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Pilgrimage #1
Pilgrimage
The last thing Gebirga of Flanders remembers seeing is the argument between her parents that ended in her mother's death. In the years since, she has learned to negotiate her family's castle of Gistel as a blind woman but everyone assumes that one day her home will be the convent founded in her mother's honor. An accidental encounter offers another path, and Gebirga flees her callous family with a pack of pilgrims that includes a count's daughter bound for marriage, two clerics writing a guidebook, and a mysterious messenger with an unknown agenda, all headed along the pilgrimage road to Compostela. The journey takes Gebirga from her home on the edge of the North Sea across the kingdoms of France and into the Iberian Peninsula, where her mission to escort a young noblewoman becomes a dangerous adventure involving power-hungry kings and queens and even the Roman Pope. But can a blind woman navigate the shoals of international politics? To find a place where she can belong, Gebirga must learn there are other ways of seeing the truth than with her eyes.
For the rest of twelfth-century Europe, Spain was a far-off and exotic place, home to the holy site of Compostela, shrine of Saint James. The saint's tomb drew a perpetual wave of pilgrims, coming for adventure, or seeking a miracle from the saint. Pilgrimage is the story of one of those pilgrims.
For the rest of twelfth-century Europe, Spain was a far-off and exotic place, home to the holy site of Compostela, shrine of Saint James. The saint's tomb drew a perpetual wave of pilgrims, coming for adventure, or seeking a miracle from the saint. Pilgrimage is the story of one of those pilgrims.
318 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 8, 2014
Well, I wrote it so of course I love it.
June 5, 2025
2025 Review
Pick recently announced on Instagram that we are getting a sequel, The Queen's Companion. Huzzah! Thus I craved a re-read. If you like your historical fiction heavy on the politics and accurate, Pilgrimage is one you might enjoy. I was reminded of Tracy Barrett's middle-grade novel, Anna of Byzantium, in terms of young women getting tangled up in court politics, though the novels are extremely different (discrete time periods, settings, protagonist personalities...).
Gebirga, the heroine of Pilgrimage, sets off on a wild journey after her father's return from the Crusades. Pope Callixtus II (during the Investiture Controversy), grasping kings and queens, warring bishops, internecine decisions, and monastery after church after monastery bring her all the way to Compostela. I love how Pick explored different cultures in 12th century Spain, giving a realistic portrayal of Gebirga choosing to overcome her antisemitism, among other encounters. The storyline was also more intricate than I recalled, and I have great hope that Pick's fiction writing skills have strengthened since Pilgrimage and will make The Queen's Companion something special.
Because I had read it before, I found the narrative/dialogue less jarring this time around. The one thing I really wanted more of is Gebirga's spirituality, but that's a personal preference; I think a completely appropriate amount was included for Gebirga's time, place, and life experience. After being in the field of history for a while, I also appreciate more a historian who doesn't turn her nose up at historical fiction. I didn't feel like I had to double-check things and never had to roll my eyes at ahistorical character attitudes. I'm still not over the medieval historical novel blurb that said women only had three career choices in the medieval era: wife, nun, prostitute. Pick effortlessly shows the many options medieval women had and didn't have, and she doesn't even include everything! Her research focus is gender and power, and a few historical fiction authors I've encountered should take note. Future editions--please give Pick the room to write a juicy author's note! I want to know the sources of the epigraphs in particular.
Content warnings: medieval violence (including a semi-detailed description of someone being boiled alive); an open-door scene, not too detailed; . I realized upon finishing the book that there's no birth scene; pretty unusual for medieval fiction in my experience. If you're still reeling from Laurus but want some medievalism, look here.
2018 Review
As a historian, I loved that this novel had good history! The world was rich, true to history and life.
Lucy Pick crafted the plot into a true pilgrimage. We never quite get closure for the pressing points of the first few pages. The main character, Gebirge, has moved on--emotionally and physically--from a previously difficult life. The plot itself as a pilgrimage was intriguing and enlightening.
However, this is a first novel, and the pacing was hard to follow emotionally. The dialogue/narrative dichotomy was off--I cannot be reconciled to reading a conversation told in narrative as it's happening.
Solid historiography and good characters made this an enjoyable read for me. Better novel crafting would send me through the roof with praise.
I look forward to what Pick will give us in the future!
Pick recently announced on Instagram that we are getting a sequel, The Queen's Companion. Huzzah! Thus I craved a re-read. If you like your historical fiction heavy on the politics and accurate, Pilgrimage is one you might enjoy. I was reminded of Tracy Barrett's middle-grade novel, Anna of Byzantium, in terms of young women getting tangled up in court politics, though the novels are extremely different (discrete time periods, settings, protagonist personalities...).
Gebirga, the heroine of Pilgrimage, sets off on a wild journey after her father's return from the Crusades. Pope Callixtus II (during the Investiture Controversy), grasping kings and queens, warring bishops, internecine decisions, and monastery after church after monastery bring her all the way to Compostela. I love how Pick explored different cultures in 12th century Spain, giving a realistic portrayal of Gebirga choosing to overcome her antisemitism, among other encounters. The storyline was also more intricate than I recalled, and I have great hope that Pick's fiction writing skills have strengthened since Pilgrimage and will make The Queen's Companion something special.
Because I had read it before, I found the narrative/dialogue less jarring this time around. The one thing I really wanted more of is Gebirga's spirituality, but that's a personal preference; I think a completely appropriate amount was included for Gebirga's time, place, and life experience. After being in the field of history for a while, I also appreciate more a historian who doesn't turn her nose up at historical fiction. I didn't feel like I had to double-check things and never had to roll my eyes at ahistorical character attitudes. I'm still not over the medieval historical novel blurb that said women only had three career choices in the medieval era: wife, nun, prostitute. Pick effortlessly shows the many options medieval women had and didn't have, and she doesn't even include everything! Her research focus is gender and power, and a few historical fiction authors I've encountered should take note. Future editions--please give Pick the room to write a juicy author's note! I want to know the sources of the epigraphs in particular.
Content warnings: medieval violence (including a semi-detailed description of someone being boiled alive); an open-door scene, not too detailed; . I realized upon finishing the book that there's no birth scene; pretty unusual for medieval fiction in my experience. If you're still reeling from Laurus but want some medievalism, look here.
2018 Review
As a historian, I loved that this novel had good history! The world was rich, true to history and life.
Lucy Pick crafted the plot into a true pilgrimage. We never quite get closure for the pressing points of the first few pages. The main character, Gebirge, has moved on--emotionally and physically--from a previously difficult life. The plot itself as a pilgrimage was intriguing and enlightening.
However, this is a first novel, and the pacing was hard to follow emotionally. The dialogue/narrative dichotomy was off--I cannot be reconciled to reading a conversation told in narrative as it's happening.
Solid historiography and good characters made this an enjoyable read for me. Better novel crafting would send me through the roof with praise.
I look forward to what Pick will give us in the future!
July 22, 2014
For centuries, Christian pilgrims have plied the roads of Europe towards the magnificent cathedral of Saint James the Greater in Compostela, Spain. Streams of nameless pilgrims walked the Way of St. James to plead their intentions, exonerate their guilt, and render homage to the saint at his Spanish resting place. Lucy Pick, a professor of medieval religious thought and practice, has imagined the plight of one such pilgrim, Gebirga of Flanders, in her historical novel PILGRIMAGE (Cuidono Press, July 2014). A fresh and thoughtful read, PILGRIMAGE explores betrayal, friendship, healing, and redemption in a setting hitherto ignored yet vastly important to the fabric of medieval life.
Blindness descends on young Gebirga, the only child of Bertulf and Godeleva of Gistel, after she witnesses an altercation between her parents which results in her mother’s death. Her father establishes a convent in memory of his saintly wife and departs on crusade, leaving Gebirga in the care of his brother at the castle. Raised by her nurse to be independent despite her infirmity, Gebirga learns to navigate her environs with help of her dog and becomes a competent châtelaine. When her father unexpectedly returns to Gistel with a new bride, Gebirga expects to be relegated to the convent. However, a trip to Bruges occasions an unforeseen encounter with Katerinen, sister of the Count of Flanders, and the beginning of a new life for Gebirga as the headstrong girl’s attendant. The political schemes of the great require Katerinen and Gebirga to travel to Spain in the guise of simple pilgrims. The final two thirds of the book trace the details of the women’s journey to Compostela as members of a motley group searching for healing and forgiveness and finding friendship, love, and purpose along the way.
A professor of history and religion, Pick understands both the complicated politics of the time and the texture of medieval piety and immerses the reader in this rich and unfamiliar world with confidence and aplomb. She guides the reader through the tangled the web of European alliances and Spanish monarchies with patience and grace, careful not to overwhelm the reader with detail but always providing just enough framework to support the dramatic action. More importantly, Pick treats medieval religious practices and popular sentiment with respect, presenting them to the modern reader without apology or condescension, opening the door to a forgotten way of seeing the world and inviting the reader in. This attention to the religious character of everyday medieval life gives her novel a credibility that many popular works of medieval fiction lack.
As in any good novel, it is the characters and their relationships that capture the reader’s heart, and here, too, Pick does not disappoint. PILGRIMAGE’s cast of characters ranges the entire scale of medieval society, from popes and queens to shepherds and tavern louts. Of particular interest are Yusef, the mysterious messenger who straddles two cultures and faiths; Aiméry, the Augustian canon traveling the pilgrimage routes in order to write a book about them; and Katerinen, the unstable yet endearing teen bride who becomes Gebirga’s charge and friend. Gebirga herself offers an interesting take on the typical historical fiction heroine: she must overcome not only the social limitations of medieval womanhood, but the physical blindness that could have easily rendered her a useless burden on her family and society. The guilt Gebirga bears over her inability to clearly recall the circumstances of her mother’s death and the challenge of living as the daughter of an official saint add to her difficulties. It is only fitting that Gebirga’s journey rocky journey toward happiness and self-acceptance culminates at Compostela, a place of spiritual and emotional, as well as physical, healing.
The novelty of PILGRIMAGE’s setting and the uniqueness of its plot earn it the honor of being a must-read for lovers of historical fiction. The author’s fine understanding of human relationships, her thoughtful investigation of miracles and their meaning, and her respectful yet exacting exploration of faith in all its expressions ensure that PILGRIMAGE will find a place on lists of favorite historical novels for years to come.
Blindness descends on young Gebirga, the only child of Bertulf and Godeleva of Gistel, after she witnesses an altercation between her parents which results in her mother’s death. Her father establishes a convent in memory of his saintly wife and departs on crusade, leaving Gebirga in the care of his brother at the castle. Raised by her nurse to be independent despite her infirmity, Gebirga learns to navigate her environs with help of her dog and becomes a competent châtelaine. When her father unexpectedly returns to Gistel with a new bride, Gebirga expects to be relegated to the convent. However, a trip to Bruges occasions an unforeseen encounter with Katerinen, sister of the Count of Flanders, and the beginning of a new life for Gebirga as the headstrong girl’s attendant. The political schemes of the great require Katerinen and Gebirga to travel to Spain in the guise of simple pilgrims. The final two thirds of the book trace the details of the women’s journey to Compostela as members of a motley group searching for healing and forgiveness and finding friendship, love, and purpose along the way.
A professor of history and religion, Pick understands both the complicated politics of the time and the texture of medieval piety and immerses the reader in this rich and unfamiliar world with confidence and aplomb. She guides the reader through the tangled the web of European alliances and Spanish monarchies with patience and grace, careful not to overwhelm the reader with detail but always providing just enough framework to support the dramatic action. More importantly, Pick treats medieval religious practices and popular sentiment with respect, presenting them to the modern reader without apology or condescension, opening the door to a forgotten way of seeing the world and inviting the reader in. This attention to the religious character of everyday medieval life gives her novel a credibility that many popular works of medieval fiction lack.
As in any good novel, it is the characters and their relationships that capture the reader’s heart, and here, too, Pick does not disappoint. PILGRIMAGE’s cast of characters ranges the entire scale of medieval society, from popes and queens to shepherds and tavern louts. Of particular interest are Yusef, the mysterious messenger who straddles two cultures and faiths; Aiméry, the Augustian canon traveling the pilgrimage routes in order to write a book about them; and Katerinen, the unstable yet endearing teen bride who becomes Gebirga’s charge and friend. Gebirga herself offers an interesting take on the typical historical fiction heroine: she must overcome not only the social limitations of medieval womanhood, but the physical blindness that could have easily rendered her a useless burden on her family and society. The guilt Gebirga bears over her inability to clearly recall the circumstances of her mother’s death and the challenge of living as the daughter of an official saint add to her difficulties. It is only fitting that Gebirga’s journey rocky journey toward happiness and self-acceptance culminates at Compostela, a place of spiritual and emotional, as well as physical, healing.
The novelty of PILGRIMAGE’s setting and the uniqueness of its plot earn it the honor of being a must-read for lovers of historical fiction. The author’s fine understanding of human relationships, her thoughtful investigation of miracles and their meaning, and her respectful yet exacting exploration of faith in all its expressions ensure that PILGRIMAGE will find a place on lists of favorite historical novels for years to come.
January 13, 2016
I hate to give less-than-glowing reviews for works by new authors, or by those who either self-publish or have their novels published by independent publishing houses, as Lucy Pick has done with her first venture into fiction writing, but integrity demands straightforwardness. Authors put a serious amount of work into their novels, so we owe it to them to be equally serious in our appraisals of them.
Pilgrimage has an intriguing story to tell, and a fascinating historical setting, rendered all the more so by the fact that the author is a medievalist by profession. However, the execution belies the author's lack of experience in writing fiction. The descriptions and dialogue feel very detached and clinical; very "tell-ey", as some in the editing world like to say. Pick sounds more like an academic explaining abstract concepts to us than a narrator telling us a story with a distinctive authorly voice. I understand that she wanted her story to be as faithful to the time period as possible, but I think a preoccupation with precision and authenticity can detract from the novel as a creative art form.
The pacing of the story felt a bit off-kilter as well. The story, while interesting, takes a long time to really get going, and I felt that certain scenes kind of began at the wrong time. It's a cliché that happens to be true: stories are about conflict. The very first line ought to introduce some tension that drives the story towards its conclusion. I didn't really feel that with this book. There's a lot of interesting backstory to Gebirga and the castle and monastery where she spent her time before embarking on her journey. She's the daughter of a newly-canonized saint; canonized largely at the behest of her husband, Gebirga's father, who murdered her. Her father spends some twenty-odd years in the Holy Land on crusade, and returns home with a new, pregnant bride who now expects to be the queen of the castle. There were things going on, but in a way I find hard to explain, there wasn't really a story there.
I found the characterization flat as well. We are told about Gebirga's thoughts, but I found it difficult to get a real sense of her personality. The novel is full of stock medieval characters. They are pious, they are violent; they have uncomplicated scorn for heretics and for Muslims. I wouldn't expect them to sound like twentieth-century intellectuals, but people in the Middle Ages did presumably have personalities that were just as strong and complex as people today.
I wish I could be more positive. There is enormous potential in what a well-educated medievalist could do in the world of novel writing, and Lucy Pick is certainly capable of writing a great novel; but I don't think her craft is there, yet.
Pilgrimage has an intriguing story to tell, and a fascinating historical setting, rendered all the more so by the fact that the author is a medievalist by profession. However, the execution belies the author's lack of experience in writing fiction. The descriptions and dialogue feel very detached and clinical; very "tell-ey", as some in the editing world like to say. Pick sounds more like an academic explaining abstract concepts to us than a narrator telling us a story with a distinctive authorly voice. I understand that she wanted her story to be as faithful to the time period as possible, but I think a preoccupation with precision and authenticity can detract from the novel as a creative art form.
The pacing of the story felt a bit off-kilter as well. The story, while interesting, takes a long time to really get going, and I felt that certain scenes kind of began at the wrong time. It's a cliché that happens to be true: stories are about conflict. The very first line ought to introduce some tension that drives the story towards its conclusion. I didn't really feel that with this book. There's a lot of interesting backstory to Gebirga and the castle and monastery where she spent her time before embarking on her journey. She's the daughter of a newly-canonized saint; canonized largely at the behest of her husband, Gebirga's father, who murdered her. Her father spends some twenty-odd years in the Holy Land on crusade, and returns home with a new, pregnant bride who now expects to be the queen of the castle. There were things going on, but in a way I find hard to explain, there wasn't really a story there.
I found the characterization flat as well. We are told about Gebirga's thoughts, but I found it difficult to get a real sense of her personality. The novel is full of stock medieval characters. They are pious, they are violent; they have uncomplicated scorn for heretics and for Muslims. I wouldn't expect them to sound like twentieth-century intellectuals, but people in the Middle Ages did presumably have personalities that were just as strong and complex as people today.
I wish I could be more positive. There is enormous potential in what a well-educated medievalist could do in the world of novel writing, and Lucy Pick is certainly capable of writing a great novel; but I don't think her craft is there, yet.
September 28, 2015
4.5 stars. "Pilgrimage" is the story of Gebirga of Flanders who has lost both of her parents. She feels a little bit adrift and isn't really sure what her life holds for her. The time is 12th century and therefore there not very many options open for women. She ends up joining a flighty young woman on a pilgrimage to Spain to follow the Way of St. James. This is a fascinating historical fiction that took me to a time and a place that I have seldom visited in my reading.
Characters are so important to me in my books! This book has a great main character! Not only is Gebirga a woman in a man's world, she is also blind which makes her life incredibly difficult during that time period. Her opportunities are even more limited because of what she cannot see. I loved this character. She is absolutely fascinating. The way that the author let us readers into her innermost thoughts really sold me on her. She's definitely a character that you're cheering for and hoping that everything will turn out well for throughout the book.
The writing of this book was good. Again, like I said before, I haven't read a whole lot of historical fiction set in the 12th-century and I really enjoyed getting to see the era through this book. The author includes a lot of historical detail that brought to life the pilgrimage that so many people took to travel to Spain, following the way of St. James. The idea of a pilgrimage is sort of foreign to me. I've read a little bit about them but I thought that the way that this book describes a pilgrimage with such detail really made me understand why people would be driven to go on a pilgrimage. The author makes Gerbirga's life come to life. This book is a treat for historical fiction fans! I am excited to see other books that the author comes out with in the future!
Characters are so important to me in my books! This book has a great main character! Not only is Gebirga a woman in a man's world, she is also blind which makes her life incredibly difficult during that time period. Her opportunities are even more limited because of what she cannot see. I loved this character. She is absolutely fascinating. The way that the author let us readers into her innermost thoughts really sold me on her. She's definitely a character that you're cheering for and hoping that everything will turn out well for throughout the book.
The writing of this book was good. Again, like I said before, I haven't read a whole lot of historical fiction set in the 12th-century and I really enjoyed getting to see the era through this book. The author includes a lot of historical detail that brought to life the pilgrimage that so many people took to travel to Spain, following the way of St. James. The idea of a pilgrimage is sort of foreign to me. I've read a little bit about them but I thought that the way that this book describes a pilgrimage with such detail really made me understand why people would be driven to go on a pilgrimage. The author makes Gerbirga's life come to life. This book is a treat for historical fiction fans! I am excited to see other books that the author comes out with in the future!
November 5, 2014
Set in 12th Century Flanders, France and Spain, this is one of those historical novels in which historical fact and fictional narrative are so successfully woven together that readers may have to research the topics for themselves if they wish to know where the history ends and the fiction begins. The author is an academic historian herself, and she has drawn extensively on a genuine 12th Century manuscript, the Codex Calixtinus (a collection of sermons, hymns, liturgical texts and reports of miracles, all associated with the cult of St James, together with a travellers’ guide to the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostella). The protagonist, Gebirga of Flanders, a young blind noblewoman, makes the pilgrimage itself, with assistance from the codex’s author, Aimeric Picaut, but, in the process, is drawn into a vividly portrayed world of intrigue between bishops, kings and princes, for which nothing has prepared her. There is lots of carefully researched historical detail here, but the book manages, nonetheless, to be a true page-turner.
August 15, 2015
Totally biased since I knew Lucy when I was a grad student babysitting for her. Tommy and I went on some of the pilgrimage sites this summer, so I thought it was really fun to read a novel by someone I know who is a noted medieval scholar about Spain. Very fun read.
December 8, 2020
“…You are on the right road for where you are heading.” In Lucy Pick’s PILGRIMAGE, an old beggar’s prophetic remark instills 12th century Europe with mystical possibilities.
Gebirga of Flanders, the blind daughter of a murdered saint, lives peacefully in her father’s castle until he returns from the First Crusade with a new pregnant wife. Saved by a chance encounter, Gebirga and her dog, accompany a young, erratic noblewoman on a secret mission to Spain.
The stakes are high. Counts and monarchs fight for dominance; prelates rival for the papacy or archbishoprics; monastic houses compete—yet all are interested in Gebirga and her highborn charge as they journey to Santiago de Compostela. In Spain, Gebirga learns that the occupying Muslims are losing territory. Jews are fending off Christians, and the pilgrimage, filled with feast days and danger, retains a sense of the miraculous. She maneuvers through intrigue, guided occasionally by the old beggar who appears mysteriously at critical moments, and a young man who may not be trustworthy.
The author brilliantly brings to life the world of the blind. Tactile sensations, tastes, sounds, and smells give Gebirga details the sighted would easily miss. Having a deaf and blind friend, I had no doubt that Gebirga could navigate her world effectively, and found her doing so in the 1100s fascinating.
I greatly enjoyed PILGRIMAGE and the author’s depiction of merging and emerging cultures. Gebirga’s journey rekindled memories of my walk along the well-worn footpaths of the Camino de Santiago, the street vendors crowding a cobblestoned plaza, and the golden cathedral reflecting a setting sun.
Gebirga of Flanders, the blind daughter of a murdered saint, lives peacefully in her father’s castle until he returns from the First Crusade with a new pregnant wife. Saved by a chance encounter, Gebirga and her dog, accompany a young, erratic noblewoman on a secret mission to Spain.
The stakes are high. Counts and monarchs fight for dominance; prelates rival for the papacy or archbishoprics; monastic houses compete—yet all are interested in Gebirga and her highborn charge as they journey to Santiago de Compostela. In Spain, Gebirga learns that the occupying Muslims are losing territory. Jews are fending off Christians, and the pilgrimage, filled with feast days and danger, retains a sense of the miraculous. She maneuvers through intrigue, guided occasionally by the old beggar who appears mysteriously at critical moments, and a young man who may not be trustworthy.
The author brilliantly brings to life the world of the blind. Tactile sensations, tastes, sounds, and smells give Gebirga details the sighted would easily miss. Having a deaf and blind friend, I had no doubt that Gebirga could navigate her world effectively, and found her doing so in the 1100s fascinating.
I greatly enjoyed PILGRIMAGE and the author’s depiction of merging and emerging cultures. Gebirga’s journey rekindled memories of my walk along the well-worn footpaths of the Camino de Santiago, the street vendors crowding a cobblestoned plaza, and the golden cathedral reflecting a setting sun.
January 8, 2018
Wonderful 4 1/2 stars read
I really enjoyed the story because of the rich historical detail and the depth of the female protagonists who commanded the story’s direction. I loved it was not a typical medieval novel about Norman, French or English kings or wars, but focused on the intrigues the papacy and other European monarchs perpetuated to gain or retain power usually making their children especially daughters their pawns. The only down side, I felt it had an element at the end that was tied up too neatly for me allowing all the sub plots to come together, a bit too much of a HEA usually found in romance fiction not historical fiction. A must read for those looking for something unique to read.
I really enjoyed the story because of the rich historical detail and the depth of the female protagonists who commanded the story’s direction. I loved it was not a typical medieval novel about Norman, French or English kings or wars, but focused on the intrigues the papacy and other European monarchs perpetuated to gain or retain power usually making their children especially daughters their pawns. The only down side, I felt it had an element at the end that was tied up too neatly for me allowing all the sub plots to come together, a bit too much of a HEA usually found in romance fiction not historical fiction. A must read for those looking for something unique to read.
June 7, 2025
This was a dense book, containing lots of history including some little known Spanish Kings and a short termed Pope who chose a name from the 3rd century AD, which was never used again. Lots and lots of period detail and information plus a little bit of melodrama, and a good story that changed and changed again. I really enjoyed it and for its size it was not a quick read- one has to pay attention!
May 23, 2016
A compelling journey into the heart of medieval Europe -- ideal for course adoption! I assigned it as the first text of a course on medieval Spain; the fictional travelers' journey across the Pyrenees worked really well as a means of allowing students an imaginative connection with Iberian culture in the twelfth century.
October 29, 2020
Entertaining and enjoyable plot and remains relatively true to historical context
September 24, 2025
(2.5 stars)
I guess the author of this novel is a historian and it shows with the historical accuracy of the book, but the weakness of not being a very engaging, you know, story. The book revolves around two women, a countess who has been pledged to someone in Spain and her lady-in-waiting who is blind. They have to pretend they are pilgrims to get through the lands of the king of Aragon because he won’t be pleased with the match for political reasons.
The historical accuracy is a strength and weakness of the book. Many of the characters were actual characters in history, unfortunately, there are so many and the political connections so dizzying that the reader, unless they have a keen knowledge of northern Spanish history, is left scratching their head as to who wants what and why.
Toss in a silly (and quite random) sex scene and the book gets 2.5 stars in my view.
I guess the author of this novel is a historian and it shows with the historical accuracy of the book, but the weakness of not being a very engaging, you know, story. The book revolves around two women, a countess who has been pledged to someone in Spain and her lady-in-waiting who is blind. They have to pretend they are pilgrims to get through the lands of the king of Aragon because he won’t be pleased with the match for political reasons.
The historical accuracy is a strength and weakness of the book. Many of the characters were actual characters in history, unfortunately, there are so many and the political connections so dizzying that the reader, unless they have a keen knowledge of northern Spanish history, is left scratching their head as to who wants what and why.
Toss in a silly (and quite random) sex scene and the book gets 2.5 stars in my view.
July 23, 2025
The principal character acts as our guide to the medieval world, explainng what we need to know to understand the lives of the people who inhabit it, while navigating an entertaining political intrigue amongst kings and queens, a pope, nobility and religious potentates. As a guide, she is never obvious or academic in her explanations.
I undertook to read it because the author is a university friend , but the obligation to read was soon displaced by the pleasure of reading. The novel provides insight into medieval life and uses the language deftly and often amusingly. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
I undertook to read it because the author is a university friend , but the obligation to read was soon displaced by the pleasure of reading. The novel provides insight into medieval life and uses the language deftly and often amusingly. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
November 23, 2025
Haunting and satisfying novel. Set in an interesting period of history that we don’t hear about enough. Enjoyed this through the lens of a woman making hard choices and doing what she can for a better life. Honestly I still think about this book years after I read it. The tone is brilliant. Skilled author who obviously knows her topic.
November 2, 2024
This book left me conflicted. At first glance it seems to have all the things I look for in historical fiction - an interesting plot, accurate history, and relatable characters. But one big issue with the portrayal of those characters just ruined the book for me. (See hidden spoiler below.)
The author, Lucy Pick, is a historian with a particular interest in the history of medieval Spain and her knowledge of the time and subject matter is what really stood out in Pilgrimage. Her ability to weave historical events and details into the story was notable and the aspect of this book that I enjoyed the most. She was clearly inspired by a topic that is significant in her life and it shows.
I also liked her choice of a disabled protagonist. As I moved through the first few chapters I found myself really relating to Gebirga and liking her as a character. I think that Pick’s depiction of how a blind, young woman would respond to her world was interesting and believable which is appreciated all the more because of a true lack of realistic disability representation in fiction.
I also enjoyed the variety of characters and settings she managed to include throughout the story. The plot starts in Flemish Gistel, but her protagonist spends portions of the book in Flanders, Burgundy, and of course Spain. Along the way she meets a multitude of others from pilgrims and monks to popes and kings.
This all being said, it is somewhat obvious that this is the author's first foray into fiction writing. In a couple of instances the point of view, third person limited, switches from the protagonist to the view of supporting players which is jarring to the reader. The overall pacing is also uneven with some places lagging more than others. And I also found myself predicting fairly easily where the plot was heading much of the time.
But the one big thing that ruined this book for me was the ending. As I mentioned before, I am always looking for protagonists who are realistic representations of the disability community and I was relating to Gebirga…
Having shared that, I still hope to see another fiction book by this author. The way she is able to blend historical fact into fictional narrative would still make me pick it up. I just hope that, next time, she puts a little more research into the thoughts and history of the disability community as she already has into the history of medieval Europe.
The author, Lucy Pick, is a historian with a particular interest in the history of medieval Spain and her knowledge of the time and subject matter is what really stood out in Pilgrimage. Her ability to weave historical events and details into the story was notable and the aspect of this book that I enjoyed the most. She was clearly inspired by a topic that is significant in her life and it shows.
I also liked her choice of a disabled protagonist. As I moved through the first few chapters I found myself really relating to Gebirga and liking her as a character. I think that Pick’s depiction of how a blind, young woman would respond to her world was interesting and believable which is appreciated all the more because of a true lack of realistic disability representation in fiction.
I also enjoyed the variety of characters and settings she managed to include throughout the story. The plot starts in Flemish Gistel, but her protagonist spends portions of the book in Flanders, Burgundy, and of course Spain. Along the way she meets a multitude of others from pilgrims and monks to popes and kings.
This all being said, it is somewhat obvious that this is the author's first foray into fiction writing. In a couple of instances the point of view, third person limited, switches from the protagonist to the view of supporting players which is jarring to the reader. The overall pacing is also uneven with some places lagging more than others. And I also found myself predicting fairly easily where the plot was heading much of the time.
But the one big thing that ruined this book for me was the ending. As I mentioned before, I am always looking for protagonists who are realistic representations of the disability community and I was relating to Gebirga…
Having shared that, I still hope to see another fiction book by this author. The way she is able to blend historical fact into fictional narrative would still make me pick it up. I just hope that, next time, she puts a little more research into the thoughts and history of the disability community as she already has into the history of medieval Europe.
August 6, 2014
Historians and other people in academia do not always successfully make the transition to writing fiction, but Lucy Pick has made that leap with grace and elegance. She has written a first-rate historical novel, one that is enriched but not overwhelmed by her expertise. In her heroine, Gebirga, Pick has created a complex and three-dimensional woman who is authentically of her own time, yet because she feels so real on so many levels, she is easy for a modern reader to understand and relate to.
Pick's secondary characters are also vivid and highly individual, and some of them are enormously likable. The settings - and there are many settings in this tale of an epic journey - are deftly realized. A subtle yet robust sense of humor adds to the richness of the story, and Gebirga's sharp intelligence is evident as she makes shrewd observations about everything and everyone she encounters. Lucy Pick has a true storyteller's gift for pacing, as well as a gift for making her characters and their loves and friendships come alive with a striking immediacy.
I heartily recommend this book, and I hope to see more similarly rewarding historical fiction from this author.
Pick's secondary characters are also vivid and highly individual, and some of them are enormously likable. The settings - and there are many settings in this tale of an epic journey - are deftly realized. A subtle yet robust sense of humor adds to the richness of the story, and Gebirga's sharp intelligence is evident as she makes shrewd observations about everything and everyone she encounters. Lucy Pick has a true storyteller's gift for pacing, as well as a gift for making her characters and their loves and friendships come alive with a striking immediacy.
I heartily recommend this book, and I hope to see more similarly rewarding historical fiction from this author.
March 29, 2024
This is the literary equivalent of a docudrama, one of those half-acted, half-interview film pieces that are informative with a bit of entertaining flair. Pick is clearly a fantastic scholar, and Pilgrimage is filled with valuable, vivid information. However, while Pilgrimage has the shape of a novel, it doesn't read like a novel. The dialogue is explanatory and stilted and the PoV can't quite decide whether it's a close or an omniscient third.
It's a pity, because the actual plot could be really, really fantastic in the hands of a more able fiction writer. I liked Gebirga as a character, though the plot beats of her story were readily apparent from the very opening of it. I think Pick should have really worked to write her as blind rather than relying on an omniscient perspective when she wanted to describe the visuals. Similarly, the book takes an extremely long time to actually leave Flanders, which became somewhat tiresome as I waited for the titular pilgrimage to actually begin.
It's a pity, because the actual plot could be really, really fantastic in the hands of a more able fiction writer. I liked Gebirga as a character, though the plot beats of her story were readily apparent from the very opening of it. I think Pick should have really worked to write her as blind rather than relying on an omniscient perspective when she wanted to describe the visuals. Similarly, the book takes an extremely long time to actually leave Flanders, which became somewhat tiresome as I waited for the titular pilgrimage to actually begin.
August 8, 2015
I toned down my rating because of my bias -- I know how amazing this book is! I'm disappointed in some proofreading errors (which were distracting) but totally wowed by the amazing recreation of medieval Flanders, the pilgrimage route, and above all the swath of northern Spain. Gebirga is a compelling female character, and through her blindness we experience the medieval world as perhaps we ought -- through sound, smell, touch -- it's lovely, and insightful, and I cannot wait for Lucy Pick's next effort!
August 18, 2014
A scholar of religion and historian of medieval Spain, Pick weaves material from a 12th-c. codex into an engaging story about a young blind woman swept up in a journey across Europe and on the road to the Cathedral of St. James. Historical figures, complex 12th-c. politics, lively characters, a little bit of romance, and a loveable dog combine to draw the reader into a medieval world where the exquisitely supernatural mingles with the earthy and sometimes cruel nature of everyday human life.
December 19, 2014
This book is delightful! I was drawn to the book because of the Camino but it is so much more than that. Gebirga, the main character, was inspirational. The writing was beautiful, drawing me into the story. I found myself gasping out loud, smiling, and almost crying. This is not necessarily something I would have picked up, but now it will be a part of my bookshelf.
September 11, 2015
I did enjoy this book, but it took me some time to get into it. There were a couple of spots where I thought the editing could have been better during the final proof read, but that's never stopped me from enjoying a book. The descriptions were beautiful and definitely make me want to travel more. The thought of something like a pilgrimage is much more intriguing to me now!
November 6, 2014
This is a terrific novel--the plot is engaging, the characters are real people but authentic to their medieval context, and it is refreshingly free of ANY anachronisms because the author is a medieval historian herself.
October 15, 2014
This is a very well researched novel. I'll give the realistic depiction of medieval life and well developed characters 5 stars. However, after a promising beginning, the story itself failed to engage me. Maybe it's just me...
March 5, 2015
A journey with a blind woman (and her dog) through medieval Flanders, Cluny, France, and Spain. Beautifully written, although the ending felt a bit too full, perhaps like a Tolkien ending!
March 10, 2015
Amazing! Purchased this book from author directly, so glad I did. It's historically accurate yet engaging story of a young woman.
April 18, 2015
Great characters....confusing plot. Would love to read more from this new author.
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May 28, 2015Lost interest
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