varangian Guard and Micklegarth are names that aren't always covered even when studying the Byzantine Empire. The usual textbook history names are almost avoided - Hastings isn't mentioned until p.173, which is about fifty pages past when the actual battle happens. I suppose it might be the author's intention to show how confused and non-textbooklike things were, but that kind of thing is much better for experienced readers who already have all the standard stuff committed to memory.

It's also a little confusing because it spells Harold Godwinson's name as Harald. Usually it's the 'o' spelling that helps young students keep him separate from the Norwegian Harald Hardrada, whom 'o' Harold defeated at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on September 25, 1066. In this book, Hardrada is only briefly referred to - as "the King of Norway" - never using his 'a' Harald name. In other confusing matters, there's a Leofwen and a Leofric. Did we have to? Also, the setting for the final portion of the book is in Cornwall, a place called Nansvean - alas, apparently fictional. It's hard enough to get kids to learn the names of real places without throwing in made-up ones. Again, it's perfectly fine for the author to do such things, but let's not pretend this is a book for all ages. The youngest listener had enough trouble figuring out the subtleties of the romantic triangle (one leg of which was unrequited).

For whatever reason, the book is divided into just five "chapters." These vary greatly in length (9, 24, 51, 92, 45 pp.). Each section is liable to be divided into multiple nearly-random sections that only get a couple of blank lines to indicate that perhaps huge amounts of time have passed, though it could be just later the same day. There's no predictability about any of this, which really doesn't help when reading aloud.

The writing is sophisticated and full of rich imagery. One gets a good sense of the time and place - at least I did. Despite everything, young listeners still enjoyed it somewhat. We found the author's note, which talks about parallels between 1066 and 1940, to be fascinating, especially since some listeners are studying WWII at this moment.

Next time I need a Hastings read-aloud, however, I think I'm going with The Striped Ships. It's far more straightforward.

[Franziska Self Fisken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful and evocative account of a boy's accounts of the life and times just before and around the Norman Invasion of 1066 set mainly in England. Bryher really makes the account seem real. Her characters are convincing and varied. Her sense of history seems so authentic that you really feel you are there. Captivating!

[Ageliki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sad story really. Wulf (the main character) has a sad life, where hes constantly uprooted from his home, where the love of his life marries his best friend, and where no-one listens to a damn thing he says. Beautifully written though :) A thinker!