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To Sleep No More
In the fourteenth century, Oriel de Sharndene, the beautiful daughter of a Sussex landowner, is married off to the retarded brother of the Archbishop of Canterbury; three centuries later, Jenna Mist, wife of the village carpenter, is hanged for witchcraft; in the eighteenth century, a highwayman captures the love of the delightful Henrietta Trevor - three apparently unconnected events. This panoramic novel skilfully interweaves past and present, fact and fiction, exploring the enigma of reincarnation through the ages.
Set in the village of Mayfield in Sussex, To Sleep No More opens in the tumultuous reign of Edward III when monarch and Church struggled for supremacy and ambitious noblemen aimed to better themselves by marrying their daughters well. Oriel accepts the Archbishop's half-witted brother Colin de Stratford to please her father but soon falls in love with the dashing Gascon squire, Marcus de Flaviel. A strange and touching friendship develops between the three but, when Oriel becomes pregnant, suspicions are aroused and Marcus disappears without trace.
But their souls cannot rest and the story follows them through the times of witchcraft persecution under James I to the troubled Georgian period when highwaymen and smugglers held sway.
Set in the village of Mayfield in Sussex, To Sleep No More opens in the tumultuous reign of Edward III when monarch and Church struggled for supremacy and ambitious noblemen aimed to better themselves by marrying their daughters well. Oriel accepts the Archbishop's half-witted brother Colin de Stratford to please her father but soon falls in love with the dashing Gascon squire, Marcus de Flaviel. A strange and touching friendship develops between the three but, when Oriel becomes pregnant, suspicions are aroused and Marcus disappears without trace.
But their souls cannot rest and the story follows them through the times of witchcraft persecution under James I to the troubled Georgian period when highwaymen and smugglers held sway.
451 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 10, 2016
I really enjoyed the ethereal quality of this story there are shadows of the past and the future constantly fleeting through the present. The book is written in three parts, each in a different period of history but all in the same small area on the coast of Sussex.
My favourite part was part one set in the fourteenth century, a story of love and loss between Oriel de Sharndene, who is married by arrangement to Colin brother of the Archbishop of Canterbury, by the description in the book I think that Colin had Down's Syndrome, he is however blessed with a wonderful gift for playing the gittern, a small instrument like a lute. Although Oriel knows of Colin's disability she is very fond of him and is enchanted by his beautiful music. There is however another man in the lives of Colin and Oriel, Marcus de Flaviel, he is charged with caring for Colin who loves his friend dearly, a relationship then builds between Oriel and Marcus.
The second era is set during the reign of James I and the main character is Jenna, niece of Alice Casswell who was hanged as a witch, the same love triangle seems destined to repeat itself and the reader starts to realise that the people, although maybe of a different sex and status in life are maybe the same souls returned to re-enact their past lives.
The third part of the book set in the Georgian ear was my least favourite simply because it is a period of history that appeals to me least again we have the same scenario with the central and also minor characters returning to carry on the circle of their love. There are smugglers, highway men and fops and dandies in this era.
You do need to concentrate quite hard as it is a little complicated to recognise the different people as they return to different lives in different bodies, there a quite a few to remember and it is not always immediately obvious who is who.
It is a very eerie tale and is he sort of story you hear from people who believe in past life regression, interesting but quite long.
My favourite part was part one set in the fourteenth century, a story of love and loss between Oriel de Sharndene, who is married by arrangement to Colin brother of the Archbishop of Canterbury, by the description in the book I think that Colin had Down's Syndrome, he is however blessed with a wonderful gift for playing the gittern, a small instrument like a lute. Although Oriel knows of Colin's disability she is very fond of him and is enchanted by his beautiful music. There is however another man in the lives of Colin and Oriel, Marcus de Flaviel, he is charged with caring for Colin who loves his friend dearly, a relationship then builds between Oriel and Marcus.
The second era is set during the reign of James I and the main character is Jenna, niece of Alice Casswell who was hanged as a witch, the same love triangle seems destined to repeat itself and the reader starts to realise that the people, although maybe of a different sex and status in life are maybe the same souls returned to re-enact their past lives.
The third part of the book set in the Georgian ear was my least favourite simply because it is a period of history that appeals to me least again we have the same scenario with the central and also minor characters returning to carry on the circle of their love. There are smugglers, highway men and fops and dandies in this era.
You do need to concentrate quite hard as it is a little complicated to recognise the different people as they return to different lives in different bodies, there a quite a few to remember and it is not always immediately obvious who is who.
It is a very eerie tale and is he sort of story you hear from people who believe in past life regression, interesting but quite long.
July 29, 2013
A lovely book that I first read in the 1990's. Set in three time-lines, this book delves into the theory of reincarnation and multiple lives, weaving together the destinies of several souls. A great book which I can highly recommend.
December 16, 2015
Too tedious
I found this to be a tedious read. Just didn't care enough about the characters and was not really engaged.
I found this to be a tedious read. Just didn't care enough about the characters and was not really engaged.
March 22, 2023
03/21/2023
September 12, 2023
I loved this book. The story lines were so beautiful and made me cry. Definitely recommend!
November 26, 2015
Set within three separate and yet linked timelines, each with different characters that are conjoined by their fates through reincarnation To Sleep No More is an intriguing and different period tale, unlike anything I have read previously.
The three stories initially seem like they have nothing in common with one another but as the story progresses and as you delve into each of the different timelines the past lives link come more and more to the forefront until you reach a point where you can completely understand how the stories are linked, how the characters are linked and how much fate and destiny have had a pull and influence on their very different lives. It's a fascinating premise when you think about it, are we destined to live the same romance over and over again with the same soul even if you have no clue that you may have been through it over and over again. It's a deliciously provocative thought and who wouldn't like to think that our lives and loves could possibly have such an order to them?
The writing of this story is cleverly put together with the threads gradually knitting themselves together over the course of the entire book. Each of the three threads contain a separate story of love, romance and friendship and each is worth reading in their own rights alone but it's not until the very end that you can truly understand why the book has been structured in the way it has, when the underlying truth behind the past lives is fully revealed. The characterisations are beautifully crafted and each of the characters breath life into the story and into each other with their richness of emotion and personality. The pacing is perfect and suits the book completely, growing in pace as we learn more and more about the truth. As the three stories are set in different time periods, each time coming further into the future you get a good sense of the world around them and of the various times that they live in meaning that you do get a good sense for the world-building and the mythology behind the families in question,the land they live on and the social structures of the varying times.
I don't really want to go into the stories too much as I wouldn't like to give any spoilers away at all which would be far to easy to do but trust me when I say this is a great period novel with a twist. It may sound a little insane on paper but the book itself is a real joy to read and I would recommend to anyone who has a love of books featuring those bygone times. It's a great read!
December 30, 2015
I did not enjoy this book, it was long, involved too many people, and was hard to follow.
The story itself is interesting enough. It follows the spirits of three people from the 1500s to the 1800s as they try to find their destiny of being together. Unfortunately it also covers the spirits of about 10 other people through the ages and you are left trying to remember the stories from each time period, and the spirits are not always in the same sex bodies, which makes it very confusing. Each time periods story is too long and detailed, and not necessary to fulfill the plot. As much as I have a love/hate relationship with trilogies, this book may have been better as one. But ultimately, I think it would have been better if you were following less people and the tediousness and extra details of each time period were condensed.
The story itself is interesting enough. It follows the spirits of three people from the 1500s to the 1800s as they try to find their destiny of being together. Unfortunately it also covers the spirits of about 10 other people through the ages and you are left trying to remember the stories from each time period, and the spirits are not always in the same sex bodies, which makes it very confusing. Each time periods story is too long and detailed, and not necessary to fulfill the plot. As much as I have a love/hate relationship with trilogies, this book may have been better as one. But ultimately, I think it would have been better if you were following less people and the tediousness and extra details of each time period were condensed.
February 7, 2016
Waste of Time
I had hoped for something along the lines of Ken Follett's magnificent Pillars of the Earth or any of Edward Rutherfurd's wonderful sprawling sagas. Wrong! Pretty ordinary reincarnation plot and pretty ordinary characters. I give it two stars because there is a historical basis for a number of the characters, and there is some interesting information about the early 18th century smugglers aka "free traders" who were largely Jacobites or at least Stuart sympathizers.
I had hoped for something along the lines of Ken Follett's magnificent Pillars of the Earth or any of Edward Rutherfurd's wonderful sprawling sagas. Wrong! Pretty ordinary reincarnation plot and pretty ordinary characters. I give it two stars because there is a historical basis for a number of the characters, and there is some interesting information about the early 18th century smugglers aka "free traders" who were largely Jacobites or at least Stuart sympathizers.
September 21, 2015
This is an enchanting historical romance that explores the idea of previous lives and who one might be if this is indeed truly possible. Whether or not you believe in this idea the book is well crafted, details life in three different centuries and provides plenty of excitement, troubles and romance for the main characters to deal with. Intriguing, enjoyable read – I highly recommend it!
Thank you NetGalley and Endeavour Press for the copy of this book to read and review.
Thank you NetGalley and Endeavour Press for the copy of this book to read and review.
December 16, 2015
beautifully descriptive
March 7, 2016
The writing style was much too descriptive for my taste, however, it was well written. I would have given this book 3 stars, but had to give a 4th for a story that was unique and enjoyable.
October 12, 2016
Goôd read
This book is a good read especially if you like a time travel. It does beg the question do our souls go on reliving again and again?
This book is a good read especially if you like a time travel. It does beg the question do our souls go on reliving again and again?
Read
January 4, 2017Really good book - so romantic - was fun figuring out who became who in their next lives.
April 19, 2017
I had never come across Deryn Lake’s books until recently, but it seems that she has written a large number of historical fiction novels, detective stories and romances, published from the 1980s to the present day. I decided to try To Sleep No More, a book which first appeared in 1987 under the name Dinah Lampitt and has now been reissued by Endeavour Press as a Deryn Lake novel. It’s an unusual book as it feels almost like three separate novels in one, but with some very important links between the three and all set in the same small community – the village of Mayfield in Sussex.
We begin in the 14th century with the story of Oriel de Sharndene, whose father marries her off to the innocent and childlike Colin, brother of Archbishop John de Stratford. As she tries to settle into married life at Maghefeld Palace, Oriel finds that although she is fond of her husband and captivated by his extraordinary musical abilities, their marriage is never going to be a very satisfying one. The man she truly loves is Marcus de Flaviel, a squire from Gascony who has recently arrived in England and has been appointed companion to Colin by the Archbishop. Colin likes Marcus almost as much as Oriel does, and for a while the three are quite happy. Eventually, though, Oriel’s relationship with the Gascon squire leads to tragedy and at that point the first part of the novel ends.
Moving forward to the year 1609, we find ourselves in the village of Mayfield (formerly Maghefeld) again – and with a new set of characters to get to know. This time we follow the story of Jenna Casselowe who decides to resort to magic to win the heart of the man she loves, Benjamin Mist. Jenna needs to be careful – if anyone finds out what she has been doing she risks being accused of witchcraft. Finally, there’s a third story set early in the 18th century, when the roads and beaches of Sussex are alive with illegal activity. Lieutenant Nicholas Grey arrives in Mayfield on the trail of highwayman Jacob Challice and a gang of smugglers – could another chain of events be about to be set in motion which will again have tragic consequences?
Three stories which all seem very different at first, but as you continue to read some of the parallels and connections start to emerge, although others are not clear until the end of the book. I don’t think it’s spoiling anything (as it’s clearly stated in the blurb) to say that reincarnation is involved and that characters we meet in one time period correspond with characters from another. It’s not always clear who is who as they don’t necessarily keep the same appearance, sex or position in society from one life to the other, but if you’re patient there are eventually enough clues to be able to fit the pieces together.
I have to admit, when I first started to read To Sleep No More I didn’t expect to be very impressed by it (maybe it was the cover of the new edition that gave me that impression) but I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Although it took me a while to adjust to each new story – as I’ve said, it’s almost like reading three different novels in the same book – and a lot of concentration is needed to keep track of the characters and who they may have been in a previous life, it’s not quite as confusing as it all sounds!
Each section of the book has its own sense of time and place reflecting the different era and the changes in language, culture and attitudes over the centuries. It was obvious that the author had done a lot of research into the local history of the area and into each period in general, although I was not convinced by the work of a doctor who, towards the end of the novel, is carrying out experiments involving hypnosis and regression – his methods were surely too scientific for 1721. On the other hand, without that particular plot development it’s difficult to see how else the various threads of the story could have been pulled together.
Reading Deryn Lake’s author’s note at the end of the book, I was surprised to see how many of the secondary characters and events in the three stories were based on historical fact. For example, Alice Casselowe, Jenna’s aunt in the novel, really was accused of witchcraft and there really was a gang of smugglers operating in Mayfield in the 1720s. The author also incorporates the legend of St Dunstan (allegedly Mayfield’s founder) into the story, with several characters seeing ghostly visions of a monk working at a forge. The supernatural elements of the story are usually quite subtle, though, and are used sparingly to add to the eerie atmosphere of the novel. I found this a fascinating novel and look forward to exploring Deryn Lake's other work.
We begin in the 14th century with the story of Oriel de Sharndene, whose father marries her off to the innocent and childlike Colin, brother of Archbishop John de Stratford. As she tries to settle into married life at Maghefeld Palace, Oriel finds that although she is fond of her husband and captivated by his extraordinary musical abilities, their marriage is never going to be a very satisfying one. The man she truly loves is Marcus de Flaviel, a squire from Gascony who has recently arrived in England and has been appointed companion to Colin by the Archbishop. Colin likes Marcus almost as much as Oriel does, and for a while the three are quite happy. Eventually, though, Oriel’s relationship with the Gascon squire leads to tragedy and at that point the first part of the novel ends.
Moving forward to the year 1609, we find ourselves in the village of Mayfield (formerly Maghefeld) again – and with a new set of characters to get to know. This time we follow the story of Jenna Casselowe who decides to resort to magic to win the heart of the man she loves, Benjamin Mist. Jenna needs to be careful – if anyone finds out what she has been doing she risks being accused of witchcraft. Finally, there’s a third story set early in the 18th century, when the roads and beaches of Sussex are alive with illegal activity. Lieutenant Nicholas Grey arrives in Mayfield on the trail of highwayman Jacob Challice and a gang of smugglers – could another chain of events be about to be set in motion which will again have tragic consequences?
Three stories which all seem very different at first, but as you continue to read some of the parallels and connections start to emerge, although others are not clear until the end of the book. I don’t think it’s spoiling anything (as it’s clearly stated in the blurb) to say that reincarnation is involved and that characters we meet in one time period correspond with characters from another. It’s not always clear who is who as they don’t necessarily keep the same appearance, sex or position in society from one life to the other, but if you’re patient there are eventually enough clues to be able to fit the pieces together.
I have to admit, when I first started to read To Sleep No More I didn’t expect to be very impressed by it (maybe it was the cover of the new edition that gave me that impression) but I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Although it took me a while to adjust to each new story – as I’ve said, it’s almost like reading three different novels in the same book – and a lot of concentration is needed to keep track of the characters and who they may have been in a previous life, it’s not quite as confusing as it all sounds!
Each section of the book has its own sense of time and place reflecting the different era and the changes in language, culture and attitudes over the centuries. It was obvious that the author had done a lot of research into the local history of the area and into each period in general, although I was not convinced by the work of a doctor who, towards the end of the novel, is carrying out experiments involving hypnosis and regression – his methods were surely too scientific for 1721. On the other hand, without that particular plot development it’s difficult to see how else the various threads of the story could have been pulled together.
Reading Deryn Lake’s author’s note at the end of the book, I was surprised to see how many of the secondary characters and events in the three stories were based on historical fact. For example, Alice Casselowe, Jenna’s aunt in the novel, really was accused of witchcraft and there really was a gang of smugglers operating in Mayfield in the 1720s. The author also incorporates the legend of St Dunstan (allegedly Mayfield’s founder) into the story, with several characters seeing ghostly visions of a monk working at a forge. The supernatural elements of the story are usually quite subtle, though, and are used sparingly to add to the eerie atmosphere of the novel. I found this a fascinating novel and look forward to exploring Deryn Lake's other work.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews